Day 8; Boulder to Estes Park

Boulder; Mon; Sept 28th ( Rae's Birthday)

• Boulder Canyon Creek path; i go on early bike ride and see university students riding to school, joggers and then on the tail end, kids skateboarding and scootering off to school. I do some yoga on the bridge over a trout pond.
• I come across the Dushanbe Tea House.....they are open! ...time to treat myself to a pot of Dragon tea and breakfast ( yummy omelet with salmon!) - gorgeous carvings, paintings and sculptured plaster inlays...etc. all brought over in 200 crates from Tajikistan( Boulder's sister city), put together with Tajik craftsmen. www.boulderteahouse.com
• Pearl St; this street is closed off to cars, instead filled with trees and fountains; I visit the commercial art galleries because The Museum of Contemporary Art and the Rembrandt House are closed :-( I also buy myself an paring knife- yeah! and get info on the route to Salt Lake city after Rae encourages me to go for it now that I'm out this far.
• Hwy 34; I head out on this cool smaller hiway after being given many opinions on the best route; ...am I glad i did! Driving to cool tunes of Bonnie Rait CD

Estes Park; http://www.estes-park.com/go/elkbugling.html

WOW ! huge gorgeous valley/lake area- Rocky mountain town

• I stopped to see the elk on the golf course; one massive Bighorn was herding his 'harem' and young ones and is "bugling", bellowing out to his competition.
• I talk to the elderly woman who owns the local bookstore about her window display of banned books in America...all well known books we've studied in school; To Kill a Mocking Bird, Catcher in the Rye, Joy Luck Club..
• the man in the Outdoor store advises me against camping when I want to buy puptent- now that its offseason. Tells me about the YMCA Lodge up on the mountain.

I love talking to the locals ....

YMCA of the Rockies; I'm the only person in the lodge I stay in. Lots of kids and families elsewhere...this is an inspiring huge place; big massive log cabins. The sculpture in the photograph is from their Centenary in 2007. I have black bean soup / tortilla chips and salsa & cheddar cheese for dinner. Talk to Jennifer and Rae. Fall fast asleep.