Mountain Trip - Fall 2003

We had a big, fun group in Red River, NM this year. Me, dad, Chuck
and David were there as usual but we also had some friends from Dallas join us - and
some of their friends and family showed up as well. What a great time. The
Aspen were spectacular and the weather for the first several days of the trip
was very nice. It rained most of the last two days of the trip which caused
us to miss a few motorcycle rides, but we still managed to have a good time.
Let's see, at one time or another the following folks were in Red River this
year:
Brad Stone (me), Dan Stone, Chuck Mandernach, David Hood, Nancy & Stan Ferguson,
Tim & Debbie Speck (and their son Trevor and girlfriend Kat), Chip & Judy
Speir, Shelley & David, and P.J. Ward.


*** Pitchin' Washers ***
Debbie Speck (top photo) was freakishly good at washers. But Chuck proved to be at least as talented.
I must have played him 20 times and I never beat him. Not once. And I'm pretty good. Chuck should
consider joining the U.S. Washer Pitchin' tour.

P.J. and Stan at the Old Pass

*** David, Shelley, Stan, Nancy ***
This picture was also taken at the Old Pass. The Aspen were beautiful up there.


I drove Nancy, Stan, Shelley and David over to Taos for a bite to eat and to stroll
through the shops. David and Shelley looked for Buffalo jerky but came up empty.
On the way to Taos we stopped by the trout hatchery near Questa
and the above Rio Grand Gorge. There's a cool bridge with walkways that let
you get a great view of this spectacular canyon.

*** David, Shelley and Dan ***
We had a hot dog cookout at the Midnight Meadows (not far from Greenie Peak).
Most people drove up there in trucks but Chuck and I rode our dirtbikes, passing
by Greenie Peak along the way. Riding home in the dark was a lot of fun!

*** Nancy & Brad ***
Dad trailered our 4-wheeler to the Midnight Meadows cookout so that folks could
take rides. Nancy and I found this really nice patch of Aspen just as the
sun was setting. Pretty spot.

*** Chuck Mandernach ***
This was taken as Chuck and I made our way from Greenie Peak to the Midnight Meadows area.
Those Aspen on the distant hillside were really something. Say, Chuck looks pretty good standing next
to my bike. Maybe next year he'll be on a Honda?

*** David & Brad ***
David showed up about when Stan & Nancy and their contingent were heading back to Dallas.
The rain came soon after - and it never left. Even though we weren't able to take any more
rides, we did manage to play washers in our rain gear and we played a lot of Hearts.
And Chuck showed me that a Gin & Tonic tastes pretty good with a slice of
cucumber in place of a lime. Oh the wisdom that man has accumulated.

*** Loading Up ***
It was still raining as we loaded the trailer the night before we left for Dallas. We needed a
larger trailer for this trip, so we borrowed this one from my buddy Neil.
The trip home was pretty uneventful until we neared Dallas. First we had a tire blowout
on the trailer. The shredded tread pretty much ruined one of the trailer's fenders, and it destroyed
one of the trailer lights causing several fuses to blow in Dad's Suburban. Then the rain
came as we got on I-35. And it was dark. And there was road construction. And it was Saturday
night so there were a lot of drunk college kids from North Texas University sharing the road with us.
Damn, I miss the mountains :)

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