I debated on whether to document my recent trip to Colorado and Wyoming because, like my photographs of the areas we visited, I don’t feel I can do it justice. I have taken a stab at it.
Day one began as uneventful. Got up at 5:45 am, took a shower, loaded the rest of my stuff into my suitcase, and had breakfast. Said goodbye to my son and dog, put the suitcases in the car and off we headed to the airport.
Check in at the airport, TSA, wait and then board the plane for 2.5 hour flight to Denver. Uncomfortable seats for my gigantic body depart, a long walk to baggage claim. Walk to the car rental bus. Wait again while listening to a man who noticed my Lanesville t-shirt and telling me how you will never sweat here. “You sweat and it dries on your skin immediately.” He does not know me, and I proved him wrong. Finally took a 10-minute ride only to stand in line again before receiving keys to our rental car.
Place luggage in the back of a dark gray Chrysler 300S, bang my head climbing in because previous occupant must have been under 5 foot tall, adjust the seat, enter destination in the NAV and off we go.
As we headed the 96 minute drive towards Estes Park, Colorado, my body reacted in two ways. First, I developed a nagging headache (more on that later), and I could smell. Living in one of the worst areas for allergies, I rarely can smell things unless the odor is powerful. This is always one thing I notice when I leave my area. Finally, breathing was a bit of a struggle.
Leaving Pena Blvd, moving onto highway 70, then 270 and finally 36, the topography was certainly different from I was used to at home. The roads slowly revealed the Rocky Mountains in the distance, and the landscape, though colorful, displayed more reds, browns, oranges and tans than back home in Indiana.
We stopped for lunch at a Chick-Fil-A and soon arrived in Estes Park. The small town is a tourist town within minutes of Rocky Mountain National Park. We stopped at our hotel (too early to check in) and drove over to The Stanley Hotel. Those unfamiliar with this was the hotel Stephen King stayed in that inspired him to write The Shining.
Our tour of “The Stanley” began at 2:00Pm and lasted about 90 minutes. We learned the history of the hotel, what famous people stayed there, who built it and why, and of course Stephen King. I took a handful of pictures. Including the one above. Then we headed back to our hotel, checked in and headed to dinner at Smokin’ Dave’s BBQ & Tap house.
After a long day of travel, I found my first geocache in Colorado, then we turned in for the night. Two hours behind my normal internal clock already began influencing me.
Until next time,
Tim (Kilmer)
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