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My wife, Frances, and I began vacationing in Colorado on our honeymoon, from late June to early July, 1985. It is the most picturesque place within a day or two of motoring from our Austin residence in central Texas. We liked the area well enough that it would become our primary vacation destination over the next nearly two decades. We spent time in the Rocky Mountain National Park as well as several other parts of that beautiful state and particularly enjoyed camping locations in the San Juan National Forest. Our favorite has been the 10,000 foot elevation South Mineral Campground, near Silverton. Indeed, we had one particular camp site there to which we returned at least three times. Once when we arrived it still had large snowdrifts. The site is so situated that tall pines surrounded us and we were able to pitch our tent on evergreen needles a few feet from a rushing mountain river in which trout were clearly seen. Only a short walk upstream, we found a gorgeous, secluded canyon with magnificent, stair step waterfalls. Mule deer, mountain hares, black bears, ground squirrels, ravens, Stellar jays, elk, picas, beaver, and marmots enlivened our camping experiences, car trips, and strolls in the mountain and meadow environs. Besides many miles of trails we enjoyed on day hikes out from the camp site, we availed ourselves of abundant additional opportunities for scenic drives, overlooks, footpaths, or picnic spots in, near, or on the way to and from Durango, Silverton, and Ouray. My first photographs of the region using a 35mm camera were taken in June, 1989. I took many more pictures on later visits, including when last appreciating Colorado with Fran, in June, 1998. We hope to return before long.
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