Pieces of Pumpkin

Over the last few weeks we have found several pieces of pumpkin scattered about the yard.  Even the two on our front porch had holes chewed into them.  At first I thought it was one of our neighborhood raccoons or red fox.  I couldn't quite wrap my mind around what was carting the squash into our yard.  This afternoon in the middle of doing some yard work I noticed another huge chunk on some cardboard.  I went inside to point out the pumpkin to K and there it was.  This huge squirrel was chomping away on the pumpkin.  I grabbed the camera and snuck out to get a picture.  After I got a few clicks the squirrel grabbed the chunk and jumped onto the roof of our neighbor's garage.

The Old Town Fountain

This is what happens to the fountain after two straight nights of single digit temps.  The right side was completely iced over.  The left side was still somewhat free because of the greater flow of water.  The pool of water was almost completely frozen except for the spot on the left side where the water was falling into it.

Thanksgiving Day Run

Yesterday was the Fort Collins annual Thanksgiving Day run.  Around town it is casually known as the Turkey Trot.  The newspaper is stating that three thousand people ran or walked the four mile loop.

The turkey trot is a fun run but some people clearly take this fun run seriously.  The eight hundred dollars for first place brings out some people's competitive edge.  By looking at the winner of the men's race you'd think it was a nice warm day, but you'd be wrong.  It was a whopping eight degrees when I got up at seven thirty and by race start at nine is was still only fourteen degrees.

After the first thirty or so people the turkey trot turns back into a fun run.  People with kids in strollers, dogs, and costumes.

Click here for more images for the Thanksgiving Day run.

Trains

We live in one of the best places to see trains.  If you're into that sort of thing.  There is no shortage of places to go within our town to see them at any giving time of day or night.  More on the modern trains in another post.

Just north of us in Cheyenne WY the Union Pacific Railroad restores and keeps their historic fleet of locomotives.  Shortly after we arrived I made an early am trip up there to catch the 844 steaming up for its trip to Portland OR.  The 844 is a 4-8-4 steam locomotive that was built by the American Locomative Company in 1944.  It was the last steam locomotive that the Union Pacific bought and it is the only steam locomotive to remain in active service.  All other active steam locomotives today have been retired at one point or another.

About a month later Union Pacific's newly restored 3985 Challenger pulled the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circus train from Cheyenne to Denver.  The 3985 is an articulated 4-6-6-4 steam locomotive built by the American Locomotive Company.  It is the largest locomotive ever built in the US by any company.  The Union Pacific Steam crew spent over two years replacing and restoring every inch of the locomotive after some major mechanical issues.  This was also another early morning trip but you would have never known it by the number of people along the tracks.  People young and old were parked on the highway, dirt services roads, and standing in city streets watching.

It was great to see these active pieces of history and not just look at a static display in a museum.  You'll be amazed if you ever have an opportunity to see one of these giants in action.

One of these is not like the other

I found these two hanging outside a local coffee shop yesterday.  I really liked the contrast in size and winter preparedness.  Do those jackets really work for dogs or do they just make the owners feel better?

A new tradition

Ever since K and I moved to our new town, we have made a trip up the Rocky Mountain National Park on or near the first of every month.  Each time we go we see something new and amazing.  During our October trip we came across this collection of leaves.  It's pretty amazing that each one of these leaves got stuck in the water with the stem pointed outward.  How does something like this happen?  Scenes like this remind me that I need to pay attention to my surroundings and notice what is out there.

UGSP Race #6 in Fort Collins

Sunday's race was a bit dryer and therefore a bit faster than the mudfest on Saturday.  Well, I guess it was only dryer for the pro's later in the day.  When I got to the race people where crashing left and right in the semi-frozen mud at the bottom of the fly over bridge.

The highlight of Sunday was the New Belgium sponsored costume cruiser race that ended in their beer garden.  Costume ideas varied from bike to bike.  I don't think this town can have an event without some sort of costume parade.

Sunday's races turned into a cyclocross demonstration by both the men's and women's US Champions.  Tim Johnson and Katie Compton showed excellent form by winning their races by over a minute.  Both were virtually untouchable.  We'll call it cyclocross 101.

More photos from the weekend can be found here.

USGP Race #5 in Fort Collins

My home town was lucky enough to be hosting the fifth and sixth races in a four town cyclocross race series called the USGP.

It looked like our races were going to be dry and very dusty as we hadn't seen a flake of snow or a drop of rain in a long time.  The race director called it in a pre race meeting and almost on cue the rain and snow arrived.  He said he fully expected it to be a snowy race and mother nature didn't let him down. 

Wednesday it rained almost all day and that night it snowed two inches of so.  After a couple days of melting and refreezing the course was a mud pit to say the least. 

I had no idea that portable hot tubs existed but someone donated one for the race.  It was probably the best seat in the house.  The trailer was parker right next to the course and the hot tub was fired up for both days of the race.  I know you want one in your driveway for your next get together.

Anyways, it couldn't have been a better day for some cross racing and the mud only made it better.