The RV-Junke's

Saturday, July 6, 2013

2013 West Coast Adventure, Day 05 - 06


 
Day 5 & 6 July 4th & 5th , 2013:

Good evening from Grand Island Nebraska…that’s right we are going backwards!  Well that’s after a quick trip to Colorado and a LONG day through Rock Mountain National Park (RMNP).

To step back a day…July 4th we headed out of Sidney, to go to RMNP.  It was a short 200 mile drive, and the plan was to layover in Arora Colorado to go watch a firework show, then head into RMNP on the 5th.  Somehow the plans changed and after we arrived at a VERY crazy town, we decided to head into the park and layover on the opposite side and then come back into the park the opposite direction on the 5th.  However, that changed again and now we are back in Nebraska some 500miles later…so for those that are counting that’s about 2,500 miles in 6 days, with lots of stops and sightseeing...

So now back to the trip…As many know that have been following us we have been to dozens of NP’s, and have climbed thousands of feet into some serious mountains, and the early signs of RMNP this would be no different.  We were not disappointed!  This park is absolutely one if not my favorite park we have been to.  It is really a combination of Yosemite, and Glacier.  The biggest difference is you are at 12k feet, which is about as high as we have ever been, and man do you feel it!  The roads at this park were not white knuckle at all, and in all earnest were great and easy to drive which allowed me to focus on the scenery and not keeping the family alive like in some other parks.  The combination of plains, mountains, lakes, forests, is absolutely breathtaking!  The photos cannot do this park justice.  The weather when we entered the park was 85 deg and overcast…throughout the 60 mile journey the temperature went to 55 deg, and in some of the higher elevations the rain was teeming.  However the rain and clouds gave the mountain climb an awesome feel and look.  To digress a moment I need to get personal…As usual, Michael and I were like little school boys oohing and aahing at every turn and climb.  Patty was nervous of the heights, and Nicholas was this looks like all other NP’s what’s the big deal…What was clear yesterday after the 5 day sprint across the USA, is NONE of us are in sync…Michael wants to do 40 days’ worth of hikes, and sightseeing 10 days drive away, and do it all in 5 days…Nicholas is done with our trips 100 feet away from our house so anything longer than that is too long, and Patty thinks we are going too fast….so for me trying to balance this is the best part of the trips, especially this year which is the most compressed…how do we all have fun!?  Not sure the real answer except, somehow, we just do and this year is no different.  The family stays together and jokes most of the day, and being together in close courters is really the best part for me.  Sorry for the rambling, but a lot of great stuff has happened the past 48 hours, and looking back at these blogs is priceless for me.  These blogs started as a means to inform family of where we are, but has turned into a living diary for me to reflect…and share with all that care to follow.  So if these blogs seem corny, and personal, they are…because they are the ramblings of middle aged dad!

Ok back to the park.  The altimeter I got several years ago caps at 12,000 feet, and it was weird to see it stop at the 12 mark.  To see lakes at this height, glaciers still with snow, clouds that you are in the middle of is just breathtaking, and I hope one day everyone I know gets the opportunity and are blessed like we have been to see and witness these sites and sounds!

Now if you were doing any math by now you would have calculated we are about 280miles into the day, and going through the park is a 4hr ordeal…so when we were exiting the park at 6,000 feet elevation it was 7:30 pm.  Now this is where the day went South REALLY fast!  Patty found a Walmart for us to layover about 40 miles away, so on the map, Rt. 40, and Rt. 70 on the back end of the park looked on the map straight…Oh how wrong was the map and our assumptions.  Rt. 40, turned out to be another 12,000 foot climb on narrower roads and faster grades, oh yes and in addition NO LIGHTS…absolutely treacherous and after the 10 hr. drive I was beyond tired and I was shocked I found us on a white knuckle road.  Going up the 12,000 feet was bad, but coming down was by far the craziest road we have been on in a LONG time.  Just speechless how crazy it was in the pitch black in 43’ bus and being tired…When we saw Rt. 70 we were very relieved, until we started driving on it and realized it was just as bad…all under construction, winding through a valley, and by passing tunnels.  Truthfully it is a blessing we got to Walmart safe, which thank God we did all in one piece.  As I reflected on the night, albeit we have had our share of issues with this MH, in the end this machine is a God send and a beast when it comes to what I through at it…an engineering marvel as far as I am concerned!

After a nice night in the parking lot of Walmart Patty and I strolled over to McDonalds for some coffee and breakfast.  While we there, a bus of Army Soldiers came in.  There were about 70 of them in fatigues / fully in uniform.  Two things became apparent, I am PROUD to be an American, and when I am near Military men and women, I am thoroughly HUMBLED…their presence, manners, and just being is really amazing.  The utter stark contrast between them and civilians is really awesome. 

After breakfast we headed north to Ft. Collins for a tour of Anheuser Bush.  We really wanted to see the Clydesdales but found out they were on tour.  However, it was a really informative tour and the beer tasting at the end was fun!  What I found the most interesting is just all the company does for the community and environment.  I did not realize this, but they are the biggest supplier of canned water to disaster hit areas.  They are still supply Sandy relief victim’s supplies.  Very cool.  After the tour and a short drive we stopped at a Chili’s for dinner then settled in for the remainder of the trip for today…and after over 500 miles of driving, we are settled at a KOA.  Not sure what the next few days will look like, but I am assuming we will be back home by Tuesday / Wednesday (CC…J), all is dependent on getting the re-repair fixed in Moscow Iowa on Monday.

Really not sure what the next few days will bring, but I know we will make big things out of little events, and do a lot of laughing along the way.  So until the next blog, please have a Blessed Day!

DAY 6 PHOTOS:
 

As close as I came to a Clydesdale on this trip

 
Didnt realize they had this many beers
 
In a totally PRO Obama state, this guy cannot be loved by his neighbors....

Big expansive storms in Nebraska....
 
DAY 5 PHOTOS:
 


Wicked valley we drove through

 



No one told us about the 3 mile DIRT road!!!!!!








 


Really?

The winding road to 12,000 feet




Contrasting skyline was fantastic






This view was from 11,700 feet



The medows and mountains are beautiful...truthfully Gods country!

If you look close or open this image you will see a lake in the lower left corner

Mini Glaciers and lakes everywhere.  

Biggest Rainbow we have ever seen

Truly a Blessed day beyond words!

1 comment:

  1. Keep having fun guys,,,,,Steve B Florence Co


    Go OBUMA

    ReplyDelete