Waddles, Sunsets, and Rocky Mountain National Park

This time last year I experienced by first adventure in Rocky Mountain National Park.  It was definitely one of the places I wanted to check off the list while on my two week trip in the Rockies.  With over 350 miles of trails, Rocky Mountain National Park is like an adult playground for the outdoors enthusiast!  It offers trails of every level, plus backpacking, climbing and cabin camping.  Although I was only there for one day, I plan to go back as soon as the park opens with fewer COVID restrictions.  

Upon arriving, the ranger handed me a map of the park and asked if I had any questions.  The map was pretty overwhelming with just me and my Toyota Yaris rental.  By the way, so fun!  I felt like I was Mario Karting through the Rockies.  As I started driving through the park with absolutely no plans and not a worry in the world, I just told myself that when I saw a trail name that spoke to my soul, I would pull over and hike it.  I passed so many beautiful and intriguing trail names, and then I saw it!  "Bierstadt Lake!"  I immediatley pulled over into a parking space and grabbed my water bladder and I was off.  Both the trail and the lake are named after a famous landscape painter.  But, honestly, I thought it all sounded like a German beer, which apparently spoke to my soul at the time.

As I passed the trailhead, there were these stick fort/tipi's that were reminiscent of "Blair Witch"?  Ammiright?  Or am I thinking of another terrible horror flick in the woods?  Anyways, there were about three or four of them.  I kept on trekking.

As you hike higher, spectacular awe-inspiring views panoramically open up.  I started skipping along, with very labored breathing, singing, "The Hills Are Alive," because that's the cheesy feels this hike will give (especially when you've never seen beauty like that in your life.)  And, there's this medical condition called "Rocky Mountain High" that also messes with your head...but in a good way.

When I finally reached  Bierstadt Lake perched atop the mountain, I saw a couple there (even though I was the only car in the lot).  I assumed they hiked in from another outlet.  They were from the mid-west and she was about eight months pregnant.  He was set up on a tripod taking some shots of the lake.  I smiled and we greeted and I immediately wondered how in the world that lady made it up the same mountain I just did.  I was still acclimating to the elevation, but to be carrying a little one in your belly?  She sat there voraciously eating a granola bar while her husband took still shots.

This is the place you paint and write your poems.  So inspiring!  I walked around the lake and found a rock to meditate on.  Lake Bierstadt is surrounded by lovely pines and an amazing reflection of both the trees and grandeur of the Rockies were consuming my soul.  When out of no where I heard a little "quack."  Honestly, as if this were the set of the "Truman Show" and the "people behind the curtain" wanted to elevate my experience any more than it already was, the friendliest duck in the world waddled up to join me.  It was like he was trying to communicate to me and tell me about his home.  He even, without a worry in the world, got right up on my rock to join me.  And, then, when he felt the moment had passed (and maybe I was a little overzealous with my duck impersonations) he plumped right into the water and swam away and out of my life.  I nicknamed him "Waddles" and you can see his cute little duck self in the pics below.  You can probably tell by now that I have a much stronger connection with animals than I do humans.

Hey there, mates!  Still with me?  Because lastly I want to leave you with these breathtaking sunset pictures I grabbed before exiting the Rocky Mountain National Park.  I climbed out of the Yaris and crawled on top to get these shots.  I hope you enjoy (but, sadly pictures never really do justice...my opinion)!

 

Pretty righteous, no?  I had never seen a sky painted like that.  And, that is what I love so much about Colorado.  It's like you're up in the clouds and in the sky.  When I was driving to the Continental Divide later that same week, I literally looked down to see a rainbow after a short rain shower.  What can I say?  Sunsets certainly do make my soul flutter.  

As I was exiting the park, I saw so much wild life!  I guess it's feeding time at the zoo around sunset o'clock.  I can't tell you how close I got to an Elk.  He was basically right at my window.  None of the shots were any good because I was so scared and excited at the same time.

A quick note about the wildfires this year: I was a saddened this year when my family came out to the Rockies to visit and the entire time the sky was raining ash.  There was not only little visibility of the mountains, but the sunsets were so clouded by the smoke.  I hope they get a chance to come back out soon and experience the true essence of the Rockies.

Thanks for reading, friends, and I hope you have a terrific rest of your week full of new learning experiences.  And, most of all, I hope you find the time to get out in nature and take your shoes off (to connect with the energies of the Earth) and look to the sky and just breathe in the beauty of the world around you.

Much love,

Kimmie