Sweet Escape

This past weekend we made a rare getaway up to the mountains.  Although we live very near the Rocky Mountain National Park, getting away is a challenge in itself.  Because our kids are involved in competitive dance that competes at the national level, every weekend is full of practice; Saturday mornings, Sunday afternoons in a town an hour away.  Other weekends are competitions, sometimes several hours away.  Although I am very proud of their accomplishments, it can be a real drag!

My parents were out of town and we had a free Saturday, so we took off the RMNP.  We didn't get out of town until around 2, so we didn't make it up there until close to 4.  It was a beautiful day, and the "falls" that we found right away delighted our children.  They scared us a little a lot climbing on slippery rocks, but they really had a lot of fun.  We mistakingly took the only one way road in the park, and then attempted to drive it back THE WRONG WAY.  That was fun-there was barely room for one car, no guard rail, and a scary steep fall down.  Luckily we made it safely out of there (by having to drive 9 miles straight up to the top on an unpaved road!), then safely down.  Before we exited the park we made a wonderful discovery! We saw cars pulled over and flashing lights that we assumed belonged to police cars, but instead we saw baby elk talking to their mother!  I was so thrilled to record the unique sound that they made.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/SQQBXWa4KvQ

The kids really wanted to see something big before we left, and this was an entire herd.  The mother had already crossed the road and gone below, and her babies were calling to her.  The park rangers had everyone get in their car so that the babies could safely cross.  VERY COOL.

My kids start school on Tuesday. :(  Our summer really just flew by! :(  I am so thankful that we got to do so many fun things....just not ready to get back into the old swing of things.  Blah.