What a great time we have had in Colorado! I wish we had more time. We would be able to see Gary and Tammi more, and see everything we missed in Estes Park today.

Yes! We went to Estes Park, where I got to hand feed wild chipmunks! We saw elk! They weren’t even where we figured they would be, but lounging all over someone’s personal property.

I’ll put the pics in a gallery because I sort of went crazy. It was just too beautiful. David bought me a new T-shirt, wouldn’t get himself anything or let me…it was so infuriating! We’ve been looking for a horsehair hat band for his cowboy hat.

We were in a store that had them at a decent price, affordable but expensive enough that you know its the real deal. He said no to me getting it for him. (in hindsight, it turned out better that way, since I just had to lend Josh money). We also purchased a bag of turtle flavored popcorn.

I’ve never seen so many candy shops, gift shops, and variety of eateries. Every kind of food from tacos to Irish fare. Pubs, bars, restaurants, lets just say I got my steps in plus a bunch more. We never made it to the YMCA where there are cabins and elk spotting, but I got pictures of the Stanley Hotel that Steven King inadvertently made famous.

We hiked a short way up to the Birch Ruins and Cabin, climbed up tons of stairs trying to get in a Mexican place that was closed, walked up and down the store-lined streets, drove around looking for elk and found them, took tons of pictures, and had a delicious lunch at a taco place.

Feeding the chipmunks was surreal, their tiny soft paws in my hand while they nibbled bird seed that Dave purchased in the parking lot from a guy that must sell it there all the time. People were crawling among the rocks all over that place doing the same as me.

Somehow, a miracle happened when I snapped an amazing photo of a bird so blue I’d never seen anything like it. I think one of the visitors called them Stellers. Anyway, I caught him mid-flight and it turned out beautiful.

To wrap up, because I’m tired, we have visited a lot of Colorado in our four months here. From Echo Basin to Dolores to Longmont (here at Gopher Gulch) and everywhere in between! Telluride, Mancos, Rico, and Brighton. We rode a train in Durango, hiked the mountains in Echo Basin and watched the fireworks from high up, went to Mesa Verde to see the cliff dwellings and so much more.

I polished rocks we found all over, and I picked up a few more for the next batch. David learned to fly fish. He caught trout that we ate. I took countless photos to document our trip. We can’t say we didn’t see and do a lot while here, although there was just as much downtime, which we used to binge watch multiple series on DVDs we checked out from the library.

I also put more weight on that I’m now going to struggle to get off. I’m not twenty anymore! 🤣 It isn’t as easy as it was back then.

We met and made some friends and the staff at all three parks have been so friendly and helpful. We are definitely blessed.

I’ll sign off with a prayer request for everyone suffering from hurricane Helene. Its sobering to see a storm wreck 600 miles of country from Florida to the Carolinas. I feel for those lost, those without power or water, and those heroes rescuing or cleaning up in the aftermath. 🙏🙏