Go With The Flowski: October 2010

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Top Christmas Gifts 2010 - The Best of the Best!

Since the Phish shows in Broomfield, Colorado we have been up in Alma at some friends working on our collection of Top 10 Gift Ideas Squidoo pages. Christmas is just around the corner so I have added many new gift ideas as well as new categories to our Christmas Gifts guide including great Gifts for Him and nice Gifts for Her for the Christmas 2010 shopping season. Surprisingly the Christmas Gifts Lens rose to the top spot on the Squidoo Top 100. I am very grateful for such good fortune, we are getting 5,000 to 10,000 visits per day and it's going up fast. Of course we have more Top 10 Gift pages such as our Green Gifts, highlighting a wonderful selection of eco-friendly gifts, it's hovering aroung the top ten on Squidoo. Plus, I have been updating Boys Gifts featuring the top gifts for boys, Girls Gifts and even expensive Luxury Gifts for that special someone in your life. I have been putting "elevators" on my pages which are quick links up and down the gift shopping page. They help visitors navigate up and down our gift ideas shopping pages.

Thursday, October 07, 2010

Mining in Leadville Colorado

Today we are mining in Leadville Colorado. Actually we are digging through old tailings piles looking for any interesting rock and mineral samples. After stopping by the Rock Hut in Leadville we headed up 7th street past the old Matchless Mine into the big basin where they did much of the mining in Leadville. We poked around the old abandoned mines and tailings piles for a couple of days. There's not much to be found laying around on the surface anymore, it's been picked clean by previous collectors, but once we started digging in some of the tailings piles we started turning up some nice mineral specimens including quite a few iron pyrite (fools gold) samples.
the rock hut in leadville

Downtown Leadville, CO

Jack Digging in a Tailings Pile

Old Leadville Mining District

Looking Out from Old Building

Old Weathered Barn Wood

Rusty old Corrugated Metal

jack looking at mineral specimines at the Rock Shop in Leadville

Jack at The Rock Shop in Leadville, CO

Joe at the supermarket in Leadville

Wednesday, October 06, 2010

Lovely Double Rainbow Fall Colors in Colorado

Colorado double rainbow during fall colors

It is fall and we are in Colorado rockhounding at the old Clara May mine in the Pike National Forest, and an unexpected rain shower popped up out of nowhere. We ran to the van for cover and I grabbed the Canon SX210 IS compact digital camera and as the rain shower passed it left a lovely double rainbow in it's wake. It was particularly beautiful as it highlighted the autumn colors of Colorado.

Jack and I with a rainbow.

Jack and Joe

Rainbow behind Jack

Rainbow Close-up

Vivid Rainbow Colors

Rainbow in Camp

Tuesday, October 05, 2010

Como, Colorado

After driving over the Continental Divide via Boreas Pass from Breckenridge, Colorado we came down into the small town of Como. It's an old railroad town dating back to the 1800's, in fact the old railroad roundhouse is still standing in Como. It's a cute old western town with a unique personality thanks to rustic old log cabins and wagons and such.

The Railroad Roundhouse in Como

Log Cabin in Como, Colorado

Old Wagon in Como, CO

Boreas Pass Fall Colors

We are driving from Breckenridge Colorado to Como, Colorado along the old railroad route known as Boreas Pass. Because most of the route was a railroad grade back in the day, It's a very gradual grade that's relatively easy to climb in a standard passenger car. The scenery is spectacular and although the aspens are past their peak, the colors will be nice nonetheless.

joe and jack at breckenridge scenic overlook

Jack and Joe

Fall Breckenridge Colorado

Boreas Pass Trailhead

Boreas Pass Parking

Breck

Scenic Mountain View from Boreas Pass

Boreas Pass

Scenic View from Boreas Pass

Pike National Forest Sign

Pike National Forest Road 33

Boreas Pass Summit Elevation 11,482"

Smooth road, but NO guard rails!

Boreas Pass Lovely Autumn Aspen Colors

Sunday, October 03, 2010

Cottonwood Pass Fall 2010

We are taking Cottonwood Pass from Buena Vista Colorado over the Continental Divide to Gunnison. It's early October and the fall colors on Cottonwood pass are absolutely gorgeous this time of the year. Cottonwood pass is paved to the top but only on the eastern or Buena Vista side, it is not paved on the Gunnison side and it can get a little rough.