MAMA SAID THERE’D BE DAYS LIKE THIS

Canada Geese on my walk

The day started with all good intentions: Cristal ran her 16K, I walked my 3.75 miles, my blister from yesterday’s walk bound in gauze and two Band-Aids. Showered and changed, we jumped into the car, headed towards Rocky Mt. National Park…and discovered that the low-pressure tire gauge had come on. Uh-oh. Not good. While we had eschewed the one-way only Fall River Drive at 15 miles an hour on gravel with 12,000 ft. drops and no barriers, we are intending to go on Trail Ridge Road tomorrow, which promises to be somewhat more standard while still offering fabulous views. So, we finally figured out how to use our trusty tire gauge, found the guilty tire, and also discovered the local tire repair shop closed on Sunday. No Rocky Mt. NP for us today! Back at the hotel to collect one item, we opted for lunch. Bad decision. We waited over fifty minutes for salads to appear, effectively causing lunch to take an hour and a half all told.

The only thing left to do was to lick our wounds and eat some chocolate. A trip to Rocky Mt. Chocolate Shop

Cristal being comforted by a S’Mores Bar

was definitely called for. This, in turn, led to a spin round Estes Park village once more, which landed us in the Colorado Hat Shop that also just happens to sell books.

My book box is now seven books lighter, and Cristal and I are greatly enriched for some good conversation on the history of the west. Thank you, Ted and Susan Williams.