Driving Into the Unexpected
On the way to Kennebec Pass!
White, misty clouds were ahead of us as we drove along a lonely, dirt road. I peered out my window, looking up and watching the clouds descend. There were dots of snow splattered on the mountains like on an artist painting board, promising that winter was over, and summer was just beginning. We climbed up a little higher into the clouds, with such an eerie feeling. Suddenly, we stopped, and I clung onto the door, wondering where we were.
We prepared for an off-roading experience in Durango, Colorado in the heat of summer, but a cool respite in Colorado. The day dawned sunny and bright, with a few puffy clouds floating by as we drove toward the trail.
The road to Kennebec Pass was paved as we turned off the freeway, but only for a brief time as the dirt was imminent. We pulled over to air down our tires as it would help the ride to be a little more comfortable, if driving over a rough road can be called comfortable. Quickly we jumped into the Bronco and proceeded forward.
The road was rough right from the start, with washboard and small rocks. We drove between a forest of trees, tall thin trees that reminded me of Flagstaff. Climbing higher, my pulse began to quicken. Even though I have been off-roading as a passenger for some time, and on dangerous roads, I still feel a pitter-patter of my heart on each trail we go on. Maybe it is anticipation what I may expect or fear of what I do not want to expect, or my imagination running wild.
Luscious flowers greeted us near the top.
The landscape changed from dry, brown dirt and skinny trees to this luscious field of greens and flowers, Christmas trees spread around meadows and even a deer popped into the scene. As the trees spread away a large clearing was brought to our eyes.
The yellow and purple hues of flowers, the blotches of pale snow on the mountains, the sky above forming gray clouds, indicating rain may be coming.
Mining equipment left from a bygone era.
Looking at this, I thought to myself, where did these clouds come from? One minute it is sunny and bright, with a few loose clouds floating by, without a care or a glance to the inhabitants below, and the next minute there are a strew of them, hovering over the landscape, ready to spill over more than a cup full of water.
Noticing the temperature change, I wrapped my light jacket around me with folded arms. As I stood there for a moment, I inhaled it all, the colorful flowers, evergreen trees, and the whiff of rain. And then exhaling the clean air, my gaze moved forward on the road ahead of us, showing a sudden incline as we were not done driving yet.
Had to get the sillies out!
At this point I was hesitant to move forward. I was content with the place we were in and ready to settle down for a delightful lunch and plenty of silliness.
But move on we did. We are adventurers, are we not? Unfortunately, since I was on the passenger side, I was on the edge of the mountain going up. My husband is a good driver, but there is something about being on the edge that can be unnerving.
Getting closer to the top finally!
The clouds were drawing in, almost hovering over us at this point. The trail had an abundant number of rocks as we drove over them, jarring our bodies this way and that. Even with this minor distraction, I was focused on the clouds as we proceeded into them. Where was the endpoint? Would we stop when we needed to?
It is like when you are driving up a hill and you want to see where the road goes after you crest. Well, we could not, but my husband did stop, and the visibility was almost zero. And it is a good thing he did as there was a drop off close to where we stopped! The trail had ended, but our journey would continue.
Awesome Bronco before the paint job. We are parked at the very end of the trail!
After the Bronco was parked, we peeled out, with me feeling shaky, and my heart rate pulsing a bit higher as my adrenaline was pumping. My daughter immediately climbs up on nearby rocks like it was the sensible thing to do for her. My husband walks over to a mountain wall and notices something peculiar: names and dates written in charcoal on the wall.
I met him over there as the clouds were coming up and then we walked to the edge of the mountain and peered over into the misty clouds below. What we discovered was people threw the remains of loved ones over the mountain. We unexpectantly drove into a graveyard!
We ate our lunch right here, amid the clouds, thunder and a mist.
Instead of leaving the place, we decided to have lunch as we were all hungry and had a long way to drive back. We found a few rocks to sit on near the edge of the mountain, took our lunch out of the cooler, and then ate as if we were eating at the park. A distant rumbling sound of thunder came and went as we continued to eat.
A grand view of the Rockies in beautiful Colorado
Eating in a graveyard is not something we normally do, however, I felt it was peaceful, a place to reflect the value and importance of life and how short it is. The nervousness I felt was gone, but the misty clouds were still present as if to protect those that have passed on as, too, they are at peace.