We headed to Boulder, Colorado, after Telluride. It was a rather long, but stunningly beautiful ride. We met the family and animals for our next house and pet sit in a charming neighborhood a short distance from the city center. We’ve spent the better part of the week simply being in the home, working, caring for the critters, and taking care of ourselves, as we were both a little under the weather and completely peopled out after a week camping with hundreds and listening to music with thousands of people.

The critters: First, there’s Hershel (or as I call him, my Hershey Bar). Hershel is a big old dog with a lot of problems. He’s got all kinds of growths in all kinds of places. He’s pretty sore. His legs often shake tremendously. He has sweet, golden eyes, and a very sensitive nature. He’s too stiff and sore to go for walks. Instead, he is pretty autonomous with a dog door that leads to a fenced in back yard. He comes and goes as he wishes, but mostly he just sleeps on the bed. Little KitE is a young, long haired, black cat, who is feisty, smart, cuddly, and an absolute menace when she feels like it. Rosie and Rocky are two Russian Tortoises currently enjoying their outdoor pen. They eat kale and lettuce and dandelions, and are rather more active than I would have expected.

So feeding, watering, cleaning, and caring took up the bulk of the week. But today, we took a play day and headed into Rocky Mountain National Park first thing in the morning. It was a beautiful day, cool and clear. We arrived early so that let us get in without the required timed entry between 9 – 2. We chose to drive the Trail Ridge Road, a scenic drive that runs for about 50 miles through the park. It is the highest continuous paved highway in North America through alpine tundra and past the Continental Divide. Throughout the drive, we stopped frequently to look at scenic vistas, take short hikes (at over 12,000 feet of elevation, short hikes were perfect), and marvel at the flora and fauna. The wildflowers were exceptional. So many beautiful colors, such small, low-lying flowers. The tundra was alive with hundreds of different plants that practically hid in plain sight. Most people are looking up at the staggering mountains, many still with snow. And who could blame them. They are stunning. Snow melts turning into waterfalls, dramatic clouds threatening rain at the peaks. But at the same time, at our feet there were tiny, beautiful flowers, working hard in their very short lifespan to attract pollinators. I enjoyed the flowers very much, but I also loved seeing the wildlife: We spotted elk (male and female), pica, mule deer, marmots, eagles, rabbits, ground squirrels, and ravens (of course). Allegedly there are also black bears, moose, mountain lions, and long horned sheep, but we didn’t see any of those.

We have a couple more work days left in Boulder. We hope to explore the town a little before we have to leave. The next leg of our Nomading tour will have us dividing and conquering and eventually meeting back up in New Hampshire, where we will reconnect with family, and stretch out for a few months.