Another hike through the garden

So what's been happening around here lately?


Due to the rapid spread of the latest variant of Covid, Irv and decided to go ahead and get the 2nd booster.  We have some out of state and international travel planned in the next few months so it was time to get more antibodies going.  My doctor had told me it was okay to get it at anytime, but suggested I wait until this fall when I get my annual flu vaccine.


It's been hot and not only hot by Colorado standards.  We Coloradans are pretty whimpy when it comes to anything over 75 degrees so to be in triple digits is too much.  I'm really missing the gorgeous summer weather in West Yellowstone .


One morning while Irv was golfing I decided I wanted to go for a hike.  My big mistake was that I ran a bunch of errands beforehand and by the time I got to the trailhead and found a parking spot it was 87 degrees.  I thought about turning back and trying again on another day, but it had been a long time since I'd been on a solo hike.


I don't want to hurt Irv's feelings, but I really enjoy hiking alone.  Don't get me wrong I enjoy hiking with him too, but sometimes it's nice to have some solitude and a chance to just be with myself and nature.  I think it's good for couples to have separate activities too.


Garden of the Gods was packed with visitors so it took me awhile to find a parking spot, but I knew that once I parked and got onto my favorite trail that I'd have the place to myself.  It doesn't matter if you're in Yellowstone or the Garden of the Gods, tourists rarely venture very far from the pavement.


I passed maybe 10 other people during my 3.2 mile adventure.  I admired some of the trail maintenance that has been done since I was last there.  Someone had to haul all those big rocks in.  Hopefully some kind of motorized vehicle helped with that task.  I'm always grateful to the volunteers and staff who maintain the trails.


I'm not going to lie, it was pretty darn hot out there.  Before long I arrived at the  treed section that has some shade here and there.


I'll never get tired of these rock formations and the red dirt that gives Colorado its name.


That fence lets me know that my solitude is about to come to an end and I'll have to rejoin the tourons, I mean tourists, to get back to my car.

Once I came out of those trees it got really hot.


A deer bolted past me in this grass area, but of course I didn't have the camera ready.  And that's okay, because sometimes you need to just have a mental snapshot.


And here I am back on the concrete pathway.  By now it was 93 degrees and very hot.

Next time I need to get my butt in gear much earlier in the morning.

 

Comments

Yogi♪♪♪ said…
Sounds like a great hike to me. My sweet spot is in the 3 mile range these days, especially in the summer.
July 21, 2022 at 8:15 PM
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