Near Gothic, Colorado (just before a snow storm hit), Late September, 2013
About five minutes after this photograph, Cindy and I were hit by a driving snow storm. Being about a mile and a half from the car, we just hunkered down and started walking (horizontal snow). But due to all the rain over the past month in Colorado, our trail was washed out and we couldn't get over the bridge needed to get back. Instead we paralleled the East River and hoped to find a place to cross downstream. Unfortunately, downstream was filled with beaver ponds and marshy areas, so we were getting increasingly wet (and sort of lost). After much maneuvering, we found ourselves across the river from our car, but the river (more like a large creek) was too big to cross without getting wet from the knees down. At 28 degrees, not cool. Instead of soaking my boots, I went across barefoot. It is amazing how the nerves in my feet let me know just how sharp the rocks were that I was walking on. Short term pain, long term gain. My boots were dry for the hike the following day. For two people with desk jobs, this experience was just what the doctor ordered.
Near Gothic, Colorado (just before a snow storm hit), Late September, 2013
About five minutes after this photograph, Cindy and I were hit by a driving snow storm. Being about a mile and a half from the car, we just hunkered down and started walking (horizontal snow). But due to all the rain over the past month in Colorado, our trail was washed out and we couldn't get over the bridge needed to get back. Instead we paralleled the East River and hoped to find a place to cross downstream. Unfortunately, downstream was filled with beaver ponds and marshy areas, so we were getting increasingly wet (and sort of lost). After much maneuvering, we found ourselves across the river from our car, but the river (more like a large creek) was too big to cross without getting wet from the knees down. At 28 degrees, not cool. Instead of soaking my boots, I went across barefoot. It is amazing how the nerves in my feet let me know just how sharp the rocks were that I was walking on. Short term pain, long term gain. My boots were dry for the hike the following day. For two people with desk jobs, this experience was just what the doctor ordered.