Colorado Sunset!

This was the same weekend as the car race and we went up north to photograph this 1.7 million dollar home for this client and I had to step out side to get the shot of the master bedroom from the deck and I saw this AMAZING cloud with a beam of light coming down and so I turned and photographed this shot real quick and then back to work on the home.  Later in the lower shot, this was taken as I was finished and heading back to the car to pack up and turned again to see this more vivid sunset right over the mountains!   God's good.

-J

pikes peak is in the bottom left

summer time in colorado is simply awesome!

ok so this is a BIG post of photos from our last outing to the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.  In short it's a race to the top of Pikes Peak against the clock and to see who can do it the quickest!  This year was our first time doing something like this but the race has been going on for 86 years strong!  People from all over the world come to race their car or whatever here.  We saw everything from 4-wheelers to semi-trucks race to the top!  It was a wonderfully FUN day and can't wait till next year.  Some of the cars are built specifically for this one race and this one race only, they will build a race car for this Pikes Peaks race alone!

The mountain opens for spectators between 4am and 8am and then the race starts at 9am,  and the NOISE begins!  It was SO SO loud when the first car came past us....my knees were shaking and Natalie literally FREAKED out, and from there on the rest of the day she enjoyed the day because we covered her ears as she watched the cars go by.  I took a LOT of pictures because there were so many different types of races going up the mountain.  The "track" or road to the top is not all paved,  it starts on pavement and then turns into dirt and then back to pavement and then back to dirt to the top.  We walked about a mile and a half and then "parked" for the day under a shade tree.  enjoy the pictures and if you want more info check out the website at www.ppihc.com

-J

natalie's 1st car race!

the guy in the back is called the monkey because he hangs off the bike to counter-balance the bike on the turns!

CRAZY!

there was a cop clocking racers with his radar gun and this 4-wheeler  was going around this turn at 94 mph!

(the cops were having a really fun with their radar guns)

again CRAZY!

motor bikes

semi-trucks got their turn too.

beautiful views!

snuggles in her sun hat.

this guy was actually sliding past me around this turn!

glad I was on the inside turn!

this dude was SO loud!

twin turbo.

trucks

vintage Oldsmobile 300

this Suzuki XL7 holds the fastest time!

they come every year from Japan to race!

this too was an extremely loud cobra!

the starting line

here we are with cooler in hand and 2 lawn chairs

pikes peak highway

this too was stupid loud!

Subaru twin turbo!

just like in Grand Turismo!  (Sony playstation) 

Rampart Range at Sunset...

While LaVonna was in town, we explored a little of Rampart Range Road.  It's an unpaved, 4-wheel-drive-recommended road that begins at Garden of the Gods and goes for miles and miles.  We went far enough up to have a fantastic view of both the mountains and city for sunset.  It was a perfect little evening get-away!

-L

City views...

Natalie with a great smile...she loves being "flying baby" now...

Pikes Peak at dusk...

City Lights

Me & Natalie

Our little snugglebug turned 3 months old today (well, yesterday now since it's crazy late as I'm doing these updates...) and is now smiling tons (though it's hard to capture on camera) and LOVING her changing table since the diaper comes off!  As soon as we put her down and take the old diaper off, she's smiling and talking up a storm!  It's pretty hilarious and super cute!  Also, she is now 8 1/2 pounds, so we are definitely growing!  Here's some adorable pictures of her with me before our hike in Estes...

-L

Hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park...

Jon's mom, LaVonna, came into town for a great visit on July 8th and traveled with us to Estes Park that weekend to help us take care of Natalie while enjoying and photographing Molly Mugge and Nick Cozza's wedding there.  On Sunday we took Natalie on her very first hike to Nymph and Dream lakes inside RMNP.  It was a beautiful day, and even though she slept through most of it, we're sure she enjoyed the fresh mountain air and glimpses of the amazing scenery when she was awake!

-L

A great view of Pagoda (and Longs Peak to the far left) through the trees...

At Nymph Lake (see what I mean about sleeping through it?!)

Dream Lake

Natalie & Grandma LaVonna at Dream Lake...

Dad & Natalie at Dream Lake...

New Friends!

the whole gang!

froggy

humphrey

cheddar burgers /st. louis provel 

hmm these were good!

ducky

stretch

shark bate

Today we had fun meeting some new friends that gma lavonna gave to snuggle bug!  Enjoy!

-J 

Grandma LaVonna's Here!

air force offices (cool glass)

one more shot!

natalie and grandma

super wide angle!  (10mm)

sunset is alway fun to see...

well late but safe grandma lavonna made it here last night about 145 in the am.  Tonight we had a high school senior session at the air force academy and took a couple shots in between clothing changes of grandma lavonna and her new grand baby!  time to eat!

-J

A Couple Pictures from the Estes Weekend...

Here's where we stayed Sunday evening...

my family affectionately calls this the "Horse & Fringe"...

Ouch...gas is crazy expensive in Estes Park...it's $3.85/gal in the Springs