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It was a good lookin' truck back then and even better now.
We used to go that time of year all the time, it was the timing on the garden that altered our schedule. Personally, I think that's the best time, any time between then and Labor day. If you're camping frost on the tent is still a possibility, depending on where you are. Afternoon storms are a given, so get out early and you'll be fine. Personally I think I'll stick to doing Red Mountain and that area in the dry (Ouray/ Silverton) and make sure you hit Mineral Creek (wet ok on that trail). I did it when the 96 was stock though it was easier now that the truck is built a little. Red Mountain, Hurricane Pass, Engineer, Cinnamon, California....it's all good. I want to do Imogene (I think it's called- Edit: messed this all up: Telluride (not Boulder- what? Am I nuts?) to Ouray-ish) but it was closed last time we were out. Make sure you have maps or books showing you where to go, it saves a lot of worry.
Brown Bear in Silverton is the place to eat. Not as good as it used to be, but still pretty good.
Oldie....you got that right!
Maroon Bells are worth the hike up to the lake (not the one at the parking lot). We spent the night up there (not long, but strenuous). The next day we got pretty far up before there was too much snow and we turned around. That was also worth the hike. Totally. Completely. Would do it again. We went out of season. It was crowded, but we were able to drive up to the parking lot (apparently during heavy use you have to take a shuttle unless backpacking and a reservation is recommended to get a camp spot, there are only so many) so it wasn't as bad as it gets during peak use.
Did you hike the loop that had the falls and all the lakes when at Rocky Mountain?
In RMNP, I wanted to drive the one-way Old Fall River Road to the Alpine Visitors Center, but I did not have the 4Runner with me... but I did hike the Ute Trail connecting the Milner Pass/Poudre Lake and Alpine Visitor Center
BTW, I hadn't been aware of any trail from Ouray all the way to Boulder... that would have been quite the stretch!
All I know is don't ride a tandem with your kid up Old Fall River Road to the Alpine visitor center and then up and up and up until you get to fly down to your truck parked at the Alluvial Fan! Driving it is definitely more reasonable.
Yes, that's the hubby patiently waiting for what is essentially a hundred pound bike (42 bike and 56 kid) and an out of shape wife. Poor guy does a lot of that. Baldy to Gashouse gulch was a good ride too, on a tandem.
It's the Bear Lake trailhead I was trying to think of. We make it into a loop with some out and backs to see lakes and the falls. Busy nearer the trailhead and falls but still worth it and quieter as you get out further.
Was Milner/Poudre Lake trail as windy as I would expect? Bet it's beautiful.
We've had good luck seeing moose in the Kawuneeche Valley in the mornings.
You can hit a lot of gravel and off-road trails between Boulder and Ouray, but yeah, not continuous. Goofy me...
Merry Christmas to you and yours Hab... may you have a safe and happy new year too... we just got our power back up this morning... 3.5 days in a cold dark house really makes you appreciate what you don't have... stupid ice storm.
BRRRRR! Glad you've got power and heat and Christmas lights again! Hope the rest of your holiday is lots better! I'm yelling because, BRRRRRR!!! Did you start burning the furniture and wearing layers of Snuggies?
Don't have a snuggie... fortunately when the juice went down we'd forgotten to turn off the gas fire places so they stayed on and provided a tiny bit of heat... enough so the pipes did'nt freeze anyway... and we have a gas stove so we could still cook hot food... but I tell you it takes a long time to heat a house up again... my room is still meat locker-ish... and we only just got our cable/web up tonight...
I'm wondering why hubby don't tandem w/ the stoker now and then to give you a rest...
happy new year if I don't talk to you before...
We hadn't really scouted that Old Fall River Road ride that well. We rode up the one-way gravel road from the Alluvial Fan parking lot to the visitor center (11,700 feet worth of thin air), which was quite a ride. Then we thought we'd already earned the paved downhill all the way back to the car. We ate some snacks, rested a bit, then started out of the parking lot, and as we rounded the top of the mountain obscuring the road back down, we saw that it went.... up. A lot more up. We probably did at least 1/3rd more work getting up to the eventual top of the paved road before *finally* getting the free flying descent back down to the car.
It's true! I figure I'm going to take less risks and I have more chance to get used to pulling the weight since I'm off during the summer. You did enjoy getting the tandem up Baldy, didn't you dear? We'd trade more often but his saddle's made of medieval torture devices. Yes, I'm positive it's plural.
Avi- Glad you had some heat. Given the number of blankets I sleep under I simply would not have survived! Hot food, always a ray of sunshine in a meat locker house.
habanero, I hope I don't jinx you, but I was wondering whether you have ever experienced any electrical issues with your own '96, and/or issues with your starter or alternator? I am doing the Big 3 wiring upgrade and replacing stater contacts (and possibly plunger, once I get in there and see how it looks) to address intermittent starting issues...
eventually I may upgrade my own stock alternator to possibly the GM CS-144 higher output version...
Hrt4me- too late for the Jinx. I did the starter contacts in '08. Hardest part was getting the starter out, not too hard on the m/t. Intermittent start, wouldn't do anything one try, fine the next few. Again, with the m/t I just made sure I parked on a hill till I got a chance to fix it.
The alternator's gonna be replaced with the GM beastie. I've got one of the make/models it comes off of saved somewhere in prep for getting one. First I've got to kill the oe one off.
SCUBA! Good to see you! Yeah, it's eclectic. That's what happens when your truck doesn't break down enough. *knocking wood*
I was in another tree this weekend. Geez, did I get old since that last pic....
Happy new year to you and yours too, Avi.
Another one to keep y'all entertained while my truck keeps, well, on trucking...
Charlie in his sleeping bag:
Hrt4me- too late for the Jinx. I did the starter contacts in '08. Hardest part was getting the starter out, not too hard on the m/t. Intermittent start, wouldn't do anything one try, fine the next few. Again, with the m/t I just made sure I parked on a hill till I got a chance to fix it.
The alternator's gonna be replaced with the GM beastie. I've got one of the make/models it comes off of saved somewhere in prep for getting one. First I've got to kill the oe one off.
I began my starter fix today, following this tutorial, among others: Starter Contacts Removal
but I only got so far as jacking up the 4Runner to remove the front passenger wheel, unclipping the rubber splash guard, unbolting the 2 bolts holding the brake line to the frame, and unbolting those 3 bolts keeping the exhaust bracket in place. I am literally stuck on Step 4, however, because I just cannot seem to pry off that gray cover from the starter solenoid's positive (+) battery connect nor unclip that small black connector! And I was able to also remove the lower 14mm starter bolt (Step 7), but I just cannot get good enough leverage to torque loose that stubborn upper starter bolt... any tips you might happen to recall from 2008? Hopefully I can finish this by tomorrow and get the 4Runner started and running again after sitting idle for the past 3 weeks...
Hrt4me- I recall that being an annoying bolt, but I don't remember what I did to get it off. Prolly b'lastered it and waited a bit. It didn't take any unusual measures, I do remember that. Good luck with it!
Ready to move back to MO? We're getting somewhere around a foot of snow, to be followed by -9 temps, with a -2 high for tomorrow. We're supposed to be going back to school tomorrow but somehow I think we'll be off again. I've been a lazy bum since 12/21...
Speaking of snow, the hubby yelled that an atv just went down our driveway. Sure enough, this unexpected thing went by:
It's the neighbor down the street. He's got all sorts of cool toys and this is one of them. Guess he got a snowplow attachment this year- all the neighbors got plowed driveways. We never shovel ours anyway, 4x4 baby, but it was fun to watch him going up and down the drive.
Even better, that's our next door neighbor's he's working on. He's an older guy so we were planning on shoveling it for him but now our job is going to be waaaaaay easier since the ATV took care of at least 8" of snow for us.
What??? A foot of snow? I'm packing right now and moving to MO! Lol Seriously, we need snow here. Everything from Tahoe to the Canadian border is way behind on snow pack.
Neighbors like that are great. I have one that has a snow blower and after I do a meager path they come by and, poof, driveway and sidewalk is clear.
Dec 26, 2013 | 01:37 PM
