Flash Fiction #618 -- Real life vacation/6

The pillars of lava are a great reminder that the Rocky Mountains are a young range, and this sight shows some of the volcanic activity that took place at an earlier time. They stand out against the red stone so common in the area.

You are in the highlands now!

Stop at the store for a souvenir or two. The cups are always nice reminders of the trip.  Drive a little farther to  the Continental Divide. One side of the ridge drains toward the east and the other side to the west.  The spot has a pretty little lake, too.

 

Flash Fiction #617 -- Real life vacation/5

We'd been gaining altitude since Loveland, but in a somewhat gentle climb.  Now it is time to head upward along the switchback road which will take you beyond the tree line.  There are several spots to pull over and take in the fabulous views which include even higher peaks, alpine plants, and distant lakes.  

Don't miss the highest spot.  I often see pikas here, the cute small-eared relatives of rabbits. My favorite view ever came at this spot where I watched billowing white clouds rolling in below us. Elk are often scattered through the area. I once spotted a wolf!

 

Flash Fiction # 616 -- Real life vacation/4

 It is not unusual to see small herds of Elk within a few minutes of entering the park, especially if you head toward the alluvial fan area.  Here, pebbles, rocks, and boulders mark the path of a massive flood on July 31, 1976. 144 people died as the water rushed through the narrow passage.

The weather is changeable.  We've been to the park on hot, dry days and in snow and sleet.  We've driven past high snow-capped mountains, and years where the same area is a lush carpet of green. Part of the joy is being surprised by the changes.

 

 

Flash Fiction #615 -- Real life vacation/3

 Loveland to Estes Park is a beautiful preview of what you will find in Rocky Mountain National Park.  Rental cabins offer a place to stay and rest. A few houses are sometimes tucked into corners below the towering rocks.  It looks precarious, but it would lure me to live there.

The air tastes fresh and filled with the scent of pines. Coming into Estes Park is a surprise appearing suddenly around a curve. The pretty town has everything a tourist could want.

But we are close now.  No time for sightseeing here!  Rocky Mountain National Park is 17 miles away.

 

 

Flash Fiction # 614 -- Real life vacation/2

 Head south from historic Scottsbluff, a landmark for those who crossed the land in wagons.  The terrain reminds me of the southwest -- and then opens into more prairie. Before long, we reach the Pawnee National Grasslands at the Colorado border.  At the end of the road, we turn west.

Mountains come into view as distant cloud-like images.  It is summer, so sunset is a long way off.  From Loveland, the foothills appear to be more prominent than the mountains behind. After a few curves, hillsides rise out of nowhere, and you see now why they won the name Rocky Mountains.