I can't get over that people actually live there and get to see the Rocky Mountains on a daily basis! There is definitely nothing like it in Illinois to compare it to. And even for those of you who hiked with me at Philmont in New Mexico, it doesn't compare. However, I would have rather hiked it than drive the route we drove!
Rocky Mountain National Park
In Rocky Mountain National Park the drive to one of the peak (which is not the highest one in the park) was deathly! I felt like we were corkscrewing up the mountain (which is probably what were doing) with about five inches between our tires and falling off the mountain! My mother was extremely scared and even though I tried to seem unphased it took everything inside of me to not think about what it would be like rolling off the mountain trapped in a car. But luckily everything turned out perfect and we all arrived safe and sound!
From the parking lot, there was a short hike up the the peak at 12,005 ft, which is
the highest I have ever been (yet). The view was amazing but I wasn't as blown away as I have been in the past on other hikes. I think the reason I was in want of a stronger emotion was because I had driven up to the top instead of climbing it. There seems to be a larger sense of appreciation and awe when you take the time, exert energy, and sometimes struggle to the top. In my previous hikes there has always been at one point the feeling that I couldn't go any further, and then I would and the view made the effort worth it.I understand the necessity for these roads up to peaks in the National Parks. The parks need to be accessible to every type of person in order to be saved, but it almost leaves a bitter sweet taste in my mouth. We need to preserve these areas from development but in order to do so we need to develop them. Of course there are miles and miles of undeveloped land in the park and its that area that I want to explore and appreciate. One day I'll go and backpack the different trails in the park. Maybe I'll follow in the footsteps of Isabella Bird, whose series of letters, A Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains, I am currently reading. You should check it out, this lady is pretty amazing!
Rooftop Rodeo
OK, so our trip so far has been a little touristy, but it's kind of hard to avoid that when you only have a day to spend in one place. A few years ago when my brother and my father were out here they went to the Rooftop
Rodeo and insisted that we go. They didn't have to do much to convince me, what girl doesn't love a cowboy... or two? I've never been to a rodeo but after going to this one I'm pretty sure I've missed my calling in life, I want to be a cowgirl!The rodeo started off with a few women (and some girls, I think the youngest was 13!) doing tricks on horses. It was absolutely incredible! The horses were circling the rodeo at speeds that made it hard for me to even capture them on my camera and the women were standing, swinging, flipping, and hanging on their horses. One girl rode perpendicular to her horse and all I could think of was "wow her core has got to be rock solid!" If any woman is trying to loose weight and is sick of crunches, ride a horse like that for a few seconds a day and I bet your stomach will be as flat as can be! I can just see the new Hollywood exercise fad: StripAerobics will be replaced with Cowgirl Calisthenics.
Anyway, the rest of the rodeo was pretty sweet. I wish I knew what all the events were called, I should have bought a program, but there were cowboys riding bucking horses bareback and some with saddles. Then there was calf wrestling where a man on a horse rode out chasing a calf, would jump off and wrestle the calf to the ground and pin it on its back. I know it sounds horrific, but really it wasn't. The rodeo cared so much for their animals, almost more than the cowboys. I always thought that in order to make the horse or bull buck they put a strap, like a spiked choke chain, in front of their hind legs but in actuality it is a leather strap lined with sheepskin to slow them down. Apparently horses can't be forced to buck and they have to be trained to do that. The strap slows them down in order to keep it safer for the rider and the instant the rider is thrown off two other men on horseback in the ring ride alongside the bucking horse and slip the leather strap off. The horse knows instantly to stop bucking. The funniest event however was the sheep riding event for the little kids! About twelve 5 to 8 year olds were put in padded leather vests and a helmet kind of like a catchers mask and each one laid stomach down on the back of a sheep and held on for dear life! I'm not sure how the scoring worked, whether it was whoever went the furthest or stayed on the longest or what but it was the funniest thing I had ever seen! I almost wished I was 6 years old so I could do it! The winner received the larges trophy I have ever seen, it was taller than the kid was! It was so cute.
Since the rodeo I have been on the hunt for a pair of cowboy boots. If I can't actually be a cowgirl at least I can dress like one!
Click on the album below for more pictures of my trip!:
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| Going West |
1 comment:
I LOVE IT!! I'm with your mom on that drive up..I probably would have passed out. Rodeo?? HILARIOUS! I can totally see you in cowboy boots - you would look adorable! Have a safe trip home and we can't wait to see pics!
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