Old Favs - New Mexico Visit

Starting with a 0430 AM wakeup call for the mass ascension at the 45 annual Albuquerque international balloon fiesta.....it proved to be no less spectacular then i remember it as a little kid!  The rest of our visit included visiting some of my old favs growing up... such as climbing at Diablo Canyon outside of Santa Fe, eating at La Choza the best New Mexican food on the planet!  We then wrapped up our visit with the best New Mexican breakfast and coffee shop in Albuquerque - Java Joes

Inflation - Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
 
Gonna be Trouble - Peralta, NM
 
 
Ladder Climber - Peralta, NM
 
Loretto Chapel - Santa Fe, NM
 
Santa Fe Basilica - Santa Fe, NM 
 
Coyote Trail - Cedro Peak, NM
 
Pots
 
Vanski - @ the McQuade's Casa
 
Drivers Ed Country Style
 
courtyard - la casa de los abuelos
 
Decompose - Rio Grande Bosque 
 
Helicopter
 
Horse Treats - Peralta, NM
 
Cactus
 
Birds
 
Alpaca Treats - Bluefly Farms - Peralta, NM
 
Stairs - Cedro Peak
 
Jetty Jacks - Rio Grande Bosque
 
Rosary Tree - Loretto Chapel
 
Uncle Sean n Liam
 
 
water pump - Rio Grande Nature Center State Park
 

Fall Color Explosion - Elk Mountains

Waited out the weekend crowd then headed to the hills to take in natures fall color display.  We explored Lincoln Creek near Independence Pass looking for a place to hangout for the evening before heading to the Maroon Bells the next morning.  We found a glorious little gem of an area, maybe my favorite Vanski site to date!  Came with its own 4x4 rock slab driveway, rendering it inaccessible to many vehicles.   It also came with its own narrow canyon with swimming holes and waterfalls!   

Our Backyard for a Night - Lincoln Creek, CO
 
Sievers Mountain - Elk Mountains, CO 
 
Summit Cairn 
 
 
Camp - Lincoln Creek

This glorious spot we accessed via some rock slab 4-wheeling

 
Levitating Boulder
 
Lights
 
Nature is Unreal - Elk Mountains, CO
 
Crater Lake Trail
 
Dinner Time
 
An Old Stagecoach Stop in Route to Aspen
 
Caffeine Syringe 
 
 
Yellow
 
Maroon Bells - Maroon Lake, CO
 
Happy Hikers