Fall day in Boulder

Fall in Colorado is nice and pleasant. Mostly sunny and warm. But sometimes it rains and everything becomes gloomy and we all are feel blue...

 

Breckenridge Budweiser Snow Sculpture Festival 2017

I hope you don't miss the snow just yet... But if you do - I have something to show you ;)

 

Long weekend...

South Valley is a great place to spend a couple of hours. Close to the city (probably the closest location you can find), beautiful and easy to hike. So we went there on Saturday morning and... it was absolutely amazing!

 

Birds... angry birds...

Okay, okay... not all of them were angry, but some were! But, let's start from the beginning... In the beginning it was a sunny, but hazy morning and the sky wasn't blue at all... But the bird's silhouettes looked very beautiful against slightly pink-ish background ;)

 

Another Barr Lake hike...

Barr Lake is the place where you might spot a Bald Eagle or two... BTW - click here if you want to see them - Barr Lake in March. Luck is not always on your side but don't be disappointed if you miss this bird. You still have a good time walking around the lake and looking around...

Paint Mines - colorful and stunning badlands in the middle of nowhere...

The Paint Mines Park in Calhan is one of the most beautiful and unique places to visit. It's off the beaten path but well worth seeing.

 

Staunton Park or Lazy Chipmunk Saga ;)

Staunton Park is a great place to spend a few hours hiking and looking for wildlife. Going there, we hoped to see some Abert's Squirrels but... we were not lucky and didn't even catch a glance of them... But I shouldn't complain, because other squirrels were not only there, but were also ready to pose ;)

 

Scottsdale - the West's most Western town

Scottsdale is a city in the eastern part of Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, and is part of the Phoenix metropolitan area. Named Scottsdale in 1894 after its founder Winfield Scott, a retired U.S. Army chaplain, the city was incorporated in 1951 with a population of 2,000. At the 2020 census, the population was 241,361.

 

Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix

It was a long day - we hiked in Sedona (click here to see - Sedona - Cathedral Rock hike) and stopped to explore Jerome on our way back to Phoenix (click here to explore - Jerome AZ, the town with a story...). So the next day we decided to take it easy and enjoy something within the city. We chose the Desert Botanical Garden as it promised a lot to see. As the spring season begins to bloom, the Desert Botanical Garden is transformed into a wonderland of vibrant colors and unique desert flora. The garden's 140 acres of stunning landscapes and winding paths provide the perfect backdrop for a day of exploring and appreciating the beauty of the desert. In late April, the garden is in full swing, with a variety of plants in bloom and wildlife making their presence known.

 

Jerome AZ, the town with a story...

The hike to Cathedral Rock in Sedona (click here to see it - Sedona - Cathedral Rock hike) was great. Amazing scenery and nice weather... what else can you ask for? On our way back, we decided to take a longer route and see a small town of Jerome, which is about an hour from Sedona and occupies the slopes of the mountain and climbs up to the sky...

 

Sedona - Cathedral Rock hike

Saguaros looked absolutely amazing (click here to see - Saguaro National Park - King Canyon and Gould Mine hike) but we got toasted while hiking there. We also had other plans and wanted to explore somewhere cooler, so the next day we drove north to explore the Sedona area. Located at 4350 feet (shut up those who live in a mile high city, I know how you feel about such silly elevation ;) ) Sedona offers a pleasant coolness (compared to Phoenix). Known for its red sandstone formations and vibrant colors...

 

Saguaro National Park - King Canyon and Gould Mine hike

Saguaro National Park is home to an impressive number of saguaro cacti... By the way, while talking to a ranger, I found out that they pronounce it as sa-WAH-ro ;) But... regardless of how you pronounce it, you will find a lot of them there... and they are truly magnificent...