Wednesday 18 July 2018

O and I bring our pie to the cafeteria this morning and eat it under the jealous gaze of our fellow Sierra Clubbers. Our breakfast inspires the rest of the group to convince Rob that we need to stop at You Need Pie this morning, before our trip up Trail Ridge Road, to acquire more pies for dessert tonight. This we do. We then proceed up Trail Ridge Road. Even though O and I have already driven this route, we are happy to do it again. One of the group members describes it as driving through a National Geographic Magazine. We stop at many of the same overlooks we visited last Friday. At the Forest View Overlook where we last saw marmots peaking out from under the rocks, we now spy them on a boulder beyond the end of the lookout trail. I take several photos, hoping for at least one good one. On one of my last shots, a baby marmot unexpectedly climbs up the boulder searching for mom.

This trip we are able to park at the Alpine Visitor Center and go in for a look around. O is interested to read that marmots spend the summer fattening up for winter, but stop eating two weeks before hibernation begins in order to empty their digestive tracts! Our next stop is for a short hike to the headwaters of the Colorado River. Here we stop for lunch, wildflower photos and bird watching.

We then proceed around the high road and stop at an elk traffic jam to view the herd causing the blockage. We drive by the continental divide stop. It is too busy – no parking, and continue all the way to Grand Lake, the largest natural lake in Colorado. Here we walk the wooden sidewalks, buy some ice cream and sit by the lake enjoying the sunshine and the breeze. Then it is time to retrace or path back up and around Trail Ridge Road. On the way back we are able to find parking at the continental divide. We hop out of the van briefly for photos.

Somewhere along the way, Mary realizes her phone is no longer in her pocket. The last time she used it was at the Alpine Visitor Center. We stop back there once again so Rob can check with lost and found – no phone. Near the end of our drive we stop at Beaver Meadows Visitor Center where the main lost and found is located. While Rob goes in to check for the phone, one of the group realizes there is good cell reception here. She dials Mary’s number and we hear a faint ring tone from the rear of the van. Apparently the thin black phone slipped under the rear seat and disappeared in a dark corner on the black carpet.

We finally return to the Y for dinner and our long anticipated dessert.