Front Range

Lee and Joan went to the "Front Range " to deliver the bike fountain and the yucca fountain. Here I'm setting up the fountain at the Kinning residence in Golden.

When the delivery was complete we made our way to Fort Collins to visit The New Belgium Brewery and just to see Fort Collins..
Then down to Loveland and looked at the sculpture gardens there.
Next was Colorado Springs where we delivered the yucca fountain and also went to the Olympic Training Center.


Leadville looked real nice seeing the clear crisp air as we drove back home after our whirlwind tour of the "Front Range"

all night ramble

I was looking for a ride and Tom Purvis had the idea. Set out at 9:00 pm and ride all night.

Off we rode from Salida to top of Marshall Pass then north on the Crest trail. It was mighty dark and only our light beams were our world. In that blackness and in the complete silence we pedaled up the old railroad route to Marshall Pass. To pass the time I began thinking how the steam engines passed in the night on this route 100 years ago. The engineer watching the track ahead and the stoker keeping the coal in the firebox. I imagined how the passengers would be dozing in the cars on the night run to Gunnison. Later I sang and tried to remember the words to all the train songs I know. Here Cathy, Tom's girlfriend, took our picture on departure from Salida.
Breakfast at first light.


We arrived at Marshall Pass and then proceeded north on the Continental Divide/ Colorado Trail. We made many miles on that crest trail. Nearly at Monarch Pass at 3:45 am in total darkness all I wanted was sleep. Tom was not feeling too frisky either so he said go ahead, take a nap. I layed down on the pine duff at 12000 feet. Instant sleep, like an elixir, relief. Half hour later the cold was creeping into my still body. I had to get up. Much better, I felt good again and a few minutes later the first light began to show on the horizon. It was so great to know the sun was coming. The daisys and lupine showed in my light. Waiting for the sun. We backtracked rode back to Marshall Pass then crossed and continued south to Silver Creek.


The sun came with all the glory of a lit world. Silver Creek was backlit, as we descended the birds twittered and the aspen shimmered, fresh dew on the grasses. We picked up the Rainbow trail and the beautiful flowers nodded as we descended to the warmer world.

We rolled back to Salida and had breakfast. Then the big nap. It was like being in a coma at midday. Wow that sleep deprivation is really memorable.

Vapor 125 coming up. This was a good practice. Tom and I had a really nice time, good conversations and sharing the experience.

Here's a 3d map of the route. I think you can click to enlarge.

Big boiler

Joan knows I love to see old boilers. She had spotted this one in a secret meadow outside Leadville. She took me on a hike to see it. It took a while to find it but then there it was sitting in the meadow.

Here was the gold they left behind.

Thanks Joan!

Big Wheel Fountain

This big wheel fountain is for the Kinning residence. I was part way into it before getting any pictures of making the wheel itself but I did have the presence of mind to take pictures of making the frame and base.












The video takes a while to load but it really
shows it well as the wheel turns and you can hear the great sound as well

Copper Yucca Fountain

Here's the process of making a copper yucca fountain. This fountain is a special order for Mr. Reynolds in Colorado Springs.






I start by making a bunch of leaves out of sheet copper









make the stems for the flowers




The flowers which will go on the stems












The copper disc which will be folded to make the baseI had not taken a picture of making the main stem but here it is with the flowers on top and in the base getting tested for good flow characteristics






now I add the leaves to the stem














A completed Yucca Fountain

Shawn's favorite ride

Shawn Gillis and I decided to schedule a ride. Shawn asked Wes to join us too. A few days later Shawn and Wes met me in Chalk Creek and we drove on up toward St Elmo. The ride follows the old railroad grade to the old Alpine Tunnel. There's some interesting structures along the route.

Shawn, Wes and I climbed higher as the sun went down. When we arrived at the East portal of the abandoned Alpine Tunnel we turned to a singletrack which rises over the divide. There was a snowfield to cross which required focus to take each step carefully on the steep side slope.

At the top we could see the west entrance to the collapsed tunnel.

Shawn directed us to turn right and follow a trail northwest toward wildcat canyon. We were riding the top of the divide as the sun set. In a moment I came up to Shawn and while catching my breath Shawn said "look to your right" There the moon had popped over the ridge.

I followed Shawn and Wes as the pace picked up descending toward the road which goes to Tincup Pass. We zoomed that road back to St. Elmo and the cars.

A magical ride

hike Missouri Mountain

John Branksy, Steve March and Lee Blackwell climbed Missouri Mountain on July 4th 2009

The climb up the valley was steep and beautiful. Missouri is more of a mountain than a peak as the picture shows the long ridge leading the the high point on the left.

The hike along the ridge has great views

John had been eyeing a possible glissade route on the ascent. We used the route and you can see our track in the picture. It was pretty steep and I had a chance to use my new ice axe to dig in to control the speed of descent.

Thanks to John and Steve for cooking up the idea of this climb for the 4th of July 2009