Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Playing Tourist

The wildfires in California have been horrific, and they have given us smoke and particulates for several days.  We were pretty clear, air-wise, today, thanks to the huge rains on the west coast - and we expect rain tomorrow evening, as well as a significant temperature drop.  We've had highs in the mid-80s to lower 90s (F), but are expecting a high of 68 degrees on Friday.  With rain the night before, I just might have to break out a long-sleeved T-shirt....  Otherwise, I'm still running around in shorts and a T-shirt.
   It was quite laughable yesterday in Estes Park - the sun was shining brightly, but there was also an intermittent breeze.  I was wearing, sneakers, shorts and a T-shirt; Beatrice had on jeans, a T-shirt and sneakers - and we were very comfortable.  It was 78 degrees in the little valley surrounded by the Rocky Mountains.  Bea and I kept giggling at people walking by in fur-lined, calf-high hiking boots, with three or four layers of upper garments - jackets over vests over hoodies over T-shirts.  What are these folks going to do when it gets a little bit cooler?  Say, 10 degrees?
  And - please forgive me, all my cousins in Kansas - we drove back along state road 34, which was pretty much washed away by the September 2013 flood in the Big Thompson Canyon.  In front of us was a red Buick with Kansas tags.  The road through the Canyon is 28 miles of twists and turns, with hills.  The main speed limit through the Canyon is 55; with, of course, lots of triangular warning signs giving the recommended safe speed limit.  The car with the Kansas tags drove 15 miles per hour under the posted limits through the entire Canyon.  We were going through a series of switchbacks marked 30 mph, at 10 mph.  We decided the driver was trying to avoid stirring up a cyclone by driving too fast.....   There were/are multiple places that are designated for "slow drivers" to pull aside and let other vehicles pass them; they are all small  half-circle cut-outs, paved and un-paved.  The driver never pulled aside.  Beatrice and I were second in a "parade" of 67 vehicles behind the Buick - we weren't in a hurry, and decided to pull over and count how many vehicles passed us, as soon as the road widened...  And, actually, we had a very nice afternoon and evening.

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