The Adventure: Days 7 – 10 (I Think!)
Time flies when you are on vacation time! We’ve seen much and have put 2800+ miles under our butts! I think this will go down as a “scouting” trip as there are places I passed that I really need to go back to…yes, need to!
I made it to Douglas Wyoming by gosh! I will have to say going through Wyoming is akin to going through Kansas. Mile after mile of field and rock. We have yet to see a buffalo! But we continue to say that the buffalo are disguised as cows, rocks and even the occasional tree…at one point I could have swore one was hiding out in an oil well costume! We’ve had to try to be creative, can’t you tell! It was a long drive across Wyoming. We finally made it to Colorado Springs, I believe, on Saturday.
My uncle Max has been a long time Colorado resident. He lived in Aurora for many years, in an apartment without modern conveniences like a phone. He always used the pay phone down the hall to make calls. When he retired he purchased his girlfriend’s brother’s property in Deer Trail, Colorado…he had to have utilities and when he went to connect his phone he was asked when he had a phone last…in the 1950’s when he lived in Illinois! Fast forward to the present…my uncle Max is 95 years old and his girlfriend Lela is 98. They live in assisted living apartments down the hall from one and other. I was able to spend time with uncle Max. He is still sharp as a tack mentally and so is Lela.
This is my favorite photo of uncle Max. He is smiling; I’ve never photographed him smiling!
While in Colorado Springs, my daughter and I went up to the Garden of the Gods and did a few senior photos. I did not feel well that day. Between the heat and the altitude I think they got the better of me. I always like going to the Garden of the Gods. I would like to visit it in late spring or fall when it is not so hot out.
Libby laying on top of a rock at Garden of the Gods
Monday was a travel day. I decided to go half way to Flagstaff Arizona, stopping in Cortez Colorado. We stopped in Alamosa County in Colorado and payed a visit to the Sand Dunes National Park. I am so glad I purchased a park pass…it has more than paid for itself!
Sand Dunes National Park in Alamosa County Colorado
This was the first mountainous area I traveled through pulling the camper. Traveling Rt 160 while very picturesque, I was not prepared for the 8000 feet in altitude and the ascent and descent that lasted 8 – 10 miles each way! What goes up must come down you know! I had to watch my temperature gauge as it crept up. I found if I lifted my foot off the gas it helped a great deal. It also made me nervous at times when the engine revved to over 5000 RPMs. I would back off again and still it did fine. I made it through the mountains…very carefully! I took it easy on my brakes too! My car has a “gear down” feature and all you do is push a button and it saves a great deal of braking! My one friend says I have a “jake brake” on my car. Whatever it is, it works very well!
We traveled on into Flagstaff today, stopping, of course at the Four Corners Monument.
I’m standing in four states at one time! 🙂
On our way to Flagstaff I saw a few interesting rock formations.
Along Rt 160 in Arizona
Another formation along Rt 160
For supper tonight I decided to use Yelp* to help me pick a place for dinner tonight. I chose the Crown Railroad Cafe. After circling the block a couple of times I figured I’d give it a try. The outside pretty plain except you see the nifty neon Restaurant sign on top of the building. The restaurant is attached to a Howard Johnson that is being remodeled and there are dumpsters in the parking lot. I figured what the heck! Yelp* gave it 4 1/2 stars. The place was very clean on the inside. Reminded me of Mel’s Diner on Alice. It had a model train circling the dinning room along the ceiling. The waitress recommended the burgers and what a treat! Loved it! I can hardly wait to try other local flavors while traveling the area and on the way home via Route 66!
If I was Guy Fieri I’d visit this place. A real Diner, Drive-in and Dive! Great Burgers!
Tomorrow is the Grand Canyon. I think I will travel there in the evening to catch the sunset. Such pretty colors I saw tonight!
Pam DeCamp Photography 