August 2018. We decided to head out to the Rocky Mountains for a few days. We had an absolute blast but our rear-ends are a bit sore. Spent some time living like old school cowboys and then moved on to using modern modes of rugged terrain transportation.

It was absolutely amazing. The photos and video cannot even begin to present the real beauty. Truly enjoy spending time in these types of environments, because it takes about two seconds to figure out how small we really are in the grand scheme of things. So enjoy each day that is given to you.

I hope that these images provide a glimpse of what you can see, and motivate you to make the trip for your self.

Day 1 – We went to the Rocky Mountain National Park, and drove nine miles into the park to get to the Glacier Creek Stables. Enjoyed horseback riding on a three hour tour. We saw a bull moose and mule deer. Unfortunately, we were unable to get pictures of them. However, we did have amazing mountain top views of the entire area. The staff and the horses were amazing. I cannot say enough about how great the experience was.

Day 2 – Took a tour of the NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory. Very interesting and learned a lot about the facility and its operations. At NOAA’s Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL), scientists study atmospheric and other dynamic processes that affect air quality, weather, and climate variablility. ESRL researchers monitor the atmosphere, investigate the physical and chemical processes that comprise the Earth system, and integrate those findings into environmental information products. By better understanding the Earth system, we can better understand what drives this afternoon’s haze, next month’s hurricanes, and our variable climate.

Day 3 – Was a wild and furious day of activities. In the morning, we went out on the Bunce Trails with a Razor 900S. Quickly understood why they are called the rocky mountains. We rented the equipment through Backbone Adventures. Everyone there was wonderful. Had a great experience. One of the favorites is the jet plane crash site at 10,000-foot. There are amazing views. The trails on Bunce range from easy to extreme. There truly is something for everyone here.

Day 3 – In the afternoon, I decided to let someone else drive a bit, so that I could take the time to relax and enjoy the views. We decided to take the “Rock’n Roller Coaster” tour with Wild Side Tours. The tour includes climbing relatively steep hills, driving up a boulder field, and floating out of your seat on water bars. The tour included access to a private viewing tower with 360 degree views. This is where the banner photo was taken at the top of this page. It was a lot of fun and learned a lot from the tour guide.