Tales from Kobi: North Sourdough Trail - Brainard Lake

It's been a month since Mom and I have gotten out for a real hike! She decided to just move on rather than post pictures from our Frisco trip over July 4th weekend. So, here is the story of our latest trek ...

We drove out Lefthand Canyon Drive west of Boulder through the tiny little town of Ward where there were a bunch of dilapidated structures, but still they had a church, a library, and a post office! Mom was just feeling her way when finally she saw a sign for Brainard Lake Recreational Area. She'd heard of it, but we'd never been there.

I wondered if we'd ever get there, but finally we stopped in a parking lot and Mom let me out. Ahhh, it was good to stretch my legs. After looking at the trail map, off we went. She decided on North Sourdough Trail ... a nice improved path. It smelled lovely, of pine. The temperature was cool ... a sweet 70º. We met a few bi-peds and four-leggeds along the way ... some not so friendly. I always wonder about them, but I just stay clear.

So, here I am running ahead of Mom, as usual ... just exploring and sniffing all the new smells. I can always tell how happy she is to be out in the wilderness. Reminds her of the "olden days" when she used to go hiking every weekend with college buddies. She says it makes her feel free being out there.

There were lots of fungi ... with bright orange edges. It almost looks like a seashell. Hmmm, seashells for the woods. What do you think of that?

And it was sooo lush and green out there. That's what happens when it rains.

Then Mom stopped and got down low ... well, at least the camera did. It almost looks like a tiny forest made just for a shadowbox, doesn't it. She used to make those when she was in grade school. I wasn't around then, but she tells me about these things once in a while.

And here's a bunch of fungi growing out of a felled tree trunk. I think it looks really pretty. Along the way we saw a fellow with a bucket. Mom asked what he was gathering. He said, "Mushrooms." I don't think it was these orange things though. We wondered how you tell which ones are for eatin' and which ones you must stay away from. On we walked.

Finally, we got to a bridge crossing the St. Vrain River, but wouldn't you know it ... it started to drizzle! It's impossible to predict when rain is going to stop, especially when your in the thick of the woods, so Mom decided to get right back on the trail and return to the car ... we were a mile away. She trudged and trudge since it was an uphill climb ... stopping occasionally to catch her breath. Yep, she needs to do more of this! Since I was getting ahead of her occasionally I waited saying, "Come on Mom, I'm getting all wet!" But she just couldn't go any faster. She was getting drenched too.

Finally we got back to the car. She put me in and attempted to dry me a bit, then disappeared behind a door. When she returned she was wearing a flannel shirt and jacket instead of the black tee-shirt she'd been wearing. Wish I could have changed my coat so easily. And her hair was so wet, it looked like she'd just gotten out of the shower. She kept her camera dry though ... that was good, for sure.

... it was a fun time anyway and I was tired. Slept all the way home.