It’s Monday morning and I had a good weekend. The sunrise was pretty red this morning, so I thought I’d try to capture it. I really need a new camera. I’ll just have to figure out how to make that happen.

I had a strenuous walk on Saturday after an aborted attempt to hike Serpent’s Trail on the Colorado National Monument. I could have done it, but the person I went with didn’t feel well. I then walked the Audubon section of the River Trail on the Redlands. It felt so good it was hard to turn back. It was sunny and there was a cool breeze that kept me from overheating. Before getting back to the car, I was stung by a bee. That thing swelled up pretty interestingly, but it went down. Now it itches like crazy. Windex seems to help. Shades of My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

It was my plan to get some fall color pictures Saturday and Sunday. After my walk Saturday, I went to Ouray and started heading up Red Mountain Pass. THAT is INTENSE. Even though they don’t really provide any real protection from plunging to the bottom of that ravine, guardrails seem to say “safer.” I stopped a few miles up to check out a map to see what was on the other side of that pass and I couldn’t see how to get back in good time without maybe navigating that pass in the dark. So, I’d like to go over it, but I’ll need to start out earlier, with a clear destination. By the time I headed away from the house after dinking with my camera, I really couldn’t decide exactly where I wanted to go. I should have just gone to Paonia and hit a couple wineries. I’m sure the colors would have been as good, if not better, than what I saw in Ouray. In any case, I took no pictures. Not sure about colors this year. What I saw was more dry and brown than lush and turning gorgeous shades of yellow, orange, and red.

I still have big plans for color shots. Perhaps I’ll head up over the Grand Mesa sometime this week or weekend, and see what I can find. Also want to go to Mud Springs and over, as well as travel up Unaweep Canyon to Naturita, Nucla, Norwood, and then over to Ridgway. Got lots of driving to do before the first snowfall. But, any more, I really don’t want to be home all the time.

So, with that under my belt, I need to get my day and week started here. Have lots to do. Am glad to still have a job.

Happy Monday!