Square Dancing RV'rs: September 2006

Royal Gorge, Colorado

Arkansas river runs through it

Royal Gorge Suspension bridge

World's highest suspension bridge at 1053 feet

Royal Gorge, Colorado

Pikes Peak highway and views

Very curvy road to top of Pikes Peak.

America the Beautiful

Kathleen Bates penned this song after getting to the top of Pikes Peak. This sign is at the top of the mountain

Royal Gorge, Colorado

Today, Friday, September 29th, we left Colorado Springs and headed southwest to a place called the Royal Gorge. We will be going to the Gorge this afternoon. So more on that in the next post.

We enjoyed our week at the Airforce Academy family camp in Colorado Springs. Wednesday we went to a town called Cripple Creek - one of the oldest towns in the United States to have electricity. We drove to the top of Pikes Peak that same day - 19 miles one way to the top. It was about 31 degrees and trying to snow when we reached the top. There are some pretty awesome views from the top and along the way. We didn't go on the day (weather wise) that was the nicest. We tried to go on Sunday and the road was only open 13 miles. We called every day and finally made it up there on Wednesday.

We have had some really glorious fall weather here in Colorado and are thourghly enjoying this state. It's about 70 degrees today. In checking the upcoming weather it looks like it will turn colder and rainy.

We made it, Connie driving, up to the top! And freezing cold!!! Thus the smiles!!!!

See our friends blog

Our friends, Sue and Richard, have a blog at http://rvodyssey.blogspot.com

Sue has posted many pictures from our time at the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone, plus written a funny story we heard about a bear from the guide on a boat tour that we took on Jackson Lake.

Colorado Springs, Colorado

After leaving Rocky Mountain National Park on Wednesday, we headed south to Golden Gate Canyon state park which is about 30 miles west of Bolder, Colorado. We traveled south from Estes Park to this state park where we spent 2 nights. We took a hike on Thursday morning. It was nippy out - so we wore our warm coats and gloves. In the afternoon it started snowing and when we woke up Friday, the ground was covered, but fortunately not the roads. We drove south to Colorado Springs A.F. Academy RV park on Friday. It was raining/snowing when we arrived about noon at the base.

We rented some DVD's to while away the time while the weather was so nasty. Also, did a little shopping at the commisary and BX.

Today, Sunday, we were going to drive up Pike's Peak. Unfortunately, the road was only open 13 of the 19 miles. So, we decided to postpone our trip up the mountain. We went the Garden of the Gods - a park owned and operated by the City of Colorado Springs. It was a really nice fall day. Beautiful views of Pikes Peak and the amazing rocks. We then visited Old Colorado City where we had lunch. All in all a very great day.

Alberta Falls

Rocky Mountain National Park

Nymph Lake

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Our new truck

Picture taken in the Grand Tetons - you can see a little snow on the truck

Rocky Mountain National Park

Elk in the campground at Rocky Mountain Park

Elk in Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Sunday we left the Grand Tetons National Park and headed towards Colorado. We drove over a snowy pass (and the Continental Divide) and spent the night in Rawlins, Wyoming. From there we drove to Rocky Mountain National Park just east of Estes Park, Colorado. We spent two nights in the campground inside the park.

While there we did some hiking and driving around – it was beautiful – fresh snow on the mountain tops. It is so different from Washington state. In Washington if a mountain is 14,000 feet high it has snow on it year around. But because Colorado is a lot more arid almost all of the snow melts off the mountains during the summer. We saw lots of elk. They were everywhere. It's the mating season so lots of bugling by the male elk.

We also had a little adventure with our cat, Buddy. Every morning Buddy lays in wait by the slider door that separates the bedroom from the living room. As soon as the slider is opened he runs into the bedroom and jumps on the bed. He usually stays there for 10 – 15 minutes getting a long petting and chin scratch. This did not happen on Tuesday morning. Nope – Buddy was by the recliner and wouldn’t move. We thought he was playing with a ping pong ball that had gotten under the chair. He kept sticking his paw under the chair and trying to get something out. So, Connie got down on the floor and looked under the chair and saw a mouse!! No wonder it had Buddy’s attention. So, Bob got out of bed and we started trying to get the mouse. We tipped the chair over and it ran under the next recliner. We tipped over that chair and it ran behind the couch. We opened up the hide-a-bed and it ran to the corner. All this time we’re trying to help Buddy catch the mouse. It ran behind his cat box and we moved the cat box. Buddy tried to get it but it ran back under the recliner!! At this point, Bob went and got a mouse trap and loaded it with peanut butter. We headed out for a drive through the park and came back about 4 hours later. No mouse in the trap and Buddy still laying in wait by the recliner. So, we got smarter. We put towels down in front of the couch so that the mouse couldn’t run under there. We tipped over the first recliner and out ran the mouse to under the 2nd recliner. We tipped over the 2nd recliner and he ran behind a container we have in the corner. We moved the container and he started for the couch again. Bob stomped on the mouse and that was the end that mouse. But, at least Buddy let us know there was a mouse in the trailer.

Today, Wednesday, we drove south to just east of Bolder, Colorado to a state park where we're staying for 2 nights. We're then headed to Colorado Springs to stay at the RV park in the Air Force Academy.

Jackson, Wyoming

Antler horns at town square

Grand Tetons

Fresh snow on the mountains

Rawlins, Wyoming

We arrived in the Grand Tetons in Wyoming on Wednesday afternoon. The weather in Yellowstone was perfect, but the Grand Teton weather wasn't the best. It turned rainy and cold on Thursday and by Saturday it was snowing and hailing.

We spent the last week with Sue and Richard. We went to Alaska with them in 2005 and spent a month with them in Florida last December. Today, Sunday, we left them after having spent 8 days together. They were headed to Salt Lake city and we headed east to Rawlins, Wyoming. Tomorrow, Monday, we should arrive in Estes Park, Colorado. Hopefully, the weather will be warmer tomorrow. It's windy and very cold here in Rawlins. We had to drive over a snowy pass at 9600 feet today. Fun trip. But we made it safely. Bob was happy to have a new truck to tow the fifth wheel. We have a 2007 Chevy 4 wheel drive dually 1 ton diesel with a 6 speed Allison transmission. That should be tecky enough for any guys reading this blog!