Now it feels like spring!

Last week the robins appeared in the neighborhood and today, the bluebirds have returned for their short visit before moving on to the mountains.  Two weeks ago, Southpark, CO. had many of the bright solid blue  mountain bluebirds.  A welcomed change in  this dry brown landscape.

Kurt's Happy Birthday Ride!

It started so calm and sunny with the storm only in the mountains, but then on lap 4 the front blew in with gusts of 30mph.  Even with that, Kurt was able to complete his goal of 5 laps for 67Km. 

Tuxy's spirit ride leaving Florence to Colorado!

That's Oregon in the background, Tux, we are now in
Idaho.
We promise to show you good times, Tuxy, on our trip back
to brown, hot Colorado. If the weather cooperates.

Leaving Idaho into Utah. Tux needed to enjoy a brief break
from the rainy weather while we needed a different kind of
break.



Devil's Slide on I-84 outside Ogden. Quick,
before my spirit stains from the raindrops.

Utah, foggy and wet.

Leaving Utah and it's pouring. It probably reminds Tux
of his home.

Please don't roll the window down. . . it's tooooo windy and
wet.

Are we there yet? Heading into western Wyoming.

No problem Mr. Bear. I'll just wait here for
my friends to keep moving down the road.


I think I'd rather hang here with the pronghorn.

We hope Tux's spirit doesn't get upset with the snow and
cold. Here in Wyoming on I 80 (June 13). What a cold wet trip to
Colorado.

Tux says: "Drink up old people, stay healthier so that
you can visit your pals M&A in Florence again, soon!"

And here Tuxy's spirit will hang with the
grouser longnecks until our next small
adventure.

Road trip to Florence 2010

Second to last evening of snacks with Men, Adele, and
neighbor, Jane. Thanks again Florence grousers for your
hospitality and friendship.

Woahink Lake.


Lunch at Woahink Lake and those look like more rain clouds
for the evening.

Second day on the beach and it was sun, sun, sun.


Driftwood all over the first rise of dune.

Smile, Kurt.

My fat head is blocking the lighthouse.

Heceta Head Lighthouse. . . it doesn't get any better for
dry- landers than this.

I'm thinkin'. . . I don't want to leave.

Wow, old farts enjoying the sun.

Sunbow over north jetty as we were leaving. Spectacular
rare sunny day.

First day on the beach and it was rain, rain, rain.




What a great drenching drizzle on the south jetty. Grousers
were very happy for the rain.

The geese followed us up to a cemetery where headstones
dated back to the early 1800s.

So what kind of geese, Adele?

Do beggar geese like bagels? Across the street from our motel in
Albany, OR.

The WA side of the Columbia River Gorge. . . it was drizzle
to heavy rain all the way into Florence.
We had rain everyday from the morning of June1 in Ogden
Utah until we arrived home, June 12, and then it was four solid days of
rain here in Colorado.

And one more thing before we leave.

A great way to start a trip to Oregon. Kurt gets his dream
ride in a Superformance Cobra. The gentleman who assembles
is out of Meridian, ID. Nice of the weather to clear for a few
minutes of test drive.

Bike ride--after the rains

The yucca fields were spectacular.

The reservoir is greening-up nicely. The cormorants are relaxing.

What a difference rain makes!

This has been the "greenest" spring we can
remember in over 10 years.

Our morning walk along the neighborhood
path.


"Mushroom" ?
Notice how dry the soil is just one day from heavy rain.


The cactus blooms do not last long.


With the amazing amount of moisture this spring,
the natural grasses have thickened and have
grown to twice the usual height.

If this is the tamarisk shrub, it certainly was
popular with the honey bees.

Is this the controversial "tamarisk" that the west
is trying to remove from water sheds?


The yucca were beautiful this year.



By next spring, I hope to learn how to use the flower
mode on this new camera--I hate the glare
on the view screen--the subject cannot be seen!

Decomposed granite--how do these delicate
flowers grow?



The hill was covered with the wild flowers--
after the rains stopped, we only had a day
or two to capture their beauty before
they were gone.