Indianapolis, Indiana to Newfield, New York

Keuka Lake, seen from one of the vineyards

On the way to Newfield, located in the Finger Lakes region of New York State, we visited with son Brendan in Buffalo and passed through the beautiful rolling hills and vineyards of this region in upstate New York. We sampled some of the wines produced by three of the vineyards.

Bloomington Indiana to Indianapolis-October 27-28

After visiting Janet's Alma Mater in Bloomington, we biked on the Monon Greenway in Carmel and Westfield - today, we experienced our first really cold weather. Hot coffee was a pleasure after the ride.


The Monon Greenway at Carmel, Indiana


Seen in Westfield, Indiana, along the Greenway-what kind of automobile is this?

Location:Indianpolis

Hays, Kansas to Columbia, Missouri to Bloomington, Indiana

Janet approaching the bridge over Perche Creek

Kansas Wind Farm

October 25-27: In Columbia, Janet held her 36-hour old great nephew Evan and discussed cars, including Saab and rumble seats, with Evan's big brother Jim. We biked the MKT (Missouri, Kansas, Texas RR) bike path, which at Hindman Junction, joins the Katy Bike Trail. We want to return to do the whole of the Katy Trail some day.

Colorado Springs to Hays, Kansas-Oct 23-24

Among the waterfalls of Williams Canyon, near Manitou Springs, Colorado

Williams Canyon, so peaceful and beautiful

Pikes Peak seen from the Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs

Eastern Colorado

 

Main Street, Sunday afternoon in Hays, Kansas

Yesterday, we hiked Williams Canyon in Pike National Forest. In the evening, our relatives prepared a delicious tieboudienne, or, fish and rice - the national dish of Senegal. Today, we crossed the plains of eastern Colorado and western Kansas to arrive in Hays, Kansas. We passed vast fields of harvested corn and wheat (now stored in the many silos along the way).

Colorado Springs

"Kissing Camels"

We visited the Garden of the Gods and biked along Monument Creek in Colorado Springs.

Albuquerque, continued

In Albuquerque, we were hosted by family and friends; we have had a fine time here. This evening, we dined at the Slate Street Cafe; we have also enjoyed dining at Duran Station. These restaurants are owned and operated by cousins of Janet.

John and Janet on the Paseo de Bosque Bike Path

Our bike trail selection here in New Mexico is the Paseo de Bosque Bike Path which runs through Albuquerque, near the Rio Grande River, through cottonwood forest. Last evening we took a ride on the longest aerial tramway in the world, it is said, and enjoyed dinner with a great view of the City from Sandia Peak (elev. 10, 378).

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Kasha-Katuwe (meaning, "white rocks" in the traditional Keresan language of the Pueblo) Tent Rocks National Monument:

The "tent" rock formations were produced by volcanic eruptions. "Precariously perched on many of the tapering hoodoos are boulder caps that protect the softer pumice and tuff below." (quotation from the Trail Guide).

Black Canyon of the Gunnison

Black Canyon of the Gunnison

After leaving Darrow at his conference near Moab, Utah, we passed an enjoyable evening with our Evergreen Travel Club hosts in Montrose, Colorado, and viewed with awe the chasm of the nearby Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Yesterday, we drove over the 10,000+ feet  high mountain passes of southwestern Colorado, into Durango, and then on to Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Here, in Albuquerque, we are staying with Janet's cousin and family. Today, we were flown to Sante Fe by friends, where we visited the Georgia O'Keefe Museum and strolled about the town, window shopping.

On the way to Sante Fe

Utah

Our view while dining with Darrow at the Red Cliffs Lodge, Moab, Utah

Janet entering the narrows of Bell Canyon

Janet climbing down a boulder in Little Wild Horse

Darrow negotiating a turn in Little Wild Horse

We enjoyed having Darrow with us for three days in Utah. He got to know his cousin Wendall and others in the family at Salt Lake City. After a few hours' drive south, we lodged at Hanksville, near the Henry Mountains and Capitol Reef National Park. After a solid breakfast at Blondie's, we hiked and climbed through truly fun, beautiful slot canyons near Goblin Valley: Little Wild Horse Canyon and Bell Canyon. When we left Darrow, he was just about to participate in a conference of naturopathic physicians at Moab.

Central Utah, on the way to Hanksville

Coeur d'Alene to Sun Valley Idaho-October 10-11

These two shots above show the trail and scenery on the third day's ride in the region of Coeur d'Alene.

Even in remote mountain towns in central Idaho, one finds espresso coffee drive-through stations; we got ours at about 6:30 Sunday morning.

As we progressed south into central Idaho, the countryside changed radically to huge rolling hills of wheat fields. Below, we see our hosts cycling ahead of us near Sun Valley, Idaho.

Trail of the Coeur D'Alenes continued

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We have had one rainy day while biking. Still, it was fun since we had the necessary clothing.

The third and last day on the Trail here was blue skies and plenty of sun. We passed fishermen, wild turkeys, deer, and several other cyclists.

Downtown Coeur d'Alene

After biking, we discovered the art scene in Coeur d'Alene, which opens its many art galleries the second Friday of each month. We especially enjoyed bronzes depicting Native Americans.

Continuing on the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes

The hilly portion of our day's ride took us into a forest with warnings against shooting; but such restrictions, of course, merely encourage people to show off their prowess.

John ascending the bridge over Lake Coeur d'Alene

It was quite cool today on the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes.

Sharing the Trail of the Coeur d'Alene

Please click here to read about the honor this trail has just received.

Coeur d'Alene Lake, Idaho - Wednesday, October 7th

Janet on the Trail of the Coeur d'Alene (following the right-of-way of the Union Pacific Railway)

We really appreciate this small mountain / lake city in the panhandle of Idaho, not far from the border with Canada. We biked until the pouring rain and wind made us too uncomfortable to continue. This evening, we dined with our Evergreen hosts at the White House, a Mediterranean restaurant in Post Falls, Idaho.

Post Falls-Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

Sunset over the Coeur d'Alene River as seen from our hosts' balcomy

Wednesday, October 6th-Our drive from Billings, Montana to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho today took us through vast plains and canyons to this magnificent country, close to the Washington border. We are staying with a couple who, like us, are members of the Evergreen Travel Club. On the way, we completed the audio rendition of the four volumes of Gibbons' Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.

Colorado To Idaho

At the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, Crow Agency, Montana

Tuesday, October 5th-We left Longmont, Colorado, well before dawn to drive 530 miles to Billings, Montana, where we are staying this night with some Evergreen Travel Club folks, retired teachers.  Despite the distance, we stopped for a full breakfast in Wyoming in a cafe near the South Fork of the Powder River. Nearing Billings, MT, we visited the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument.

Estes Park

We had a short hike but found the altitude to be too much for us.


- Posted from my iPad

Location:Estes Park, Colorado

Going Up To Estes Park

Sat. October 2nd-Yesterday, having heard a thump on the drive into Boulder, we decided to have a Saab mechanic take a quick look - good thing that we did, for the "serpentine belt" was not correctly seated, a condition that could have lead to serious problems in the middle of nowhere. This was another beautiful day in the West, and we biked and dined with our friends. Today, we joined several thousand visitors to Rocky Mountain National Park in viewing the mating elk season. We hiked a couple of miles but found the altitude too challenging for a real hike.

Trout Dinner

When I came here with my parents in 1948, my father ordered trout, which was his favorite meal, only to be asked by the waiter, "well, where's the fish you want us to cook?" We didn't have this problem, just a tasty meal of trout from a local stream. The mountains here in Rocky Mountain National Park are obscured by smoke from a fire that is apparently being allowed to burn without intervention. The haze is apparent in the photo of the bugling elk we posted below.

Custer SD to Longmont, CO

Spearfish Canyon

We reached Spearfish, SD, via Spearfish Canyon, which was pretty in it's fall colors. At Spearfish, we found an art gallery (photos by Jim Brown). The route down through Wyoming gave us long distance views, ranches widely separated and miles and miles of coal trains. On the radio, we learned that the round-up of some 4000 wild horses had begun. In Longmont, CO, with Alan and Carol, we enjoyed one of our best experiences in an Indian restaurant at Flavor of India.

 A forest fire came within yards of consuming houses in this Black Hills village.

One of Carol's roses from her garden.

We biked some in Longmont with Alan:

Continuing On Down To Edgemont SD-Tuesday, September 28

We biked over a former RR trestle that became so weak that the engineers of the Burlington Northern would leap off the train as it slowly traversed the trestle, then they jumped back on as the locomotive gained solid ground once again. Our 109 mile bike trek ended in Edgemont, where trains filled with high quality coal pass on their way to the East. T. Roosevelt came here in 1906, and instead of dining with the area's dignitaries, he chose to share bacon and beans with local cowboys. As for us, we found an inviting cafe where the lemonade glasses were filled until we were fully satisfied. This was a fabulous three days.