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Lost Park in October Colors

Camping in the numerous aspen groves off of Rock Creek Hills Road near Lost Park and Kenosha Pass. A tremendous explosion for the senses in early October of 2023.

Frosty autumn colors at Lost Park Colorado.

Frosty October morning at lost park near Kenosha Pass in the Colorado Front Range.

Teig wondered about the beautiful frosted autumn landscape just after sunrise  near Lost Park Colorado.

Sun rising and warming Teig on a chilly October morning at Lost Park.

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Creation of Overlanding Vehicle for Backcountry Exploration (Bumba)

My father passed away in 2021 and I inherited my father’s 2011 Dodge Ram 1500. It was a 2 wheel drive base SLT with a 8 cylinder 5.7 hemi and only 10,000 miles on the truck. I decided I could modify it into an overlanding vehicle. I began with installing a slip differential so the truck would have drive from both wheels on sand, dirt and snow. This would allow the truck to have improved overlanding qualities in the back country. Next I installed a 6 inch lift and new 35 inch tires. This increased clearance in going over rocks in the road and clearing large potholes. Then I installed nerf bars for stepping into the truck and also a tow hitch to attach a kayak carrier, step or bike carrier to back of the truck. I decided to install the tallest camper shell to the bed instead of a slide in camper and build out the back into my living area. Upon the shell is a roof rack system so I can attach different storage and are tractable tarp.

I decided on a pretty simple base build the camper interior. A narrow bed, with a slide out system underneath on the right side of the bed. this would have 4 inch memory foam bed with a feather topper for supreme comfort. A large lockable box near the cab to store photography gear and other stuff. This box would be Teig’s platform bed for him to sleep and rest on. A 2 tiered shelf system to store cooking gear and easy accessible things needed on a daily basis. This would become my table inside. A cleared location near the tailgate for ice chest of fridge. There is a narrow walkway in the middle of the camper which has a collapsible shelf if I want extra storage instead of the walkway. I installed an electrical system coming from the engine battery to charge a goal-zero 1500 watt hour battery for the living space and also an electrical cable to the outside as a hookup to an exterior electrical systems at campgrounds or houses. The build took me a couple of months but I am super happy with the final product. I named this new beast “Bumba”. Modifications are ongoing but I am super happy with this starting base.

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Gathering of Figures

Buckhorn Wash prehistoric wall art is near the northwestern corner of the San Rafael Swell.

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Buckhorn Wash Long Pictograph Panel

Buckhorn Wash prehistoric wall art is near the northwestern corner of the San Rafael Swell, one of the more accessible parts of the region. Its rock panels contain figures drawn in red ochre, believed to have been first created by people using the Barrier Canyon Style that flourished between 1,500 and 4,000 years ago.

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Window Blind Peak in the San Rafael Swell

Window Blind Peak is one of the many phenomenal geologic formations in Utah's San Rafael Swell. A view on an autumn morning as we were heading into the canyons region.

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Black Dragon Canyon Ridges

The large sandstone uplifts on the west side of Black Dragon Canyon entering the San Rafael Swell in Utah.

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Chasing the Dusty Boys

Following the guys on an off-roading dirt path deep into the San Rafael Swell.

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The Journey begins...

An October 2023 road trip to the San Rafael Swell in central Utah with Teig, my brother Shawn and my friend Tony to explore this phenomenal high desert region .

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Mallard and Drake on Kountze Lake

A couple of ducks swimming together on Kountze lake in Lakewood Colorado.

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Globe Flowers at Missouri Pass

Beautiful white Globe Flowers above Missouri Lakes in the Sawatch Range of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Savage Peak can be seen in the distance.

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East French Pass

A view of the valley to French Pass in the Front Range Mountains of the Colorado Rockies.

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Lake Dorothy State Park from the Air

A view of Lake Dorothy State Park on the border of Colorado and New Mexico near sunset with a storm brewing to the west.

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Winter Profile above Bear Creek Lake Park

A self portrait in the dead of winter at Bear Creek Lake Park.

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Snow above Parshall Colorado

Teig resting in a field of snow leftover from the winter snows above Parshall Colorado. We had a fun day exploring the hills and ridges with the Colorado River flowing through the valley below. My brother was flyfishing but we decided we needed to stretch our legs and climb a few of the hills and get some fantastic views in this area.

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Icicles in Bear Creek

Many of the plants next to Bear Creek in Colorado freeze in winter. These branches look fascinating with the thick ice and light shining through them.

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Castlewood Canyon Winter Stairs

Stairs leading up to the rim from the bottom of Castlewood Canyon in Colorado. The steps were snow packed from hiker traffic and in the chilly afternoon shade.

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Tree Cholla in the Snow

A snow storm hit the Sandia Mountains outside of Albuquerque New Mexico and Teig and I went out to explore Elena Gallegos Open Space. The Tree Cholla Cacti were so striking in the snow especially with their bright yellow fruit. It was surreal to see this landscape and the cacti in deep snow.