Last month, we took a spontaneous long weekend in Ouray, Colorado, with our daughter, Corrie, two of her four kids, and her husband, Dane. While Corrie and Dane climbed Mt. Sneffels and hiked the Ice Lakes, Mark, Thalia and Teddy (of “Humor Me” fame), and I explored some of the hiking trails around Ouray.
I wanted to see the rock formations along a creek above Ouray called Baby Bathtubs. Teddy and Thalia came with me. We hadn’t hiked up the beautiful trail very far, when we saw some rocky depressions off a side path that looked like they might be the tubs. We sauntered over and found another family clamoring around the formations.
We were expecting the tubs to be much further up the trail, so, I asked the family if this was the Baby Bathtubs.
One of the grown-ups replied in the most perfect Australian accent, “I believe so, but I haven’t seen any babies.”
“Oh, you have to supply your own,” I quipped without missing a beat. He looked puzzled for a moment and then everyone laughed. That was, if memory serves, the first time I thought of an appropriate rejoinder at the appropriate time! And was rewarded with audience appreciation.
Here are some of our pics from our mini-break in Ouray. Teddy captured this beautiful image of a mama deer, who was walking along the trail to the Baby Bathtubs with her fawn. We also journeyed to Lower Cascade Falls where another tourist kindly took our photo. Teddy and I hiked to Box Canyon Falls. Mostly, though, we enjoyed the hot springs pools at our hotel.
On our way home, we decided to squeeze in one more adventure and take a side trip to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. I immediately regretted that decision as we got trapped in a huge construction delay outside of Ouray. Normally, a half-hour delay wouldn’t have been that big a deal, but school was starting the next day and we had at least six more hours of driving ahead of us, not including time at Black Canyon. I’m sure Corrie’s brain had a giant clock ticking down to the kids’ bedtime. We could make it, but only if we didn’t have any more delays.
We soldiered on to the park and gobbled down a quick picnic lunch of sammies and pop, trying to stay cool despite the 95 degree sunshine at our shade-free table.
We had just a couple of extra minutes, so Corrie, Dane and the kids, ventured off to explore the outcropping near our table – Pulpit Rock. This aptly named overlook into the canyon featured no guardrails.
I dithered, wanting to go with them and wanting to stay comfortably away from the edge of the spectacularly steep canyon. As I argued with myself about going out on the boulders, I photographed them as they bounced around on the rocks for a few minutes. Then Corrie hustled the group back towards our cars.
As they trundled by me on the path, I was still debating myself. Go out on Pulpit Rock? Or stay in my comfort zone and make sure we all got to bed on time?
Time was up. I made my decision. You’ll have to read Episode 10 of my book of personal essays, God, I’m a Jerk, to find out if I conquered Pulpit Rock, or added yet one more missed adventure to my bucket of regrets.
I will say we did make it home by the kids’ bedtimes. Almost. That journey is a story in and of itself. I’ll save it for another day.
Sounds like a wonderful Time! Curious about Pulpit Rock, so I'll have to read on! :)