Stop the Car- NOW!

It takes a lot to create a traffic jam in Telluride.  With only a few thousand residents and only one main road into “downtown”, granted, things could get busy from time to time.  But yesterday, as we headed home after a long day of hiking (did I mention Telluride sits in a canyon at 8700 feet ABOVE sea level so hikes are around 10,000 feet?) cars were at a standstill and pulled over at every available roadside spot.  An overturned tractor-trailer?  An early visitor to this weekend’s Nothing Festival (where revelers wear “nothing”?  No, it was a herd of elk, calmly grazing roadside.  Over 100 of these muscular creatures were lounging in a field, enjoying the endless salad bar of field flowers.  What struck me was that there was only one male in the mass of females and babies.  What must his job be like?  Protector, gatherer, husband, father, provider, chief bottle washer.  Does he EVER sleep?  It’s like REALLY Big Love. 
Today they were back but moving west to new land.  I guess he is travel guide as well .