are you a geographer or an explorer?

"I am a geographer," said the old gentleman. "What is a geographer?" asked the little prince. "A geographer is a scholar who knows the location of all the seas, rivers, towns, mountains, and deserts."

Idaho Springs, CO

He cast a look around him at the planet of the geographer. It was the most magnificent and stately planet that he had ever seen.

view from Mt. Evans

"Your planet is very beautiful," he said. "Has it any oceans?" "I couldn't tell you," said the geographer. "Has it any mountains?" I couldn't tell you," said the geographer. "And towns, and rivers, and deserts?" "I couldn't tell you that, either." "But you are a geographer!" "Exactly," the geographer said. "But I am not an explorer."

dirt road that goes up to old mines

remnants of an old mining camp

Echo Lake

views while driving to the summit

Mt. Evans Scenic By-Way -- Mt. Evans Scenic Byway increases in elevation to an impressive 7,000 feet in just 28 miles. Mt. Evans Byway is the highest paved highway in North America, reaching an altitude of 14,264 feet.

Crest House Ruins at the Summit

 Here is a picture of the Crest House when it was in operation. The Crest House was a restaurant, gift shop and observation point, built in 1939-1941. It was a popular tourist destination until it was destroyed in December, 1979 by a propane gas explosion.

1970 postcard of the Crest House

"It is not the geographer who goes out to count the towns, the rivers, the mountains, the seas, the oceans, and the deserts. The geographer is much to important to go loafing about. He does not leave his desk. But he receives the explorers in his study. He asks them questions, and he notes down what they recall of their travels"  ~ The Little Prince, written by Antoine de Saint Exupery

Pictures taken while we were exploring the Idaho Springs, and Mt. Evans area.

Who are you? The geographer or the explorer?

new memories in estes park, colorado

Last week the Preacher and I took a few days off and went to Estes Park, here in Colorado. We stayed at the Elk Meadow Lodge and RV Resort, which is becoming one of our favorite campgrounds. It isn't near the downtown area so you will have to drive to and from the shops and restaurants, but by it not being near any of the tourist areas, you are left in a relatively quiet area.

The views from the campground are breath-taking. The picture of the Preacher and of our camper show Long's Peak in the background.

When driving up the Big Thompson Canyon, Highway 34, on our way up to Estes Park, we always have memories that seem to coming flooding back. I first visited Estes Park when I was 14 or 15 years old. 


My family came to Colorado for a family vacation and I remember walking around the town visiting the shops. I took this picture of my ice cream cone because while sitting in front of the ice cream shop, I noticed they were advertising taffy. Taffy was one of my dad's favorite. He would always buy a box of taffy in various flavors.

The Preacher and I vacationed with the Preacher's mother a couple of times, and with our son. Those memories are the freshest, of course. We remember the Preacher's mother's favorite restaurants and her stories of when she and the Preacher's father came to Estes Park on their family vacations. We remember the hikes that we took with our son - Old Man Mountain, the Twin Sisters, Long's Peak, and so many more. 

I was laying in bed on the second day of our trip, again remembering all of the good times that we have had in and around this mountain town. I began wondering how many more memories are there to be made?

Later that day the Preacher and I decided to take a small hike up to the Birch rock cabin. It sits up on a knoll that overlooks the town. Albert Birch, City Editor for the Denver Post, built the cabin in the early 1900's, and then it burned down in December of 1907. The shell of the cabin and the fireplace still stand. A piece of history and a new memory!

This is the view from the rock cabin, overlooking Estes Park

On the day before we were to travel back home, the Preacher got up early to take our dog, Porter, out for a morning walk. He left and then came right back in and asked me why was the driver's door on the truck open. I, of course, had no clue. Upon further inspection we found out why. A bear had visited our campsite the night before and had opened the truck door and proceeded to climb in and walk around the front seats. Thankfully we did not have any food in the truck and the door had not shut back on him, because we were told later, that that is why the bears will tear up cars...they can't get out. 

The bear paw print where he placed his paw on the door when opening it.

Bear snot, where he was smelling the back seat where our Porter dog sits

This definitely is a new memory!

We look forward to many more memories in one of our favorite mountain towns here in Colorado...Estes Park!

where things are simple

As the summer winds down I realize that the camping trip we will be taking at the end of the month will probably be our last trip of the season. 

This made me reminisce about the many camping trips that I have taken over the years.  

Today I thought I would share pictures of the different campers that our family has owned over my lifetime.

Unfortunately, I was not able to find pictures of the first camper that the Preacher and I had. The camper where our son learned to love the outdoors and looked forward to having adventures.

Kuhn Family Vacation, Wisconsin, 1960's, Franklin Trailer

Kuhn Family Vacation, Lake Superior, late 1960's early 1970's

Lula Kuhn, 1980's, Brookville, Indiana

The Preacher, 2017, Golden, CO

Camping has been in my family for as long as I can remember. 

Thanks Dad and Mom for giving us the love of adventure, the appreciation of the outdoors and sharing the beauty of this country!

I need a break from all the noise.

I want to breathe clean air

   and swim in clean water.

I want to sit on the porch of an old

   cabin and listen to the stillness.

I want to be out where things are

   simple and every breath is

    a reminder that there is beauty

     and magic left in this world.

–Brooke Hampton

My Mother-in-Law, Joan

This lovely lady was my mother-in-law, Joan Smith (Joanne). Unfortunately she had a stroke on Dec 25, and passed away on Dec 27, 2010. The Christmas and New Year holidays took on a whole new feeling. While the rest of the world was celebrating we were in shock and in mourning. It was hard to read all of my favorite blogs and hear them talk about what a wonderful time they had and tell of their New Year's resolutions. All of that did not seem to matter this year.

We spent the first week of 2011 driving back to Indiana for a memorial service with all of our family. It was wonderful seeing everyone but also bittersweet.

The memorial we had here in Colorado, at our church, Yuma Christian Church, was a celebration. We celebrated her life and her love for all the people who had come to know her as "Grandma". The church was packed with standing room only. Some came because they wanted to honor her and others came to honor her son, my husband, Don. It was a wonderful service.

This picture is of her at her favorite places in all of the world, Estes Park, Colorado, at her favorite restaurant, Nick's Steak House, and her favorite hotel, Deer Crest Resort. She and her husband used to stay here when they would vacation in Estes Park.

She will be forever loved and missed. (Our home seems way to big now.) But we have the assurance of knowing that we will be reunited with her and all of our loved ones that have gone on before us. We all will meet in our Father's House.

For all of you who are out there that sent cards or flowers or even sent up a prayer for our family, we just want to say thank you for everything.

Thanks for visiting with me today.