Rocky Mountain High

Wow! Heading out of Denver on Sunday morning was fantastic. The Rockies were in the skyline and we were going to be riding through them!! As we started up the mountains, we could see some of the peaks had snow on them. Fortunately we all had our warm gear on which had been uncomfortably hot while leaving Denver but now felt just right! The roads were in fairly rough shape. Some had been scraped and had grooves in them but we maintained our speed as we continued up the winding roads and through the numerous tunnels. The Continental Divide at Loveland Pass went by almost unnoticed as we tunneled below it! What a fabulous ride past the numerous ski resorts. BurgMa and BeamerPop decided that summers in Vail could be sweet!! In fact, why not a summer motorcycle shop and campground. There were lots of motorcycle riders on these roads. The Rockies are on the list of things to come back to. A fabulous ride was through Glenwood Canyon with the curving road and green trees and steep rock walls. The Colorado River ran alongside us and there were plenty of whitewater rafters and kayakers enjoying their ride as well.

























And then we left the Rockies and entered the heat of the desert in western Colorado and eastern Utah. Long straight roads with nothing to look at. The place is void of any vegetation. Sometimes we were the only people on the road. We stopped for lunch in a small town; our choices were the little counter at the tiniest grocery, or the dark pizza bar without windows.After pizza and several large glasses of liquid, we headed back out into the bright sun and convection oven heat. We wondered what the townspeople do for employment.


Then came the beauty of Utah, the large buttes in multicolors of dark red, grey, beige and white. They were so large they made us seem insignificant. The sun highlighted their rough edges and I felt as if we were riding in a dried up ocean bed. We were grateful for the small clouds that occasionally blocked the direct heat of the sun and allowed us to look more clearly at the magnificent rock structures we were riding through.



















As we got closer to our destination for the night (Richfield, UT) we gained altitude and the air became cooler. We checked into the hotel, walked down to the grocery and bought a light dinner to bring back to the room.


At some point in the night Czookie became ill with either a bug or severe dehydration. We are taking a rest day until she feels strong enough to continue. The extra day may not be a bad thing as a check on the weather in Barstow and southern california reveals flash flooding and mudslides.