September is a Blur ... of Work, Color, Wildlife & Snow/Ice Days

I remember back to my teaching days, and snow days were exciting, but already, we've experienced one delayed morning, one early closure, and two days of no work due to inclement weather up @ 12,000 feet.  Everyone is gearing up for the end of the season @ Trail Ridge Store, and being at the store makes time go more quickly.  On days that NPS closes the road, we're required to stick around on the property until noon - waiting has never been my best forte.But the unexpected free time has allowed me to catch up on everyday tasks, and this blog, so here goes:

• Snow has arrived on the mountains, and the days leading up to it had very poor visibility at the higher elevations and extremely high winds.  The new vans that we're driving are high profile ones, and the wind catches them going around the curves.
  
• One of the most difficult parts of this job is saying goodbye to many new friends.  My Bulgarian friend/manager, Valya, left Friday.  We have worked together for the past three years.  She will return to Bulgaria/Germany to finish her business degree and graduate in June.  Others that have left are our Polish girls, a Wisconsinite, three Taiwanese gals, and a North Carolinan.
  
• Because Sunday was a snow day, I did get to worship @ Rocky Mountain Church where I got to catch up with two great couples that I've met in the last couple of years.  Lisa & Gene are Luther '77 grads, and Linda & Larry are NPS volunteers who leave for Greece soon.  The worship services are music-filled, and one song sent chills through me.  The message was on "The Good Samaritan," one of my favorites!
• Due to approaching inventory preparations and a loss of one of our lead managers, I worked a stretch of twenty-one days.  I do love my job, and I didn't fade until the last day or two.  We had a successful inventory day with everyone working!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Leaf peeping and elk "hunting" are two of my favorite activities in Colorado's autumn.  On Friday, I checked them out along Bear Lake Road, along Peak to Peak Highway, hiked Brainard Lakes and Rainbow Lakes Trails, and visited the following breweries:  Bootstrap, Powder Keg, Oskar Blues, Skeye, Grossen Bart and Buckhorn. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• I love learning new things about this park and other areas.  My latest seminars were on "Predators of RMNP," "Geology of the Rockies," and  "Grizzlies of Katmai National Park."
• I ran in my second and last 5K of the summer in the "Running of the Bulls" around Lake Estes.  It was actually longer than a 5K - 3.75 miles.  I placed first in my age group; maybe it's an advantage to be the youngest in that age category.  Another woman with Wisconsin connections came in second - her daughter was in the UW-Madison Badgers Marching Band at the same time as the Elbing girls.
  
• Last weekend I was bowled over with "Watoto," an Uganda Children's Choir, singing of God's impact on their lives.  They were either orphans or children of victimized women of Uganda.  What an inspirational and energetic group.  I purchased two CDs of theirs to remind me of their passionate faith.
  
• On September 5th, Nancy and I celebrated "Full Moon Night" at Moraine Park with pizza and elk bugling.  I've witnessed the Milky Way Galazy THREE times in the last month, too.  Never seen it before in such majesty!
• Friendship, food, laughter and a few drinks always play an important part in our free time.  Several of us attended Estes Park's Rock Cut Brewery's 2nd anniversary together, and we still try to have our Thursday's evening together.
  

The calendar says that there are two weeks of employment left @ Trail Ridge Store.  Mother Nature truly dictates how many of those days we will work.  I'm looking forward to my nephew's wedding in Mpls. as a short respite, and then a sister trip to climax the end of my summer/fall in Colorado.  Looking forward to seeing many of you soon.

A Colorado hug for you!

Amy

Love All the RMNP Visitors! and the Adventures! and the Wildlife!

Where has the time gone?  My last blog was July 20th, and it's almost September.  The month of August has been a wonderful one, with visitors, beautiful weather, and full of adventures.  And now there's hints of fall in the air as the aspen leaves have begun their golden magic, and the bull elk are rubbing their velvet off their antlers, and have begun their sparring for dominence.  Here's most of the highlights:

• seven of us Luther Norsemen (Jonesie, Carolyn, Kathi, Katie, Lynn, Linda and myself) gathered in Estes Park, and stayed at the YMCA of the Rockies.  Touring the site, we were offered free beer and supplies at the historic 100-year old Mountainside Lodge and the outdoor chapels of the Y.  On Sunday, we worshiped together in the YMCA's chapel, with an illusionist.  While here, we hiked to Bear, Nymph, Dream and Emerald Lakes, and Alberta Falls.  We ventured up Old Fall River Road, and made stops at Chasm Falls and the Ranger cabin, where we picnicked among wildflowers in full bloom.  Wildlife welcomed us around every corner:  pikas, moose, elk, marmots, turkeys, birds, ground squirrels and chipmunks.  Lots of memories of our Luther days were shared, games were played, Colorado wines and brews were sampled, and laughter echoed through our cabin.  Soli Deo Gloria!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• an overnight camping trip to Long Draw Reservoir, just outside of RMNP on the northwest side, witnessing ten moose (a moose family of bull, cow and calf) and a beautiful morning at the lake in a mountainous setting,
  
  
  
  
  
  
• a picturesque trip through Poudre Canyon, visiting Chambers Lake, Poudre Falls, Fort Collins Gateway Natural Way, and countless stops along the way,
  
  
  
  
• a trip up Old Fall River Road, a gravel, hairpin turning, primitive road built by convicts in the 1920s, up to 12,000 feet, stopping at Chasm Falls, and then continued westward to Arapaho Bay on Shadow Mountain Lake, witnessing some hints of approaching fall with the yellowing leaves of the aspens,
  
  
  
  
  
  
• dined with most of my colleagues at a Polish restaurant, Villa Tatra, to honor five of our Polish co-workers, eating delicious cabbage rolls and perogies,
  
• attended a seminar on western explorers/expeditions, featuring Zebulon Pike (Pike's Peak, Stephen Long (Long's Peak), Lewis and Clark, priest Escalante, and others,
• observed a nearly total eclipse (93%) at 12,000 feet with Grease Monkey glasses, (pictures are from a colleague that went to Wyoming for totality)
  
  
  
  
• chatted with Sherry and Vern, longtime friends, who visited the store,
  
• explored RMNP with great friends, Sandi and John, appreciating the wildlife of moose, elk, marmots, pikas, birds, ground squirrels, and chipmunks, picnicking, strolling around Sprague and Lily Lakes, ice cream and pizza eating, and sampling brews @ Rock Cut Brewery,
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• hosted an "Imported Wine Night" on the balcony with co-workers,
  
• dined with Amery friends, Marge and Adam, along the Big Thompson River, and enjoyed street music while catching up with what's happening,
  
• admired the creative talent of Estes Parks artists, who are painting storage boxes along the riverwalk,
  
• hiked the Kruger Rock Trail in Hermit Park Open Space (the equivalent of our state/county parks), absorbing the beauty of abundant wildflowers and watching an approaching storm, and rewarding myself with visits to Lumpy Ridge and Rock Cut Breweries,
• perused the Estes Park Farmers' Market weekly to enjoy the fresh produce and foods:  corn on the cob, Palisades peaches, Rocky Ford melons, bing cherries, wonderful breads, salsa, almonds, dips, Swiss chard, and tomatoes,
  
  
  
  
• had an "Imported Beer Night" on the balcony
  
• traveled to the west side of RMNP with two Americans and two Taiwanese, and ventured up Old Fall River Road, stopping at Chasm Falls and the Ranger cabin, Poudre Lake, the Continental Divide, Grand Lake, Grand Lake Lodge,and Holzwarth Historic Lodge, spotting elk, a swimming moose, marmots and pikas along the way,
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• drove to Lava Cliffs for a sunrise, hearing a ptarmigan and then seeing it, as well as a moose, elk, marmots, and pikas, and later being witness to a mama moose and its calf in Beaver Ponds, 
• and celebrated with Rock Cut Brewery (one of the top 10 craft breweries in Colorado) on its second anniversary with several co-workers!
  

Enjoy this wonderful summer, and I'll see you soon!

Love, 

Amy