Second trip to Dinosaur ridge, Oct 16th.
Dinosaur Ridge Website
Oscar and Freya at the "trail head" with Freya holding the dinosaur I bought her at the museum, she carried it everywhere for about a month. Dinosaur ridge is the "hogback" on the left when you drive up I70 toward the mountains where the highway cuts through the first ridge. This is where the first Stegosaurus fossil was discovered back in 1877. The fossil quarry was long forgotten until they built this road as a short cut to the Red Rocks ampitheatre in the 1930s. Rock slabs exposed along the edge of the road reveled more finds and a rediscovery of the historic fossil quarries.
Oscar Climbing on the slabs along the road. The first set of slabs exposes a layer of fossilized sand ripples when this part of Colorado was the bottom of a shallow inland sea. Technically there is no climbing allowed on in this park but I let the kids play around a little near the bottom.
The next set of slabs are fossilized cavities where mangrove trees once layed, you can see branches and patterns of bark in the rock. Freya climbing. These slabs would be perfect for small children to toprope, too bad its not allowed. Freya remembered all of the details about the fossils from the tour we took several weeks before, she was able to give Eva a tour. She has a fantastic memory and a proud papa.
I had to stay with the kids, Oscar wanted to climb all the way to the top. Many of the runnels in the rock around us are fossilized impressions of Mangrove tree branches.
Kids with Eva. This is the next set of slabs covered with fossilized dinosaur tracks, kids really love this.
Third trip to Dinosaur ridge, Oct 30th.
Grandma came for a visit so we decided to go to the West side of dinosaur ridge.
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I've been working with Oscar to get him to wear sun glasses, he doesn't like them but he likes to imitate me.
Great picture of Freya and my mom.
Freya and Oscar climbing. The rocks they are on are covered with Stegosaurus fossils. This is the original quarry site where the first stegosaurus fossils were discovered in 1877.
Stegosaurus quarry, nothing to add here, I just love pictures of the kids climbing.
This photo is a great illustration of why Oscar needs to wear sun glasses, Colorado sun is strong, squinting is not fun.
Mystery goats! Mountain goats are white and would never be at this low elevation. They definitely are not big horn sheep. I can't imagine domestic goats climbing on terrain like this. What are these?
Looking up at mystery goats. Great Colorado picture, Red Rocks amphitheater in the background with some early snow, me in short sleeves.
Family photo with apparently a bee captured in the foreground.
Back at the car, the kids had a great day!
Halloween, Oct 31st.
More dinosaurs!
Girl Leopard.
Wildlife in the neighborhood.
Always close the gate behind you, especially when people give you candy.
