Colorado Day 4

Saturday, August 1st

We got up and packed our things, loaded the cars, and helped clean up and lock up the cabin.

Today we were driving to Buena Vista, Colorado to meet Lindsee and EP for a picnic.  Then we would all drive up and over Cottonwood Pass to Taylor Park and Tin Cup, Colorado.  Mom's brother, Ernie had rented some small cabins there for a week and we would all meet and stay there together for a few days.  Tin Cup was a small gold mining town in the late 1800's and early 1900's.  There is lots of hiking, fishing, wildlife, and gorgeous views all over this more remote summer town in Colorado.  On our way to drive between Divide, Colorado and Buena Vista, Colorado we saw a large herd of Bison and several Antelope, some very close to the road.

Lindsee and EP brought their dog, Saidee, with them.  Saidee does NOT like children.  Lindsee rescued her from a shelter many years ago and thinks she must have had a traumatic experience with children at some point before she got her.  Our kids know that they cannot pet Saidee without Lindsee or EP being right there to "help" them.  She has been a good little dog for Lindsee and EP though.  She goes hiking, camping, and even snowshoeing in the winter with them.

Below are two pictures of Dad and Mom's Trailblazer and Lindsee and EP's Subaru climbing up Cottonwood Pass.

Here we all are at the top of Cottonwood Pass.  Elevation 12,126 feet.  On a clear day you can see forever from up there.  We have been at the top of Cottonwood Pass several times in the past, on our way to and from Tin Cup, when there has still been snow left from the winter... not this time though.  It was rather cold and windy this time because a small rain storm had just passed through.

Pictured below, from left to right, Stacee, Silas, Eric, Phoebe, Sarah, Gloria, Paul, Lindsee and EP.  We are just missing my brother, Matt.  Matt, we all wished you could have been with us.

My sister, Lindsee, is a great Aunt!  All three of our kids just adore her.  She is fun, caring, and genuine in all the things she does with them and for them.  (Even when we are in Kansas and she is in Colorado.  She still thinks of these kiddos and calls them on occasion, sends them mail, and loves them from afar.)  I appreciate her and the time she puts forth in having a relationship with her nieces and nephew.  It means a lot to me and to them. 

We arrived!  Our cabins were at Holt's Guest Ranch.  Aunt Judy worked here one summer when she was growing up.  She spent a summer cleaning cabins and preparing them for guests, and in her down time she got to learn all about and explore Tin Cup, Colorado and the area around it.  Then her parents bought a cabin in Tin Cup and their family got to enjoy many summers in this beautiful area too.  She is the BEST tour guide for this area and knows a lot of history to share about the town.

After we unloaded the vehicles there was some frisbee throwing while we waited for dinner and a BIRTHDAY PARTY.....

Meanwhile it was hard for someone to WAIT... It was very close to Silas's birthday so we had planned in advance to have his 3rd birthday party along with a birthday party for my Dad while we were in Tin Cup with family.  He had been looking forward to this day for a couple weeks... His party in Colorado!

After dinner we got out his special Disney Planes birthday cake.  Thank you to Aunt Lindsee and Uncle Eric for ordering, picking up, and bringing this special cake and balloons to surprise Silas.

Lindsee also made Dad a delicious Apple Cake, using our Grandma Jo Hastings, recipe.  It is one of Dad's favorite cakes.  Lindsee put his candles on his cake...upside down.  Whoa, 99, and looking real good Dad!

That's better!  66, and looking real good Dad!

Happy Birthday to you, two.  Happy Birthday to you, two.

Happy birthday dear Silas and Dad!!!!! 

Happy birthday to you, two!

Silas had a few presents and cards to open.  He was very excited about some new airplanes and cars.

Later after the birthday party we all went to the Tin Cup cemetery.  This is a unique cemetery with four knolls.  One knoll, the largest, is the Protestant knoll with a section in the southwest corner set aside for Masons.  Nearby there is a Catholic knoll, a Jewish knoll, and a Boot Hill knoll.  At one time there was a wagon road to each of the four knolls and possibly a road that came in from Tin Cup northwest of the cemetery.  Now all vehicles must be left near the Jewish knoll.  In the picture below you can see the wooden bridge on the right.  It crosses over some Beaver ponds and leads into the Boot Hill knoll.  Walking along the wooden fence in Boot Hill, going north, you can cross another bridge that then leads into the Protestant knoll, which is the central area of the picture below.

We all crossed the bridges and headed for the Protestant knoll to explore that knoll of the old cemetery first.

We wandered around for about ten minutes.  Lindsee had all three of our children with her as they looked around a little to the west of me.  Mom, Dad, Ernie, and Judy were a bit behind all of us, walking slower in the south part of the Protestant knoll area.  My Eric and Lindsee's Eric were up ahead of us all with her Eric in the lead reading grave markers and trying to find the oldest of all the markers still left in the cemetery.  All of a sudden I saw EP turn and start coming back toward me in a brisk walking fashion.  He was calling out in a medium to loudish voice, "Bear.  BEar.  BEAr.  BEAR.  BEAR!"  (I will never forget this moment for all of my life.)  EP was within about 30 yards of a large Black Bear.  (He told us later he had seen something moving behind a tree, maybe a deer, but didn't realize what it was until he got MUCH closer.)  It took a few seconds for me to fully comprehend what he was saying and the seriousness of it.  But when I did, I started saying it too as I called out people's names to get their attention in the cemetery..."Eric Hendrickson, Bear.  Lindsee, BEar.  Get my kids and go, now!  Judy, BEAr.  Paul, Gloria, Ernie, BEAR!"  YIKES!  When my Eric realized what EP and I were saying he be-lined for EP and got a close (within 70 yards) view of the Bear too. This was a little too close and sort of scary with our children there for me.  We all quickly walked back out of the Protestant knoll, crossed the bridge into the Boot Hill knoll, and crossed the long wooden bridge back by our vehicles.  Judy had Sarah with her, and Lindsee and I had the two littler kids.  Dad had a hold of Mom, so as to avoid another fall, but you should have seen her move, as soon as she heard and realized I was saying, "BEAR!"  She wasn't waiting around for a look at the big furry creature, like three other people did... Eric, EP, and Ernie hung to the back of the group... maybe it was for a look and maybe it was in case it followed us they'd be the brave souls who'd get eaten first.  Who knows?  I have always wanted to see a bear in the Colorado wilderness, but after this, I think it may be a little overrated and will pass on this experience again in my future.  At least no more up close experiences for me and my family, for sure.  On a side note, Sarah later told me, when she heard us saying bear she turned to look for it, caught a glimpse of it, and then was grabbed by Aunt Judy.  She said, "I saw the bear and then Judy grabbed a hold of me, started pulling, and we went walking fastish back to the car.  And we just talked to each other for a little."  In the picture below, you can see Mom and Dad crossing the wooden bridge and in the back Ernie, Eric and EP bringing up the rear as they cross the bridge too headed back towards our vehicles.  Judy, Sarah, Lindsee, Phoebe, Silas, and myself were the fastest walkers as we went into bear retreat mode.

We stood by the vehicles for awhile swapping bear stories and watching for more wildlife.  Suddenly the little bird in the pictures below appeared around us.  It was curious, coming very close to us.  Dad kneeled down and it hopped right up and around him, even pecking at his jeans a couple times.

Sarah took the opportunity to get to know and pet Saidee.  Eric kept a look out for the bear, teasing Silas by saying he was going to use him for bear bait.

After a little bit EP and Lindsee wanted to walk to the Catholic knoll which is to the southeast of Boot Hill knoll.  This meant crossing the first long wooden bridge again, walking through Boot Hill knoll to the southwest and crossing into the Catholic knoll.  We let Sarah go with them with directions to stay close to them.

When they returned from the Catholic knoll we posed for a group picture with the Protestant knoll in the background.  Another couple showed up to walk around the cemetery.  We warned them about the bear in the Protestant knoll then asked them to take a picture for us with us ALL in it.  They were more than happy to help us out.  As we all posed for the group picture, they both in total shock and amazement and completely serious said, "There's something behind you! Look!  It's a deer or Elk. No, it's a MOOSE!"  We all turned immediately hoping it wasn't the Bear, and low and behold it was a huge female Moose! It was walking along the southwest side of the Protestant knoll.  We could NOT believe what we were seeing!  First the Bear, now a Moose!  (Below is the picture I took of the group before the other couple showed up.)

What a cool thing to see.  She ignored us all for the most part.  We watched her from a distance for awhile, then some of us started to get closer and closer to her.  Eric got as close as about 40 yards from her.

Finally after the Moose had gone away, we sat back down and the couple took a group picture again for us.

What an exciting evening.  We saw so much wildlife in one day... Antelope, Bison, Bear, and Moose.

Back at our little one room cabin, it was a task to figure out our sleeping arrangements for the night.  EP and Lindsee ended up on the fold-out couch, which EP said the next day, quite possibly might have been the MOST uncomfortable bed he has EVER slept on and sleeping in his car would have probably been better.  Lindsee insisted that they should just sleep on the fold-out in the cabin with the rest of us because then they could get the full family experience.  Full family experience won out and we were wall to wall people in there that night.  Mom and Dad shared a bed, Eric, Silas, and I shared another bed, and the girls slept on cots that my Dad brought.  (Good thinking, Dad.  Way to always be prepared!)  Lindsee stood by the door to the little cabin and tried to take a picture of our sleeping arrangements before we turned out the lights.  Then she sent the picture to Matt, who we know would not have been able to handle so much family togetherness in one room.  Ha!  He would have volunteered right away to sleep in the car!  It was memorable, especially when the lights were turned out the "Good-Nights" started.  The cutest one was one of the very last... A tiny little voice laying right beside me said sleepily, "Gud-night, Uncle Ewic."  And the answer back from the fold-out across the room, "Good-night, Buddy."