Colorado Part Three

I traveled to "Art Camp For Women" on Thursday June 7.
We rode over Berthoud Pass on I-70, which gave us unparalleled views of the Central Rockies in Colorado.
Beautiful.
Majestic.
Eye candy to this mountain lover.

And what a prelude to what was coming up at Camp.

I have only traveled in a small part of Colorado (around Colorado Springs) so I have never really seen the Rockies up close until this trip.
The pure majesty and the ruggedness of them is just breath taking.
There was still a little bit of a snow cap on the very tops of them. 

I was taken back by the loss of pine trees though.
I knew that the pine beetle had taken a toll but just didn't realize the devastation that had occurred.
I was told that upwards of 75-85% of the pine trees (lodgepole pines?) had been killed by the voracious appetite of the pest.
While it has opened up vistas and views that haven't been seen in decades, it has effected the wildlife habitat, watersheds, and other natural resources there.
And effectively made matchsticks of the dead trees.

The rode up I-70 was just breath taking. I can't imagine how scary it would be to drive/ride when there was ice/snow on the road though...

Camp was held at the YMCA of the Rockies Snow Mountain Ranch.
This place is huge and I was so thankful that our shuttle driver took us right to the front door of our cabin.

(Warning!! an aside)

Oh, I forgot to mention that instead of being picked up at the airport (since I was already in Colorado), I was picked up at a Circle K gas station.
It made the whole pick-up feel like a seedy drug deal to me...but then again, I have a wonderfully active imagination with things like that.
I was thrilled to find that one of the shuttle riders was a Camper!
From Georgia!
The minute Ann Lynn said the first word, I know that I had found a kindred spirit (her flowing hippie like skirt gave that away) as well as the only other Southern gal at the place.

(Oops, got off track again, didn't I?)

Well, maybe I will just end here and pick up next time with the tale of an adult woman at summer Art Camp.