May 5, 2010 Wildflowers on Indian Summer Trail

Finally, we can ride.  Finally, the snow is gone, the weather is warm, the trail is dry.  It is early spring at 5 to 6 thousand feet elevation in Northern Colorado, and the mountain sides are beginning to wake up.  At first glance, it looks brown, bone dry, and barren.  But, the color and life is there.

Grand Mullen

Up at the top of the Indian Summer Trail, one passes through

a field of Grand Mullen.  Very tall, spindly plants - these are dried out

from the winter.  It is a weird, bizarre place to ride through.

Riders on Indian Summer

No flowers, just a couple of riders near the top of the Indian Summer Loop.

Trail Marker

Somebody built this pile of stones.  I don't know

why, though.  It isn't on the trail, and doesn't point

to anything.  But the flowers are pretty.

Sego Lilys