Colorado's Foliage in All Its Glory!

As promised, we took our 2nd Annual Sunday Drive a few Sundays ago, up to Idaho Springs (about 1.25 hours away) to see the fall colors. Autumn is short and sweet up at that elevation and when the leaves turn, you have to jump on it, as it's not unusual to get snow in early September. But, instead of snow, we got rain (again), and lots of it!

The road less traveled. We picked a back country road and drove through probably the prettiest fall foliage I'd ever seen! Even better than Pennsylvania in the fall, to be honest. The best way to describe the famous Colorado "aspens on fire" is that each leaf is as bright as a shiny gold coin, then imagine tree after tree just glowing and shimmering in the wind! Too bad we didn't catch it when it was sunny.

I kept wanting to stop and take pictures, and even they don't do it justice. It was just so breathtaking, it was literally giving me chills.

It was misty and gold. Er, cold.

There was a little pull-out next to this lake, so here is where we pulled off and ate our indoor car picnic of a rotisserie chicken, baguettes, cheese, fall pears, and pumpkin pasties. The kids were good sports and didn't mind sitting in the car the whole time, because it was way too cold and wet to get out and walk around. 

Well, this little stink minded the most, but she did okay once we brought out the food! We're making some fun memories with these new Sunday drives!

As we were eating, the temperature kept dropping and dropping, and sure enough it started to snow. It was our first snowfall of the winter, but hopefully it takes a little longer before it makes its way to us in the valley! Brrr!

See those snowflakes??

One more of the mist and snow and fall leaves, with my most cooperative model, Lucy.

Even without the sun being out, it was still so colorful and gorgeous and we captured some good pictures. Colorado, you are STUNNING.