![\"September](\"http:\/\/www.appleattic.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/S008.jpg\")
<\/a>September 13, 2015, fall colors beginning to show<\/p><\/div>\n
The next weekend was Labor Day.\u00a0 I had taken off\u00a0 Friday to make a 4-day\u00a0mini-vacation out of it,\u00a0planning to\u00a0include a little\u00a0adventure by adding a\u00a0couple of ATV rides to the weekend\u00a0schedule.<\/p>\n
I went up on Friday with the truck and trailer and Pam followed Saturday afternoon with the dogs. By the time Pam arrived I had\u00a0The Nook\u00a0slash loaded and taken to the burn pit. Determined to get the most out of the Saturday, we tackled a project closer to the driveway…clearing an area adjacent to the dog run. This spot is in line-of-view of The Box, and\u00a0has fairly easy access. We quickly had a load\u00a0ready to go and when I returned from yet another burn pit trip Pam had a good start on a 2nd load.\u00a0That load\u00a0would have to wait until this past weekend as the burn pit was now closed for the day. We came to the conclusion that there will always<\/strong> be another pile of slash…for the rest of our lives!<\/p>\n Another slash pile takes shape<\/p><\/div>\n Jerry getting a load of firewood out of The Nook<\/p><\/div>\n Sunday morning we again worked on the dog run area and added to The Nook’s piles of firewood and slash. Pam headed home around 3:00 PM; I stayed\u00a0to take my ATV rides later in the day and next morning. We feel we got a lot done and the absence of mice was an added plus.<\/p>\n My 2 ATV rides (Sunday evening and Monday morning)\u00a0were of Hall Valley and North Twin Cone Peak. The former was fairly easy\u00a0and short, only about 14 miles round trip, but a light smattering of rain made the evening a bit more interesting. However, the rain ended quickly and the long rays of the sun made for a very nice late afternoon ride.<\/p>\n My ATV and another family at the end of the\u00a0Hall Valley trail. (Building is an old bunkhouse.)<\/p><\/div>\n Monday’s ride of North Twin Cone Peak, accessed from the top of Kenosha Pass, was pleasant but the final third of the trail was rocky and steep, thus making for slow going. The 32 mile round trip took me over 4 hours. Highest elevation, at the top of the peak, was 12,600 feet. I was glad Pam had insisted I bring my lined leather jacket along…it was chilly up there. I headed back to The Box, had lunch, hooked up the trailer full of firewood, and headed home, completing the long holiday weekend.<\/p>\n Downhill on the North Twin Cone Peak trail. Angles not enhanced by camera\u2026trail was steep and rocky in places.<\/p><\/div>\n Fast forward to this past weekend.\u00a0I drove\u00a0up Friday after work\u00a0 – no day off this time –\u00a0while Pam stayed home. Saturday morning\u00a0I managed to get the pre-staged\u00a0slash (a couple of loads) out of The Nook and over to the pit and still had time to get another load ready by late afternoon. (Photo of this 3rd load is below.)\u00a0Originally I had planned to return home on Saturday, but the weather was totally beautiful and I was tired so I decided to stay over until Sunday morning. I made myself dinner then\u00a0built a nice campfire\u00a0and watched the stars appear after the fire died out. At our elevation, just under 10,000 feet, and with no lights around (the moon had not yet risen)\u00a0you can really see all the stars and the swirls of the Milky Way.\u00a0 I slept well that night.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>