Colorado National Monument

Sept 19, 2011

Today, we left Dinosaur National Monument.  We came with few expectations and leave with a sense of awe and inspiration.

We traveled South along a State Scenic Byway, going over Douglas Pass at 8,200 feet.  I don't think we've been below 5,000 feet for over 2 weeks.

View from Douglas Pass of the road we will travel

Soon we were approaching Colorado National Monument.  I had never heard of it until I started looking at the maps and keeping our goal to visit as many State and National Parks as we could.  And now National Monuments were added to the list due to our recent stop at the Dinosaur National Monument.

And once again, we've been totally, and happily surprised.  This is spectacular (I sure use that word a lot). 

When we reached the entrance, I asked the ranger how far it was to the campground.  Her answer was the first clue.  "It's about 4 miles up the road.  Don't worry about the tunnels, they're 16 feet high in the center.  And the road has a few switchbacks."

Wow! was her last sentence an understatement!  This made the trip over Trail Ridge Road in the Rocky Mountain National Park look simple.  It was the most awesome 4 miles I have ever driven.  No picture could ever capture the sheer drop offs only inches (maybe a foot) from the side of the road.  I don't have any idea how many switchbacks there are, but it was a lot. 

And the scenery was once again beyond any imagined. 

We are in Saddlehorn Campground - 4 miles and a lifetime away from civilization.

The canyons and the beauty, again, cannot be described. 




After we set up the RV in a site, I took a short walk down the road to get my nerves and senses readjusted.  I saw a car with an NC Realtors license plate on it and the name "Vonnie".  It could not be - but it was.  I went around the camper and ran into the past.

Two people that we had known when we lived in Haywood County, NC were camping only four sites from us.  Ron Huelster and Vonnie DeAngelo from Waynesville, NC.  Ron had been the Downtown Waynesville Revitalization Director and Vonnie was a Realtor when we lived there from 1992 to 1995.

I think we were all shocked beyond words for a while. After getting over the shock, we invited them to our RV for reacquaintance and remembrances of a great time in our lives.

Tues, Sept 20, 2011

This morning, Clara and I hiked a couple of miles along the rim of the canyon near the campground.  Then I took a nice long hike and a long bike ride.

Sitting is awe!

The next step is a big one!

The Motorhome started feeling mighty big

It's a long way down!

An incredible view

The geologists say that these mountains were once under 2,000 feet of water, thus creating the layers of rock from deposits on the bottom of the ocean. 



Ron and Vonnie and their Scamp, in which they travel extensively - and happily!

This evening, we went to Ron and Vonnie's site, had drinks and talked about all manner of things.  It sure was great running into them out here in the wilderness. 


Tomorrow we are off to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.  I really don't know what to expect.