Mountain Discoveries

Few posts over the last couple of weeks... my husband and I have been doing a LOT of traveling.

First was a family reunion into the mountains. We had a great turn-out overall with my father coming into town from Montana, my oldest brother with his wife and son from Arizona, my husband's sister with her husband and their son. It was 5 solid days of riding off on ATVs to visit old mining sites, high altitude peaks, and ghost towns scattered over the mountains. We found some incredible treasures on our outings!

One afternoon we stopped for sandwiches up at 13,800 feet, and not but 100 yards down the mountain was a herd of mountain sheep. After attempting to count them over lunch, we decided there were at least 30 in all. We drove around in the mountains a few more hours, then retired to our camp near sundown and grilled steaks over an open fire with boiled corn on the cob. I think the dinner overall would rank in my top 10 meals ever.

Another day we visited a beautiful stream. In the morning everything looked surreal, with beams of sunlight shining through the trees. It was so fun to watch my youngest nephew tossing pebbles into the water... he was nothing but smiles! We crossed over the Continental Divide just before noon, and dropped into a secluded valley. The plan had originally been to take an afternoon break for lunch, however after passing a small lake we came into ghost town with a pulse. Turn of the century mining residences lined the four-wheel drive road, and people were out sweeping their steps, walking their dogs, and enjoying a leisurely mountain life. In the heart of the wooden town was a restaurant - - or more accurately a converted one-room cabin with a restaurant grill in the corner, and eight tables for customers. The timing was perfect! We were fed fresh-cut fries and burgers, while an angry thunderstorm drenched our machines outside.

Something about camp fires, cocoa, and family makes me feel more alive!

Sadly, many hippie / environmentalists want to take away the right for All-Terrain Vehicles to access mountain roads because some idiots don't stay on the trails. As with all things in life, a couple of jackasses can ruin a pastime for the rest of the planet. My husband and I have joined the Blue Ribbon Coalition, an organization dedicated to protecting the rights of off-road vehicle owners who follow the trails and respect the environment. CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE!