We left Hays, Kansas this morning. We will travel across the remainder of Kansas and almost half way across Colorado today. Tonight we will stay with Jani Malkiewicz and Robbyn Wacker at their home in Greeley.
Eastern Colorado is flat with no mountains.
About the only difference between western Kansas and eastern Colorado is: western Kansas is greener and prettier.
Typical Colorado farm.
Colorado also raises wind turbines.
So much for Denver being a mile high city (no mountains just a high plain desert). This exit is to the Denver International Airport. Jani M. gave us good directions to bypass Denver and save lots of time getting to Greeley. We did have to take another toll road. The toll gate on this road takes a picture of your license plate and you get a bill in the mail.
Thanks Jani and Robbyn for your hospitality. We had the best accommodations and steak dinner.
Jani took us to the campus of the University of Northern Colorado where Robbyn is the Provost (Senior Academic Administrator). We went to Robbyn's office and then to Gunter Hall of Health where Jani showed us her office. Jani also showed us where our good friend and her sister Judy used to work.
Gunter Hall of Health.
Tomorrow we will leave Greeley, drive to Estes Park, through Rocky Mountain National Park and spend the night in Steamboat Springs.
Leaving the Loveland area heading for Estes Park. Mountains (hills) are getting closer. Country is getting greener. We are leaving the flat, dry lands of Colorado as we approach the front range of the Colorado Rockies.
Heading west up the Big Thompson River, through the Thompson River Canyon.
The Big Thompson Canyon is 25 miles of twists and turns following the river.
Every wide spot big enough for a summer home has one.
Almost to Estes Park.
Estes Park from the parking lot of the Stanley Hotel.
The Stanley Hotel is a 140 room hotel located within sight of Rocky Mountain National Park (10 miles). It was built by Freelan Oscar Stanley who started the Stanley Steamer motor carriage company. It opened on July 4, 1909 and catered to the American upper class. The Stanley Hotel also hosted Stephen King and is called the Overlook Hotel in King's "The Shining."
The Stanley Hotel has been in several TV shows about the paranormal and they give tours of the areas that are supposed to be haunted. Shirley and I ate lunch in the cafe but didn't take any tours.
The Stanley Hotel is only 10 miles from Rocky Mountain National Park.
We traveled Trail Ridge Road through Rocky Mountain National Park. It was built in 1931 and covers the 48 miles between Estes Park on the east side and Grand Lake on the west. Eleven miles of the highway are at or near an elevation of 11,500 feet with its highest point at 12.183 feet.
The road is well above the timber line.
Rocky Mountain National Park
Entering Rocky Mountain National Park we were greeted by these natives
The road to the top winds up from the bottom left curves around the center and climbs out the center right.
Remains of last winters snow.
Near the summit is a gift shop hidden in one of the little gullys.
On top.
Looking back along the top of the Trail Ridge Road.
Looking back down the Park from the Rest Stop near the summit.
One of the greeters at the Rest Stop.
Leaving the Trail Ridge and going down to Grand Lake.
The town of Grand Lake, Colorado is situated on the shores of Grand Lake. It is the most extensive natural body of water in Colorado. The town sits at an elevation of 8369 feet and has a population of 447. The town was originally an outfitting supply point for the mining settlements of Lulu City, Teller City, and Gaskill. Today Grand Lake is the west entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park which surrounds the lake and the town on three sides.
Leaving Grand Lake we are following the mighty Colorado River. It isn't very big as it leaves the lake but it will drain most of western Colorado and New Mexico, southwestern Wyoming, eastern and southern Utah, southeastern Nevada and California and nearly all of Arizona. Shirley and I have been to the Grand Canyon on a previous road trip so we now have seen the beginning as well as almost the end of the mighty river.
The mighty Colorado River
It is approximately 90 miles from Grand Lake to Steam Boat Springs, our destination for tonight. With the mountains of the Rocky Mountain National park behind us, we head for the lower valleys. The mountains are not as high, but the fall colors were nice to look at.
Steamboat Springs from the parking lot of our hotel.
Steamboat Springs was a nice little town with a population of about 12,000. It is the home to natural hot springs that are located throughout the area. When early trappers came near the springs, they heard a chugging sound like a steamboat was coming down the river. When the trappers saw there was no steamboat, but the sound was coming from a hot spring, they named the spring Steamboat Springs.
Shirley and I spent several hours visiting the old part of the town (actually we were looking for the place that advertised on the internet to have jelato. Everyone told us that when we got to Steamboat Springs we had to try jelato (Italian Ice Cream). We found the place; but it had moved across town to a new location.
Anyway, we got to see part of Steamboat Springs and have some jelato. To tell you the truth, I think Schwan ice cream is just as good and not as expensive (no fancy name to pay for).
Tomorrow, we will leave for Riverton, Wyoming going through Craig, Colorado, and into Baggs, Wyoming. We will be back in the high mountain desert.
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