Rocky Mountain National Park 2020!

We had a really great visit to Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park, and Denver this past weekend!  With all of the events of 2020, we had two trips canceled this year (Aruba for spring break was moved to July and then canceled, and our trip to Banff in June was also canceled), and we really wanted to go somewhere new!  Also, we could fly directly from Raleigh to Denver on Southwest, and we still had the kids fly free as companions.  We could be outside hiking and not in a busy city/public transit/museums, so it seemed like a good trip to try.

We left Raleigh at 10:30am on Thursday, September 24th and had no issues with the flight.  The airport was not crowded, and Southwest was keeping the middle seats open for social distancing, so that gave us more space to spread out.  We landed around 12:10pm mountain time, got our rental car (Jeep Cherokee), and drove the hour and 20 minutes or so to Estes Park.  Since we arrived before our 4pm check-in time, we made a quick stop to see an elk swimming in a small pond at the edge of town, and then we stopped again at Lily Lake and walked around the lake.  This lake is at the edge of Rocky Mountain National Park, but did not require an entrance ticket (we possibly broke the rules by entering, but there was no ranger there checking for tickets).  It was a really pretty 0.5 mile flat path around the lake.

After that, we checked in to our cabin at the Rams Horn Village Resorts.  This place was really awesome!  It was a property with 50 or so detached or attached cabins...by cabins, I should say cottages.  They were heated, had fully equipped kitchens, and were really nice!  It seemed like they normally have lots of activities for visitors, but of course none of that was happening due to covid.  I went to the grocery store nearby (which was super busy) and picked up a yummy pizza from a local place.  We ate, and then the kids did schoolwork outside at the picnic table and hammock at our cabin, followed by s'mores. 

Friday morning, we were up bright and early due to the time change!  Bob made omelettes and sausage and we loaded up on protein before Day 1 of hiking!  We had 8am park entry tickets, so we got ready, packed our lunch, made a quick stop at a convenience store at the park entrance, tried to visit the information center (it was closed) and took obligatory pictures at the park entrance sign (Beaver Meadows entrance).  

Then, we were in!  We drove to the park and ride, found a parking spot, and hopped on the shuttle bus to the Bear Lake stop.  From there, we hiked around Bear Lake, which was a fun 0.6 mile easy hike around the lake, with lots of rocks to climb on and very pretty photo ops.  After Bear Lake, we were back to the ranger station and had our first experience with the composting bathrooms (Anna did NOT like them, but we visited them often because we were trying to stay hydrated in the high altitude).  Then was our long hike, which was 3.6 miles round trip and passed by 3 lakes (Nymph Lake, Dream Lake, and Emerald Lake).  This was long, but we took lots of breaks and admired the views.  After that, we rode the bus back to the car, drove to a picnic table at Tuxedo Park and enjoyed our lunch.  

After lunch, we began our driving adventure along Trail Ridge Road, across the northern end of the park.  This was gorgeous and a little scary at times!  We got out many times to take pictures and admire the view.  Towards the western end, we got out at the Trail Ridge store and cafe, looked around in the store, got snacks and souvenirs, and then walked up a path to a peak there that is 12,005 feet above sea level!  

We were above the tree line and in the tundra.  It was amazing!  From there, we drove a little further west to the continental divide at Milner Pass.  After that, we headed back to the cabin, picked up Mexican food for dinner, and the kids swam in the pool, even though it was probably in the low 70s by that point.  What a day!

Saturday, we were up early, had pancakes and sausage, packed our stuff, and headed out to the same park entrance via the same convenience store.  Even though we were there by 8am, other people had secured a 6-8am park entrance ticket and had filled up the park and ride lot.  So, Bob dropped us girls off at Bear Lake and went back to search for a parking spot.  

He did find one, rode the bus to where we were (we hiked around Bear Lake again), and we all rode the bus to Glacier Gorge, where we hiked to Alberta Falls, which was a really pretty 1.4 mile hike.  

Then we took the shuttle back to the car and drove to Sprague Lake, which was a neat little lake that had formerly been a summer vacation property before being purchased for the national park.  From there, we drove through Moraine Park and checked out a visitor's center and then had lunch in a meadow with elk in the distance, which was extremely windy!  Erin ended up in the car at one point.  

We then drove to the St. Catherine of Siena Chapel on the Rock, which is just outside RMNP on the southeast side.  This was a beautiful little church, and has the honor of being visited by St. Pope John Paul II when he was in Denver for World Youth Day in 1993!  There is also a big Christ statue outside the chapel.  

From there, we drove to the Wild Basin entrance to the park, on the southeastern side, which was a much less crowded and smaller area.  We took a long dirt road to the hiking path to Copeland Falls and enjoyed the lower and upper falls.  Then, we bid farewell to RMNP, drove into Estes Park, and walked through the downtown area for a little bit, including an ice cream stop at the Sugar Shack.  We left in time to get to 4pm mass at Our Lady of the Mountains, also in town.  It was a very pretty church and was full (within Covid restrictions).  

After church, we started driving back to Denver and stopped about halfway in Longmont for a BBQ dinner at Smokin' Dave's.  Then we continued on to our Residence Inn at the Denver airport, brought all of our stuff up, and spent awhile getting it all repacked.  Then it was bedtime after digging a splinter out of Anna's foot and watching a sad NCSU football game.  We got up Sunday morning, had a disappointing hotel breakfast due to Covid. and had time for a quick swim in the hotel indoor pool, then hit the road across the street to the airport.  

The Denver airport was crowded!  We had no issues getting our bags checked or through security, though.  We got pizza/pasta in the airport and got on the flight.  The return flight was a little shorter than the westbound, due to jet streams, I guess.  All went well, and we got home to meet Finley, who Ms. Kellie had picked up from the Pooch Pad for us that afternoon. 

So, it was a wonderful trip!  We had perfect weather - lows in the 50s and highs in the 70s both days and no rain/snow, though Sunday morning was a LOT colder.  We had perfect timing that way!  Trees were beginning to change color, and that was beautiful. 

We didn't see as much wildlife in the park as we expected - mostly chipmunks begging for snacks, birds, and trout in the creeks.  However, we saw lots of deer and elk in the town and around our cabin!  People seemed to not think twice about that, so it must be common.  It was a really great trip and we had a wonderful first experience with the kids at a national park.  Erin is already talking about Yellowstone next!  The full photo album is HERE!

August

Well, things are slowly becoming somewhat more normal...or at least a little closer to normal, with still some things being definitely NOT normal.  But, baby steps!  Let's see...August started out really great with a super fun trip to Hilton Head (again!) where we met the Summer family and Grandma and Grandpa A. We got a hotel room at the new Courtyard by Marriott for 3 nights, and they were all in a really nice house down the road for the week.  We had a blast at the beach, riding bikes, pools at the house and hotel, and also did a really neat kayak tour one morning where we saw lots of dolphins, birds, and even a manatee!  So much fun!  

Finley tried the pool at the Pooch Pad while he was there, and it sounded like it was kind of a bust. 

We came back and had a yummy anniversary dinner a day late at Town Hall Burger and Beer right by our house while the girls stayed home alone (freedom!).  The following week, we stayed busy with school prep and also watching the Tierney birds (we had no casualties on our watch this time, thank goodness) and the Sauls guinea pig, plants, fish, and hermit crab.  Anna had a fun sleepover with Sarah, where they did their last virtual summer hip hop class and also went to paint pottery!  The girls and I laid a bunch of mulch and pine straw on the 10th in record time, supervised by Finley.  

Erin had her first piano lesson of the year also on the 10th.  It is back in person (with a virtual option), with her and the teacher wearing masks and sitting 6 feet apart.  The teacher got a cool new electronic piano that is more cleanable than her baby grand, so that is fun to play on!  I had my first lesson on September 2nd.

The week of the 17th, we had virtual meet the teacher and then the big first day of school on Thursday the 20th.  School is very different so far this year, but overall they (and I) are happy that they are back.  It feels good to be more in the normal routine and for me to not be trying to teach them everything.  The class sizes are smaller, they have to wear face masks all day except when eating, and they have to stay in their classrooms other than going to the bathroom, recess, or PE.  So, there is some grumbling about not switching classes, not eating lunch in the cafeteria, and missing out on some freedom, but overall I think they are just happy to be there, and they are adjusting to all of the changes.  Just being at school in itself was a big change after being home for over 5 months!  Luckily, Olivia is in Erin's class and Sarah is in Anna's, so we are all relieved about that.  Erin reports having fewer "bad boys" in her class this year, and Anna seems generally pleased with her class, so they really can't complain too much.  They have several new teachers this year, and all of them seem to be really great!

I am excited to report that I now have my first real "on the books" paying job since 2009!  Ha!  The cafeteria manager at StMM asked me if I would help cook/pack/deliver lunches to the classrooms.  Between the school not allowing parents or volunteers in the building and the requirement that kids eat in the classrooms and not the cafeteria, she needed to add some more staff.  I am just working two lunch shifts a week for a grand total of 6 hours a week, though this week I did pick up an extra shift because two people couldn't be there.  Anyway, it has been a blast so far and I am enjoying having the time in the building and getting to peek at everything.  It's also a really fun group to work with - we stay busy and work hard!

Some family excitement is that Dale and Maria and their boys moved to Orange County this month!  They had a big adventure driving cross country with the 3 boys and dog.  They got there, closed on their house, and are now moved in and settling in to a totally new area!  They are lucky to be close to the beach and are enjoying the gorgeous southern California weather.  Their house looks beautiful and we can't wait to visit!

Those are really the main highlights for the month.  We have spent the last two weeks mostly settling into the school routine.  We are doing a carpool with two other families this year, even though it was "strongly discouraged" by the school (they check the kids' temperatures each morning, and if one kid in a car has a fever, the whole car gets sent home to quarantine/"go virtual" for an extended amount of time), and that's going well so far.  Bob has continued cooking meals every Saturday and Sunday with the Knights of Columbus to donate, though things look to be changing there regarding funding from the county/state, so they may be changing their plan in the next month or so.  I have still been baking 8 batches of various bar cookies every Friday to him to put with the meals, and the girls and I have helped here and there with dinner prep and bagging donated groceries and produce to distribute.  

Erin had her first two ballet classes for the year at home virtually, but since the governor moved us to "Phase 2.5" starting tomorrow evening, they will now start meeting at the dance school on their regular schedule beginning next week.  She will have to wear a mask and parents can't be in the studio, but otherwise it sounds pretty much like normal.  Anna started soccer at the Y last week with neighbor friend Nina, and she had a great time!  They won't be playing other teams this year, but will be doing some drills and scrimmages within the team.  I think it will be a great season for her, and a good way to get started, since she hasn't played since she was 4. 

So, other than the coronavirus saga continuing, it was a fun month.  In between everything else, we have spent some time at the pool and have gone on a few hikes plus our daily neighborhood walks. 

It's been hot lately, though we did have a little reprieve at some point during the month.  Fall will get here eventually, right?!  We are looking forward to continued improvements on the situation here and hoping for better times ahead!  As of now, the ACC is still playing football, though the first NC State game was delayed until 9/19.  We are hoping that still happens!