Day 17 - Larkspur, CO to Sidney, NE

On the road again . . . heading east in Colorado and then North into Nebraska

Returning to Nebraska

We got up early and thought we’d sneak out to beat the heat.  It’s just not supposed to be this hot in Colorado (or anywhere lately) but it is!  However, a few people were getting their coaches together for pictures and one of our coaches arrived late -- they’d had problems in Santa Fe and missed most of the rally.  

Before we left to head north, we’d convinced Sandy and Harry Day to join us in Nebraska for the night.  We had spent a memorable night at this same campground two years ago when Harry and Sandy rescued us in Laramie, WY.  The campground at Cabela’s is lovely -- clean, neat, and has 50 amp so we can have AC running!  

We had a long hot drive to Nebraska.  This heat wave is miserable.  Our coach’s AC that runs while we are driving isn’t working so it was hot-hot-hot on the drive.  

We arrived at Cabela’s, checked in and got set up for the night.  We then drove over to Dairy Queen, got ice cream and cooled off in their AC and then went to Cabela’s to pick up a few things.  

Gage enjoying the cool grass and a shade tree!

When we got back, we were surprised that the Days weren’t there yet.  They own an FMC but they full-time every summer in their elegant Country Coach motorhome (which means they are much less likely to breakdown!).  We got a phone call from them saying that Ed Marshall and his sister were joining them and that they’d had trouble with their FMC.  So, Harry Day to the rescue again.  

We had dinner with them at a nearby coffee shop and then retired - enjoying the cool of the evening.  It was nice to return to Cabela's -- a nice, clean park with good facilities!  

A nearly full Nebraska moon

Days 14-16 - FMC Rally, Larkspur, CO

Camping in Larkspur was wonderful and frustrating.  Our original destination for the rally was a lovely campground at Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs.  However, there was a huge fire nearby and camping there wasn't possible.  So, our Rally Host scrambled and found us spots at Jellystone Park -- 30 minutes north in Larkspur, CO.  

We were very grateful for the Jellystone folks for working to get us all in at the new park.  But, unfortunately, instead of being all together in one area, we were spread all over the park which was hilly and difficult to get around in.  Thankfully, they had a large pavilion area that we took over as ours. 

We still managed to tour each other’s coaches getting ideas for improvements in function and form as we went.  From engine compartments to interior design, we all have lots of opinions about how to improve these wonderful coaches.    

The men spent much of one day listening to one of our members, Louis Cruise, talk about what he knows about FMC’s and ways to modify them to make them run better.  

There was a board meeting as well as a general membership meeting one day.  Those jobs take some time!  

Every evening, we got together for drinks and food and more conversation!

At the end, some folks were disappointed to be asked to leave a day earlier than they'd planned.  The sites they had been given were full for that last night so we broke up the rally on a little bit of a sad note.  We stayed one more night and said goodbye to the folks that also stayed . . . as well as one poor guy who showed up that morning -- he'd had a breakdown in Santa Fe and missed the whole rally! 

Our Rally Host, Jim Evans, and his family -- they pulled this off despite the fire and its close proximity to their house!  Thankfully, they did not have any damage!  

We got the remaining coaches together for pictures on our last morning!

Day 13 - Estes Park, CO to Larkspur, CO

So, we are off to the FMC Rally.  This was the spur to get us out this far east.  We were supposed to go to Colorado Springs to the Garden of the Gods, horseback ride, go to the top of Pike’s Peak, and more.  However, there is a fire near Garden of the Gods so our plans changed.  

We are heading just north of Colorado Springs to the town of Larkspur, CO where we will be staying with Yogi and BooBoo at Jellystone Park.  Oh, I kid you not. 

We had a great drive out of the high mountains of Colorado.  We skirted by Denver and had lunch in Morrison, CO (home of the Red Rocks concert venue) at The Morrison Inn -- great mexican food and fantastic margaritas.  The Morrison Inn is owned by a friend of a friend.  We were hot and tired and it was so nice to have a refreshing, delicious break like that! 

As we skirted Denver, we stopped at IKEA Centennial.  We got a few things we needed for the FMC -- our silverware is IKEA so we got another set (we were missing 3 forks!) as well as two sets of solar-powered lights for the canopy.   I love IKEA!

IKEA!!!

Outside The Morrison Inn where we had lunch!

We arrived in Jellystone and were escorted to our “Presidential Suite” -- we were supposedly given the nicest site in the park.  Well, it had 50 amps of electricity so we could run our air conditioning but otherwise . . . It wasn’t the best site ever in my book!  

After we set up camp, we drove my car over to the Pavilion area and started chatting with folks -- reconnecting with old friends and connecting for the first time with new ones!  

We brought a brief thunderstorm with us!  Welcome rain in a fire-riddled state!

The "Presidential Suite" after the thunderstorm ripped our awning up and tossed it aside. My favorite part of this site is the sign that reads "Danger!  No Trespassing!"  

My new solar power IKEA twinkle lights glowing around the awning at bed time (Yes, the awning was salvagable -- only slightly damaged!)

Day 12 - Estes Park, CO (Rocky Mountain National Park)

Good morning, Robin.  Good day for a bike ride?

Greg needed to have a working day so the kids and I took off to go see a ranger program on Big Horn Sheep.  Two years ago, in Badlands, we were fortunate enough to see a Desert Big Horn along side the road in the park.  I made the mistake of saying to the kids, “You may never see another one of these . . . They are so hard to find!”  Not 10 minutes later, we saw one sitting alongside the road . . . They have never let me forget it.  The Desert Big Horns are easy to see at Zion, too.  They like to hang out at the eastern end of the tunnel.  

The Rocky Mountain Big Horns proved more elusive.  We didn’t see any but we did get to attend a great presentation by a ranger about them.  We learned a lot!  

After that, we hit another visitor’s center (RMNP is loaded with them!) and then went back to the FMC for lunch.  We pretty much veged the rest of the day -- napping and hanging out by the creek while poor Greg worked.  

The ranger talk on Rocky Mountain Big Horn Sheep was fascinating!

 At 4pm, we took a drive back into the park to see Bear Lake.  There is major construction on the road and you can’t drive in there until after 4pm.  Dealing with the construction was not fun but once we were past it . . . Wow, it was beautiful.  The goal was a small mountain lake with a great trail around it.  Gage ran that trail . . . Twice.  Ruth walked it . . . Once.  Greg and I sat in the sunshine and enjoyed the day. 

The kids walked around Bear Lake - well, Ruth walked.  Gage ran it -- twice.

Ruth walked and thought deep thoughts.

We imagined the conversation when something like "Hi Ruth!"  "Go away!" 

 On the way back down the mountain, Greg spotted a beaver dam so Gage and I got out to take pictures.  Well, as is the nature of the beast in national parks, one car stopping in the side of the road to take pictures must mean there is wildlife.  By the time, Gage and I were done looking at the dam . . . There were about 6 cars stopped, people getting out, and coming to look and see what we were excited about.  Gosh, given that it was me, it could have been a bird or a wildflower that I was stopping for . . . I’m sure many of them were disappointed.  

We headed back to camp to enjoy our last evening in Estes Park!

Technical Issues

Dear friends,

While I'd love to blame the delay in posts on technical issues, it's only part of the problem.  The other part is that we are having so much fun and seeing so many cool things and staying in some remote places with no internet so . . . I'm late with the blog!

Today (in realtime), we are in Glasgow, Montana and we're going to stay here an extra day so Greg can get caught up with some work so I'll try to get as many posts up as possible.

Also, I have *hopefully* solved the problem of the pictures not appearing on the blog so keep your fingers crossed that we don't see anymore "this photo is unavailable" nonsense!

Thanks for your patience!

Day 11: Estes Park, CO (HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO GREG!)

These cute mule deer boys strolled through our campground early our first morning!

Happy birthday to Greg!  After a yummy breakfast of pancakes and bacon, we headed off to RMNP.  We stopped at the visitor’s center to find out what was what and get our souveniers.  The kids are both collecting park pins for their hats, Liza is adding park stickers to her water bottles, and Greg is adding park magnets to the motorhome’s decor!  

Greg looked at the maps and decided on our day.  We took a drive through the park.  RMNP is a high altitude park and one of the oldest parks in the US.  There is a drive that takes you over 12,000 feet in altitude.  There is an additional part that is a dirt road that switchbacks up the mountain.  At the top, there is a visitor’s center.  We stopped a little short of it and took a walk.  Walking at 11,000+ feet is pretty intense.  There is a distinct lack of oxygen.  We all felt it . . . Well, except Gage who hiked farther than the rest of us and ran part of the way back.  
dddd

A beautiful drive to 12,000 feet on a dirt, switchback road!

A very popular drive . . . there were so many cars!

Glorious!

Not sure what to make of these snowpoles

We stopped here to take a walk

Approaching the visitor's center at 12,000 feet

Lunch at 12,000 feet!

We had lunch up at the visitor’s center -- which had surprisingly good food.  And, then continued on our drive.  The road goes up a little bit more to 12,200ish and then goes down and down and down.  We saw two groups of Elk -- one of them was lounging in a meadow near the road and the other group was crossing the road.  Lots of cars were stopped taking pictures and one woman leaped from her car and ran towards the elk.  She stopped and looked back at Greg and I (I was sitting on the window of the car, taking pictures) and said, “You don’t think they’ll charge me, do you?”  We said, “You shouldn’t take that chance.”  She backed off and took her pictures from a distance.  Another reminder that many people don’t get that national parks are wild places -- you are responsible for your own safety, people.  It’s not Disneyland and it’s not a zoo!

This is a DON'T picture -- don't run at wild animals to take their picture.  It's a bad idea!

Just chillin' at 12,000 feet

Luckily, these guys were too cool to charge silly tourists!

Again, not feeling these snowpoles!  

What a view!

12 years old at 12,000 feet!

Highest we've been yet!

As you can see from the pictures, the drive was fantastic.  These mountains are truly impressive.  We were tired from the time spent at high altitude and came back to camp and had our afternoon, kicking back with drinks by the creek . . . Oh, and naps!  We were treated to several elk coming to snack on the willows across the creek from us.  We had a great dinner for Greg’s birthday.  Pretty great way to spend the day!

Across the creek from our campsite.  We also saw a male Elk, two female Elk and a baby!  Oh, and a black-tailed weasel!  At our campsite!

Day 10: Vail, CO to Estes Park, CO

We packed up quickly and hit the road early.  The lure of Rocky Mountain National Park was calling us.  It was a short driving day but we had some intense passes to climb.  Right out of Vail is a big one and then an even larger one follows.  We unhitched my car and I drove separately (right into town to get some coffee!).  I figured I’d catch up with them on the road since I can do the passes at speed and even unhitched, the FMC has to do the passes slowly.  Our first stop for the day was Central City, CO which Greg remembers fondly from visiting as a young teen on a family camping trip.  Well, the FMC did so well on the passes that I didn’t catch up to them until we were nearly at the turn for Central City!  The passes were well graded and it was early so the air temperature was low.  At any rate, no problem.  We zipped up them.  

Central City was a disappointment to Greg.  Rather than the fun family tourist town he remembers with mine tours and gunfighters, it has turned into a casino town.  We parked and walked around -- it was 10:30 am.  Nothing was open and the whole town was just one big casino.  The good news was that it was in good repair.  Everything looked great.  Some of the buildings are empty but it still seemed to be doing well.  We found an ice cream shop and had a cone and went on our way, feeling a little sad about how things change.  

We stayed unhitched as Colorado roads are windy and climb and drop without much warning.  We decided to take byways to Estes Park instead of going by freeway.  We stumbled across a really cute little town called Nederland, CO.  It was having an art festival and is very charming anyway.  We parked right near a smokehouse/brewery where we had lunch (yum!) and then we walked through the art festival.  Nederland is home to Nedfest (nedfest.com), an annual bluegrass, jazz, and ??? Festival.  It’s a fun, hippy, kickback kind of town.  We loved it.  So, our kids will have memories of how fun Nederland was on their family camping trip to Colorado in their early teens!  

After lunch, we continued on our way and zipped up and down a few more mountains -- along the path of a bicycle race (a century!) -- which added a new challenge for Greg:  finding a place to pull over to let faster cars go by without messing up a bicycle rider’s climb or descent.  It kept life interesting!  

We arrived in Estes Park, eager to set up camp and spend the rest of the afternoon snoozing in front of the creek with a drink in our hands.  Our campsite is right on the water and we’d been anticipating this afternoon for days! 

Oops.  The best laid plans of mice and men . . . 

When we drive unhitched, we have family band radios so that we can communicate easily and safely.  As we got into town and were navigating the directions to our campground, we started picking up chatter from some other campers heading for an RV park saying how they couldn’t get there and the road was closed and what’s all that smoke and . . . Well, it was true for us as well.  At our turn toward RMNP and the campground, we had to go straight.  The road was closed.  Helicopters were flying overhead, getting water and dumping it on the fire.  We found a spot to turn around and I called the campground.  Yup.  Road closed.  Fire near them.  They were evacuated.  

One of two helicopters sucking water out of nearby lakes to help put out the fire near Estes Park

But, it wasn’t as bad as it seemed.  The wind was blowing the other direction and there was an indication that maybe the road would be reopened later in the day.  So, we turned back and did our Miller thing . . . Make the best of it.  Our afternoon would not include sitting by the creek with our feet up, sipping drinks.  No problem.  We ran a couple of errands and then went to see a movie -- Brave, (Which we thoroughly enjoyed!).  And, finally, when we tried the road again and got farther this time but still not far enough, we went to the Estes Park Family Fun City and the kids and Greg rode go-karts, did giant slides, and played miniature golf.  

And, finally we were able to go our campground.  An inconvenience for us but 22 homes were destroyed by this fire.  The firefighters got it under control quickly and kept it from being a huge disaster -- it was literally at the gate to Rocky Mountain National Park and on the edge of the city of Estes Park.  The whole time we were watching them deal with this little fire, we could see the smoke from the big Ft Collins fire to the North, looming over the mountains.  Yes, it could have been much worse. 


(Sorry for the lack of pictures . . . . sometimes driving days are like that!)