Gosh I just realised tonight that I have missed two of my Thankful Thursday posts this month.  Smack me down on the spot!  I have much to be thankful for and this next Thursday I’ll share it all with all of you.

Not only am I amiss with my Thankful Thursday duties but I also have a great Cowboy Code and Ethics piece to post written by one of my readers.

 And I have some hiking adventures to share.

Work in Silverton is moving along nicely. I’m picking up massage jobs at a consistant pace which is encouraging.

I’ll get back to it soon so keep checking back.

Popularity: 17% [?]

Hi Oh Silverton! 2009 Fourth of July Parade

To fully grasp what it means when we talk about the Fourth of July event in Silverton, one must come to see for themselves. No photograph, post card, or exclamatory prose will shed color on what it is like to be here during the festivities.

The area is world renown for its 11,000 plus foot mountain jeeping passes.  It historical buildings are unique and filled with interesting stuff. Restaurants , breweries, mine tours, two horse drawn stagecoach, and lets not forget the train bringing passengers from Durango to Silverton everyday,  all of which will give visitors more than they have time for of entertainment shopping and food.

Hard Rocker Ultra Marathoners, cyclists, hikers, mountain climbers, skiers, bikers and many more club sports enthusiasts come here  to participate in the best their chosen sports have to offer.

I was mind boggled how these guys kept their tires together for the length of the parade. kinda cool.

I have been coming to Silverton yearly for 7 years now to visit with Heather so have been slowly exposed to its many wonders.  Like the Animas river that flows behind Heathers house, hiking and jeeping up Engineer Pass among a few others, and home town dinners and brew at various local establishments, and participating in two weddings.  One wedding was held in the local court house building with its gorgeous Victorian style interior and hand carved woodwork.  The other wedding was held in the mountains near the town with its fall colors in all their splendor.

I have never been here though for the fourth of July. Every years I hear from Heather and others who have witnessed the spectacle that it is a must see.  Well this year I was here in time to see and live it both as a visitor new to the area, but also as part of a business providing services for the 40,000 plus visitors who merged upon us during a 3 day period.  I forgot my camera for the fireworks display which I am still kicking myself for.  I tried to find something online but none of the You-tube videos or google photos possessed grandeur that I experienced that night.  I was actually in tears or awe.

I did get pictures of the local parade and wanted to share with you at least the feel of what it is like to have 40,000.00 people converge on this 1 mile long historic mining town.  The pictures again did not capture the elbow to elbow convergence on out tiny street.

Look far down the street. A sea of heads is all you can see.

And of course we must have outlaws. I missed the gun fight in the streets.

Popularity: 16% [?]

Short but not forgotten.

Check it here.  Then visit Akal Ranch, Tired Dog Ranch and Enlightened Horsemanship Through Touch blogs for more Gratitude.

Popularity: 24% [?]