Colorado Kilting

[Arlen]

As always, cousin, you are looking fantastic!
Looks like a grand time out there.

[Riverkilt]

Aye,

I prefer a vest to a sporran...suppose it gives me an excuse to buy both. We were out on the back roads in 4 wheel drive mode and a sporran is just a nuisance in my lap. It is REALLY hard to find vests with a lot of pockets, and when I do I love them. Also have a Filson cruiser jacket which is what they gave us to wear underground in the mines. It has a bazillion pockets and is a great jacket to wear with kilts - especially in mining country where the jacket sends the message - "old grizzled miner"...or well, that's the message I wanna send.

I took two sporrans on this four-day trip and never wore either one of them. In the tshirt and Scott pic (last one) I was high on a cliffside road. Had just found a small spot to turn around without crashing into the canyon below and was waiting for the ladies to finish their hike on up the road. So all my gear was a few feet away in the car.

Here's a pic from earlier in the day with the Filson Cruiser jacket worn as an alternative to a sporran. Jacket has a bazillion pockets inside and out, even a huge 'game' pocket across the back. Photo is at the bottom of Box Canyon Falls in Ouray, Colorado.



Ain't a new idea. Got it from Ham and love the comfort and convenience of using a jacket or vest in lieu of a sporran. No belt either - a comfort for a fat kiltie like me.

Here's a pic of our little gang of explorer's. The younger is my lady's daughter.



I also like the vest in lieu of a sporran at work since I'm sitting all the time and the sporran is just sort of "in the way." Much more comfie without a sporran. Try it if you ain't yet.

Ron

[GMan]

I've hiked around that area many a time Ron, it truly is a grand experience!

You look great.

On a sidebar some friends were in that area and said they saw a Kilted guy there. I asked if they went up to talk, and they said no.

[Riverkilt]

Aye GMan,

Sorry I didn't meet them. Got the usual questions and comments while out and about.

At dinner at The Outlaw a guy stopped and asked if I was wearing MacGregor tartan. Told him no, but very close. I had on my Scott and the colors are nearly the same and the pattern is similar. Complimented him on his knowledge and of course he's a Macgregor.

Kinda ticked my girlfriend off outside of True Grit in Ridgeway. We were waiting our turn for lunch and a guy says kinda smart aleckie, "Where's your bagpipes?" I replied, "Under my kilt, do you want to see them?" and reached for my hem. That took care of that. Sounds harsh, but you had to be there.

I love the backroads of the San Juans. Was lucky enough to have one day off a week when I worked in the Idarado Mine to get out and explore them back in 1963.

Very best views I'll never get to see again. Far beyond the jeep tour roads are alpine meadows. The only access was from the mine. Some of the old portals came out on isolated meadows tucked into the mountains.

Still kick myself that I didn't follow through on my urge to buy land there when Telluride was just a mill town for the mine...pre-hippie influx years, pre-ski years...if only I knew then what I know now...

Ron