We started out mid-September with Doug, Jan,
Marci, and Bruce to connect up with
Mel and Gary in Filer then we were on our way to
Colorado Springs
Some shots down thru Idaho and into Utah
Lots of trains
and some windmills too
The sunrises were spectacular our first morning
in Colorado Springs
Beautiful campground
We took the new Gog train to the top of
Pikes Peak, 14,110 ft.
Beautiful new visitor center
Colorado Springs from the top of the mountain
Oh yes...masks were required
Another sunrise. The park had a lot of trails to walk
so we got up at sunrise and did a few of their loops
We could have camp fires at the Cheyenne State Park
Campground. Walt's Navy buddy, Pat, brought wood out
and we stoked it up!! Only place on the whole trip we could
have campfires, hence, Smore's
Pat and Nancy live in Colorado Springs
Doug's motor home had a few issues this trip
After sightseeing the guys had some repair work
to do. But they got it all done before we left
Garden of the Gods
A free state park
Sunrise
with wildlife
We broke camp and headed to Alamosa, CO
for a couple nights so we could see
The Great Sand Dunes Nat'l Park
see it over there at the foothills?
closer
All this sand in the foreground is covered in
water in the spring
We all hiked up the dunes
People were sledding down them
But then you'd just have to climb back
up...that's crazy
even Ruger got to climb
Marci and I walked on up to the vortexes
On to Durango and some Fall colors
The campground was pretty even tho the sites
were kind of uneven (not these the ones back
in the trees)
Jan and Doug took the 4 hours train ride to Silverton
the others decided to drive the hour and a half
it was beautiful whichever route you took
Lots of aspen turning to yellow
Silverton, CO
We sailed thru Silverton to get up to Ouray, CO
on the Million Dollar Highway
Ouray is an old mining town that has never burned down
also known as the "Switzerland of America" being
surrounded by mountains on three and a half sides
Ouray, CO
Known for hot springs too
and waterfalls. This was probably
spectacular in the spring if you could
get up to it.
Ouray Hospital was turned into a museum
We spent some time walking thru
This would have been interesting, yikes
We were there on a weekend and there were all these
McLaren cars in town. Might have been a car show
happening at some point
We walked up to Box Canyon Waterfall on our way
out of town
Not a great view of it this time of year and then
there was the fact that you would have to
walk thru water to see the falls properly
An old mine rail that looped around and
went back into the tunnel
The trip back to Durango was just as pretty
On the way up to Ouray Walt and I saw two moose
way off at the base of these trees. They were gone
when we came back down
Stopped in Silverton on the way back. This is the
train depot where Jan and Doug got off
Our campground covered by beautiful
old trees
We were lucky enough to have all our meals
in Colorado and Utah outside
The La Sal Mountain range on the way into Moab
On our way home we made a stop in Moab to
have smoked turkey dinner at Vic and Cecil's house.
It was yummy!! Thank You
The backdrop to our campground in Moab
Different colors in Northern Utah
But the windmills were the same
A Sunset this time
and to Filer
A great trip it was fun!!
