Kansas is notorious for weather changes. As the saying goes: "If you don't like the weather, then wait a minute." Well, I'm here to tell you that Colorado has Kansas whipped in the change department. How can the day start out as beautiful as the above picture and then look like this next picture by the time we got to our destination? See that stuff rolling in? It's snow.
On Day Four, we decided to go for the gusto and head up to The Loch. This would be our longest and highest hike--almost six miles round trip with an elevation rise of 1,000 feet. What a gorgeous day!! About two miles into the hike, however, when we got to a boulder field, the clouds started moving in....
...and when we got to The Loch, the blue sky was totally gone. "Don't stay up here too long," Ranger Patrick Duffy (not to be confused with a B-grade Hollywood actor who once was The Man From Atlantis and Bobby Ewing on TV) greeted us. "Rain's coming in around 2 o'clock."Ranger Duffy, who Big Bore mistook as a Boy Scout, is a park intern from Michigan. He has spent less time in the Rockies than I have. What does he know? "Is 30 minutes okay?" I asked. "I'm hungry. And would you mind taking our picture?" His second effort, below, was a success.
We had a quick lunch of peanut butter and crackers, then hit the trail back down. Like clockwork, around 2 PM some moisture arrived--but it was snow, not rain. And with the snow, came wind and lots of it. Where is that cute little Patrick Duffy when we need him? We hustled on around to the other side of the mountain, where we were protected from the wind, but the snow kept falling in fat, wet, beautiful flakes."This is just what I've been waiting for!" Big Bore said enthusiastically. And, I have to agree, it was pretty neat. But watch your step!
We made it back down safely to the parking lot in record time. No lolly-gagging---not much, anyway. I'll spare you the story of my bladder practically blowing up. We both agreed that a return trip to The Loch would be necessary the next time we're at the park. We will start out earlier and try to get there in time to rest and explore the area more. Hopefully, the Colorado weather will be more forgiving. Same goes for our aching muscles.
3 comments:
if your bladder was blowing up, why didn't you just stop and pee in the bushes????
That's just what I did....but I had to wait for the perfect place! Much of the trail was along the mountainside, so hiding places were at a premium. Don't tell on me!
I am proud to have peed in multiple states, but particularly on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
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