Hiking in the Rocky Mountains

Monday 20 September. No slide show, this time, folks. Sorry. So you will just have to make do with a few photos in this blog.

Those of you who have been paying attention (Wake up, you at the back) will know that we have crossed the Rocky Mountains and stayed at Estes Park. 10 points if you have found this on the map. 20 points if you got someone else to do it for you.

What you will not know (unless your name is Joy or Mike McQuillen or Herb or Joyce Linne) is that the pass over which we drove was closed the next two days because of a (small) forest fire.

We have just had two great days with Mike and Joy in Fort Collins. Usual 7 star service that we are becoming accustomed to here, in this case, complete with slippers, hand crème and Skype calls laid on to my old colleagues David and Daniel McQuillen and the chance to be taken for a walk by their Golden Retriever, Sadie (I swear I outsprinted her once).


Saturday morning had two firsts. One was that this was the first day when the weather was gloomy the whole day. In fact, our rain jackets came out. Aaaahhhhhhh. Poor things. We can hardly complain after 26 days of sunshine. The other was that we had our full American Breakfast, complete with Eggs and Waffles. Hurrrraahhh.


Sunday saw all four of us back near Estes Park, together with Herb and Joyce Linne, for some hiking and more breathtaking views. At 10,000 feet, we were still hiking through the forest, stumbling across the odd lake or two, looking out over the odd peak or three in the distance, together with the odd duck or four, looking cute and trying to get you to share your sandwiches.


The descent down to our destination was full of the rich colours of early autumn. The temperature rose into the 80s (we are talking “Fahrenheit” here, of course) and all that was missing from the landscape were some vineyards.

I think that I speak for the party as a whole when I say that the U.S. parks commitment to peace and tranquillity is fantastic. No mobile phone signals (so no emails on Blackberries). A sense of danger from Bears and other wild life is a reminder that this Garden of Eden is still and always will be untamed. However, no coffee Pauses (stops) is taking this “Back to Nature” position a bit too far.

Thanks to Joy and Mike for their great hospitality.