Home Again- A Wonderful Trip

Colorado is beautiful and good to be around family. My sister spent days running us around everywhere to be sure we got as much in as possible of both family and Colorado. She succeeded!

The first day included Red Rocks, Buffalo Bills grave, and a tour of Coors. The second day, an awesome trip to Rocky Mountain National Park and Estes Park. If you ever get out to CO, make sure you go to the Rocky Mountain Natl Park. It's 250,000 acres designated as wilderness.  I really want to go back and hike some of its trails. But, this trip, the ride up and back down was more than enough to take it all in. And the weather couldn't have been more perfect for it all.

On our way up Trail Ridge. I love these flowers. They're very common in Colorado
and grow on the side of the road like this. I used to go for walks when I lived there in Denver and
come home with a handful!

Our outings included so much wildlife-everything from chipmunks and marmots to elk and red tail hawks.

A visiting marmot up on top of Rocky Mountain Natl Park, elevation 14,259 feet.
This little guy was in a group of three. He's the only one who stayed to pose for picture
for the tourists.

Elk at Rock Mountain Natl Park. There were three grazing by a small stream
right on the side of the road. They are used to people, so you could get very close
to them. We all kept our distance, though to respect their space as they ate. 

The snow still left on the mountains. They are planning to keep the ski resorts
open two more weekends. So skiing Fourth of July weekend is an option!

The end of the trip I stayed with my brother in Longmont and did bike riding and walks on the trail behind their house. More wonderful photo ops!

Honey bees.

On my Sunday morning walk.

The view from the trail. 

I enjoyed my walks on the trail, always something neat to see. Open fields, views of the front range, and even a little creek that ran by the trail. In one place there was a rope hanging from a tree by the creek. What the heck, I took a run for it and swung out over the water. It was a great view, but I didn't want to risk dropping my phone in; so, no pictures! 

The sites were definitely wonderful, but what I really noticed was the smells. It was a wonderful smell of clean air, green grass and earth. You could pick out fragrances of flowering bushes and trees and just take it all in.

So that was my trip to Colorado. Now back to the trails at home.

Enjoy the outdoors!