A trip recently materialized, in Nov 2009, when we (Sharath, I, Nagaraj and Sandhya) decided to embark on an expedition to The Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.
The plan was to fly to Denver from the respective states and drive down to the Rockies. SO far this was the ONLY plan.
We booked our tickets a month in advance so that we could plan ahead of time. With just 2 weeks left for our unprecedented trip, we booked luxury condos for our stay in the Rockies. Our first stop would be at Grand lake and thereafter at Estes Park.
Our plan was to drive to Aurora, after arriving in Denver. Aurora was en route to the Rockies and was the nearest city where we could devour some good Indian food before we set out on our expedition. (Being a Thanksgiving weekend, the chances of finding a diner open was next to none !!) We would then buy groceries at Wal-Mart and start our onward journey. (We would later find out that our elementary decision to cook would turn out to be a certain life-saver!)
Nov 26, 2009 (Day 1) - Our flight was on time and we were aboard the Frontier Airlines at 6.15 AM CST. It was a mere 2 hour flight and by the time I caught some Zs, we had already landed at Denver International. We waited for Nagaraj and Sandhya to arrive from San Jose. We were all united at 10.00 AM MST. A white colored Toyota Corolla was waiting to be picked up at the Hertz rental car pick up. Although the trunk looked a wee bit tiny for our intended baggage, it did serve the purpose well in the end.
We drove 21 miles south to Aurora, bought our groceries and had a satiating lunch buffet at Masala. It was approximately 1 PM when we finally set off towards Grand Lake. It was supposedly a 4 Hour drive but owing to some great company and some "mind-boggling" music (Courtesy- Nagaraj), time just flew in a jiffy. The drive was amazing to say the least. We were driving past beautiful snow-capped mountains and deep valleys. There was fresh snow all around, but the expressway was thawed spotlessly. It was a breathtaking scene which found its way into our cameras and into our hearts to cherish for years to come! We pulled over at various vistas to pose for the camera.
We reached Grand lake at around 4 PM. It was already getting dark. Shadow Park West was our haven for the next couple of days. Shadow Park houses plush condos for rental. It is located at the very heart of Grand Lake, a splendid lookout station for a lofty view of Mount Craig. The town was eerily silent on a Thanksgiving evening, the streets long desolated. Our Condo was upholstered with the finest piece of furnitures, an electric fireplace, a tiny kitchen, 2 bedrooms, 2 baths,(not to miss the Jacuzzzi)and a patio. We didn't step out for the rest of the evening,since it was dark. Instead we unwound ourselves, made some dinner, played card games till midnight, chattered for a while and then retired into the snugness of the wintry night.
Nov 27, 2009 (Day 2)- We were up and ready by about 10.00 AM. The day looked promising- sunny, yet chilly. It was mutually agreed upon that we go skiing. We got into our sedan and drove across town, stopping at a panoramic view of Grand lake at Shadow Park west. We drove past Mt Craig, Lake Granby and Shadow Mountain Lake en route "the Village" Ski resort. It was a spectacular location with the Ski lifts ferrying Skiers across the mountain to the ski arena. We hopped in one of them hoping to have a skiing experience of a lifetime!! The ride itself was so awe-inspiring that we were hardly prepared for the next best thing! We were excited and thrilled to be at the center of a great ski resort, amongst hundreds of people, ready for a snowy fiesta!
Sandhya and I who were in mood for some skiing, were no way to be cajoled by the relentless naggings of our husbands! After much deliberation, the husbands gave in; we rented our Ski boots and Ski poles and set out. The boots seemed way too bigger and bulkier for our legs. Nevertheless, nothing could stop us! We fumbled our way across the ski arena, but not without skidding and yelping!( I had never imagined the snow would we that slippery, beneath those boots; not in my wildest dreams! )
It was hard to stand still, without slipping! Amidst the slides, the falls and the "actual skiing" I found it highly exhilarating! Somehow i mustered all my courage and started descending without any comprehension whatsoever. I was feeling good, skiing downwards with a somewhat controlled speed. But the feeling didn't last long; i was fast skidding down my way towards a tree and not knowing how to stop, suddenly stuck my Ski pole deep into the snow and landed on my hand. I felt a sharp pain shoot up in my elbows and the next few minutes were spent in agonizing elbow massages. However,it proved to be a trivial injury, hours later. Lesson learnt- Don't start unless you know how to stop!!
Our eventful day had ended with a spectacular view of the Rockies at the end of one Trail Ridge road 10 miles off Grand Lake.
Nov 28th, 2009 (Day 3)- We checked out of our condos at around 10.00 AM and spent the next 3 hours driving to Estes Park. The Trail ridge road connecting Grand Lake and Estes Park was closed for the season and hence we had to drive all the way south to Boulder and take a deviation off highway 36 towards Estes park. It was a scenic drive, only different landscape this time- the rugged terrain.
We reached Estes Park at around 3.00 PM. Estes park is a popular summer resort located at the heart of the Rocky Mountain national park. Woodlands on Fall River, stood on a dramatic mountain riverside setting. Our 2 bedroom suite offered a scenic view of the sparkling waters of The Fall River. Beautiful landscaping, bountiful wildlife, trees over 300 years old and Castle Mountain views all combined to provide the perfect location for our vacation in Estes Park. Just two miles from the Fall River is the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park.
We checked in, cooked some lunch and refreshed ourselves for a small evening tour of downtown Estes Park. We also had an unusual guest at our suite- A Bullhorn Elk!! We later realized that Elk sightings are common at Estes park- across town, over highways,attracting hundreds of passersby;these animals are the largest species of deer in the world.
We went around the downtown looking for any signs of "activity" on a Saturday night. It seemed as though the town was dead except for the decorative lights adorning the length and breadth of this tiny city. Dejected, we drove back home, made us some dinner and lazed back with a game of cards. We played past midnight; Sandhya won the series in great style!!
Nov 29, 2009 (Day 4)- Time for some snow play!
We started early hoping to catch up all the "To-Dos" and "Must-sees" before sunset.
Our first stop at the Rocky mountain National park was Bear Lake. It would be a 2 mile hike around the Bear Lake to get to where we had started. The Bear Lake was frozen completely. It looked simply spectacular! We did some walking "ON" the lake and posed for some shots! We happily trekked in the snow, playing around, fooling around.. It was the trek of a lifetime! Miles and miles of knee deep snow, icicles at some places, tall green fir trees and a great company!
Our next hike would take us to Alberta Falls, to get to which we hiked for about 1.5 miles on slippery snow. We passed through tiny wooden bridges below which streams still gurgled beneath a frozen surface. When we finally made it atop the creek, except for the signboard that indicated the presence of the Falls, nothing else really did!!It was a frozen marvel!!The creek was frozen over and covered with snow, and the falls were covered in a blanket of snow and ice!! It was one of the jaw dropping experiences on the trip! We posed for some pictures and began our descent. On our way to the parking, we rolled in snow, hitting each other with chunks of snow.
When we got into the car, that's when the chill struck us real hard.By the time we made our way back to our condo, we were shivering, teeth clattering! We made us some hot coffee to start with. Before wrapping up the night, we caught up on a game of cards, one last time. The following day , we would be travelling back home, taking back with us loads of memories and leaving behind us the majestic Rockies, which continue to stand the test of time!!
Nov 30, 2009 (day 5) - By around 10.00 AM, we were on our way to Denver; though the stereo was playing aloud, the four individuals inside the car were silently musing on what had been the trip of a lifetime!
We stopped at Aurora and grabbed some lunch at Masala. We then drove to Hertz, where we dropped the car and headed back to Denver International.
While the men waited at the lounge, Sandhya and I strolled around the shopping mall for a while. Surprisingly, nothing interesting caught our attention!Let's just say that it happens only once in a blue moon!! The fatigue had probably taken over our eyes.
Farewell-The moment had come too soon!! We said "good-byes" to Sandhya and Nagaraj who had to catch an early flight that noon, while we waited for over 4 hrs to board our flight late in the evening.
Back home, in the coziness of my couch, I go back in time and relive the wonderful memories of a trip to The Rockies!!
In the very own words of Wordsworth,
"For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils"
Cheers!!
