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Published: July 22nd 2019
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Lake Grandy on the way to the park
If I had a place on a lake it would be one like this one.
After spending some time doing more planning on our itinerary, we left the lodge at 10:15 and 68 degrees. It was chilly here last night…probably the only place in the US that is below 90 degrees, from what we hear. Today, we decided to make another trip through Rocky Mountain National Park. By this time, we pretty much know the roads, have been there at least 5 times and crossing it twice in a day on some visits. With this park so high up in elevation, you never know what you’re gonna get, as Forrest Gump would say, when you visit. Last time we were there, the clouds were down to the ground and we could barely see the road in front of us, let alone any of the spectacular views that it is so famous for. But today…well today was a premier day. The sky was blue, the sun was bright and warm, the clouds were white and fluffy and higher than the tallest peaks and, as you will see in my photos, it was a great day for taking pictures.
It only took about half an hour to get to the gate and we discovered that they now
have a fast lane for seniors with passes. You drive right up, swipe your pass card, and you are in. And that was a blessing today, because the lines were long for everyone else.
The drive across the park takes about an hour, but that does not take into consideration all of the stops you must make to take in the incredible views of the majestic mountains, with their white adornments across the tops and down the sides, in the deep crevices between the craggy gray ridges. The sun was shining on those glaciers accentuating their purity and grace and everyone in the park was fighting for a place to park so that they could have a better look, take photos of the views, and take photos of each other standing on the edges of the cliffs that have no barriers to keep them from falling over. I actually saw one guy almost do that. He was standing right on the edge with his back to the valley below and someone walked by with a large dog and the dog knocked his leg and he lost his balance and almost fell. Not sure if the dog scared him or
actually pushed him, but either way, he was lucky he didn’t fall.
Not only are the mountains impressive, but so are the valleys below. The land flows with bright green grass lined with Douglas fir, Aspen and pine trees in various shades of green. And the Colorado River runs through it. And so does the Continental Divide.
Oh, and another thing I wanted to mention was the bikers. Not the ones with big noisy motors, but the ones that run on the fuel from the food people eat. I guess I should call them cyclists. The park, the road to the park and the road out of the park were filled with these athletes peddling up the challenging inclines of the mountains, at 14K feet, and down the other sides. And here is the part that amazed me…almost every one that we saw was a woman. It is my thought that they are part of an athletic team in training. But who knows. I was impressed.
After reaching Estes Park on the east side, we made a decision to not drive through the park again to return to the lodge. In spite of the fact that the
alternate route was an hour longer. Steve decided he was ready for some easier driving. So we returned via Boulder.
We arrived around 5 PM and spent some time packing to leave tomorrow for our next adventure, Casper, WY.
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Kelli kernkamp
non-member comment
Enjoying!
I am reading daily and enjoying every word. Pictures are wonderful but Rocky Mountain National Park photos are so majestic and outstanding. You have a great camera.