Memorable moments on the road - Trail Ridge Drive, Rocky Mountains National Park, Colorado

Traveling by road allows for infinite number of memorable experiences.. 

Some scary, some wierd, some thought provoking, some incredibly beautiful and others a combination of them all.  We've had many such experiences over the years. Our unique  experience on the Trail Ridge drive at the Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.

Scenic overlook at the highest elevation on trail ridge drive

I will start with a general write up about the Colorado Rocky mountain National Park, before going into our experience.  The Trail Ridge drive is a unique road within the park with one lane going in each direction.  It connects the two entrance points into the Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park in the Northeast corner and Grand Lake on the southwest corner.  It's a winding road through the mountains that goes over and above onto the tundra areas (elevation of over 11,500 feet) where plants have stunted growth, growing short and very close to the earths surface.

Typically, parts of the drive are closed based on the snow levels at higher elevations.  There are a number of gates in both directions which are closed when the snow levels are too high to plow.  It's open all the way through only for a few months in the summer but even then one has to check the park website before making any plans to drive across. We drove on Trail Ridge drive for the first time in spring of 2004 with a friend.  We were visiting Denver before we relocated from the East coast.  The drive was closed at the first gate, we took some pictures of the kids played with the snow and we turned around and drove back to Estes Park.  

At the visitors center, we met a park ranger who said something that is stuck in my head, "This is Gods own country, if there is a heaven on earth, this is it".

The sticks on the side to help mark the road

The scenic overlook at the highest elevation is absolutely spectacular.  At just over 12,180 feet, and you have an amazing and beautiful view of the mountains.  

The beautifully maintained  road is a major accomplisment in itself.  With no trees to guide the snow plows at high elevation, there are tall sticks along the sides of the road instead.  

After our first visit, we were completely hooked on the Rocky Mountains, it fascinated and beckoned us to visit every opportunity we got.  Almost, every weekend, we would just drive on Interstate 70W taking random exits, and explore some scenic overlook or bypass, getting lost was a pretty common occurrence, but we always found our way back home. 

The corner coming down from the scenic overlook.

The mountains fascinated us, having always lived close to the sea, it was a novel experience.  I used to trek and go hiking in my college and work days but the western ghats in India were very different in comparison.   Also we were very close to the mountains, we could see the snow capped peaks from our home across the Cherry Creek State Park and it beckoned us to come explore.  

On occasion, we would drive in to Boulder, CO which is northwest of Denver, a beautiful university town, also one of the entry points into the Rocky Mountain National Park to Estes Park.  We would just drive around exploring parts we haven't been to before.  We never got tired of going back, even the kids looked forward to our impromptu visits.

Marmot sunbathing 

Here goes the story about one such impromptu visit during early fall in the second week of October.  We decided after lunch and drove on to Estes Park.  The trail ridge drive is usually closed to traffic this late in the year and one can't drive on to Grand Lake.  Also, the peak tourist season is usually over by September, so it is peaceful and quiet, very beautiful and scenic, we were totally unprepared for it to be open past the first gate.  A sign said open all the way to Grand Lake and we decided on the spur of the moment to drive on.  Not a very wise decision seeing that it was already past 3 pm and we were clueless about the road ahead, it being our first time across.

Marmot up close

We reached the higher elevations before it was dark and had the most beautiful experience ever.. there were a handful of people there and we decided to drive on to Grand Lake, on hindsight another foolish decision on our part, novices that we were to road travel, non freeways to be more exact.  The drive onward started to get very scary after the darkness came, winding, narrow, we never encountered another vehicle coming or going either way, and we were too far away to turn around and go back to Estes park. We didn't 
have a clue how far Grand Lake was, no GPS to help us, just the one road ahead.

It was us with the flora, fauna and whatever wildlife was in the surrounding areas.   Suddenly, we heard loud noises, and stopped the van, just in time to see a large elk, taller than our van standing bang in the middle of the road.. looking around we saw a group of three or four smaller elks, cows probably belonging to his harem, who stood on the right side of the road ahead of us, past the stream that ran alongside that side of road..  The huge bull Elk, a majestic creature, the alpha male, paced up and down, along the center of the road, making really loud sounds, like calling for someone..  almost touching the van at times but not threatening us in any way, it was huge, and so close, we could have touched it.  

Elks meditating

I am guessing the head lights and the tail lights allowed it greater visibility, we would never know, suddenly we heard responding call from the left side behind us and three more smaller elks walked up, all smaller in size,  there was a quick shuffle and soon they all raced to join the group on the other side, a loud call bellowed as if he was saying a 'thank you' or 'See ya' and they were gone as quickly as they came.   It was like a dream, probably lasting for 5 or 6 minutes but it seemed like an eternity, our first close encounter with creatures of the wild at night-time, one that could have done us major damage, but didn't.  Later we learnt it was rutting season and we were extremely lucky to come out of it without a horror story to tell.  We didn't have a camera on hand, but the memory will stay with us for a lifetime.

Moose grazing

We were really scared and praying for no more unexpected encounters, we were happy to reach Grand lake, it was beautiful and we were so happy to be able to see around us, just us and nature, but instead of feeling trapped in a van on a single lane winding road through the forests we were out in the open.  By the time we reached I70, the freeway that would take us home, back towards Denver it was way past midnight.  We stopped for a quick bite at the first exit and got home past 2 am.  A fantastic adventure.  One that could have gone wrong and scared us off road trips forever but instead had us wanting to travel far and wide across this beautiful country and beyond in the years to come.

Grand Lake, a lone person with dog stands out, still early in the season for tourists

One quick turn and he could have torn a hole to the side of the van in moments.. but it didn't happen and instead we have a beautiful memory to share.  This blog connects our first and last time driving on Trail Ridge Drive, the pictures are from our last trip of the Rocky mountains before we moved in August 2007.

A spectacular view of Rocky Mountains behind the Grand Lake

More memorable experiences coming up in the next blog. 

This travel question plays out in my mind... Time and again..

Travel, is it in our genes.. or born out of necessity.

Growing up we travelled a lot as a family, but it was limited to vacations.   Our home was intact, we were born, nurtured and grew up in the same city, same home, same family unit, give and take a few as one got married, baby was born or an elder passed on.  Not much changed on the home front.  

I wasn't afraid or uncertain about traveling alone, in fact I enjoyed it and was ever willing to go on assignments out of town for extended periods of time, would I have chosen to do so if we had never travelled or if my dad never travelled on the job.  I also migrated to the US to join my husband.

My dad,  he migrated to Bombay like many others from small villages and towns, travelling across India as a lad of 18 to make a future for himself, he had completed high school successfully and also had a certificate in typing.  So, he worked as a typist during the day and went to school in the evening to complete his diploma in chemistry and dyes from the VJTI.  He lived with cousins and in the following years, his mother and brothers also migrated to Bombay to make futures of their own.  My mom, she got married to my dad and her two brothers joined them to continue their post graduation studies and to make a successful lives in the big city, too.  Soon her mom and the rest of her family were in Bombay, also.  They both migrated, settled and made a good life for us sisters in Bombay.  My mom cooked various cuisines that she learned from our neighbors allowing our young palettes to grow and learn new tastes along with traditional fare.

We travelled all over India and very often to the land of our ancestors in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.   Both my parents come from Palakkad Iyer family's whose ancestors migrated from Tamil Nadu to Kerala, 350-450 years ago to become priests in the temples there.  They settled and took up many traditions and cultures of their new land, they changed to accommodate the language, culture, traditions, food habits, etc. of the people in those lands. The palakkad iyers have a unique language that is neither Tamil nor Malayalam and they also have an awesome cuisine, a mix of both their ancestral lands.  They are a great group of people, settled all over the world successfully and I may be completely biased on this last fact.  :)

So back to my first question, is travel in our genes or born out of necessity?  

Maybe it's a mix of both.    I know folks who travel but are not too happy to accept and merge into the societies they live in, the one they have migrated to, they try to make a home away from home, hang on to things they know and are not always happy about being in the new land, they yearn to go back home.  To a home that has changed and is not really the same as when they left it.  An oxymoron in itself and that leads to another question.  How does one define home?  I guess I will leave it here for now..  And go back to writing about our travels, discovering and to learn the history and geography of the land we live in..  See y'all soon with my next blog.

Traveling to India with a baby.. Bombay here we come

Traveling to India on a whim, with a 5 and half month old.  Having travelled by air to New Orleans with baby R... an opportunity to visit India at short notice was not to be missed. The pediatrician said fine, he gave a note to our doctor in India for her mandatory 6 month shots and we were all set to leave.  Didn't let the family know we were coming... Don't you love surprises.. I do.

A third cousin was traveling on the same flight to Bombay and we asked her parents to give us a ride to my parents home, and they obliged.  We rang the doorbell in the wee hours of the morning at 5am.  Dad opened the door, milk vessel in hand thinking it was the milkman making his morning rounds. He was blown away to see his only grandchild and his youngest at the door.  My mom thought she was dreaming..  Her dream to see the little one had come true..   Words can't express the feelings and emotions that overwhelmed us all.  Both had waited a long time to hold their grandchild and love and pamper her.  My sisters, their family, extended family, neighbors, all spoilt her rotten.  She was carried everywhere a little princess with everyone at her command.

Baby R loved all the love and attention showered on her... The mosquitoes loved her, too...  Thats another story.  The hustle and bustle, the masses of people, the noise, the heat and humidity of summer didn't bother the little one at all.  Happily tucked in the baby carrier we went the length and breadth of the city by bus, train, taxi, auto..  She loved traveling in the big red BEST bus(public mass transit)...  we also travelled by air to Chennai to meet her aunt and more family and friends and then on to Coimbatore by train.. She thrived...  And smiled..  Was happy... And content..  All that love impossible to describe.  We had a blast the entire 5 weeks in India and were back home in the US all to quickly.

On hindsight, Ed had warned me when we got married, my famous surprise visits weren't happening after I moved to the US. Vacations and travel need to be planned well in advance.   Little did he know things would change so fast. His first official trip to India was announced and came unexpectedly when I was 8 months pregnant with baby R.  I couldn't, wouldn't say no to a surprise visit to see my parents and family.  An added bonus, we were able to attend my favorite cousin's wedding, she had written the week before the trip happened and I quote "my eyes will scan the doorway in the hope that you will walk in to surprise us.." never doubt the power of positive thinking it can move mountains.

Traveling so far away in your third trimester is not something I will recommend but it happened for us and I will treasure the precious memories forever.  The girls and I were so lucky to be able to travel frequently to India in those early years when they were babies and able to enjoy all the love and pampering of their grandparents and bond with extended family and friends, make connections with the land of their ancestors.   

To enjoy the festivities, culture, warmth and gaiety of the motherland.  Both have travelled frequently over the years to India, their most recent trip lasted 10 weeks without us accompanying them.  They travelled to various parts with their aunts and uncles.  Folks amazed at how easily they were able to blend in with everyone and enjoy themselves without us.

Travel grows the mind... Don't you agree..  Our kids will amaze us with their resilience if we let them.  All these trips where by air with short road trips thrown in but I guess it all helps them be travelers.

Louisana, New Orleans - A special place.. our lil one's first air trip..

Travelling by air with an infant.  We flew out to New Orleans with our 10 week old baby girl in mid-Feb.  We were a wee bit worried as any new parents would be, travelling for the first time by air with a baby.  We took all the necessary precautions, carried the car seat, checked in a huge stroller.. :)

As advised by the pediatrician, we carried a pacifier to avoid pressure in her ears, but she kept spitting out... and we had to hold it in place for both takeoff and landing.  She slept for most of the three and half hour journey and when awake was alert and a happy traveller, full of smiles, we needn't have worried at all.   It was a memorable trip.  

We were there for three days, arrived the day after Mardi Gras and stayed at a hotel in downtown New Orleans.  After dinner, we went for a walk with the lil one happily tucked in her stroller.  It was so touching when random people stopped to ooh and aah over our baby and shower her with beads and golden coins.  We walked down Bourbon street.. the music coming thru to the streets and the folks laughing and talking on the overhead balconies.. absolutely loved the ambiance. 

The next day, we went for a drive around the city, saw some beautiful homes and visited the french quarter, the french market buzzing with activity, we got some treasures to take back home and a miniature porcelain mask, a Mardi Gras souvenir. 

In the late evening, Ed went with a cousin studying at Tulane for a blues concert on bourbon street..  The next day we walked thru the Tulane university and had dinner at a quaint little restaurant, I can't remember the name, just that it was late and tram rambling along ther rails running thru the center of the street.. three days flew by and we were headed back home. 

The city of New Orleans reminded me so much of Calcutta(Kolkata, India) and home... the crowds, the trams, the laid back atmosphere and all.   We promised ourselves, we would go back someday and we did. 

Last winter(2011-12) we got a chance to go back with the girls over Christmas, en route to Florida.   The ambiance of Bourbon street remains the same, the crowds a lot more than I remembered.. The french market buzzing with activity and a multitude of colorful treasures and good bargains, the girls loved it and understood why New Orleans holds a special place in my heart.   During our bus tour around the city, it was sad to see the devastation in some parts but happy to see the restoration and reconstruction, too.  The girls hope to return some day, too.