Roaming the Southwest-ish

Our a annual summer trip.  It's usually taken with another couple, Aaron and Amy, friends we've known for a long time (man, we're getting old).  Like Amy said, every time there's a trip with Ed and Viv, we always walk far and carry a lot of stuff.  :D Well, this year is no different except for the location, we decided to spend some time around where our friends lived, santa fe, nm.  we headed out to the brazos (in brazos, nm) for some backcountry, second ascents.  unfortunately on the very first climb, i got hit by rock fall.  this made is a little hard to walk, given i got smashed on my toe.  didn't realize toes can generate a lot of blood.  i was two and a half pitches from the top and still had a 2000 ft descent to do.  needless to say, i got down....in the rain.

this brought us out of the brazos a day early and spent the next day wandering around southern colorado.  i needed a day to assess my toe, to see if i can walk, and to find gauze and other med stuff.  so we went through the town of pagosa springs, co (to hit up the hot springs, which i couldn't go into but there was great lounging around the pools.  byt the end of the day, it was determined that i can't put on a shoe, but i can hike to the South Colony Lakes (~5mi) with a light pack and sandals.  well, at least it was worth a shot.  ed, aaron and amy wanted to do the Prow on Kit Casron.  i figured, if i can make it to camp, then they can climb it.

the damage

the aftermath

So onward to the South Colony Lakes trail.  It'll be more work for the other three, but at least they'll get to climb Kit Carson.

bivy spot on the way to the climbing. (somewhere in the national forest)

aspens

wild flowers

Lo and behold...i made it back there.....

dusk at upper south colony lake

broken hand pass

The other three summited kit carson via the prow.  we hiked out and ended back at stana fe for the remain three days of our vacation.  we hung out, ate lots of food, climbed locally, and shot at sh!t.

from aaron and amy's garden.....
                     

Local crag

diablo canyon

ed on Ergo

Red Neck Day!!

Event #1:  Archery
   

and moving onto event #2:  target practice
   

      

notice the target.  that's me.  the first one to put a slug close to the bull's eye.  of course, we also practiced with a .22 rifle.  that's much easier.  i had a target where i put 8 out of 12 into the target with two on the bull and two really close to it.  alas,  there is no photo of it.  i think i'm better at distance and still targets.

that concluded out red neck day.  we didn't get to event #3....cutting down trees.  oh well.  we had chilis to roast (we were there at the beginning of chili season) and a plane to catch.  next time, we'll complete the trifecta.

roasting green chilis