Last week I took "Bodie 2.0" (the now-fully recovered house dog and hiking buddy) up to the Brainard Lake Recreation Area, about an hour's drive west, on my birthday to check out one of the many nearby escapes I hadn't yet seen. It was overcast and occasionally spitting rain by the time I finally drove up there, and the 4000+ feet of additional elevation made it a good bit cooler than Boulder. But even on a weather 'off-day', it held some beautiful secrets...especially the further we ventured up the trail to Blue Lake, a glacial basin above the tree line.
brilliant Autumn color made for a scenic drive...
Ward, where no one knows your name - or wants to
Ward from above
I'm not one to make a big deal out of birthdays. In fact, I'm fine with people not knowing if they're going to make a big deal out of it. So I figured, why not do something special with my first natal anniversary in Colorado? (note: If you knew your Little Rascals / Our Gang classics, you'd know why I use that odd term...think Mr. Hood!)
(the obligatory signpost shot)
a decidedly not shabby view from just inside...
...and an even better one moments later
I like the "Don't quit!" message :)
Once we kicked off the trek, there was nothing terribly challenging about it -- and we had it mostly to ourselves. Mitchell Lake wasn't far up the trail, and it provided yet more worthy views and even a playmate for Bodie, who ran completely wild in a figure 8 pattern when he was released from the leash (which of course never really happened, park rangers!).
pure mountain streams bisect the route
Mitchell Lake mirrors its view
Video! Successful video!
Bodie the hyper water dog, post-swim
mountain stream cliche
gaining altitude...
deadwood and a half-hiding doggie
Feelin' Fall-y
"What's holding you up, photo boy?"
emerging from the tree line for good
"I'm setting you free but you gotta cooperate, capiche?"
Scotland, is that you?
Bodie diggin' the snow shelf...
...then doing his best pointer.
Blue Lake, magnificent in seasonal color.
Tempted to swim, then shivered thinking about it.
CHILLIN'!
After getting back home, I had to rush downtown to my weekly floor hockey game. Yep, floor hockey. Sounds kinda silly, right? In fact, that was even part of the appeal...using sticks from a high school gym class, the game manages to be fun while competitive and incredibly cardiovascular (especially if you have no substitutes, which my team never does). For me, it's been a blast being a part -- excuse me, a captain -- of a team sport again after many years of joining nothing like this. And the beers afterward make it more like the post-game atmosphere my dad & his friends enjoyed so much when I was growing up than I thought I'd ever experience. My teammates even sang to me after Randy spilled the beans that I was the birthday boy.
"Charlie, why on earth are they singing to me?"
Charlie's Angels, surrounding our mascot
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