Kill first, ask questions later

I woke up in the middle of the night with something tickling my face next to my nose.  I woke up more when my finger didn’t land on my face, but on something that was on my face. I immediately squished it and turned on the light. Black blood dripped down from my face onto the bed sheet. Now the adrenaline is coursing through me.  Next to the black blood falls the remains of a black spider, a pile of insect legs. As I am still trying to comprehend the scene, I notice the spider guts on my face are starting to tingle and sting. I stumbled into the bathroom and scrubed my face.   At this point I’m more awake than I want be and know it will be at least a couple of hours before I’ll get back to sleep.

Now the questions.  What species of spider were you and what were you doing on my face?  Fortunately, I wasn’t bitten.  I pulled out a magnifying glass and looked at the remains. Thick stout legs.  Maybe a jumping spider. Not a black widow, which has long, spindly legs. Not another spider that I’ve known to bite, which is more gray.  Then the sci-fi part of my mind takes over.  Were you trying to mind meld with me?

Quick Getaway, Part 2

The following day, on the way back home, I followed the route of the Moffat Subdivision rail line along the Colorado River.

Train Station, Glenwood Springs, Colorado.

Train Station, Glenwood Springs, Colorado.

Old freight office

Old freight office

The old Denver and Rio Grande rail line to Aspen, Colorado.

The old Denver and Rio Grande rail line to Aspen, Colorado.

Califorina Zephyr (No. 6) crossing over the Roaring Fork River.

Califorina Zephyr (No. 6) crossing over the Roaring Fork River.

A train, Glenwood Canyon and the Colorado River.

The Zephyr, Glenwood Canyon and the Colorado River.

Heading upstream into dryer country.

Heading upstream along the Colorado River into a dryer landscape.

Near Burns Colorado.

Near Burns Colorado.

Colors: beige valley, red mountains, snow capped divide.

Colors: blue river, beige valley, red mountains, snow capped divide.

Quick Getaway, Part 1

Back in early March, I was feeling a bit stressed and decided I needed to get away for a couple of days. The trip was planned about 30 minutes before I left. I headed towards Glenwood Springs, Colorado about 3 hours away.

A winter storm had just passed through so I thought I would like to hike to Hanging Lake and check it out in the winter time.

Along the trail to Hanging Lake.

Along the trail to Hanging Lake.

 

The trail was slick with snow and ice and I used my Stabilicers (cleats) on my boots. The scenery was gorgeous.

 

View down Glenwood Canyon from the Hanging Lake trail.

View down Glenwood Canyon from the Hanging Lake trail.

 

I was startled at the beauty of the lake when I got to the end of the trail.  There were icicles in the falls and the water was a brilliant crystal clear blue-green in the sunlight.

 

Hanging Lake.

Hanging Lake.

 

Hanging Lake

Hanging Lake

 

Hanging Lake

Hanging Lake

 

That evening I had some really authentic Cajun food at The Lost Cajun, in Glenwood Springs.