Circling Wagons
“Perhaps the life worthy of the elk is a life returning some beauty to the wild.”
D and S met at the South Boulder Creek West Trailhead, where last night’s rain seemed to have sprinkled the prairie with early spring flowers and chlorophyll. Meanwhile, at a pond near the trailhead, an army of frogs regaled each other with a cacophony of chirps, bleats, and cries of desperation.
A little further up the trail, a millennial couple were recording a workout video, with burpees and other torturous-looking exercises. Actually, the guy was recording, and the girl was exercising. Our fearless adventurers considered making a guest appearance on their video, but bypassed the opportunity: after all, no one really wants to go viral, these days.
Joggers scurried obliviously past, with or without dogs. A herd of elk browsed in the distance, growing velvety new antlers.
‘Twas a pleasant spring afternoon in Boulder; accordingly, our fearless adventurers doffed their jackets and headed up the trail. They passed all three (?) gates along the way, and reached the terminus of the trail at its intersection with the venerable Mesa Trail. Announced the Dow and headed back down.
Less than a mile from the trailhead, our intrepid explorers noticed the aforementioned elk charging en masse toward the trail. As it happens, a bevy of uncontrolled dogs had spotted the elk and galavanted into the field to join them, or do whatever dogs do. Voice and Sight Control, per Boulder County dogs-on-trails regulations, was not happening.
The elk, for their part, were having none of it, and chased the dogs back toward the trail, at least until the dogs scurried a safe distance away. The elk formed a loose circle, of sorts, around the females (i.e., circled the wagons) and glowered at the dogs, the people, the meadowlarks, and anything else that glanced in their direction.
The human companions watched and took phone pics, “for the gram.” Eventually they all got back together and wandered back down the trail.
S and D followed along behind, and returned to the chorus of frogs and the parking lot. And then … you won’t believe it … decided to do Phase 2!
Phase 2: Superior Community Center
Sandwiches and brownies at the mostly empty Superior Community Center. Some questions of the night were googled and forgotten (as tradition requires).
All in all, another successful BNO.
