"Nothing" (nothingatalluseful)
08/06/2019 at 19:10 • Filed to: None
14
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"Nothing" (nothingatalluseful)
08/06/2019 at 19:10 • Filed to: None | 14
| 15 |
This is the last full week before my son goes back to school. It’s become a tradition for me to take the week off and for us to do fun things in the area. This year, I wrote activities on paper, and tossed them in a hat. Every morning, we’re drawing out of the hat to see what we’re going to do. Today, a trip to Chinns Lake was the lucky winner.
Chinns Lake is a small lake in Arapaho’s National Forest that is at 11,300ft above sea level. The trail is relatively short, and given a rating of moderate, mainly because you need to have decent clearance. The time of year is probably the determining factor is 4WD is truly required, but I did see a Tundra at one mild section struggling with traction without 4WD engaged. The initial ascent is an easy, wide rolling road that eventually gets progressively rockier and steeper. About 2 miles in is old mining debris on the side of the road. We got out and explored the area a little bit.
There’s a creek that runs the entire length of the road that heads up to Chinns Lake, and Fall River Reservoir, that we hiked down to explore. My son commented on how cool it looked and said it looked like a salmon ladder, as there were small stepped falls that climbed up quite a ways. Once back in the 4Runner, we drove a little further until we hit a fork in the road at about the 2.5 mile point. To the right, Fall River, and to the left Chinns Lake. We first decided to check out Fall River Reservoir.
My son tossed a line in the lake, but there wasn’t anything biting today. We were able to spot some small rainbow trout along the rocky shoreline, as well as marmots in the rocks. We hiked up to some small falls, which made my son a little nervous, as it was a fairly steep climb. After exploring there, it was back on the trail and up to Chinns.
All in all, it was a really fun day. A few years ago, I picked up Charles Wells Funtreks books to get more familiar with Colorado trails. Until today, we’ve done mostly graded/forest roads. I think it helped my son that the trail wasn’t a scary shelf road above the tree line. Being mostly in the trees, which helped masked some of the drop offs, he was really calm and happy to be outside. I’ve made a concerted effort the last few weeks to get out into the mountains more and get him unplugged from Xbox, iPads, etc. Today was probably the longest overall drive I can remember being in the car where I didn’t get asked “are we there yet” and it was close to a 6 hour day overall.
vicali
> Nothing
08/06/2019 at 19:21 |
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Sweet - looks like an awesome day.
How big is kiddo? I hadn’t thought about my kids riding up front yet - they are 7/50lbs and 5/45lbs so far.. They both have their own seats in the back and it would probably ruin driving forever if I let them up front.. lol
Edit; Transport C anada says 13 years at least;
When a child aged 13 years or older sits in the front seat:
move the seat as far back as possible while leaving enough room for a passenger seated in the rear
make sure your child sits up straight against the seat at all times (front passengers shouldn’t be playing with the radio, lean against the door or have their feet up on the dashboard)
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Nothing
> vicali
08/06/2019 at 19:24 |
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He’s 9.5, 70lbs or so. I only had him up front on the trail, bouncing around in the back seat, at one point he said his stomach hurt, so I figured maybe I’d let him ride up front and see if that helped. He’s still a back seat rider any other time.
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vicali
> Nothing
08/06/2019 at 19:26 |
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That sounds about right, I think the srs airbags are weight limited as well;
SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media
> vicali
08/06/2019 at 19:28 |
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Interesting. Here the child seats and/or boosters are required until a child is a certain height. Weight and age is immaterial. The essential marker is if the seatbelt can be fitted so that the sash crosses the body from collar bone to waist then you are good to go....front seat or rear. Our lad has been doing this since he was six.
LastFirstMI is my name
> Nothing
08/06/2019 at 19:33 |
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Looks like a fun day!
fhrblig
> Nothing
08/06/2019 at 20:00 |
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I didn’t recognize the name, but I’ve definitely been to that lake. I remember going there with my dad in his CJ-7 when I was in high school. It’s beautiful up there.
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Nothing
> fhrblig
08/06/2019 at 21:28 |
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It’s awesome up there. I could just sit and stare for hours given the opportunity. The drive wasn’t half bad either. Even the paved road, Fall River Rd, is a pretty drive.
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Nothing
> LastFirstMI is my name
08/06/2019 at 21:36 |
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It was. It actually makes me feel a little bad we let the rest of the summer get away. My son is really enjoying hitting the mountains, and the bike track they just built in ur neighborhood.
M.T. Blake
> Nothing
08/06/2019 at 22:07 |
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I’m jealous. I need to get back out there with my 4Runner.
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Nothing
> M.T. Blake
08/06/2019 at 22:15 |
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I’m pretty lucky to have stuff like this relatively nearby. And in the last two weeks, we’ve done a couple of trails, a nice hike (which was my son’s first mountain hiking experience), a lake day.
davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
> Nothing
08/07/2019 at 09:10 |
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This is good Dadlopnik.
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Nothing
> davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
08/07/2019 at 10:36 |
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Thanks. Today is a “down” day that will be activities near home, so a short hike, pool visit, and some single track. Tomorrow is most likely go karts (or jet skis), and I have no idea what a Friday may hold.
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davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
> Nothing
08/07/2019 at 10:44 |
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Nice! You’ve inspired me - just booked a tent site for Labor Day weekend at this place (been on my list for a long time). Mrs. addiction has plans, so it will just be me, the kids, and our dog (the lucky one - other two will stay home).
https://www.whiterockmountain.com/
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Nothing
> davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
08/07/2019 at 11:01 |
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Awesome! That seems like a good time for us to do the same...it’ll be the last weekend before my son’s hockey starts.
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davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
> Nothing
08/07/2019 at 11:49 |
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School and soccer start for us week after next. Love watching them play, but hate being out late so many evenings and tied down every weekend for the next few months...