Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Winter Hike

Ben and I had planned to do a long hike yesterday but when we woke up and heard the wind howling I had second thoughts.  The weather forecast included a "high wind advisory" which was making our mid-thirties temperature seem quite a bit colder.  But the kids at the school across the street came out to  play in the snow and wind at recess and  I thought "If they can be outside, so can I."  So we set off to do the four-mile round-trip Fowler Trail in El Dorado Springs, about a fifteen minute drive from our house.  

The wind was amazingly strong.  It looks calm in these photos, but trust me, it was so strong that it blew Ben's knit hat right off his head and at some times I had to dig my ski pole into the snow to keep from being pushed backwards.  It gave a whole new meaning to the term "headwind."  Despite that, the scenery was gorgeous and it was a treat to see the snow contrasting with the green pines and the brown, red, and green rock walls of the canyon.  I thought we were quite adventurous to be out in the snow and the wind, but we weren't alone;  we ran into several small groups of other hikers, all of whom smiled brightly at us as they greeted us with calls of "What a great day for a hike!"  Indeed, it was. 







About a quarter of this hike is a nature trail that we have been on several times, most notably in 2000 when we stayed in Boulder for several weeks after Paul was born and we were waiting for the adoption paperwork to clear.   I hunted up these old photos to remember that special time.





Ah, so much has changed since then.  It's reassuring to know that the grandeur of the canyon walls and the beauty of the area are enduring even though everything else changes.  

On another note....

I have to show you what I saw the other day when I was out shopping:




Yes!  Can you believe it?  I'm really wondering just who would buy a "fresh cut" Christmas tree a week before Thanksgiving.  It does make you wonder.

3 comments:

  1. Mary you look so much like your mom in that photo. I love your haircut there too, so I've decided you should go back to that one. A short wavy bob is in right now too.
    Now about the wind gusts and you two not being 10 years old and yet climbing a mountain... I do not repeat not want to read about a recent MD transplant blowing off a mountain yelling "I still love it here!"
    LeeAnna

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  2. You guys sure have grit, getting out to hike in that weather!

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