2nd Rocky Mountain Rendezvous, Day 2

Around the Campfire

Tuesday, August 14 - Camp Hale, CO 55.4 Miles Today, 12,595 For the Trip

Day 2 at the 2nd Rocky Mountain Rendezvous. We had a "gathering" to share stories, wine & treats under a couple of tarps. While the rain finally stopped during the night, it was the coldest while here in the Leadville area - 33°F. The trailer got down to 42°F before I fired up the furnace at 6:30AM.

After breakfast I headed into Leadville to make a blueberry pie. I had given my recipe to Anne so she had most of the ingredients, with the exception of those I've added since I gave it to her. She picked a bunch of my blueberries before they left Oswego so I was able to make a pie with my own berries a couple thousand miles from home. They were frozen, which makes a sloppier pie, but that's the breaks. Speaking of breaks, I learned something about cooking pies (at least blueberry) at 10,000'. Since the boiling temperature is lower with the increased altitude, the filling boiled & top of the pie erupted. A logical result, but one I didn't plan for! So, it is a bit messy, but we will find out tonight how edible.

On the way back from Leadville I stopped at the Tennessee Pass sign. They have information about the 10th Mountain Division (who are now stationed at Fort Drum, close to my home town of Oswego) as well as a back hoe covered sign for Cooper Mountain Ski Resort, where Anne worked & they both have lifetime passes. After driving back to the campground I ate some lunch, hung out & read for awhile, then made a round of the trailers photographing most of them. Photos of the trailers & the gathering are at today's LakeshoreImages Page.

Later that evening we had the traditional "Pot Luck" dinner. Plenty for all with great combinations of side dishes, main course & dessert. I always find it amazing that with no planning there is always a good variety of types of food. After dinner we sat around the fire & talked until the cool evening drove us back to our trailers.

Unfortunately, there is no cell service here at the Group Campground at Camp Hale, so there won't be any page postings until I head back to Leadville.

Until Tomorrow -