The Frolicers: We Land Cruise West

Leslie and Aunt Helen

After a great stay with Eric and family we headed West in our little Prius to Cody Wyoming. On the way we spent the night at Leslie’s Aunt Helen at Kearney, Nebraska.

Leslie's Neices and grandneices

the Cody gunfight begins

We stayed in Cody at Leslie’s sister Ally’s place and visited Leslie’s mother each day.

A chuckwagon demonstration at the
Cody Museam

They blast away in Cody

Carl mets a saloon woman

Leslie gets checked by the "doctor"

While there we got to see the nightly gun fight in Cody outside the Irma Hotel. It was a blast! The hotel was built by Wild Bill Cody for his daughter Irma back in the 1800s and has the “mile long bar” with the old brass boot rail. Cody is a great place! The museum is awesome and main street is old west blended with today. We visited the 1^st KOA campground as it was celebrating its 50^th anniversary.

Ally and Leslie at a fund raiser

there are bears all over Cody

While there we also visited the Buffalo Bill Dam, the largest dam in the world at the time, and Buffalo Jump Winery, the only winery in Wyoming. It was a great visit!

Annette and Markus

Main street Ouray from a brewery

We headed south to Ouray Colorado to meet our friends Annette and Markus. Ouray is a neat place with several micro-breweries and no stop lights! It is known for its 4 wheeling in the summer and ice climbing in the winter.

Inside a hot spring cave

Leslie and Annette in a hot spring room

It also has a number of hot springs including a huge municipal hot springs pool and water park. There is also great climbing around the town including a trail all the way around the town Taking advantage of all these activities left us fully in awe of CO.

We hike the trail around Ouray

one of the water falls

Typical western building

A canyon with a couple of dead deer
at the bottom

moutain view fromTelluride

Sunset in Ouray

We took the free gondola at Telluride. Visiting Telluride was an experience as CO.’s new laws with marijuana made for an interesting afternoon.

Open air music concert in Ouray

A well attended concert

the double RL ranch gate of Ralph
Loren

Marcus is working as a cowboy for the RRL ranch, which is a huge ranch owned by Ralph Loran. I am so jealous of his job! It is a real cowboy job, ranching and cattle herding and branding.

Carl hangs with the Duke

We visit Silverton

We crossed Red Mountain pass, a twisting hairpin turn road to Silverton for a visit before continuing south to Albuquerque.

Carl's niece Mallisa with husband Steve
and son Tank

Carl's cousins Sue and Scott with
their family Deenue and Chris and their
kids Caeden and Makenzie

At Albuquerque we visited my cousin Scott and I attended the , Single Action Shooting Society, End of Trail, EOT, shoot. What a great time! It was so much fun! Everyone reverted back to being western cowboys.

Shooters get ready!

The custumes and gun carts were unique

There was music, dancing, raffles, shops and of course shooting. It was a great time! While Carl participated in the shooting events, Leslie ran a Victorian Tea House with Sunshine Belle .

everyone particapates

Leslie and Sunshine Bell

The Duke and Leslie

Hot Tomale not only built a stage but
had a magareta party as well

Us in our cowboy gear

The Long horns reminded me of the
Movie Blazing Saddles

They had stage coach rides

More of Sue and Scott's family
Chris with Hynlee and Sydnee

At the end we spent the weekend with my cousin Scott and his family before heading back to St. Louis for 4^th of July with Eric and Aron’s families. It was good to have everyone together. Then it was off East to visit family and friends.