Last Month's Countdown

There's still a lot going on in Rocky Mountain National Park and Estes Park, but fall is in the air, and we're in the final month countdown of this wonderful summer in Colorado.  Our store's inventory is in full swing, and we're waiting on the decision whether my company, Xanterra, will get its contract renewed by NPS and Congress.  I realize my time left with my new friends is dwindling, and that saddens me, but the pull of my family, Joey, and friends has a strong tug on me, and Sconnie is calling my name.  I need to be among Packer fans, and not see Bronco mania everywhere.

Here's the recap of the last couple of weeks:

• dinner with friends at an eastern European restaurant, Villa Tatra, indulging in Polish cuisine and beer,
  
  
  
  
• saw four moose relatively close together in our glacial cirque valley, right below our store,
  
  
  
• have listened to coyote yipping and elk bugling,
  
• kayaked on Lake Estes with Amery friends,
  
• hiked to Bear, Nymph, Dream and Emerald Lakes,
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• trips to a couple of breweries - Never Summer Brewery and Lumpy Ridge Brewery,
  
  
• was visited by a former student/softball athlete, Jesse Frohnauer, who once mowed her name into my yard,
  
• learned about a quilting experience, "Row by Row," and purchasing a kit for a winter project,
  
• ventured up Old Fall River Road, stopping at Chasm Falls, and witnessed the elk rut, marmots and pikas,
  
  
  
  
  
• visited the Grand Lake and Granby areas and watched the ospreys,
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• played Farkle, making up our own rules, and laughing A LOT!
• bid farewells to Chuck, our van driver from Illinois, Ron, a retail worker from Nevada, and Jerry, a food and beverage guy from Taiwan,
  
• and chatted with countless visitors to Trail Ridge Store and Cafe in RMNP.
  

See you soon!

Amy