The snowy Rocky Mountains.
From Colorado to Montana trying to dodge the snow.
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Out West to Colorado to fantastic mountain scenery. |
After the flat plains of Kansas we could see the Rocky Mountains in the distance. At Rapid City we did some serious shopping at Napa-new batteries for the bus! Then we headed for Colorado Springs.
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This city has a huge army camp and the highways were busy.
We decided to go south to a campground in the hills. |
Then we went off exploring in the bus to the Royal Gorge.
We were not too sure what to expect when we saw this sign!
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First we took a ride on the aerial tramway that crosses the gorge.
From here the view down to the Arkansas river was awesome and we could see the suspension bridge that crosses the gorge.
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Looking down from the tramway we could see the train travelling through the gorge.
When the Union Pacific railway used this route the gorge became a tourist attraction and the bridge was built for no real purpose! |
The gorge is very narrow with steep sides.
In one place the railway line is built on a hanging bridge over the Arkansas river. |
Most of the attractions across the gorge were still closed but the museum showed lots of photos of the building of the suspension bridge and incline railway. The wild life park was home to wapiti, donkeys and a white buffalo.
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This is the view of the incline railway from the lookout.
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The railway goes straight down to the river, 1053 ft below. Notice the wooden water pipe that also goes through the gorge.
Along came a raft full of crazy folk paddling like mad! |
Allsorts of signs are on the bridge-
including one that forbids fishing-you would need a very long line!
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Next day we were due to travel up to Denver for an Off Road Expo. In the previous photos the sky is blue and the sun is shining.
But this is mountain country and the weather changes very quickly.
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This was the scene when we awoke next day!
Denver had 12 inches of snow and was cut off as the Interstate was closed! We stayed put and tried to keep warm!
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Next day the sun was shining again as we took the Worlds longest cog railway up Pikes Peak. The views on the way up were excellent-
until the snow banks blocked out everything! |
As there was too much snow at the 14,100ft summit we were not allowed off the train.
We could take photos of the flat state of Kansas in the far distance!
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On the way down the driver stopped at this wayside station for a comfort stop!
The journey took more than 3 hours-it is a long way to the top and back.
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We stayed in the lovely town of Manitou Springs and visited the old Native American cliff dwellings carved out of the soft sandstone.
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A great deal of work has been done at the site and it was nice to see a familiar design for a bread oven!
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Next stop was the Garden of the Gods where Jim had to use all his driving skills to negotiate the gap in the rocks!
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This landscape is full of fantastic rock formations and was given to the town by the Perkins family on condition that people could visit free of charge.
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These climbers were going up a cleft in the rocks. |
Dot took so many photos of the rocks we could fill this whole page!
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North to the Rocky Mountain National Park. |
Now we had to visit the mile high city of Denver.
The Interstate was open but all around the fields were white.
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On through the university town of Boulder where the trees were full of blossom.
Our destination was the resort town of Estes Park which nestles at 7000ft under the Rockies. |
You cannot get a better location for a campsite than this!
Elk Meadow.
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The Elk just wander anywhere-there was one outside the library grazing in the flower bed!
We watched a large herd grazing in one of the meadows up near Bear Lake.
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We just had to get out and enjoy all this glorious scenery!
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But some of the trails would prove too slippery even for us!
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The Old Fall River dirt road was still closed and does not open until late June
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Even some of the tarmac roads were still closed! |
Mammoths, Monuments and the Badlands. |
As we were in the wild west state of Wyoming Jim decided to put some fake bullet holes on the bus!
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In Guernsey we visited the hillside where the wheels of the wagons going along the Oregon trail have cut into the rock.
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There are similar ruts on an old Roman road in Wales and no one even bothers about them- certainly not an Historic Site! |
Now all the goods travel by the BNSF railway-
check out the items on these trains in the marshalling yard. |
At Hot Springs, South Dakota is a Mammoth excavation site.
Found by accident this is a truly awesome place with a very good explanation of why the animal remains are here.
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This privately funded archaeological dig gives visitors a chance to look at the mammoth bones lying in the pit where the animals died.
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Next stop was another huge undertaking at the Crazy Horse monument. Begun in 1949 by Korczak Ziolkowski his family now continue with the work which will not be finished for decades. This will be a much bigger carving than Mount Rushmore.
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The weather was awful, rain and low cloud prevented us from seeing the monument-
this is a model. |
After a day in Rapid City we went along to see the famous Wall drug store.
Lots of old photos on display and lots of stuff to buy-some tacky-some excellent. |
At last we reached the Badlands National Park and drove through this most unusual terrain.
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Coloured stripes, yellow mounds and unusual formations make a unique landscape
We were also surprised to find a Hymer motorhome parked-it belonged to a Swiss couple who were touring USA.
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This foal was just one hour old when we arrived at the Badlands ranch campsite.
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Dot needed some exercise and took to the sandy track!
Good job Jim knows how to mend punctures.
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This famous monument at Mount Rushmore is in a spectacular setting.
We got lucky and saw one of the white mountain goats.
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We felt privileged to meet Nick Clifford who had been one of the carvers working on the monument.
He explained how the monument was carved..
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The Black Hills, Deadwood and Devils Tower |
We were camped high up in the Black Hills national forest when the snow began to fall.
So we drove down into the valley to seek shelter in Deadwood.
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The town has been revived by allowing casinos to spring up everywhere.
Now the main street is just saloons and souvenir shops all claiming to be where someone was shot!
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It was a good thing we left the forest as the snow fell all night-
we were stuck in Deadwood! |
As soon as the roads were clear we set off back into Wyoming for a close encounter at the Devils Tower
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The Native American Indians still consider this to be a sacred site and hang prayer offerings on the trees.
We were surprised to learn that climbers are allowed on the tower.
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We walked the trail around the base of the tower and saw how this huge structure differed from the surrounding red bluffs.
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The Battle of the Little Big Horn. |
The site of 'Custers Last Stand' is now an historic site with a memorial to the 7th Cavalry.
This stone monument marks the grave of the horses who died at the battle.
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This is the lovely memorial to the fallen men of the Indian Tribes who also fought at this famous battle. |
These are just part of the inscriptions from the walls of the Memorial. Enough said. |
Our route has to go north into Montana to get to Yellowstone National Park.
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