[at-l] Ruck of the Rockies report

[TOKTAADN@aol.com]

You know how athletes train at altitude in preparation for their competitions 
at lower elevations?  Well, gang, I've been from 1 to 2.4 miles up the last 4 
days, so just imagine how all that rich blood bathing my already potent (?) 
gray matter is going to enrich the content of my writing down here at 
oxygen-rich sea level.  Yes, a scary thought, indeed!  

Well, here goes:

POG and I flew in to Denver on Thursday.  Free tickets are a wonderful thing! 
 Then we rented an Altima -- what else at these altitudes -- from Avis and 
drove to Boulder for some shopping and a wonderful dinner at the Boulder 
Salad Company with Zen Lotus and her friend Joe.  Found out ZL goes both ways 
-- been a hiker babe AND a biker babe.  Since she claims to prefer being a 
hiker babe, I guess I'll forgive the weakness!  :)  The food was great, the 
conversation interesting, and it's always a pleasure to meet another lister 
in person.

On Friday, we headed north from Boulder to Estes Park where we rented a cabin 
two miles from the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park.  We took a drive 
through the park on Trail Ridge Road that winds its way on these mountains as 
high as 12,200 feet in elevation.  Not only did the scenery make us 
breathless -- it's hard to breathe up there!  There's a trail near the top 
and we took it and got a pic proving that we were above 12,000 feet and 
higher than the summit of Mount Hood.  It's amazing the scale of things out 
there.  Our cabin in Estes VALLEY was higher than any point back east!  We 
also did some hiking -- and snowball throwing -- on the trail that leads to 
Longs Peak.  I guess I overdid it, because I developed a whopper of a 
headache that didn't let up until Saturday afternoon.

The days are sure shorter in the mountains.  The sun sets before 5 PM already 
and we've still got more than a month before the shortest day arrives.  This 
was really weird to a Floridian such as myself.  What in the heck do you 
Coloradans do on those long winter nights?  Scrabble by the fireplace, I'm 
guessing.  The weather all weekend was an absolute treat.  Amazing blue skies 
and clear mountain vistas with unseasonably warm temperatures that gave us 
the opportunity to play outdoors without the usual crowds that you'd expect 
in such perfect conditions.

And what is it with these elk?  We couldn't go anywhere without them 
intruding their way into our lives.  Estes Park is overrun with them.  We 
even saw them trying to graze the astroturf at the miniature golf course near 
downtown.  Hey, even I'm not that dumb!  Actually, I had never seen an elk 
before Friday and it was a real treat to see them in such stately profusion.  
Can't wait until the pics get developed!

Because of my aching head, we limited ourselves to shopping in Estes Park on 
Saturday prior to our get together with listers at Kinnickinic's place 
Saturday night.  Fortunately my headache dissipated so as not to spoil my 
enjoyment of this wonderful meeting.  POG and I were the last to arrive.  
Magaroni and Betty Sue of the Blister Sisters had arrived before us.  
Kinnickinic hung a tutu-wearing teddy bear on the front door to greet us.  I 
wonder what THAT was about!  We chatted (the unusual face to face variety 
that's becoming so unfashionable) for about an hour before sitting down to 
all the food that had been brought.  Since we were expecting as many as four 
others, there was an abundance that would make any thru-hiker smile.  Shrimp, 
lasagna, veggie casserole, garlic bread, pies and cake.  Quite the feast!  
Thanks to Kristen and Zen Lotus and friends for forfeiting their shares to 
us!  :)

After the feast and the resulting belt loosening, we gathered around and 
watched Betty Sue's video of her section hike with her sister set to 
Copland's Appalachian Spring.  It was wonderful.  Then we looked through her 
photo album.  Then Mags shared his story of his 1998 thruhike and two Long 
Trail hikes with his many pictures.  All through it, there were many 
discussions of each of our own favorite trail tales.  Midnight approached 
rapidly and we all agreed to get together for breakfast and a hike Sunday 
morning.

Our hostess, Kinnickinic, made this get together possible.  I can't thank her 
enough for her warm hospitality and wonderful trail stories.  I'm sure the 
others who participated will join me in thanking her and wishing her best of 
luck with her foot problem and success in her 2000 AT hike.  I'll not soon 
forget that smiling face -- or the offer to visit again!  :)

On Sunday, we arrived at 10 for breakfast.  We stuffed ourselves with eggs, 
bacon and muffins.  Then we discussed plans for a hike.  With Kinnickinic's 
local knowledge Mags and I decided on an 8.5 mile hike that wasn't too 
strenuous -- unless you factor in trying to keep up with Mags!  Betty Sue and 
POG opted for a shorter hike.  With Kinnickinic's foot troubles, she decided 
not to risk reinjury and didn't go for a hike.  She dropped Mags and I off at 
the trailhead where we talked to a volunteer ranger in his seventies named 
Walter who has summitted Long's Peak (a 14er) an astounding 113 times.  Very 
inspirational!  The first two miles of the hike was the most difficult, 
ascending to almost 10,000 feet.  My lungs searched for pockets of oxygen in 
vain while Magaroni glided effortlessly up the trail.  It was very sunny out 
making the hike in shorts and t-shirt pleasant.  Finally the trail began its 
descent and the remainder of the hike was fairly easy.  The last few miles 
was gently graded and followed Wind River which at places was narrow enough 
to hop across.  As we reached the end ten minutes ahead of the agreed upon 
time, POG was there waiting for us.

The only disappointment is that in the hubbub of getting our hikes going, I 
forgot to say goodbye to Betty Sue who left for Cheyenne before we completed 
our hike.  I'm very sorry for this oversight on my part.  What a wonderful 
new friend Betty Sue is!  She's got 300 miles to go to finish the trail at 
Katahdin.  I wish her and her sister a wonderful hike next summer.

We headed back to Kinnickinic's for our final goodbyes -- and the splitting 
up of the leftovers.  Looks like Magaroni scored the biggest share for 
himself and his roomies.  It was a bit sad to reach the conclusion of this 
wonderful get together, but what an incredible experience it was!  I'm sure 
it won't be the last Ruck of the Rockies.  It was too much fun not to do 
again!  Thanks to all!  Photos will follow.

Happy trails,

Solar Bear



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