Going Home

We were pretty exhausted and we looked forward to a short rest and then to the drive home and again being in our own beds. 

We stayed and rejuvenated at Uncle Billy's home in Denver and our daughter's and son-in-law's home well above Black Hawk.  We had a chance to go to Empire to care for our trailer and go to everyone' favorite bakery in Silver Plume.

Siler Plume has three months each winter when the sun does not reach the ground  - tells you a lot about the valley its in.  If you do nothing else when going up to Berthed Pass on Rt. 40, shame on you if you don't stop at the Sopp and Truscott Bakery.   

Don't be upset if its closed.  Just look in the metal box on the front porch to select your favorite bread.  If the box is empty, then get upset.  you've missed to very best! 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Sheperd House

Uncle Billy - around whom the Road Trip was organized, has had this cabin in

Empire CO for 51 years - we were there to celebrate the 50th Anniversary

last year.   It is Home Away From Home for more people than we could every count.

It is the third oldest home in Empire and has a fascinating history.

                Just a cabin to you - A Castle to all of us -                More than a few points to back home

                            and a place for my trailer.........

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Mt. Thurston

We were again made comfortable at Andrew's and Jennifer's wonderful home.  They built this home themselves and it could not have turned out better.  I did help - once I passed up 2x12's to Andrew, I held up a wall while it was braced, and I pushed around more gravel than I thought I could.....

My only complaint is the rationing of oxygen at their home.  I'm told they aren't being stingy, but at 10,600+ feet, the air gets kinda thin.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Wildlife Sanctuary

Before we left for home, as a surprise birthday gift, we were taken to the Wild Animal Sanctuary a few miles from Denver.  We've never seen so many lions, tigers, wolves, jaguars, black bears, and grizzly bears.  We went in the evening because one of the managers told Jennifer that the evening was when the wolves howled, the lions roared, and the normally fairly quite place erupted in sound.  Boy - that was right.

Listen - 

While we could talk forever about the Sanctuary, it best to let the Sanctuary speak for itself.  GOTO http://www.wildlife-sanctuary.org/ and let them tell you their story.   In the latest newsletter you will read the story of a lion, lioness and cub rescued from Mexico.  We ant to return sometime soon to see how those mistreated animals become fat and happy.  And fat is the only word.  These ha got to be some of the best fed animals in the world! 

Check out this skinny tiger - 

and they ALL looked like that!

We suggested to the family that instead of Christmas presents and the like, we would like small contributions sent in our name to the Sanctuary.  As they say there:

"Saving One Animal May Not Change The World…

But Surely, For That One Animal... 

The World Will Change Forever!"

WE have placed a number of pictures in this section, however several more are found in the section for the grandkids - Lions, Tigers and Bears - Oh My!

Over the Entrance

He must have posed for the statue 

A black panther

Beautiful Tigers

One asleep-                                                     One bored

Pondering his good life now

The whole crew

Wolves

    Hiding in and around their burrows                     Staring at the fat guy with the camera

Wolves at night - I'm happy to be on the other side of the fence

The gift shop and local artist exhibitions 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Fort Union

The sign says it all.  The fort is being slowly rebuilt

There it stands in the pararie

A facsimile settler's wagon under the protection of the Fort

Al that remains are adobe ruins

Ruts left from all those who traveled west on the

Santa Fe Trail 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Route 66

OK, you might ask why I'm taking

a picture of a highway?

Because

It's the famous Route 66

We honestly didn't look at the map, we we're following 

 our GPS, whom we've named  "Tillie" 

Until we saw the sign above, we had no idea we were on Rt. 66

We spent the night at motel on the Route, and saw a number

of murals on building, each done at the owner's expense. 

I cannot do justice to them with photographs - sorry.

We understand this to be the one most famous & photographed

This train mural is spectacular, 

however as it is easily 125 feet long, I simply cannot 

get it on a photo, even as a panorama

This was on the side of a motel

And there were other oddities,

Such as the largest cross in the northern hemisphere

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Vicksburg

Out last out-of-the-way stop was Vicksburg

As we always enjoy Civil Was sites, we had to take a quick 

ride through the battleground park.  It is simply beautiful.

Entry to the battleground

Defense against the siege 

Guns that brought the siege to an end

As Great, Great, Great Grandfather  Ickabod

died during the Civil War, fighting for Ohio, at 

Chickamauga , we took a picture of an Ohio monument. 

One of the trenches used to support the siege

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~