Newlyweds on Top of the World

on
Trail Ridge Road
We joined the hundreds of tourists Friday on Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park.  For the first of July there was more snow than in 30 years, and folks were taking advantage of it to ski, sled and frolic.  We were glad of our jackets above the timberline (11,477 ft.)

We started up the tundra trail until halted by a sign prohibiting pets, warning that it takes tundra 500 to 1,000 to repair itself when damaged.  Who would imagine such rocky ground would be so fragile?  RMNP tundra is the same as the landscape in Siberia and Alaska.  One poet said that RMNP had "an eternity of sky and flowers smaller than a microsecond."
Tundra Buttercups and Lichen

We were not alone at gawking at the elk grazing in small herds, clicking the camera for a ridiculous number of photos.  One stag with a large rack was napping with his heavy head curled around on his shoulder.





The mountains views were spectacular all the way up, and some folks swear they want to go to Trail Ridge Road instead of heaven.  Heaven does seem very near up there.

Above the timberline all looked well in the world, making us forget the sad look of many pines showing brown in swathes down the mountain sides, we assume from pine beetle infestation.  No wonder fires are such a danger in Colorado.  The aspen were quaking green.

We enjoyed the company of Jesse's sister Lola and husband Silviano, including endulging in homemade ice cream cones in Estes Park, after elkburgers, the local speciality.

It was such a lovely day we are thinking we may make it an anniversary event.