The R&R and A Giant Shiny Moose

This morning, the lovely spouse and I decided to make a quick run down to Black Forest, Colorado to have breakfast and coffee at the R&R Coffee Cafe, owned by my good online buddy, Ryan, a fellow road geek who has a terrific blog dedicated to this fascinating hobby. Ryan's new bride, known as "The Ring" on his blog was there, along with other family members who all work at the coffee shop.

First, let me just say that the food was delicious. I had a wonderful burrito with eggs, potatoes, ham, and other yummy ingredients, and had some of their great sausage gravy on top. The LS had basted eggs and potatoes. And of course, the hand crafted care of their home-roasted coffee was evident in the flavor. I highly recommend a stop at the R&R for some great food and conversation. Even Ryan's little 6-year old sister-in-law was there, and she seemed to be enjoying all the folks enjoying the food, coffee, and live classic guitarist. She pulled up a chair and sat with us, engaging us in some interesting stories. Ryan has a great family, a terrific business, and I wish him all the best of success. It appears he is well on his way.

The trip down took us through the scenic pine forest surrounding the Black Forest community. Using Colorado 83 is not only more aesthetically pleasing than the longer route of going down Interstate 25, but it is also much less stressful. Beautiful vistas of Pikes Peak greet the southbound motorist along the way.

On the trip back, I saw something I had missed on the way down. In the community of Franktown, at the crossroads of Colorado 83 and Colorado 86, there was a shiny silver moose of gigantic proportions. It was at a business that sells those chain-saw carvings. I knew I had to take its picture, particularly since my oldest sister and I have had this thing about calling each other "Moose" since the early 1970s. I knew I had to take a picture of it. As always, click on the photo for a larger version.