| It’s a beautiful, crisp morning and I’m the only camper stirring. The Rocky Mountain National Park is just down the road. I get a new Golden Eagle Pass which grants me entrance to all the national parks through the next year for a one time $50.00 charge. The fee to get into this park is $15.00 alone. |
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This morning the altitude seems to be getting to me. I have bouts of dizziness and just don’t feel normal. I wish my red blood cells would start to reproduce more quickly. The park is magnificent. Early in the morning I’ve got the park to myself, or very close. I can stop anywhere or walk down a path without seeing more than one person. I do this a lot since the scenery is breathtaking and I’m sure that isn’t just the lack of oxygen. |
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| Several Elk are grazing along a lake while on the mountain behind them are big horn sheep. Apparently they were on the road yesterday which caused all kinds of traffic problems. I guess they learned their lesson today. Above the tree-line the moss and flowers are spectacular. Even in the Alpine zone, the temp is reasonable. This is heaven. |
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| I plan on making a big loop this morning and end up back in Estes Park. Foliage
changes with the altitude as I drop in and out of pine forests. Traffic is light
and the riding is enjoyable. Highway 40 takes me into Steamboat Springs and is
the last of the major ski areas I haven’t visited. Of course, I go by when they
are green, not white. Zoning in town is very strict which makes for a visually pleasant experience. Smaller town homes are in the 2 to 3 hundred thousand dollar range. Houses are “slightly” higher. I eat brunch on the patio of a restaurant surrounded by mountains. |
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| I have to backtrack east on US 40 to Highway 14 north. The road to Walden is more wide open than the other roads I’ve been on this morning and reminds me of parts of Arizona. In Walden I try to strike up a conversation with a couple of squids, but they are too cool to carry on a lengthy talk. Their sentences are composed of one syllable words. Oh well. |
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| On Highway 14 east there is a good deal of construction. The road will travel
behind the mountains I was on this morning and along a river. This is a
wonderful road as can be said for most any road in the mountains along a river.
A few drops of rain try to dampen my spirits. Instead they cool off a warm day.
Heading east it would be nice to avoid Boulder. The GPS shows County 19 is just
west of Boulder and proves to be a good choice. South to US 34 and more
construction. Once through the construction I power by traffic and have the road
to myself. This is a carbon copy of Hwy. 14 and is full of twisties. Before long
I’m back at the campsite. Tomorrow I’ll change my route and go through the Rocky Mountain National Park again. |
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