Being a John Denver fan, and having sung along to Rocky Mountain High since high school, when I drove into Colorado I was anxious to see Rocky Mountain National Park and hike the beautiful terrain. I parked the car in Estes Park to catch the shuttle and was surprised to find the atmosphere a bit like a seaside carnival town with miniature golf, giant slides, bumper cars, and tourist garb in tiny storefront windows. It reminded me of my drive through Pigeon Forge (see my post “Flying Takes Wings and Guts”), definitely not what I was expecting in my visions of Rocky Mountain High. But once into the park I saw just what I had hoped. Continue reading →