🏔️  Part Two: Colorado Among Mountains, Dinosaurs, and Stories of the Past

🦖  Should We Be Afraid of Tyrannosaurus Rex?

When you travel through America, you quickly realise that almost everything looks bigger there: the roads, the cars, the portions of food ... and, of course, the dinosaurs.

Writer and former NASA robotics engineer Randall Munroe, in his bestselling book *What If?*, enjoyed answering apparently absurd scientific questions. Among other things, he asked how much food a Tyrannosaurus rex would need to eat each day.

The calculation is not straightforward, but he estimated that a Tyrannosaurus rex - if it had a metabolism roughly comparable to that of a large modern mammal of similar mass - would need an enormous amount of energy each day: roughly the equivalent of 80 hamburgers. The makers of *Jurassic Park* illustrated this with precisely that quantity of food. Do not worry: no dinosaurs suffered during filming.

If you ever visit one of America’s film studios, you can jokingly ask the guide: ‘Has Tyrannosaurus rex eaten yet today?’

🔎  And What About Gluten?

Imagine that a Tyrannosaurus rex really did eat all 80 hamburgers. Would its meat then be full of gluten? No. Gluten is a plant-derived protein that breaks down during digestion; it does not accumulate in an animal’s muscles. So, if you were to make a stew, soup, or salami from a Tyrannosaurus - though we would rather not try - its meat would not contain gluten because of those hamburgers.

Another reminder that a little basic knowledge can spare us a great deal of worry.

And here is one more amusing scientific puzzle: years ago, some scientists proposed the hypothesis that the extinction of dinosaurs may not have been caused solely by an asteroid impact. Large herbivorous dinosaurs produced vast quantities of methane, a greenhouse gas, through digestion. Does that mean vegetarians were responsible for the dinosaurs’ extinction? Of course not. It is a humorous thought experiment that reminds us to distinguish between hypotheses, humour, and established facts.

🐻  The Biggest Beast in Nature Is Often Our Fear

When you arrive in a foreign country, you do not explore only its towns, museums, and restaurants. The real America lies in its national parks, mountains, forests, and crystal-clear lakes.

Before we left, we heard all sorts of stories: ‘Watch out for bears!’ ‘There are mountain lions!’ ‘Rattlesnakes are everywhere!’ One might almost think that you arrive in Colorado as a tourist and return home as lunch for some wild beast.

The truth is quite different. Over a few weeks, we encountered black bears, moose, a rattlesnake, delightful chipmunks, pikas, marmots, and many other animals. Every encounter was special. And every animal moved away before we did.

🌲  Animals Are Not Our Enemies

Wild animals generally do not want to meet people. Most of the time, they move away long before we notice them. That is why a few simple rules apply:

• Stay on marked trails.

• Observe animals from a distance.

• Do not approach young animals.

• Always keep your dog on a lead.

• Never feed wildlife.

This is not only for our safety, but for their future too.

In Bela krajina, Slovenia, an elderly woman repeatedly fed a young bear doughnuts and other human food. The bear lost its natural fear of people and began coming ever closer to houses. Because it became dangerous, it had to be shot. Sadly, the bear was not to blame; people were.

If you encounter a rattlesnake, the best advice is surprisingly simple: stop, give it space, and slowly move away. A rattlesnake almost never attacks a person without reason. By rattling its tail, it is mainly telling us: ‘I have noticed you. Please go your way, and I will go mine.’ The same is true of most wild animals: they do not seek confrontation; they seek peace.

As we returned from one of the hiking trails in the Rocky Mountains, we realised that we had hardly ever thought about what we feared in nature. We were thinking instead about how incredibly beautiful the world around us was. When we respect nature, it usually gives us its finest experiences in return.

🥾  The Journey Matters More than the Destination

In Colorado, you quickly realise that the real story lies in the mountains, forests, and hiking trails. The loveliest thing is the mutual respect: hikers, mountain bikers, and nature lovers share the trails with ease. If faster downhill cycling is organised, part of a trail is temporarily closed or separate routes are arranged. One simple rule applies: nature is for everyone.

Golden rules apply to us hikers as well: stay on marked trails, keep dogs on leads, observe animals from a distance, and leave nature as we found it. This is not restriction; it is respect.

⛏️  When the Gold Rush Did Not Bring a Golden Life

Many of the paths we walk pass the remains of mines for gold, silver, and other minerals. Today, they are peaceful places with remarkable views. But just over 150 years ago, everything here was very different.

Miners worked at altitudes of roughly 2,500 to 4,000 metres, often in extremely harsh winter conditions. In the cold, their boots sometimes literally froze to their feet; before taking them off, they had to warm them with water. The work was dangerous and exhausting, and life was short. Looking at these trails today, it is hard to imagine how difficult the lives of people seeking their dreams here must have been.

🪶  Others Were Here Before the Prospectors

Long before European settlers arrived, Ute peoples lived in this area and knew the mountains, seasons, and natural world intimately. Relations between Indigenous peoples and settlers were sometimes friendly, but often tense. The desire for gold, land, and wealth led to many conflicts and to the displacement of Indigenous communities.

This part of history reminds us that every landscape has its own story - and that respect for people and nature is always more important than greed.

💀  When Skeletons Are Not Scary at All

While walking through shops in Colorado, we noticed something unusual: skeletons everywhere. Large, small, colourful, smiling ... At first, we thought Americans were already preparing for Halloween. Then we realised that many of these figures are rooted in the Mexican tradition of Día de los Muertos - the Day of the Dead - which is very popular in areas with large Latino communities.

Unlike our usual associations, this holiday is not intended to frighten. It is a celebration of remembrance, family, and life. We were reminded of Pixar’s beautiful film *Coco*, which presents its meaning in a warm and moving way.

Sometimes we fear most the things we know least. Once we learn more about them, we find that a very beautiful story can lie behind a skeleton

Third Part Coming Soon…