snow (flurries)!

My flight was scheduled to leave Denver at 6:50 PM, and my decision about where to wander today had a travel factor in it. I didn't want to risk a hike that might take longer than I expected. I pondered a few options and decided to drive part of the way across Trail Ridge Road in the hopes of seeing it in slightly different light.

I reached the Forest Park viewpoint and was walking out to the end of the walk when I saw some white floating in the air. Uh oh! I asked someone else if I was seeing things; he confirmed that I was seeing snow flurries. And oh! I was still walking around in shorts! He also told me that he had just turned back from a bit higher when he encountered snow squalls. I decided that was a good turnaround point for me, descending to slightly warmer temperatures.

I stopped as colors pulled my eyes to the side, standing and enjoying the scenery, chatting with other travelers, and walking a bit. The temperature was in the low 50s. I stopped to walk across a grassy meadow with mountain views and wandering streams. I started feeling rain drops, but I kept walking until the rain got heavier. Time to walk back to the car...

The car was kind enough to show me that the temperature was 52 degrees. I started driving, and the rain got even heavier. The temperature dropped to 40 degrees in what seemed like an instant. Yikes! It went back up into the high 40s fairly quickly, but what a change!

There were dark gray clouds - yet if I looked to the east I could see some blue. The heavy rain changed to drizzle, then back to rain, then drizzle again.

I decided to head back to Denver a little earlier than expected. The extra time allowed me to stop when I saw water and an interesting sky to the side of the road.

The rain disappeared soon after I left Estes Park although I could see threatening clouds as I approached Denver. I'm waiting for my flight now, looking at bright clouds on one side of the gate area and clouds and raindrops on the other.