Colorado Rockies

A major solar flare on November 11th produced this reddish glow above the trees near Durango, Colorado. This was shot with a 3-second exposure to really show the colors, which were more of a faint red to the naked eye this far south.

The northern lights lit up the sky over Durango, Colorado on the evening of November 11th with a pinkish-red glow. This view was of the sky above a hillside neighborhood.

The Animas River flows through Durango, Colorado, bouncing around and over rocks in a stretch of rapids that host whitewater kayaking completions in the spring. The water in November was much calmer, but still pleasant to walk along the banks.

Durango’s Veterans Day parade featured the local Shriners in miniature “Tin Lizzies” zooming around the town’s main street. The parade also included full-size classic cars in a variety of styles and colors, all of them loaded with American flags.

The Veteran’s Day parade in Durango, Colorado passed the historic Strater Hotel built in 1887. Western author Louis L’Amour wrote a number of novels of the Old West in a room directly above its Diamond Belle Saloon.

Founded in 1881 by the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, Durango was a boomtown surrounded by gold and silver mines. Today it’s known for outdoor recreation and the narrow gauge steam train that connects it to the mining town of Silverton.

Near Silverton, Colorado rise several peaks over 14,000 feet high. We saw these mountains from Highway 550, the “Million Dollar Highway.” The road cost $1 million per mile, but the name may also refer to the gold ore in the fill or the spectacular views!

Rising up to 11,000 feet, the Red Mountain Pass south of Ouray, Colorado is one stunning view after another.

Driving south from Ouray, Colorado, the narrow 2-lane road winds along the edge of vertical cliffs as it rises up to this view of the appropriately-named Red Mountain.

Ouray, Colorado is surrounded by high cliffs that tower over the town’s 19th century buildings, including the classic-looking Beaumont Hotel. By the way, a local shopkeeper shared that the town name is pronounced “you-ray” and rhymes with “say.”

Heading south through the mountains of Colorado, we stopped in the town of Ouray to check out the lovely 1890’s buildings on Main Street. The town is named for a Ute chief whose name means “arrow,” although the winding road out of town was anything but straight as an arrow.

Hiking in the hills above Avon and Edwards, Colorado (at over 7,000 feet), we took a family selfie. From left are Elaine, John, Elizabeth, Jeff, and Hannah, with Elizabeth and Jeff’s bouncy dog Nugget keeping an eye on the other dogs on the trail.

Visiting our daughter Elizabeth and her husband Jeff in Edwards, Colorado made for an enjoyable weekend. Here is the view over the valley (their home is under the shaded cliff at the right) where we went for a short hike one sunny afternoon.