The Arches were such a contrast to the Rocky Mountains with the desert-like backdrop. The scenery was stunning beyond words and we were so glad that we took the advice of Jay, a man we met and had a nice conversation with one night after dinner in Estes Park, who suggested we

make the effort to drive there. Jay said The Arches was one of the most beautiful places he's ever seen and he was right!

Thanks not only for the great advice, Jay - but for serving our country in Vietnam back when he was a young 19-year-old!

The best part about traveling is all of the nice people you meet!

Welcome to Utah ! The Arches National Park

We left Grand Junction, CO by 6:30 a.m. and thankfully, took the scenic route to Moab, Utah where The Arches National Park is located. We were thankful for the tip to take Rt. 128 off of I-70 and see some of the most spectacular sites.

Beautiful view at Colorado Monument Park, just outside of Grand Junction.

Day 4: Heading to Utah

Leaving Rocky Mountain by 6:30 a.m. we head out of the park by way of Mary's Lake Road and pick up I-70 from the back roads. To our surprise, we pass this beautiful stone church, Saint Malo which is where Pope John Paul II said Mass when he was in Denver in the early 1980s (I think?) It was too early to go inside and see, but the church was incredibly beautiful in the mountain setting on the road by itself.
We enjoyed a very scenic ride on I-70 and drove all the way across Colorado to Grand Junction, the last town before Utah. The ride went quickly and we enjoyed stopping along the way in Glenwood Springs at the well known hot springs pool. Although a bit too hot for "hot springs" (the temp was near 90), the natural minerals of the waters felt great after a week of hiking.
Another great find that wasn't mentioned in the tour books was the Colorado Monument Park in Grand Junction. We took a ride through the park at sunset and stopped several times to take pictures - it was like a mini Grand Canyon with stunning views.

On the way down...

OK, Maybe it wasn't so bad after all...

Coming down is sure easier after climbing to an elevation of

11,000 + feet. Once you are past timberline, higher than the trees, it's quite a different view.

Ahhh ... Feels So Good !

Nothing feels better than dipping your feet in the ice cold waters of the Rockies after an all-day hike !

Flattop Mountain: Not for the Weary !

Day 3 - Wednesday

As we're on the shuttle to Glacier Gorge, Art decideds to do a "mega" hike to Flattop Mountain... not for the weary! After 2 hours of hiking through very, very rocky terrain - all uphill until we reached the timberline, I decide to rename it the "Frustrated Trail" (or the Jagoff Trail in true Pittsburgh fashion)! Mainly because it was a very strenuous hike for anyone who is not a pro - the serious hikers left at 5 a.m. and were meeting us on the trail coming down when we were at the halfway point. Once we realized we still had 2 more hours to go and it was already near 1 p.m., we decided to turn around (thus the "thumbs down" in the photo.) I was very frustrated that we couldn't make it to the top but was told it was an accomplishment to get as far as we did !

Day Two: Hiking Bear Lake and Dream Lake

Pictures are worth a thousand words here... every scene is truly majestic. Each time you think you've got the most beautiful scene captured, another one is right around the corner. We spent Tuesday hiking the Bear Lake and Dream Lake trails. We used the Park n' Ride at the park which worked out perfectly and took the shuttle to the trails. Spent all day hiking and enjoying the beautiful scenery.

Day Two: He's Looking Right at Me !!!

Again, minutes into the park and we come face to face with an elk !

Right to the car window, he's looking right at me !

Here we are climbing the Alpine Summit at 12,000 ft.

Can you see me right behind Art... I'm wearing the skirt !

Let's Drive to the Alpine Center -What Were We Thinking ?!?!

So we arrive at our B&B in Estes Park, just outside the gate at Rocky Mt. early Monday morning.
We discover that there is no TV, cell phone signal or Internet - but that's just fine, in fact it was great. Before we even enter the park, our first wildlife sighting was a black bear - minutes into the ride!

We decide to take the Trail Ridge Road (about 17 miles?) to the Alpine Center of Rocky Mountain, the highest point you can travel by car at about 12,000 feet. What on earth were we thinking !!!! We had the constant exclamations of "Look... Don't Look" as we climbed the narrow road higher and higher, looking out over sheer cliffs into the Forest Canyon. I had to close my eyes several times and beg Art to hug the right of the road (mountain side) for fear that we'd fall off ! It was quite an accomplishment to reach the Alpine Center at the top (took about an hour to get there with the slow moving traffic and hair-pin turns). Art was feeling lightheaded due to the altitude, so I took a walk to the highest point while he stayed back. Felt like we drove to heaven!

The weather couldn't be scripted any better... 80 and "brilliant" sunny days, no humidity and cool nights about 45-50 with the mountain air rushing in as nature's air conditioning. A perfect way to start the week !

Are We in Albi or Denver?

Are we in Albi (France) or Denver?

After a long day of travel, airports and sitting in the last row of plane to Denver (not a good seat), we made it to Denver by mid-afternoon. Coming from the airport, Art wanted to show me where he lived on Lowry Air Force Base 30 years ago, only to discover that things have changed quite a bit. The AFB is no longer there but we drove by and got a glimpse of how the area has built up.



In Denver, we walked around 16th Street and found a great French Bistro called "Vendome" tucked away in a little cove off Larimer Street. Excellent meal, good wine and wonderful mango-pineapple-cheesecake crepes !!!!



The excitement is building for Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) in Estes Park tomorrow!

Ready to Go !

Ready to Go!

Follow our travel adventure to Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. We'll be staying at the Romantic River Song Bed & Breakfast, featured in the book

"A Thousand Places to See Before You Die."