There's nothing quite like a hike through the mountains. Tonight, I returned from my vacation in Colorado. Thanks to my fine hosts Mike and Jen, I was able to visit Denver, Boulder, and spend a day hiking through the mountains near Estes Park.

Rocky Mountain National Park is in the northern part of the state of Colorado. Like most everyone, I've been aware of the Rocky Mountains since I was a child. I'd flown over them on my way to the west coast in the past, but hadn't taken the time to visit them in person until last week.

Our trail started out in a field of tall grass along a river. Gradually, the terrain became more arduous. As we proceeded, the trail began to climb and the path became rougher as the elevation increased. Along the way, we heard wildlife rustling through the trees, said hello to various critters having their lunch, and yielded to the occasional snake crossing our road. After a time, we came to Cub Lake where we sat and listened to the water and the wind blowing through mountains. There was no roar of the highway in the background and no sign of civilization. It was the most serene experience I've had in some time.