Elusive Quarry
Phase 1: Enchanted Mesa
S, D, and C plowed through rush hour traffic to the welcome respite of the Enchanted Mesa Trail, meeting at the P-for-Parking near Chautauqua Auditorium. Neither S nor D could recall having trekked this trail before, a wide gravel path, for the most part, uphill through Boulder Mountain Parks' veritable spaghetti of criss-crossing routes, to the usual suspects: Mesa, Kohler, McClintock.
There was the matter of the bunker, up a short path to the right, the entrance to a missile silo, a fallout shelter, a secret science laboratory where they experiment on unsuspecting hikers. We concluded this was probably part of the Chautauqua Reservoir, an enclosed reservoir above us. Needless to say, we kept our distance, backed away slowly, and continued up the main path.
Not many people on the trail, at least not until we intersected the Kohler and Mesa; then there were plenty of hikers, but not obtrusively so.
A few leaves fringed with gold, and darkness falling early. We took a short respite at Woods Quarry, enjoying the flagstone adirondack chairs, and headed back downhill.
Phase 2: Chautauqua Pavilion
Conveniently next to the parking areas, a bunch of picnic tables in a shelter, with lighting. Sandwiches, etc.
Questions of the Night
Does Iceland have mosquitoes?
What are the effects of sunburn on tattoos?
What's in that missile silo?
