Once again, my trusty calendar (and the fact that I'm wearing shorts to work) tells me that today is "Friday." As such, I feel that it is my (civic) duty to continue the (grand) tradition that is the "Phrickin' Photoblog Phriday." You know it, you love it...You DO! You said so...Anyhow, today's photoblog, like it's most recent predecessors, relies upon photographs which were snapped by my father-in-law and Big Al, respectively, during their recent visit...Today's photoblog theme (because it's a good idea to have to have those, I'm told) isn't a real easy one to "make fun" of, but I'll give it my best shot, as usual...We're doin' "natural nature crap" today at the ol' maison de fromage...First, though, some background...

I often find myself taking for granted the "natural beauty" which exists in and around Colorado Springs...I mean, c'mon...I know that this place is like...a tourist MECCA (over 6 million visitors annually), But I'm FROM here...All of this "stuff" is just the same, day-to-day...well, "stuff" that's just always THERE...It's there, I'm there, never the twain doth we meet...That being said, there ARE a large number of people who visit this area every year (over 6 friggin' million, like I said) in search of "outdoor adventure" and other hippie-type junk...Yay for them...I often have to wait for someone who's not from here to visit before I'll even think of taking in any of that local touristy, attractiony crap...Hell, I'll freely admit that, even thought I was born here and have lived here all of my life, I have yet to visit the summit of Pike's Peak...Why? BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS THERE, FOOL! I can't go to the top of the Peak, have THINGS TO DO like "get up and go to work," or "mow the yard." Hell, it took friends from PENNSYLVANIA coming out for a visit for my wife and I to eat, for the first time, at a local landmark restaurant which serves "Colorado Cuisine." That, kids, is "sad." The following photoblog, and it's contents, display the proud fact that I'm still in the habit of living vicariously through out-of-towners and their subsequent exploits...I didn't take any of the pictures you are about to see and, chances are, I wouldn't have taken them, even if given the opportunity...Thank God SOMEBODY did, though, 'cause otherwise, this post would be over like...right now and you'd be all like "screw this."

But, NO! No, you DON'T say "screw it!" No, today you say "yay for photos!" Say it...SAY IT!..Thank you...Here we go...Click 'em, they "puff up," you see better, blah blah blah...


I figured that we could start off today with a shot of how Pike's Peak (America's Mountain, by the by) appears if you were to venture to the end of my driveway and look down the street (to the west). What a beautiful, clear day that was...Still, there's snow on the peak, and this was in late May...Quite common...Yep...Nothing funny to say here...Damn...Let's move on...


Speaking of me mowin' the yard (we were), here I am, looking stylish in a big floppy hat, mowin down the weeds and shit that populate my backyard...Also in the shot is my (lovely) wife who, even though it APPEARS that she is about to perpetrate "mischeif" and spray me with water, is merely watering our lilac bushes...Trust me, we have lilac bushes...Hey, a bit of trivia for you, that shirt I'm wearing there? Yeah, it's like...Just as old as our house is...OK, moving on...


So, not content with merely staring at the majesty that is Pike's Peak from our front yard, our visitors piled in a rental car and actually DROVE RIGHT UP TO IT! Damn, I don't know why I'VE NEVER DONE THAT...Oh, yeah...I was "working"...Anyway, It would seem that that they enjoyed themselves, because it's obvious that SOMEONE was excited enough to start taking pictures while still inside the car...Here, you see the sign which informs you that you can exit the highway and either: drive up Pike's Peak, or: take a right and tell Santa Friggin' Claus what a good boy you've been and that you want a pony...Hey, it's your call...I should add that Santa has, at his disposal, cotton candy and funnel cakes and crap like that...I hear that they just have high altitude donuts on the top of that damn mountain...Anyway...


Soooo, after telling Santa what they all wanted for Christmas and gorging on funnel cakes and kicking elves, it appears that our tourists made their way to the Garden of the Gods, which is a wonderful park on the west side of town filled to the brim with natural rock formations and trails and bunnies and hippies and things like that. Here, we have a picture of a "rock" that is like..."really tall." My wife could probably tell you how it was formed and all of that geological stuff. I, on the other hand, can just say "look, it's a rock." moving on...


This here is one of the most famous natural formations within the Garden of the Gods, titled the "Kissing Camels." this pair of Dromedary lovebirds have been sucking face for...well, for thousands upon thousands of years to this point and they're still going strong...Hey, way to go, you crazy kids! You're an inspiration to us all...


And here we have a wider shot of the main formation at the Garden of the Gods...I will say that the park (which encompasses over 1,400 acres and borders a national forest) really is a pretty cool place to visit, especially if you're in the mood for a nice, long walk...And you like being outdoors...So yeah...it's "cool"...for a "tourist attraction"...


And we end our presentation today with a candid shot of some of the more elusive rocks which our "nature paparazzi" had been stalking most of the day...As you can see, these rocks TRIED hiding in a stand of trees, but they were no match for our intrepid shutterbugs...Not long after this picture was taken, one of the rocks that you see here slapped the camera out of Big Al's hand and had his entourage "rough him up" a bit...Uppity friggin' rocks...Geology tabloids are clamoring for the shots, though, so it's not a total loss...

So that's it, you all have a fine weekend and, for our my American readers (which is all but like...what, two?) you all have a safe and fun independence day holiday!..heck, even if you're not in the U.S.A., shoot off some fireworks! Barbecue some meat! Drink some beer! Have a Hell of a time...Just don't burn anything down...Thanks...

Labels: Phrickin' Photoblogs