Colorado Adventures

A view of downtown Denver from the Sky Terrace at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.  The view would have been even better if it hadn't been so smoky.

An astounding collection of art depicting Russian folk life carved completely from different gem stones by Vasily Konovalenko.   They were amazing.  I didn't know gems could be carved and sculpted like this.

Matt and I look pretty cool in infrared with our glasses, no?

Another fantastic meal (and milkshake) at Watercourse Foods.  Matt ordered the same thing he had last time because it was so darn good.  

Sunset over Red Rocks State Park.

An informal jam as we waited to go inside Red Rocks Amphitheater for the Furthur show.

The never-disappointing Red Rocks Amphitheater and a very happy, expectant crowd of concert-goers.

Furthur!

Doesn't everyone have steamed artichoke with melted butter when they go camping?  No?!?  

Heading down to the waterside at Chatfield State Park.

Watch your steps!

We found a crab's pincer.  I guess I didn't know that crabs lived in Colorado.  Or maybe it wasn't a crab, but just some crab-like critter.  In any case, it was a neat find.

Ring-billed Gull at the swimming beach at Chatfield State Park.

We took a dip.  It was cold!  But, it had been so hot and we were tired from dancing and needed to be revived.  Mission accomplished.

American White Pelican and Ring-Billed Gulls.  They were both quite plentiful.  I never cease to be amazed by those great big pelicans.

A short hike along the Trading Post Trail at Red Rocks State Park.

Those rocks are just fantastic.  So red and pretty.  So strangely carved.

Matt found a little cave to duck into.  It was much, much cooler in there.  We picked what seemed to be the hottest day to go on our Red Rocks hike.  Oh well.

We've been to concerts at the amphitheater dozens of times, but, for whatever reason, we'd never gone hiking about in the park.  We'd surely been missing out all these years!

It was amazing.

The plants were still green.  The sky was so blue.  

The rocks are SO red.  What a remarkable place!

We saw a scrub jay--brilliant blue with a striking white eye brow.  A very pretty bird.

We had to wonder how all those little fragments of rock ended up on top of that one rock column.  But, then again, those peculiar rocks will make a person wonder about a lot of things.

Matt cautioning me about a very, spiny trail-side cactus.

I love it when man-made feature blend so well with the native landscape...

...like these stone constructions along the trail and near the Trading Post.

Time.  Gravity.  Amazement.

Getting ready for another night of boogie!

Furthur!

Furthur is going on hiatus for the next year so this was our last chance to experience their magic for a little while.  They didn't disappoint (never have) and boy, did we enjoy ourselves.  

The final bow for Red Rocks 2013.  Thanks for the music and jubilation!

Red Rocks.  Furthur.  Matt.  Camping.  Life is good.