Sept 22-29: Colorado (again!)

As we ventured on to see new things, we were in a bit of a hurry because we needed to get south before the snow arrived and we had plans to meet up with Melissa and Hannah near Denver, CO. The distance from Mount Rushmore, SD to Denver was more than we wanted to do in one day so we broke it up into two days and spent a restful night in Wheatland, WY right off the highway. We were very fortunate that we left the morning we did, as the wind moved in and they closed the highway to trucks and rv’s just hours after we passed through.

A small RV project became a priority as soon as we landed in Loveland, CO. Our bumpy passage loosened the pipes and we ended up with a leaky kitchen sink. Even though it took two trips to Home Depot, it was a much easier fix than many of our boat projects with our supplies and parts so easy to get.

Melissa flew out for a quick three night visit with Hannah, who now lives in Broomfield, CO and to see us of course. We found some fun things to do around the area, starting with a local craft fair.

We enjoyed a yummy dinner with an awesome view at Stem Cidery in Broomfield.

The next day we ventured into the mountains to Estes Park. The famous Stanley Hotel is located here. It is here that Stephen King is said to have gotten the inspiration for the book, The Shining, while staying in room 217. We took a guided tour of the haunted hotel.

Mel got to spend some time doing RV life us. Addie and the dogs enjoyed a few nights on the couch. It was a fantastic visit with Mel and Hannah, that went way to fast.

On our last day in the area, the weather was too amazing not to get outside. Within a mile of the campground was this really neat hiking spot, Devil’s Backbone. The dogs had a great time checking it out with us.

We saw another first while here, a truly western sight. God’s Country Cowboy Church with a horse corral in the middle of the parking lot.

Continuing our travels through Colorado, we made our way to Manitou Springs. We were excited to get to this area and check out Pikes Peak. Racing to the top of Pikes Peak has been on Shannon’s bucket list for as long as he could drive. We had an amazing fall day for our leisurely drive to the top during which time we enjoyed the audio tour.

We made it to the top, over 14,000 ft. Temperature was in the low 40s and the winds were whipping. The air was crisp, clean and thin. The views were spectacular.

Another recommended point of interest while in the area was the Garden of the Gods. A unique set of rocks just randomly placed between the mountains. We reflect often about how truly fortunate we are that we are getting to see all of things amazing wonders the United States has to offer.

We left Manitou Springs and headed to Great Sand Dunes National Park. Our drive from the Colorado Springs area to Great Sand Dunes was a magnificent exhibit of fall foliage, but not in the way that we are use to. The shrubs and ground cover were displaying brilliant yellows, oranges and reds all over the hillsides.

We landed at our spot for the night at Base Camp RV and soaked in the amazing view of Great Sand Dunes.

The dogs could not take their eyes off the tall mountain that blocks the wind and sands, creating the famous dunes.

Everyone knows we love a good sunset and the show on this evening was a sight to be seen.

It took about 30 minutes to get to Great Sand Dunes National Park from our campsite, which just goes to show how big that mountain really is. The sand dunes sit at the base and there is a ton of sand there. The distance from the visitor center to the start of the dunes is about 1 mile of all soft beach sand.

Back at our rv, it turns out the sunrise was just as amazing from this spot!

Still running from the cold, we continued our travels in a southward direction. Our next adventure is in New Mexico!