How do I say it???? It was another...yes, ANOTHER....gorgeous morning here in Estes Park!!!! Just as before.....the clearest, brightest blue sky...and wonderful cool temps.....can't get any better.
We left, following breakfast and coffee, for the National Park with the plan to experience Trail Ridge Road....and to have a little lunch at Grand Lake. It is about a 24 mile drive up the mountains to the top of Trail Ridge Rd...., however....we decided to take the original road that was constructed in 1924....and to this day, is STILL gravel....and only one way....going up to the top. Well.......it begins just fine, but the farther you drive the more narrow it becomes...until I finally had to stop the truck, get out...and push in my mirrors on the doors as the brush was hitting them. And....more narrow it became again....until at times we were just hanging on to keep from slipping and sliding over the side to an instant death, thousands of feet below. No railings, no fences, nothing...NADA!!!! Just beautiful vistas....and deep, deep canyons/valleys below the side of the truck. By this time the 1st Lady was almost in the floor of the truck, not being able to look outside the windows, knowing that we were going to plunge to the bottom!!!
It really began to worry me a bit.....as I wasn't sure the truck, which is a crew cab with a long bed, was going to make the turns.....and, at times on the hairpins curves, which were quite a bit more than 180 degrees, we had to turn as tightly as we could, and then back up and make a second attempt to get around the curve.....all the while hoping we would not slip off backwards!!!!! And...all of this was as we were making a steep ascent up the mountainside!!!!
Well, about 40 minutes of this nerve-wracking driving, wondering if we would/could make it up, we arrived at the top......12,000+ feet altitude...and pavement....blessed pavement, plus we were at the Visitor Center where there was ample parking for trucks like mine. WHEW!!!!!!!!!!!!! We parked, crawled out of the truck, shaken and tense....and headed for the restrooms quickly!!! HAHA!! There were many beautiful vistas all around us.....in every which way that we turned our heads......it appeared that we were on top of the world!!!!!! And then, we noticed a pathway which went up even higher, so David and I made the 10 minute climb/trek up the pathway to the top...... where we eneded 2.3 miles above sea level!!! GORGEOUS!!!!!!
Then after many pictures, we returned to the Visitor Center and met the 1st Lady and Ruthie, going inside for some hot coffee and pastries. It was VERY, VERY COLD up there with high winds and the hot liquid was much needed!!!! We spent about an hour all together at the top.....and then began the descent down the other side towards the town of Grand Lake. We stopped often to take pictures, look for elk, moose, etc......and we did see some of both. The moose were hidden in the bushes and were impossible to get a picture of....and you do NOT approach a moose closely......EVER!!!!!
Arriving at Grand Lake around 2pm....we found some picnic tables, and relaxed while eating sandwiches, fruit, and energy bars...all the while watching the lake and enjoying the sight!!!
But....all to soon, it was time to go back over the Continental Divide, which we had crossed at the top of the Trail Ridge Rd......and to return to Estes Park.
The trip up was easy...and we then stopped as we headed a bit higher above the Visitor Center where we had been this morning. More beauty!!!!!! More vistas which cannot be described!!!!! We remained up there for about an hour....as we hike a bit to see some other vantage points for different views. Then as we began the descent, we saw this large herd of elk grazing on the side of the road....with the deep canyons in the background behind them.......WOW...WOW...WOW!!!!! Awesome!!!!
We finally returned to Estes Park...about 7pm......a LONG day, but one that each of you should experience, if you haven't!!!!!! Nothing can quite describe this day....this harrowing trip up to the top....and the beauty of the rest of the day trip. OMG.....it was just amazing!!!!!
Tonight....I need to close this, post some of the 80 pictures which I took on the day trip....and then get some much, much needed rest in my horizontal position for this very sagging hulk of me! One of those days of a Lifetime.......and, of course.....
LIFE IS JUST EXCEPTIONALLY GREAT!!!!!!!!!!.....And, I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!!!
1 comment:
We were in Estes Park a couple of years ago, but did not explore as well as you all. However, no snowball fight? We had a couple of our grandchildren with us and a highlight of the trip up was to play in the snow in the summertime. Thanks for the pictures..awesome.
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