Yeah, I know, I have not posted any real pictures from July – and here we are in 9 weeks later in October! Well August was a little interesting to say the least… I had a week in our India offices (Bangalore), came home and had managed to pick up a stomach bug while I was out there (mental note, go vegetarian next time!), so as some of you will know I spent the following week and indeed my birthday feeling run down – thank heavens for the Olympics – well you don’t realy need to concentrate, do you ?

So in a really last minute decision, I went to Colorado for the fall. I reasearch & planned over the preceeding weekend, booked it during the week and flew out on the following Saturday (27th). I originally had mentally reserved perhaps 3rd week in October to go somewhere, but the “early bird catches the worm” – and my colleagues had October fully booked. So it was the last week in September or nothing – and Autumn colours are not to be missed – it probably is the best season for me, and I have to be honest it turned out to be one of my best decisions.

Now, I’ve decided to write “smaller” entries… does this mean more photos ? Probably not – but it does mean that I will be a bit quicker. I’ll also then find some time to go back to the July trip – but to be honest there is not much to write, but plenty of photos to share…

I’m going to call this trip deja vu – for a number of reasons, and it does allow me to post one of my favourite shots from the holidays. Yep, another sunrise over a river. So what else made it Deja Vu?

• Well the first time I was here some 15 years ago, I was on a course in Colorado Springs, and we blew a tire on Interstate 25 doing 60mph on the way from Denver to the hotel. The week after the course we visited North & South Rim GC and the surrouding area. And, in true Stuey fashion I managed to get through a further 3 vans. #2 had a complete electrical failure, #3 overheated in Monument Valley and #4had a dodgy windscreen but othrwise survived the trip. So more on car issues later…
• I was in California in Nov ‘05 – and they had freak weather – it was 70s and warm sunshine. Yosemite was open, Mono Lake had fantastic sunsets and except for 1 days public holiday everything went brilliantly. Colorado fall colours peak mid-Sept and by the end there should be snow. I had mid-80s temperature, got a slight tan but still managed to see some snow – awesome!
• Off-roading – probably the last time I did offroading was Chile in ‘03 and the only teaching was at a friends’ Stag day. So when you find out that some of the key places you want to see are off-road, well that why you hired a 4WD SUV right ? In the main, I would sum up the experience as superb fun – and all for free, though there have been a few hairy moments. But again, more in a follow-up entry.
• And finally, Day 4 and I am off for sunrise in Colorado National Monument Park, but as I cross the river colorado I have to pull over to capture the morning glow before the sun peeps over the distant mountains. The first few shots go well, and I decide to jog to the other side of the bridge (which is quite wide). And there on the left hand side is a bl**dy great big tree in the river. There’s no way I got dropped that there for foreground interest – and unlike Acadia NP – I didn’t get savaged by mosquitoes.

See, much shorter

Oh and a few pictures which you’ve all scrolled down to look at…

On the way to Marble, Colorado – a typical scene…

Red Mountain, San Juan Mountains, Colorado…

Autumn Colours… and of course, my deja vu pic…

Oh, and in case you don’t remember it… click here for the original