Big Uncle Cemetery & Colorado

Topic #1: Big Uncle Cemetery

On July 28, Dad and I drove down to Richland Springs, TX to see Big Uncle Cemetery get its very own historical marker. It was also a family reunion of sorts and a board meeting of the Big Uncle Cemetery Association (of which Uncle Mike is treasurer). We met up with the extended family (we're talking like 4th cousins twice removed and stuff) at a restaurant for lunch and conversation. We sat with Uncle Mike and Eve as well as two of Granddaddy Bill's first cousins that he'd played with as a kid. You could see the Hall family resemblance in both of them, and they also happen to be very neat people and extremely intelligent.

After lunch we all headed out to the cemetery, which is tucked away in the middle of ranch land off a dirt road. We mingled and looked at the headstones - I got to see where my great great great great grandparents are buried - and learned how shaving cream and a squeegee can help one see the writing on old, eroded tombstones. Then we had a special little ceremony included boy scouts posting the colors, speeches by several people, and then finally the unveiling of the marker. It's a handsome black and silver historical cemetery marker you encounter as soon as you enter the cemetery. Very cool!

After the unveiling we had snacks and punch provided by a nice little ad hoc committee and talked with people for a while longer. Then Dad and I loaded up with Mike and Eve (they drove us in Mike's big truck from the restaurant). Mike took us back the scenic route where I got to see the 3 Hall Ranch (owned by my great great great great uncles or something along those lines) which was once as large as 40,000 acres. I also got my picture taken under the Hall, TX city sign, which is apparently a Hall family tradition. Then Dad and I cruised back to Dallas.

side note: Penny takes an unwholesome interest in shoes.

Topic #2: Breckenridge, CO

Mom and Dad picked us up at 5AM last Monday (July 30) to drive to Breckenridge. Matt and Dad switched off driving (I offered to help!) and the 14 hours went by very quickly. We got in to town, picked up some groceries and our fishing licenses, and went up the ski side of town to the townhouse Jim Collins was renting. He was waiting on the front porch for us, reading and smoking his pipe =D The house was more than adequate - plenty of space although not as fancy or well decorated as some of the places we'd stayed - and we were all spread out over three floors, which was nice for privacy's sake. We tried to get to bed early.

Tuesday's activity was a fly fishing guided event for M&D and me. Matt tagged along to act as packmule, camera man and fishing caddy. Our guide Kevin took us to the lake just off the main street of Fairplay. Mom had never fly fished before and Dad only once, so they learned about the gear and casting and stuff. We had waders and felt-bottomed boots, which was a first to me, so we could wade out into the lake. We all caught some fish, which were of an impressive size to me, as I was used to fishing in little mountain streams, not lakes.

On Wednesday Matt, Mom and I went on a hike in the mountains above Silverthorne to a place called Willow Falls while Dad golfed with Jim. Our hike was more challenging than we expected because we ended up going down some steep parts on our way to the falls. The hike was well worth it though, because the falls were really pretty. We had lunch by them and then Mom rested her feet while Matt and I climbed up and looked around. There were more pretty falls above, and it's always fun to get off the main trail and explore. Wednesday night we had a date night. Matt and I walked down to town and ate at the Quandary Grill and then walked around town while Mom and Dad ate (turns out at the same place) before catching a ride back to the house with them.

Thursday morning Dad played golf and Mom went to town while Matt and I rented mountain bikes. We started from the shop in town and rode up first through houses and new developments, then through an older mining valley. Our destination was an old mine, and we'd climbed at least a thousand feet by the time we got there. The mine was pretty neat, and the views were great. Especially the ones looking out back at town when it was impressively far away and below! This was my first time really mountain biking. It was hard! Going up in the easiest gear when you feel like you're crawling forward and your thighs are burning...it's challenging! Especially at 10,000 feet of altitude. Also, going down I was pretty nervous. I don't like all the rocks on the trail because they make me afraid I'll hit them and lose control. However, I was going pretty fast by the time we got to the bottom as I grew more familiar with my limitations (which weren't as great as they seemed). We rode back into town and had some crepes at the crepe stand and Mom joined us. We decided we wanted to go back on a second ride after lunch, so after arranging to have Mom pick us up from the store when we were done, we set out. Unfortunately it was sprinkling rain. By the time we were at the top of our road to get onto our trail, it was pouring. By the time we had picked up speed heading downhill and back to the store, it was hailing. We called it a day.

Friday - Dad golfed for the last time with Jim while Mom, Matt and I headed out to fish. We went to a spot that I'd been to with John the last two years which is pretty and has great fishing. Unfortunately, all the rain had turned our stream above the reservoir into quite the roarer and the fishing wasn't good. Also, it was hard to even get to the water because the bushes and grasses we had to go through were totally water-laden and the ground was soaked. So Mom and I were completely dripping in short order. But we did get some good casts in - Mom's turning into quite the caster - and saw some pretty scenery. And had an adventure, which is all one really needs. We met up with the golfing boys for a late lunch and then went home to finish our jigsaw puzzle (you didn't think we'd be in Colorado without doing a puzzle, did you?) Before it got dark, M&D, Matt and I drove up to Boreas Pass and wandered for a while. We were sad we didn't see any wildlife besides two deer, but Matt and I did see some bear poo. Then we got packed up and rolled out of town early on Saturday, making the drive back to Dallas in a new record of 13 hours.

We all had a really good time, and the two days in the car for four days in Colorado were totally worth it. Jim Collins was a fabulous host and it was cool to get to know him better, beyond the occasional encounter in the restaurants.