Rocky Mountain High

(John Denver, 1973)

Just typing the name of this song immediately transports me back to high school. I LOVE John Denver; his music makes my heart hurt it brings back so many memories. My dad used to torment me endlessly about his music, telling me that it was country. I'd fly into a tizzy denying it because back then country music was Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn and George Jones. And Tammy Wynette. Of course, today it would be classified as country and I'm happy to swear my allegiance to the mophaired songwriter who died way too young.

We're getting ready to head west this weekend to Estes Park, CO. This will be our ninth trip (I think) to this very family friendly vacation spot. It's just a few miles from Rocky Mountain National Park, truly one of the most beautiful places on earth. Or at least within 600 miles of Merriam. Returning home after our first vacation was emotionally devastating. I'd never seen such grandeur and bigness before. The sky was huge and impossibly blue. The mountains were towering, the water crystal clear. The air was clean, the wildlife abundant and the aspens were mesmerizing. I spent at least two days just listening to a cd of nature sounds recorded in RMNP. That this has become an almost yearly event has been one of our family's biggest blessings. We've talked seriously about moving there but realize that a large part of the attraction is that we're on vacation and don't have to mess with "life" stuff - like work and bills and lawncare. Maybe in retirement Ron and I will find us a little cabin and become modern day Jeremiah Johnsons. Ok, not likely, but the cabin thing is very seductive.

I have no idea what year our first trip was, but Kate was probably ten or eleven, making Tyler four or five (so I guess if I did the math I could figure out what year it was). The very first thing Kate did when we got there was push Tyler into the Fall River in downtown Estes Park. We have so many great memories . . .

Favorite hike - Cub Lake - breathtaking. One time we came up over a boulder and were face to face with three or four elk. Kinda freaky. For both species.
Worst hike - Bear Lake - the first hike we ever did. It took us four hours to get up (remember how young the kids were) and 30 minutes to get back down.
Best place to cool off tired, dusty feet - Big Thompson, near Moraine Park. Icy cold water - your feet sizzle when you dip 'em in.
Worst place to visit after you've driven all night to get there - the Coors brewery in Golden. Sta-inky!
Best pizza - Bob & Tony's. It's technically not the best pizza I've ever had, but it's been a mainstay in EP forever. They used to let you write on the walls (Kate's name is there) but have since hidden all the Sharpies.
Best rock sitting - Tie between Martin's Mountain, a cool rock formation we claimed the first year we were there, and Alluvial Fan, created by the flood of Lawn Lake in the early 80's. We're there nearly every day. Ron, Kate and Tyler have hiked all the way to the top, while I made like a lizard and soaked up the sun (with plenty of SPF product slathered on).
Best place to wait out a rainstorm - McDonald's Paperie. A tiny little store that has lots of classy note cards, papers, pens and artsy stuff.
Best place to feel like a hippie - In the Groove. One year Tyler made hemp bracelets while we were there and made $75.00!
Most meaningful quiet time - Praying for Mike McCulley and his family with Kate and Tyler at Copeland Falls.
Janet's Unfortunate Event #1- Flipping out of the boat when rafting down the Poudre River in Fort Collins. The only thing the kids were worried about was if I lost my contacts.
Janet's Unfortunate Event #2 - Slipping off our perch at Alluvial Fan the first day of our trip and breaking a toe. Tyler played Florence Nightengale and rented me crutches (of two different sizes) from the YMCA first aid station.
Janet's Unfortunate Event #3 - Going out early one morning to watch Ron fish and sliding down a rock into the water (fully clothed - Disco Duck reigns).
Best thing about this year's trip - going this early in the season guarantees that the town will be really empty during the week. And we get to stay two full weeks.
Worst thing about this trip - Kate's absence. We'll miss you (thanks for keeping the home fires burning - not literally, though).

Now he walks in quiet solitude, the forests and the streams
Seeking grace in every step he takes
His sight has turned inside himself to try and understand
The serenity of a clear blue mountain lake

I'm already there . . .