そとにいるときもちがいいです。- It feels good to be outside.

Since the weather

was still quite nice yesterday I decided to drive to Rocky Mountain National Park for a hike. Unfortunately, we got a slow start (my daughter can be as slow as a snail in the morning) and did not start hiking until 2pm. That did not leave us much daylight, but we still made it to my planned destination and covered 8.5 km.

The trail led along a creek, partially covered with snow and ice, up to a beautiful waterfall. It was warm despite the snow in the photos and soon we were taking off our jackets. The sun was mostly hiding behind the gathering clouds, but I was still able to get a few well lit shots. We ate our lunch at 4pm beneath the falls and then scrambled back down. By the time we got back to the car it was almost too dark to see.

The last time I went on this trail was in mid-summer. The scenery was quite different this time, but still pretty in its own way. Nature is preparing for its long winter sleep up there. Very soon this area will be inaccessible to cars once enough snow falls to make the road impassable.

On the long drive home we listened to the acceptance speeches by the newly elected President and Vice President. It could not have been a more splendid conclusion to the day! 🇺🇸