Boulder, Colorado IV

The reason I came to Boulder is that it is possible to go "hiking" (what we would mainly call walking I think) within walking distance of the city. In the mountains. Which is quite an attraction after the miseries of American public transport and the flat expanses of the midwest.

On Monday I practically ran up into the rockies, so full was I of enthusiasm for finally getting some exercise. It was too hot but it also felt wonderful to get to the top, and I rewarded myself with my first blueberry pancakes of the trip. Someone asked me if I always hiked alone but I didn't think much of it.

So yesterday I woke up early to try to go again. But I was absolutely aching all over, and decided to postpone in favour of a guided hike to an abandoned quarry in the evening. I got to talk to a lot of nice people over the course of a couple of hours of walking, but more importantly I learned of previously unthoughtof dangers: rattlesnakes! And bears! So close to the city! Everyone else agreed they would never hike alone at this time of year, everyone knew the woods were full of bears stocking up on berries before going to hibernate, and everyone knew what happens if a person comes between a bear and her cubs (heaven forbid!).

Undaunted I set off early this morning to try and walk up a canyon. I got as far as the signs warning not to let dogs off their leashes at this time of year (dogs increase the risk of "bear encounters" apparently) and was only feeling slightly nervous when... I got a huge nosebleed (heat? altitude? over-enthusiastic yomping up a hill? or just bad genes?). Spent a while mopping up the mess with my sock until a kind woman passing gave me some tissues! Then went mournfully home.

On the plus side, it meant I didn't have to feel bad about spending the rest of the day sitting by the side of the creek on the edge of town, reading and dipping my feel in the (ice cold) water.