Fossils, Flowers, and Fairplay, CO

We had to pack up and leave Colorado Springs this morning. We're on our way to Vail where we will spend the night. But this is a tour so there will be a few stops along the way. First on the agenda today is a visit to Florissant Fossil Bend National Monument. A park attendant gave us a very informative talk about the area.


Robert is standing in front of a pine tree that has sprouted forth from the decay of another tree. The far right is one of the fossilized trees on the grounds.



This diagram compares the size of Redwood trees with different tall items. Check out how small a person is in comparison. Mind-boggling, isn't it.

Charlotte Hill, a homesteader here in the late 1800s, raised 7 children, ranched with her husband, and pursued her avocation of collecting fossils. She also was the first to have a 2 story home in the area. Her finds included the famous Prodyras persephone butterfly, one of the most remarkable butterfly finds ever found. Photo on the right shows the butterfly which is now housed in Harvard's collection. 



A reproduction of the homestead about 1/4 mile from the Florissant Beds.



I took advantage of the many walks that dotted the area and found lovely wildflowers and a curious Prarie Dog as well.

On the road to our next stop in Fairplay, Colorado.

Another photo op, this time the cars were the subject, at South Park City, an authentic restoration of a Colorado mining boom town.

We had lunch at the Valiton Hotel which had been shuttered in 2008 and recently reopened faithful to its previous decor. At South Park City, Peggi waits at the train station checking her watch once again wondering about the lateness of the train. Anne is taken aback as she sees light after a trip down in the mine.

Imagine my surprise to see our china pattern displayed. The cat was not the primitive ore crusher; however, it was omnipresent wherever one turned and was quite the attraction for all of us photographers. On our ride out of town, this dog doesn't seem to be very impressed that we are driving a Bentley. = )



This wasn't the only inside out curve we experienced on our drive to Vail. Between two of these signs along the road we noticed a very light sprinkling of snow.

In Vail, we dined at the Vail Chophouse, a closed event for our group only. After dinner, whilst enjoying our dessert, Rick Spitzer, an author and photographer extraordinaire, talked about the 14,000' passes in Colorado. I got an autographed copy of  his  book, Colorado Mountain Passes.