Hurry Up and See Everything

Angie got up Wednesday morning and was determined we were not going to stay her any longer.  We checked out, paying a $15 cleaning fee because we only stayed one night, then we began looking for other places.  Angie just didn't think there was enough here for the girls to do.  Of course, it started raining.  This is very unusual weather here, cold and raining.  Anyway, we spent the entire day looking, and neither one of us liked the ones we looked at.  I refused for us to pay more than $110 a night, and that meant this place was the best we could do.  (We split the cost.)  We come back, and I book only 3 more nights.  We're all exhausted, and I go to bed early and Angie and the girls go out for dinner.  I turned in early, trying the futon, to see if I sleep better.  Gary called me at 11:30 pm because Stella is having a problem.  She doesn't know what she wants to do, except she wants to stay at Angie's house.  She is not eating, and is having stomach problems.... also not pooping.  Like, What can I do?  From Here?  Gave up and went to sleep.

Got up Thursday morning, and it was raining.  We decide we will go out for breakfast.  McDonalds for Morgan and me, Chloe had to go to a coffe place.  Angie had made reservations for Friday for the girls to go rock climbing, I think Angie is going also.  I'll tag along and do pictures, but I'm NOT climbing rocks.  We then head for Black Canyon to look around.  We found a hiking trail, and down we all go.  I made it to the bottom, and it was steep.  I took a couple of pictures of the girls, then I went back up.  There were 232 steps for me.  Counting takes your mind off the pain of not being able to breaths.  My only saving grace was the fact that they aren't super tall steps, and I had my hiking poles with me.  I also sat down a couple of times and caught my breath.

 This doesn't look so steep, but here is a picture of it from top to bottom.

It is quite a climb.  Trust me.

Then Angie and the girls went on a boat trip, saw bears and an eagle, on and on, and then they came up and we went on a tour (car ride) of the area.  While we were out, we went higher up in the mountains, and Morgan thought she saw snow.  No, no, I say.... it's just trash or something that's been spilled.  No, she insisted we stop. Well, I was right, it wasn't snow.  However, it WAS hail.

 

We also noticed that the water was raging thru property, a little out of the banks as they'd say in Okla when the creek was too full.  We then went to view Morrow Point Dam.  The water was roaring along the road.  It was also really, I mean REALLY muddy, from the heavy rain / hail storm we evidently just missed.  There is one place right below the dam where the muddy fresh water merges with the beautiful blue water that is released from the dam.  It is an awsome sight. 

That, by the way, is Angie and the girls n the picture, in red.  I didn't want to do another killer hike, so I stayed up top.

On the way back, we visited Blue Mesa Damn.  It too is beautiful.  The state of Colorado built the damn system as a way to conserve and hold on to the water that is created when the snows all start melting.  The lake was actually completed in 1965, and the first time it was actually full was in 1967,  Right now, they can't get it full or keep it full because they are required by law to release a certain number of gallons, in the billions.  Currently, it is 50 feet low.  They are trying to get the government to let them keep more.  Right now, they are behind in what they owe.  I understand both sides points, but if they don't have water to release, how can they release it?  I think it should be on a percentage basis.  That way, if the rain or snow isn't there, they release according to what they have.  Mexico and California are their two biggest water consumption users.  OK, off my soap box.  The LAW OF THE RIVER (each of the souther states and then Mexico) states that the end users get so many thousand acre feet... Mexico gets 1500 thousand acre feet, California gets 4400 thousand acre feet. In 1997 it was 5,168 thousand acre feet for California.  They are exceedingly increasing what they demand.  They are reallocating other states amounts to keep up with the demand of California.  Evidently, Mexico isn't getting their fair share, and California is a pig when it comes to water. 

After that, we ended up eating dinner at Garlic Mikes, in Gunnison.  It's an Italian place.  We all loved our food.  Morgan ordered a childrens meal, and got a frisbee with her dinner.  Off she goes to play, and ends up playing with some cute guy.  Only Morgan could do that.  It's 10:30 pm and we're all tired.  I'm going to bed.  I'll finish this up in the morning.  The internet isn't fast enough for me to upload pictures. 

Okay, I'm in Crested Butte, have good wifi, so I'm finishing up pictures. 

That's it for up to today.  I'm closing this and starting on today.  Enjoy!