Drove up into the mountains while I was out in Colorado this time. First time to see the Rockies up fairly close. Went and had lunch with some of Lexie’s relatives in Ft. Collins then drove up around Estes Park, through a beautiful canyon in the Roosevelt National Park. Stopped at an old YMCA camp that’s been around for 100+ years. Good vantage point, bad coffee. That’s where the statue of the kids was. Thought it was funny that someone had knitted the kids in the sculpture scarves.
Carrie Nunes’ “24” ring is shown in action.
The elk were just chomping on somebody’s back yard and crossing (and standing in the middle of) the road as we drove by on the way up. They were a little skittish, but clearly pretty used to co-existing with people. These were females, babies and adolescents. The one male teenager was wondering when his horns were ever going to grow in properly, and wondering where his dad disappeared to.
Nice to see there are still some great old bungalow-style places in the mountains, leftover from another age. Also a bunch of newish places, but there must be “mountain hues” sections in the local paint stores, as they mostly seemed pretty tastefully blended-in with their surroundings. An interestingly diverse and subtle palate of greens and browns. Many houses seemed very precariously placed underneath mountain overhangs, but I suppose they know what they’re doing (?)
Stopped at several of the nicer lay-by vantage points on the way back down. Difficult to fully appreciate it all when you’re wending your way up twisty roads and trying to watch for other motorists.
Estes Park proper is a funny little Gatlinburg-style town. Crafts, baked goods, belt buckles, all manner of souvenirs. And ROCKS! Lexie was a little embarrassed by how excited she was to go to the rock and fossil place, but I was a rock-dork as a kid too, and can still have fun in a place like that. She took home a lovely geode-style chunk of amethyst. The 5&10 sign and the scariest bunny ever are from E.P.
Was loving the graphic quality and texture of the twiggy dead branches against the snow and other non-growth of the season. Spring had not yet sprung in the mountains.
Really enjoyed my little rental Toyota Yaris.
