After our children
were grown and gone, I planned my first real Pork and Beans trip. Barbara's
sister planned a car trip to New England, six days, and they wanted Barbara to
go along. This situation was perfect. I slept as late as possible the day I
left, ten AM. I headed out for Rocky Mountain National Park. Actually, I just
wanted to get as close to it as I could that day, never intending to drive the
whole way, but that's the way it turned out. Those Kansas plains just offered
few camping spots while thunderstorms rolled through. Driving through a small
town in Oklahoma late that afternoon, I pulled over to study my map. I noticed
in my rear view mirror that a truck pulled up behind, and an angry looking man
got out, walked up to my window. “Somebody driving a truck just like yours just
shot out my front window,” he said, looking me and my truck contents over good.
“Now look,” I said, “Don't you think if I had just shot out your window, I
would already have my getaway planned out? Do you see what I'm doing? I'm
reading a map! And, do you see a gun in here? I'm shooting with these cameras.”
He looked my gear over good, but I guess my words settled him down a little,
because he turned and left.
I went on up
through Kansas to I70, did a hard left, and began the long haul up toward
Denver. Approaching a long grade near daylight, the lights of Denver began to
appear. As I dropped into Denver, my need for sleep began to overtake me. I
dozed off twice momentarily passing through Denver, but soon I was in the Rocky
Mountains, and my excitement pushed the sleep urge back. I realize now, a
sleepy driver can be as dangerous as a drunk driver, and I don't push my limits
like that any more. No more 24 hour drives for me. Well, maybe one. A couple of
years later.
I headed north,
fully enjoying the early morning views of the Rocky mountains, no big rush now.
I arrived at the west gate of Rocky Mountain National Park around 10 AM, a
twenty four hour drive. I arrived at a campground, set up my tent. I was much
too excited just to be there to sleep now, so I walked through a creek bottom,
looking for wildlife. I got a good picture of an elk calf suckling, and saw
lots of other Elk. I drove slowly back toward the entrance and back, and saw a
large wolf and a Moose with two calves wading in a pond. When I got back to
camp, I was at 8000 feet or so. I decided to drive on up to the Continental
Divide, at about 12,000 feet. Climbing on up in my little red truck, I was
beginning to feel the effects of altitude sickness, climbing so high in my
exhausted state. I turned around. By the time I got back to the campground, It
was hitting me hard. I crawled into my sleeping bag, really not caring whether
I lived or died, at the moment, and was soon asleep.
I awoke at dusk,
and could hear some sort of program starting up at the pavilion, but I really
didn't care. I went back to sleep, and slept the night through. When dawn
broke, I awoke, feeling a little better, but I still had a major headache, and
my eyes were totally red from the long drive with my windows down. Looking out,
an elk was right beside my tent. That brought me fully awake, and I soon was
headed back up to the Continental Divide.
Exiting my truck
standing right on the Continental Divide, I looked up to the tall peaks around
me. The divide was at about 12,000 feet, and the peaks went up to around
14,000. I could see tiny white spots near the top, probably mountain goats.
Could I climb that high? I decided to find out. The altitude was hitting me
hard. I walked 30 steps, rested, and did 30 more. Finally, I knew I had to be
nearing where I had seen the goats, but no sign of them now. Then I looked up,
and they were lined up on a ledge above me, all staring at me, 60 feet away. I
got several good photos.
Traveling a little
farther in my truck, I saw a narrow foot trail winding up the mountain. I
decided to take it. Half way up, I met a huge bull elk, his beautiful rack in
full velvet, heading down. He was used to tourists, did not fear me, and saw no
reason to yield the trail to me. He kept coming, and I was about to take my
chances down the steep slope, when he took the lead role and headed straight up
the mountain. I did get several good photos.
Heading home, I
decided to make a halfway stop at Witchita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge
near Lawton, Oklahoma, and have used that as a good place to spend the first
night out since then, several times. It was set up as a place to start somewhat
of a comeback for the Buffalo, right after millions upon millions had been
killed for their hides. It still has large herds of Buffalo roaming free, as
well as many deer, elk, and smaller animals. It has a couple of good
campgrounds, and it is a good spot for wildlife photography.
My next trip would be to the Okefenokee Swamp on the Georgia - Florida border.
CONTINUED NEXT POST
No comments:
Post a Comment