My summer goal

http://www.fotp.com/ringthepeak/index.html

I am going to hike the Ring the Peak trail system counter-clockwise in a single trip. I will backpack it, to be precise, and, as it's 63 miles, my goal will be to do so in approximately a week, camping at the end of each day.

So now my thinking is on the logistics involved, namely, packing enough nutrition to finish the week strong, whether or not to try and bring my son, even whether or not I could manage to haul enough weight to bring the dogs.

Looking at the trail maps (linked above), there are several spots where I could simply cache additional supplies, however, I think the greater challenge (and more appreciable one) would be to carry everything that I need with me.

Then there's the one section of non-existent trail from Gillett to Forest Service Road 376. DO I make like the pioneers and simply hoof it, making sure I'm on the right side of the Forest Service road before I decide to camp? Or do I simply forgo that section of trail, arrange to be picked up and ferried to the next finished segment? My gut says hoof it - make the walk - it is Public Land, just no right of way agreement with the city of Colorado Springs, and be sure I camp back on Forest Service land.

Other logistical questions are easier to answer - Brita makes an outstanding backpacker's water filter, and I own a super lightweight backpacker's stove should it come down to boiling my drinking water. A pack, clothing, tent and sleeping bag are all simple, too. Should I bring the boy, a second pack so that he could carry his share would certainly not be a problem, either. Convincing him that he's capable of 10 or so miles per day is another matter - but we'd be averaging 2.5-3 miles per hour, barring stops for photos and the like, so I doubt it would be too big an issue for him.

Thinking about it, I doubt I would bring the dogs. Too much trouble for a first time trek like this - it would be best to know the trail and the capabilities of both me and the boy before I made the hike.

Hmm ... I like the idea of making this trip ...

This is why I love Colorado Springs!!!

Garden Of The Gods in Snow

11-Mile Canyon

Took the monkeys for a ride up to 11-Mile Canyon yesterday. What a day! It was sunny and ultimately in the 60s, although we all needed jackets at the start of the day.

It had snowed up there Friday and Saturday - we got lots of rain here in the Springs, for which my lawn is extremely grateful. So there was a lot of the white stuff, but the road into the canyon was not in too bad of shape.

First, we went all the way up to the campground at the top of the canyon to hike. We climbed for almost an hour, finding our way onto an amazing rock table overlooking the South Platte river as it flows through 11-Mile Canyon. The sun was shining, there were a few puffy clouds and it was warm enough that we could take off our jackets while we made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and enjoyed.

The goofy dog is afraid of heights, we have discovered. Once we convinced him to come out where we were, he kind of curled up and whined for an hour. Scared of water and scared of heights. What a big fuzzy baby.

After we hiked down, which was a lot of fun, we went fishing! We find a sweet pool full of big trout, I got the boy going with his fly rod and the daughter picked her way upstream to cross and find a big rock to lay on in the sun while us guys fished. We caught bubkiss, but we enjoyed our day.

Finally came down off the mountain around 4:00 and had barbecue for dinner! Yay spring!

Of course, the wife has the camera in Seattle with her. Damn it. Just means we'll have to go back! YAY!