True enough it has been awhile since I posted--left Ouray reluctantly Friday morning, but not before visiting their famous Box Canyon Falls, and the town's museum housed in the old hospital (closed 1964). Some of the rooms were still displayed as they would have been--an operating suite, a dentist's chair, a patient's room--and others were set up as the old store (complete with a display of products and a giant bicuit dispenser which Clare remembered from old, a well to do person's parlor, and in the basement, the cell from the old jail, an assayers office--all very period and intersting. We came upon a smal room with shelves full of rocks, none of which looked very interesting, but when you turned off the lights, and put on the black light, all the minerals shone. Very cool. We could have spent more time there than we did I think to sufficiently smell everything. The falls were also good as we had been wondering why we had seen so few--maybe the season. Saw some chipmunks there and I think they were relatives of the Chateau Lake Louise crew.

Friday night after driving a good bit we stopped in a town called Silverthorn, about an hour from Denver. We didn't realize until we woke that it had a lovely river running through it. We took a long walk along it after breakfast. Beth and Clare could not believe the stores--apparently it is 3 towns near together and all with outlets stores. There were maps and shuttles and if the parking lots were any indication, the financial crisis has not trickled down to that main street! They stopped in a few stores--again, I think they could have spent more time than they did. Finally it was off to Denver--we checked into a swank hotel and met Caitlin and Luke for dinner. At first I could not believe it was Caitlin but then was very happy to see her. Today we hung out at their house for awhile (I could smell puddin but not seee her), played a game of Wii golf, and got our first look at the much talked about guitar hero. It was funny to see Caitlin and Luke rocking out together.

We are meeting Caitlin for a midday meal and a trip to her store, and then it's time for us to hit the road and start for home. I love a good road trip but it's always good to get home--to my friends, my warm buffalo dinners, my own bed (although this one is pretty sweet!), and all the scents that say "home" to me.