As we mentioned in last week’s article, we would start this week with an article about outdoor adventure or outdoor photography. But we decided to take a small detour today… we just couldn’t pass this one up! We were so excited after reading the weatherman’s articles in the Estes Park News (as weather is a very important element in both outdoor adventure and outdoor photography), that we decided to purchase a sophisticated weather station to be installed outside of our new home. All we have to do is view the digital screen right next to our bed and we can make a prediction on what would be the best opportunities for outdoor photography for that day and also which trails to take. We also have our NOAA walkie-talkies and putting both pieces of information together would give us more data that we could possibly need. Watching the weather during the day and being aware of what the potential was of inclement weather is very important for staying safe on the trail. Popup thunderstorms and snowstorms are very dangerous on the trail and if you can be one step ahead, your chances of staying safe will increase.
 
Our new weather station gives us wind speed, wind chill, high temperature, low temperature, wind gusts, humidity, weather prediction for the day, barometric pressure (going up or down) and many other features. We were really excited as we read the installation instructions. The instructions indicated that we had to place the transmitter in a place where direct rain didn’t drench the transmitter. We carefully walked the land to find the PERFECT SPOT. Where would the Estes Park News Weatherman place the transmitter? We finally picked a location near a very large boulder which has an overhang where we can install the transmitter. Methodically and carefully we ran the wire to the cedar pole that the wind gauge was mounted… due North. We can now predict the local weather right from our own home!
 
For any of you that don’t know what the wind gauge looks like, it has three cups (similar to a pinwheel) that spin around when the wind pushes the cups. So, as soon as we wake up to go on our hike, we look at the weather station, listen to NOAA and we make a informed decision on where to hike, how long to stay out on the trail and what clothes to bring with us… 3 very important elements keeping safe on the trail. We also bring 2 walkie-talkies, a very inexpensive piece of gear that keeps us in contact with each other if we were to become separated. We can also listen to NOAA if we need updated weather conditions. Also, there is a special channel (11-22) for birders who want to contact other birders in the area. If a special bird is seen in a particular area, you can let all the other birders know where the bird has been seen just by talking into the walkie-talkie! It helps to make a successful birding day.
 
But, now back to our weather station… as there is more to the story. There is never a perfect solution to any situation. A few days ago, we woke up early to the most magnificent photography opportunity… and it was in the front of our home. All we needed to do was grab our cameras and walk out the front door. In front of us was a herd of about 24 Bull Elks with one foot long velvet antlers and also a herd of 14 deer. One Bull Elk still had last year’s antlers. What a sight to behold. All were grazing together and we didn’t have to plan a hike to photograph wildlife. Wildlife had come to us only 20-25 feet away. We didn’t know at that time that they would stay for most of the day and it was a terrific day of photography!
 
But there was one curious Elk… a very curious Elk. We could just see what was going through his mind. “What was that spinning plastic cup sort of thing that was mounted on the cedar pole?” That Elk was about to potentially ruin “Our new apparatus that helps us predict the weather.” Slowly he made his way over to the wind gauge and watched it spin around. We were saying to ourselves, “Why does the wind have to be blowing at this time? Why can’t the wind gauge be stationary?” The Elk looked at the wind gauge… looked at us… looked at the gauge… looked at us. Then, finally, when there was no more looking, the Elk had to find out what this wind gauge was all about. And how does an Elk learn about anything… he tastes it. One GIANT SLURP and the wind gauge stopped. Our hearts were in our stomachs... as the gauge slowly started spinning again. The Elk looked at us and made another GIANT SLURP… as the wind gauge wasn’t pointing due North any more! Just as he opened his mouth to probably take a bite (and potentially end our carefully planned weather station), I called out, “You will not like the taste of a wind gauge!” He stopped for a moment as if to understand what I was saying, but I knew he wasn’t all that convinced. I called out, “Your photograph will not appear in the Estes Park NEWS!” Well, that was all I had to say. He slowly backed away and started to eat the grass again. Not to have his photograph in the newspaper was a very good reason for him to stop. We sighed with relief. “We were still in complete control of our weather station!”
 
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