Where's That Pig?

I have been a very bad host to our porcine friend that has been visiting me for way too long now. Yes, it's true, I have just been sitting on poor Fernando... wait, that didn't come out right, I haven't actually been sitting on him, just not doing anything with him...

Still not coming out real well here, I don't "do" things with Fernando, that would be wrong, but I should be entertaining him more...

Gaaaa!  Re-start!

Fernando came to visit almost a year ago, and I have not been very good at playing the role of host.  He has traveled a bit here and there with me, but I always wanted to take him on a great hike up one of Colorado's 14'ers, just so he could say that he had been that high.  Without prescription grade pharmaceuticals that is.

But with the schedule that I live these days, between working my ass off to keep my job and taking care of Skyler, there has never been enough time.  So over Labor day weekend, I made plans to at least get Fernando up to Rocky Mountain National Park to see what Colorado is really all about.

So early Monday morning, at the buttcrack of 4AM, Sky-Dad rolled out and headed up to the mountains.  We drove up through Estes Park and up to the top of Trail Ridge road to watch the sun come up.  I parked at the Rock Cut, and hiked up the trail to the top to get up as high as I could for sunrise.  Just me, Fernando, a few deer and Pikas.  It was awesome!

Here are some pictures:

Then there is video, just because you need to hear the early morning wind along with the 33 degrees...


Fernando got out to check things out, but he was cold.

So after spending some time up at the top, I headed back down into the park to take the hiking trail that goes past four lakes.  Along the way, Fernando wanted to get out and look around:


After driving up to the trail head at Bear Lake, we packed up and headed up the trail.  It passes Bear Lake, then Nymph Lake, then Dream Lake, and then ends at Turquoise Lake.

I was still hitting the trail head pretty early, about 7:30 or so, so I didn't have many people to deal with along the way.

First stop, Bear Lake:

Fernando pauses to edumacate himself on the terrain...

He says we are ready to go!

Bear lake has lots of people around it because it is only about 1/4 of a mile from the parking lot, on to Nymph Lake.

Nymph Lake is known for the amount of Lilly's that hang around on the top.

Next up we climbed quite a ways to Dream Lake.  Dream Lake provides your first really good view of Mount Hallet.

After passing Dream lake we make our way to the top of the trailhead where Turquoise lake is.  This is the deepest of the 4 lakes.

What's that you say?  This post isn't becoming too long and tedious?  Well then how about some video?



And of course, a feature appearance by Fernando!


Be sure to stay tuned to these airwaves for a major announcement about Fernando's next destination!!