We are taking many day trips from home this summer. Home is in Colorado, USA.
The theme of the day might have been “It’s the journey that matters, not the destination.”
It was our second attempt to hike from Mitchell Lake to Blue Lake. On our first attempt, we arrived at what we thought was the trailhead parking lot. It was late morning. The clouds were already gathering for the afternoon rain. To add insult to injury, the park toilet facilities were closed. The closest public toilet was a half hour ride back to Nederland. GOOD TO KNOW.
Yesterday we left home at 8 am. With a rest stop in Nederland, and an agreement to drive straight through, we figured we would be at the trailhead by 10 or 10:30 am at the latest. IT’S GOOD TO PLAN.
Somewhere on the way to Nederland, two moose startled us by crossing the road in front of the car. We pulled over, grabbed our cameras, and went looking for the moose. We were hoping to capture a few photos from a safe distance. We didn’t need to worry about a moose-related injury because we never got close enough to capture any images. IT’S GOOD TO BE SAFE.
We arrived in Nederland a half hour behind schedule. After purchasing a brownie and blueberry muffin, we paused and discovered a musician was about to perform. I did not get the gentleman’s name but his rendition of the national anthem on a harmonica gave me chills. Everyone on the deck listened in respectful silence. With all the challenges we face as a country, still IT’S GOOD TO BE AN AMERICAN.
We listened to a couple songs, and then spent a few minutes photographing the café exterior. The cafe structure is two antique circus railroad cars. KINDA COOL.
By the time we approached the parking area, there were 25 +/- cars ahead of us. Guess we didn’t notice that this is a timed entry area. My travel companion was able to learn that the next entry time was in 20 minutes. We may or may not get in, depending on how many parking spaces were available. So, we waited, and YAY! We got in. IT’S GOOD TO BE PATIENT.
Finally, as the clouds were gathering, we had a parking spot! But wait! We were at Lake Brainard. Where is the trailhead for the Mitchell Lake to Blue Lake trail? We made the best of the situation, walking around Lake Brainard dodging raindrops, and admiring the mountain views. We think we found the trail to the Lake Mitchell trailhead. Guess we’ll have to try again. IT’S GOOD TO BE FLEXIBLE.
Originally published as a Facebook post on August 2, 2020