Arriving in Colorado

Because we decided against going to Yellowstone, we arrived at Cheyenne too early to go to the rodeo. So we settled for washing clothes and resting up. As we left Cheyenne, it was warm and very windy.

Shortly after crossing into Colorado, we went to their Welcome center. We asked for suggestions and very helpful women suggested a drive to a place called Estes Park. It’s not a park but the name of a small city about fifteen miles into the Rockies. Following her suggestion, we left the interstate and drove toward the Rockies. The road traveled along a river and both were bounded by magnificently steep and high rock cliffs It was a wonderful site and a good drive.

We had a scenic lunch in Estes. The wind was still brisk and whipping up whitecaps in the reservoir below the restaurant. Above was a backdrop of snow-capped mountains rising above the tree line—a majestic site. The snow tricked us into thinking cold but it was still warm.

The drive back was south through Bolder rejoining the interstate at Denver. The mountainous scenery on the way down from Estes presented new colors and shapes at each curve. You just can’t beat the scenery here. As the road emerged from the Rockies, it turned south and for a while and we drove with the prairie to our left and the Rockies to our right. What a contrast.

The Denver metroplex is enormous. It started way out in Bolder and continued past Parker, just on the other side of Denver. We got to Bolder about one thirty and I thought it would be an easy drive well ahead of rush hour. That wasn’t to be the case. The traffic was dense and fast the whole way. It hardly gave us time to enjoy the Denver skyline. This is a very busy and densely populated area.

The drive became easier south of Parker but then became frenzied again as we got close to Colorado Springs. We’ll be staying in Colorado Springs tonight.