August 6, 2009

In the San Juan Mountains, near Ouray, Colorado.

These pictures do not depict the harrowing 4x4 drive up narrow roads with rocks to one side and a sheer drop on the other. These are just 3 photos from a huge photoset that I've scarcely sorted through.

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Photo by Meade:

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27 comments:

ricpic said...

Althouse looking very Germanic in an Alpine setting.

MadisonMan said...

I think she's looking angry about the Paula Abdul situation.

Balfegor said...

Makes me think "The hills are alive, with the sound of music."

Hunter McDaniel said...

Now you can see why so many of us here in Colorado are SUV owners.

I'm the proud owner of a '97 Ford Explorer (#2 on the C4C list).

Fred4Pres said...

Columbines are pretty.

Sad to think of the other meaning of that word now...

shake-and-bake said...

I honeymooned in the San Juan mountains! But it was 1974, I was much younger (obviously), and we slept in a tent. The marriage is long since gone,and now I am more the room service type. Best wishes!

Fred said...

I'm thinking that is Yankee Boy Basin. If you have an SUV, you should do the Engineers Pass, Cinomon Pass circuit. Lots of scenery, history, and the coolest private house surrounded by public land in the nation.

Dr. Cookie said...

Awesome pics, Ann. My divorce was final on Aug 3, so we both started new lives. I want to end up like you though, ten years from now in the mountains with a wonderful man.

I have so enjoyed reading about your latest journey.

And hold the sarcasm, everyone. I'm feeling mushy and happy for Ann.

Kirk Parker said...

I'm not a great fan of the fisheye lens in general, but that 2nd photo is certainly an awesome use of it!

SteveR said...

The only thing keeping SW Colorado from being one of the best places in the United States is the lack of a ban on people from California moving there.

J. Cricket said...

Oh, the "harrowing" jeep ride!! How scary!

Fer chrissake, you were be driven up the mountain. Get a grip.

Did Larry get the chance to bond with any birthers?

Ralph L said...

They have big ass columbines in Colorado. No wonder they named a town for them.

rhhardin said...

It always seemed to me that hills get in the way, blocking the view.

How far you can view is limited only by the square root of your height, in Ohio.

MamaM said...

Talk about scary rides Juris D!

Did you know there is actually another dentist named Juris living in the US?

There could be lots of Juris Dentists around. That's the scary part. But the part that made me laugh is this: The name that comes up after your's (yup, you are first and Numero Uno) leads to a website listing this as the top question, "How can I get healthier?"

I am glad to know there is at least one Jurist on the road to health and self improvement.

rhhardin said...

Cicadas are out in Ohio, in the audio of this morning's tennis ball video.

Donna B. said...

I second that it looks like Yankee Boy Basin.

SteveR - When I was growing up in Colorado many many years ago, the joke was: Why aren't there more guardrails on the highway? Because the Californians keep knocking them down.

Sometimes it was Texans.

All these photos are making me homesick.

Oclarki said...

There's a town in Colorado named Columbine? Check your maps Ralph.

Sort of a dark humor story, I had a friend who graduated from Columbine HS prior to the murders. He lived back east for a while and when the topic of high school attendance came up would say he went to Columbine. When the other person recognized the school, he replied with exaggerated incredulity, "You've heard of it?!"

lgv said...

Ouray is a wonderful place. Cherish the moment. Enjoy the scenery.

Meade said...

Just two random out-loud replies to just two of the many great comments above:

"Did Larry get the chance to bond with any birthers"

Hilarious!

"How far you can view is limited only by the square root of your height, in Ohio."

That's rh!

Big Mike said...

Wow. According to www.gadling.com you and Meade are staying in one of the top ten hotels in the US. Details here.

Ann Althouse said...

"It always seemed to me that hills get in the way, blocking the view. How far you can view is limited only by the square root of your height, in Ohio."

But if you stand on top of a hill, the hill is part of your height.

reader_iam said...

But if you stand on top of a hill, the hill is part of your height.

One could build a whole philosophy of life on that.

Cardboard FLOTUS said...

The Columbine is Colorado’s state flower — but I love that grove of Subalpine Firs. Magnificent tree.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Yankee Boy Basin! wooot!

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Althouse went up a Hill
and came down with Meade.

Paco Wové said...

you were be driven up the mountain

I love how when AJD really starts choking on his envy, he goes all incoherent.

Conserve Liberty said...

For a Midwestern flatlander the Alpine Loop is uniquely beautiful - and driving it over Engineer Pass from Lake City to Ouray created a gripping fear I've never felt since.

The next day I took the long way around via Montrose and Sapinero to get back to Lake City. Even tough I truly wanted to approach Lake San Christobal from the "backside," I couldn't bring myself to pilot my 4WD Suburban past any more vehicles coming the other direction on that shelf-road.

I cannot imagine what it must have been like to drive a team over that pass in the 19th C.