If God Doesn't Live In Colorado...

I bet that's where He spends most of His time.

Greetings from the Rainbow Cabin in Colorful Colorado!

I am so glad to be here. There is just something special about this river and this place. I am sitting in the living room, it's about 9:30 a.m. and Ken is still asleep. The river out front is roaring and the hummingbirds visit the feeder just outside our window. I am drinking a cup of tea and just enjoying being HERE.

Sunday and Monday were long driving days. We left Yellowstone and headed south to Rock Springs, WY via Jackson Hole and the Grand Tetons. Jackson was overflowing with people so we didn't stop. Arrived in Rock Springs around dinner time. In February when I was making reservations I thought I'd save a little money by this point in the trip so I booked us into The Inn. $69 a night. Had fairly good Trip Advisor ratings so I thought it couldn't be all that bad. When we walked in I noted that the lobby was rather dated looking and that there was an indoor pool just off the lobby. I concluded that this hotel had been a Holidome at one point in it's life. You remember, Holiday Inn's big push to become a resort chain? Restaurants and rooms surrounding a pool and lobby area. They used to be real nice.

Now, my family knows that I am notoriously picky about my hotel rooms. I'm kind of like that commercial where the lady is trying to unlock the Lexus that isn't hers but ought to be. The lobby of the hotel was kind of shabby. The elevator had seen it's better days. The hallway was dark and stunk of cigarettes. My mood was sinking fast. I wasn't at all cheered up when we opened the door to the room. A wave of old cigarette smoke about knocked me over. The room was large and had a king size bed but it looked and smelled like it hadn't been renovated since it was built. Discouragement set in. Ken hustled me off to dinner at Applebees across the street and reassured me that it was only for one night. Yeah, one night in hell. Anyhow, long story short, when we got back I asked the desk clerk if we could move into a non-smoking room and he was glad to oblige. The new room had been remodeled and didn't stink but I'm sure I still slept with one eye open.

Monday we pushed on through Wyoming turning south at Laramie and into Ft. Collins. Two years ago we discovered a wonderful little place called City Butcher and Deli where they made the best Reuben I have ever had. It was made with buffalo pastrami and was just to die for. My mouth was watering to have one yesterday. But, being the 4th, they were closed. I settled for nachos and a red beer at Old Chicago. Then it was on up the Big Thompson Canyon to my home away from home, River Spruce Cottages.

Just a note on the Big Thompson Canyon. On July 30,1976, just a month after my first visit to Estes Park, there was a deadly flash flood through the canyon that killed over a hundred people and permanently changed the landscape of the canyon. (Read more here: www.denverpost.com/mobile/ci4112461). Today you wouldn't know that there had been a flood unless you know what to look for. As we started up the canyon I observed that the sky ahead looked like a thunderstorm so I checked the weather report. Under the severe alerts there was a flood warning for the Big T river due to rapid snow melt in the mountains. Shhhhh, don't tell mom. As you can see, we made it safely up the canyon.

Got moved into our cabin and we both promptly fell asleep. Went to the Safeway about 7:00 and then found a parking place to watch the fireworks over Lake Estes. Since we were hungry we decided to walk down to McDonalds where I splurged and got a Quarter Pounder. No big deal there except when I opened the box, I had a hamburger patty, two slices of cheese, two pickles, onion, ketchup but no bun. Now, how do you forget to put a bun on a hamburger? The manager didn't even act surprised when I showed it to him!

The fireworks over the lake were beautiful and a perfect beginning to this perfect part of the trip. Going to go cook breakfast and then just see where the day takes us.

Talk to you later!