May 18, 2011

Florida Keys - Day #1

Hellooo!!!

All my school exams and the national/licensing exam went good, so... my husband took me to Florida, to look for the places his brother loves so much over here. We still didn't make it to Margaritaville though, nor to Key West, but they're on our list. :)

We got here yesterday afternoon, wiped out, but glad to be here and super happy to be escaping Vail's crazy weather, once again!!! The weather forecast says that it's going to snow or rain till Sunday up there.

From our bedroom window in Minturn (Sunday am)

At Fort Lauderdale airport:
Seminole indians' artifacts,
with Italian & Czechoslovakian beads.

Where are the snowmobiles?
Oh! I guess we're in "power-boats country" now!

On one of the many bridges through the Keys.
(Can't see, but they're long and in the middle of the freaking ocean!)

One of the bridges we'll be crossing soon.

Bahia Honda National Park

Local migratory bird.

A Coloradian migratory "Snow-bird":
Mr.Whitey!
He was making fun of me being under the sun-umbrella till past 4 pm today, and didn't want to listen to me and get in the shade... I guess that with his German origin, he also has some Kharst origin as well (Kharst is my area in Italy and is known for very hard-headed people!).
Well, tonight we were making a steak on the grill, but we should have just eaten him:
he looks like a nice red lobster now! :)

And his wife, Mrs.Whitey:
horsing around for the camera!
(As usual.)

Local lizard... a geiko?

Part of the old rail-road that connected Miami to Key West.
It was built in the early 1900th and a hurricane battered it in 1935, so they decided to built a highway instead of it. They used part of the old pillars in building the road, but some they left. Nowadays, you can still see pretty rotten parts, just standing in the middle of the ocean, while some others have been redone and are used as bike/walk-paths.

Other part of the old rail-road.

Palm tree.
Finally, no pine trees with snow!
At least for this week. They're forecasting snow and/or rain till Sunday up in Vail. Brrr!

Another key/island along the road.

Coming down from one of the bridges.
I guess ENEL (Italian electric company) would have plenty to do here...
connecting all these islands with electricity!
But then, as good Italians... they still wouldn't have electricity here, if Italians would be building it while looking at the "local beauties" on the many beaches. He-he-he!!! ;o)

Hope to take more pics tomorrow and post them.
We haven't taken as many these first 2 days, since we're finally really relaxing,
swimming and we both have almost finished reading our first book.
Yep! We've been really lazy!!!
And we're digging it!!! :)
But... yes, Benji... I promise I'll try hard to keep this Blog more up to date during this vacation.
Ciaooo!!! :)

May 10, 2011

Spring is arriving in Minturn and Vail

Plenty of snow up in the mountains

Garden is planted

Backyard snow May 10th, 2011

Some snow out in East Vail

Moab Spring 2011

Moab Spring 2011, visit to Arches National Park, Jackson Hole loop and a hike down a secret canyon

Sarah down below Hurrah pass

Sarah underneath a big rock

Balanced rock

A natural bridge arch way above

Some Indian carvings

Climbing up Kane Creek road

Up towards delicate arch

Desert flowers are starting to come out

Above Amasa Back


Up above Jackson Hole loop

May 6, 2011

White Wash sand dunes motorbiking trip

Utah late April early May trip 2011. Great time once again with some incredible dirt biking (and a bit of wind). Scott, Doug, Ratz and Camp director Dirk Johnson.

Camp, probably last time there as they are shutting down sections.
That is probably fine, we are due for a change of scenery. Already have places
planned out for next time.

Around camp

Doug, Chris, Scott and Ratz

Over at the abandoned missile range near Green River where they tested Athena rockets in the 1960s and 1970s


Group conference at launch central missile site
John Apmann and Brian are here too with us

Lunch at the launch pad near Green River

Scott working on the bike

Maggie climbs into Ratz's truck

Ratz trying to light the stove without blowing himself up

Going for a hike with "Maggie"



Cooking around camp


"Presidente of Camp operations and logistics"

Sarah joining us at camp for an evening