Whew! What a fun vacation.
After the excitement with meeting Kevin Costner in Deadwood, South Dakota, we came home, caught up on sleep, and packed our bags for the vacation to Denver, Colorado.
The drive was long and not very eventful. We did drive through some beautiful scenery most of the time. The best view is heading into Denver and seeing the looming silhouettes of great mountains in the distance. It enthralled us as we rolled into town.
We stopped in the small Wyoming town of Newcastle and enjoyed an incredible meal at the Blue Moon cafe - highly recommended to anyone passing through town. All home made, fresh, healthy foods - sandwiches, soups, etc. I picked up an old fashioned coffee maker - the kind with a cord in the bottom and metal filter that you fill with coffee and water and wait for the top to percolate. Wee-haw (drinking some now in the hotel room as I write this).
We got settled in the hotel, and then made our plans.
The first day, we decided to drive to the highest point that automobiles can reach in the United States - the 14,000+ foot summit of Mount Evans. The ride took us west of Denver, through the small town of Idaho Springs, and onto the top of the Continental Divide.
As we drove towards the summit, we could see that we were headed towards cool temperatures - snow still remained on the summit. Click on any image for a larger view.
Indeed, our travels would take us high enough that we were looking down upon the clouds.
When we reached the top, we realized how thin the air can become at high altitudes. I was very impressed with the dozens of people who were biking and jogging up the mountain at an altitude of over two miles. I was dizzy just getting out of the truck and walking uphill for a few paces. However, the view was incredible - here is the vista looking East from the Continental Divide:
We travelled to a building that had been the nation's highest snack bar before a propane explosion almost flattened it. They now have an observation deck there. My daughter wasn't feeling well, either, but managed to smile for this picture:
I also framed my family in an old window from the structure:
On the way down, we stopped to admire the mountain goats that brave the high altitudes. It was summer, a balmy 47 degrees (compared to 70 degrees a mile lower), so they were in the process of shedding.
In addition to the moutain goats, we saw "whistle-pigs" or yellow-bellied marmalots that were too fast to photograph, and an elk with an impressive rack that was too far away.
We found this beautiful pool at the 14,000 foot altitude:
And snapped this reflection:
My wife and daughter stopped to pose on this rock, with a beautiful backdrop behind them looking out West:
We returned to Idaho Springs and walked up and down the main street, perusing the various shops. We stopped in so that I could pick up my favorite "treat" - a triple espresso. On the way, we found this beautiful flower shop:
Daddy also had to buy his girl a cute outfit he found in one of the shops, which she was more than happy to model at the coffee shop:
That's it for today's update!
Jeremy Likness
After the excitement with meeting Kevin Costner in Deadwood, South Dakota, we came home, caught up on sleep, and packed our bags for the vacation to Denver, Colorado.
The drive was long and not very eventful. We did drive through some beautiful scenery most of the time. The best view is heading into Denver and seeing the looming silhouettes of great mountains in the distance. It enthralled us as we rolled into town.
We stopped in the small Wyoming town of Newcastle and enjoyed an incredible meal at the Blue Moon cafe - highly recommended to anyone passing through town. All home made, fresh, healthy foods - sandwiches, soups, etc. I picked up an old fashioned coffee maker - the kind with a cord in the bottom and metal filter that you fill with coffee and water and wait for the top to percolate. Wee-haw (drinking some now in the hotel room as I write this).
We got settled in the hotel, and then made our plans.
The first day, we decided to drive to the highest point that automobiles can reach in the United States - the 14,000+ foot summit of Mount Evans. The ride took us west of Denver, through the small town of Idaho Springs, and onto the top of the Continental Divide.
As we drove towards the summit, we could see that we were headed towards cool temperatures - snow still remained on the summit. Click on any image for a larger view.
Indeed, our travels would take us high enough that we were looking down upon the clouds.
When we reached the top, we realized how thin the air can become at high altitudes. I was very impressed with the dozens of people who were biking and jogging up the mountain at an altitude of over two miles. I was dizzy just getting out of the truck and walking uphill for a few paces. However, the view was incredible - here is the vista looking East from the Continental Divide:
We travelled to a building that had been the nation's highest snack bar before a propane explosion almost flattened it. They now have an observation deck there. My daughter wasn't feeling well, either, but managed to smile for this picture:
I also framed my family in an old window from the structure:
On the way down, we stopped to admire the mountain goats that brave the high altitudes. It was summer, a balmy 47 degrees (compared to 70 degrees a mile lower), so they were in the process of shedding.
In addition to the moutain goats, we saw "whistle-pigs" or yellow-bellied marmalots that were too fast to photograph, and an elk with an impressive rack that was too far away.
We found this beautiful pool at the 14,000 foot altitude:
And snapped this reflection:
My wife and daughter stopped to pose on this rock, with a beautiful backdrop behind them looking out West:
We returned to Idaho Springs and walked up and down the main street, perusing the various shops. We stopped in so that I could pick up my favorite "treat" - a triple espresso. On the way, we found this beautiful flower shop:
Daddy also had to buy his girl a cute outfit he found in one of the shops, which she was more than happy to model at the coffee shop:
That's it for today's update!
Jeremy Likness
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