This has definitely been a challenging start to the year with the COVID-19 outbreak and we, like so many others, were beginning to go a bit stir crazy! We have social distanced, worn masks, and limited our contact with others, and limited our outings. FINALLY, however, we were able to get out of town and go camping!
We headed about 40 miles up the Poudre Canyon just west of Fort Collins to camp at Jack’s Gulch with our friends, Ann, Gary, and their daughter, Samantha.
After turning off Highway 14, it’s about seven miles on a washboard gravel road to the campground – but well worth the drive!
We passed some new burn area from a fire last month. The water air tankers actually flew over our house on the way to fight this fire!
The drive from Fort Collins also takes us through the 2012 High Park Fire burn area. Over 87,000 acres burned and it is still heartbreaking to see the devastation. Some grasses are starting to grow, but it will be years before the forest comes back. It has been so hot and dry this year, we hope we don’t see a repeat of that fire!
On Saturday, we took a short hike leaving from the end of Old Flowers Road. Penny loved it! For an old girl (she is 13 years old now!) she did pretty well and enjoyed being able to be off leash. We made sure to stop often and give her lots of water. We only went about 1-3/4 miles round trip but that was her limit. Ann, Gary, and Samantha and their dog, Atlas, went further, while we waited in the shade. 
Penny doesn’t understand looking at the camera while we were taking pictures!
Atlas was a thirsty girl, too!
The columbine were in full bloom and absolutely beautiful!. 
Penny enjoyed them, too!
She was one tuckered dog when we got back to the RV and took a long nap!
We enjoyed playing lots of card games, dominos, reading, and just visiting. The nature trail that circles the campground is a nice walk. Sunday morning the view of the snow on the mountains showed there wasn’t much left because of our hot temperatures! 
After lunch, we packed up and headed back to town. The laundry is finished and RV put back in storage. As we were leaving the storage area, our little RV told us it was ready to hit the road again soon!
