Sara and Lee . com

After spending years talking about wanting to backpack, we decided we better go out and do it before we head off to Indonesia. For our first foray away from car-camping we headed into the Wild Basin area of Rocky Mountain National Park. After letting the friendly ranger assess our skill and interests, and after convincing him we’d be fine with the possibility of a little snow, we opted to make our way to Upper Ouzel Creek along the Bluebird Lake trail. As promised there was stunning peaks, blooming wildflowers, and a smattering of snow. Photos of our trip can be viewed here.

Sara and I just returned from the Baumgartner family reunion in Halstead, Kansas. Apparently her mother’s ancestors were Mennonites who settled in Kansas around the turn of the century. While her mother and her uncles had never been to Halstead, there was a large contingent of second or third x-removed cousins that grew up there. They were kind enough to host a reception and share what they knew of the family history.

Photos of the trip and reunion can be seen on my Baumgartner Family Reunion Flickr set.