The weather outlook is calling for rain and knowing how destructive a storm can be on trees, Janet, Karen and I headed out to admire the Fall Colors as not to miss them.

The colors were not in full force but we were not disappointed in the least.



 


There was more beauty found than just in the Aspen leaves.

Karen even shared a history lesson with us. I have mentioned Snowshoe Thompson numerous times in this blog. John A. Thompson saw an ad, “People Lost to the World; Uncle Sam Needs a Mail Carrier.” in the Sacramento Union in late 1855 and applied for the job. To make his 90-mile mail delivery, during the winter months in blizzards and over the Sierra snow pack, he used homemade 10-foot long, 25 pound oak skis (hence his nickname). From 1856 to 1876, he delivered mail between Placerville, CA and Genoa, NV and later Virginia City, NV. His mail run took 3 days from Placerville to Mormon Station (Genoa) and two days on the return trip. Thompson always wore a Mackinaw jacket, a wide rimmed hat, and covered his face in charcoal to prevent snow blindness. He carried no blankets, but he did carry matches to start fires, and his Bible. He snacked on dried sausage, jerked beef, crackers, and biscuits. When winter weather prevented him continuing on, he would take shelter in caves formed by overhanging boulders. Local legend says that this cave alongside the Carson Mormon Trail, was one used by Thompson on his winter mail runs. How very cool is that?
What a spectacular day.