You have to understand the autumn tourist is different from the typical summer tourist. As opposed to Mom and Dad in their mid thirties from Texas or Kansas with their two kids in tow, this tourist is older, perhaps retired, driving a sensibly rented Toyota Camry or Mazda. Or they might be a pair of Europeans hailing from France, Germany or Italy enjoying an extended tour of the American west during their six weeks of vacation they receive.
Where as the summer tourist has their vacation scheduled down to the hour, because after all they only have a week, and they have their checklist of what their kids should get out of vacation before they return home in time for pee wee football practice or soccer, the Autumn tourist has all the time in the world. They stay in the campgrounds at Rocky Mountain National Park not just one night, but perhaps 4-5 nights. They bring their picnic baskets, bottles of wine and set up a spot along Fall River Road to hang out for hours and witness the elk rut, complete with bugling and sparring. They hike, they picnic, and in general they just take their time.
And of course, when it comes to driving Colorado’s scenic byways, they make sure to drive at a leisurely, so leisurely pace so they can take in all that beauty, and the striking gold, orange, and red of Aspens turning colors every which way they eye can see. They stop frequently to catch a herd of elk in the meadow or a moose in a pond.
I have to confess, this interminable pace of driving would normally drive me crazy during any other time of year. I’d be gritting my teeth, hoping they’ll pull out, praying they know to use the turn out lane. But this time of year, I’m more like them than I’d care to admit.
Because autumn in the Rockies is one of the most special times, and my favorite time of year. Like the autumn tourist, I too am captivated by the contrast of the deep green hue of pines and firs, contrasted against the intense gold, with a brilliantly blue sky in the background to cap off this perfect scene. I too pull over to witness the large bull elk with his magnificent set of antlers herding his harem. I can hardly take it all in as I drive along Boulder Canyon and the Peak to Peak highway. So like that rental car in front of me, for this day, I don’t mind driving 25 miles per hour in a 40 mile per hour zone. Because there is something special about autumn in the Rockies….
