roadtrip across the usa Archives - Page 3 of 5

Day 206 – North to Jackson Hole – Part 3

Day 206 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

Granite Canyon Trail

With Sunday morning, came another hike in Grand Teton National Park. This time Max and I took the Granite Canyon Trail where we followed the Snake River, raging with whitewater, through meadows of wildflowers and forests of pines and aspens. I found the hike intriguing simply due to the different greenery found here compared to most mountainous areas. It feels unusual to pass by ferns beneath a pine tree.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

Day 205 – North to Jackson Hole, Part 2: Death Canyon Trail

Day 205 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

Death Canyon Trailhead

After coffee with Carrie this morning, Max and I headed into the park and took Steven’s suggestion to hike Death Canyon Trail in Grand Teton National Park. The first 1.5 miles of the trail led us through meadows of wildflowers with views of the Tetons to the west, across several narrow streams which required leaping ability, and up to a shaded overlook of beautiful Phelps Lake.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

Day 204 – North to Jackson Hole

Day 204 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

Logan Canyon

This morning I reversed yesterday’s drive through Logan Canyon, this time heading North to Jackson Hole. VANilla weaved along the Logan River beneath limestone cliffs where I made a handful of stops. Two stops were at campgrounds that my Reader’s Digest book suggested to see a slab of quartz tunneled by tiny seaworms and to see a Jardine Juniper that is believed to be over 1,500 years old. Both campgrounds were closed. I’m presuming the river was up too high.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

Day 202 – Rocky Mountain Ramble, Part 3: Georgetown to Keystone

Day 202 of Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

After stopping at the local bakery in Grand Lake for breakfast, I headed south toward Keystone where I planned to see Cat again for her July 4^th weekend BBQ. On the way, we passed through Tabernash and Winter Park and crossed the Continental Divide once more at Berthoud Pass.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

Day 200 – Rocky Mountain Ramble

Day 200 of Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

I went to bed with a deer outside my window and woke up to an elk just a few campsites away. He was enormous! Little did I know that at the visitors’ center situated just before the entrance of Rocky Mountain National Park, I’d find a whole herd of elk, including babies. What a way to start the morning!

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

Day 198 – Colorado Springs Loop – Part 3

Day 198 of Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

I met Mike last night while watching the Mavs win the NBA Finals! He was rooting for the Mavericks along with everyone else at the bar. Mike is from Colorado Springs and recently graduated from college. He and his friend operate a landscaping company. When he’s not working he likes to go dirt biking.

The Royal Gorge

This morning I drove south, through Fort Carson and then west through Canon City to the Royal Gorge. I had visited the gorge about 25 years ago, so I didn’t have a burning desire to go again especially since it has become more like an amusement park with a $25 entry. Visitors may walk on the bridge, but also take a variety of different rides.

Since I had only planned to stay about 30 minutes, I found a different option…a 3 mile, 30 minute scenic train ride. The train was like a kiddy ride at the carnival…small, open air, and didn’t go faster than 10 mph. The best part about the ride is dogs were allowed, so it seemed appropriate, though it didn’t appear that Petey enjoyed himself. While it was a perfect option for me, I think first time visitors should experience the real deal.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

Day 196 – Colorado Springs Loop

Day 196 of Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

We started our morning in Canon City. One of its first mayors, a poet, wanted to name the town Oreodelphia. The miners insisted they could neither spell nor pronounce it, and exclaimed, “The place is a canyon…it’s going to be called Canon City.” The Walk for Hope was taking place at a nearby park when we arrived. The event raises money for the Orchard of Hope which supports area cancer patients.

Petey and I took a brief stroll through the park on the way to a few geocaches. I probably only found about half of the caches I set out for today, but it was mostly due to muggles.I found one cache on the far end of the park where there wasn’t much activity, but another cache was placed alongside the track where the Walk for Hope was taking place. Given it had a three out of five ranking for difficulty and I was in the vicinity of 100 people, I had to skip it.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

Day 195 – Highway of Legends – Part 2

Day 195 of Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

From Monument Lake we climbed Cucharas Pass which tops off at 9,941 feet before descending into valleys of farmland situated beneath dramatic dikes. One dike looked like an incomplete jigsaw puzzle with jagged rocks resting on one another with spaces in between. On our way to La Veta, both directions of traffic were stopped due a car that had rolled into a pasture. I heard no one was seriously injured. By the looks of the SUV, I would have guessed differently. It was totaled with the roof crushed in and the tires turned sideways.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

Day 194 – Highway of Legends

Day 194 of Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

Sugarite Canyon State Park

Sugarite Canyon State Park is an interesting place as it encompasses the abandoned mining town of Sugarite which was established in 1912. Sugarite was one of seven towns in the Raton area built by the St. Louis, Rocky Mountain and Pacific Railroad. People from twenty different nations came to live in this coal camp. The camp included housing, a ball field, a school, a clubhouse, the company store, and a doctor’s office; not to mention the mines, related buildings, and a railroad.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

Day 185 – San Juan Skyway (Part 2)

Day 185 of Year Long Road Trip Following Scenic Byways in the USA

Animas Pass

We changed the pace a bit today and spent most of our time stopping at overlooks or wandering around old mining towns once I figured out Petey could hardly walk this morning. I planned a short hike, 0.6 mile, at Animas Overlook about five miles up the dirt road from our campground. The paved path led us along a nature trail to a view of snow capped mountains and the Animas River below. I had to coax Petey along and when I left the path in search of cache, he stood staring at me like I was crazy.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!