Mark adds just enough spontaneity to our family to keep life fun! Last week, he said he had made reservations to go into Rocky Mountain National Park for the following morning and off we went!
We woke everyone up early, packed up our supplies and lunch, and made our drive up into the mountains. This is a place we definitely don’t get to enough. BUT for the first time ever, we were finally able to go down to the Bear Lake corridor – which we have wanted to do every single time but have never been able to.
Bear Lake
We drove over to the Bear Lake trailhead and we were all feeling really good. AND what made this even more exciting, is this was the first real “hike” we were going to do with Lydie’s huckleberry cart. Mark put everything together while I put together our day pack. The goal was to do Dream Lake. And we were OFF!
The Bear Lake trailhead is massive. There is a ranger station, restrooms, a shuttle stop, all the things. And so on a summer morning, there was a lot going on. We got onto the sidewalk and were immediately stopped by a volunteer ranger. She told us that we would not be allowed to use Lydie’s cart on any of the trails, other than around Bear Lake (which is a hike in the loosest sense of the word). When Mark questioned as to why, she said it was because Lydia’s huckleberry cart had a wheel. Mark tried to explain that it was obviously not motorized or anything and she simply stated that we couldn’t do it.
I will admit that I was ticked. It was so disappointing. Not only the situation but just the interaction with the person. We walked only a couple more steps only to have ANOTHER volunteer ranger stop us, and although nicer, basically told us the same thing. It was so defeating.
Mark, being the wonderful man that he is, made the best of it and didn’t make a fuss and we started around the lake. It was beautiful but there were so many people around and it didn’t feel like quite the break in nature we were all hoping for.
And I was stewing. In all honesty, I had been having a really hard week, and this just felt like another punch. I was having a full-on pity party in my head. Why did everything have to be so hard?
This trailhead is the springboard for lots of other trails, including the Dream Lake that we wanted to go on. But instead, we walked around the mile of Bear Lake right at the beginning and then turned back to the car. The kids were confused and Mark and I agreed that we should stop at a visitors center and explain the situation. Information that would maybe help others in the future.
We got to the car and Mark started dissembling Lydie’s huckleberry cart. And then he saw a “real” ranger. The park is full of volunteer rangers (which is great, don’t get me wrong!) but he wanted to speak with someone that maybe had some sort of authority. So, he approached her and she was wonderful. She apologized for what had happened and assured us that we were more than welcome to take Lydie up the trails.
We really needed this win.
Dream Lake
So we put together Lydie’s cart again and turned around and made our way back up the trail – this time to Dream Lake.
There were so many emotions that went into this. I was in my head A LOT this day (which is not the best thing in the world). The kids were doing so well. It was hot (and you know how us Berning’s do with the heat!) and the trail was still busy. Most people were really kind, and everyone was very interested in her cart that is pretty foreign on the trails.
The first lake we encountered on this hike was Nymph Lake. I think I liked this little lake best. It was tiny but the little lily pads totally won me over.
We then kept going up to Dream Lake. Things got harder in ways – but not normal “hiking” ways. Mark was an absolute hero taking Lydie up. It is not easy and I was truly impressed with the pace that he was able to go. Lydie was up and down with how she was feeling about the whole thing and Sarah did her best to walk alongside and help her. The boys were both not feeling well and were not in the greatest of moods. It was hard.
By the time we made it up to Dream Lake, our little group was done. On the one hand, I was proud of us. This wasn’t easy. What others can do by just hopping out of the car, grabbing some water and going, is not our reality. I was happy that we were able to experience it together. I was grateful for those that helped us to allow Lydie to see those kinds of things with her own eyes.
I realize this tale is full of “buts” but here is another one 😉
We got to Dream Lake and everything really fell apart. Lydie was practically screaming then and I can appreciate that that is not really the atmosphere you want when you are trying to be in nature. We were trying our best and found a place to “park” her cart and found an empty spot on the rocks. But there were people EVERYWHERE. The boys were not in a good mood and just found spots to sit. Bless Sarah who just happily sat on a rock and ate her sandwich while also trying to thwart the efforts of some very aggressive chipmunks. Mark held Lydie while I tried to get her to eat something. She wouldn’t. The boys wouldn’t eat or drink anything either. I brought Lydie’s G-tube, and I gave her some water (as privately as I could) through her tube and we decided we just needed to get back.
I took a quick picture, and we were off again down the trail.
The Power of One
Then we had a moment that changed the entire day. It made me emotional when it happened, it made me cry when Mark and I talked about it later, and it makes me cry as I write about it now.
We were going down the trail, feeling all the feelings, and we got to a corner that wasn’t busy and there was just a couple taking a rest. Corners are the trickiest part of the carts and Mark took it slowly. And this man walked up to Mark slowly, put his hand on Mark’s shoulder, and just told him that what he was doing was good.
It was so simple, but so sincere.
And I just quietly cried as we walked down the trail.
Despite having a ridiculous amount of attention on this trail because of our situation, this man SAW us. He saw our efforts and what we were trying to do for our family.
I was so grateful that Mark was able to have that moment with a stranger. Because Mark is so good to our family and especially to Lydie. And he made this happen for us. And this stranger took the time to let Mark know that what he did mattered. I am so grateful for him. And it was such a tender mercy and example about the power that a simple action can do for someone.
Animal Life
We made it back to the trailhead and got everything back into the car and had our lunch. The boys were feeling a little better and I think we all felt lighter.
As we drove around the park, we were on the lookout for wildlife. We did see some mule deer (including a mama with two baby fawns), lots of chipmunks (who we didn’t find quite so endearing), a Stellar’s Jay, some yellow-bellied marmots, and then some elk in the distance. We are always on the lookout for some bighorn sheep but have never seen them in this park.
Trail Ridge Road
We were all feeling good at that point, so we decided to go up the Trail Ridge Road. Mark loves getting above the tree line! It is the highest road in any national park – getting over 12,000 feet! Lydie slept on and off and we all had fun looking for marmots in the rocks. Also, the temperature was in the 50s so we were all pretty happy campers and loved the escape from all of these 100+ temperatures we’ve been having lately.
Life is full of ups and downs, but this ended up being a great day that I am grateful for.
