Camped in Rocky Mtn Park

Yesterday we took a shuttle ride, and did a small amount of hiking. The c.g. is over 8,000 ft elevation, and it's really noticeable. We get short of breath very easily (yes, even worse than at home!). It's getting easier each day though.

Late in the afternoon yesterday we went to a scenic lookoff, hoping to see elk. We only saw a couple, but one of them was a very large bull in his prime, and he put on a real show for us. Attacking bushes, making himself a wallow and oh-so-attractive to a female elk. Glad we were a ways away and upwind. Some people got very close up, way too close to a rutting bull, until several park rangers went after the offenders.

Today we drove the Trail Ridge Road, a famous US scenic road. We took a gravel road most of the way up (the old original road), then the paved road down. Over 11,000 feet at the top, we did even less hiking! It was 18C at the c.g before we left, then 10C at the top, and windy. We're back down now, sunny and 20C, very pleasant.

We talked to a fellow from Colorado on the way back down, and he said it's unusually warm here right now. There's often snow at the higher elevations, so we got lucky I guess.