And the Winner Is. . .

One of the things that Tim and I looked forward to every morning was looking to see if we had received any comments on our blog posts.  This was one way we stayed connected with our family and friends, and we really appreciated the time that people took to check in with us.

Near the end of the trip, we decided that we should acknowledge the person who had posted the most comments over the course of the nine months.  We never announced a contest and didn’t tell anyone about our plan, so no one knew that a “prize” might be in the offing.

We are pleased to announce that the person who posted more comments than anyone was. . .”LV”!!!  Congratulations and thank you for entertaining us, commiserating with us and simply keeping us company.  Close on the heels of LV was “A,” and we also loved reading your comments.

While we were in Napa, LV posted a comment about one the photos we included.  The photo featured a banner that read “Wine a Bit, You’ll Feel Better.”  LV mentioned that she loved the banner and said that she had to have it.  Well, we found a similar, although smaller, banner, and that is your prize.  We hope that you will remember sharing our trip with us every time you look at it.  The banner will be in the mail to you this week.  Enjoy, and thank you.

I Couldn't Agree More!

Estes Park on Fire

A small, but fast-burning fire began at noon today near the main entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park.  Despite burning approximately sixteen structures on High Drive, as well as adjacent forest and grasslands, it seems that the fire has been mostly contained.  hile we were at lunch we watched black smoke pour from the western part of town, although I didn’t have my camera with me to record it.  

Two helicopters from the High Park Fire, which has been burning near Fort Collins for two weeks, were quickly dispatched to Estes Park, and it was fascinating to watch them hover over Lake Estes and draw water into their tanks.  I had never seen anything like that before.

Our home is on the east side of town, and we were never in danger.  Nevertheless, the fire was a little too close for comfort for me.  It is scary to see how much of Colorado is burning, and it’s only June.  Triple-digit temperatures, wind and low humidity are only adding to the danger.  I’m afraid it’s going to be a long, hot summer.

Coming In to Fill the Tanks

Arriving at Lake Estes

Filling the Tanks

Tanks Are Full

Taking Off

Off to Drop Water on the Fire

We Can See the High Park Fire from Our Home

And Just What Was Our MPG?

The end of the trip became particularly real today when Tim had to report back to work. Don’t get me wrong.  Tim really loves his job, so in one sense he was looking forward to getting back to the park.  However, his returning to work means that the trip is really over and that we won’t be going anywhere anytime soon, except maybe for a long weekend.  I have to admit that I’m still adjusting to not being on the road, but I have no doubt that things will get easier.

Tim Is Dressed and Ready for Work

Last week was a transition time for both of us.  We really didn’t do much of anything except relax.  That was a good thing, as we both needed some down time.  Extended travel can be hard work!

I’ve started to compile a few statistics from the trip that might be of interest to at least a few folks.  Today’s installment has to do with the question we were asked most often on the trip, “How many miles per gallon does the RV get?”  Really, more people asked us about mileage than anything else.  Here are a few statistics related to miles and mileage.

·        We traveled 25,238 miles during the nine months we were on the road, including the 3,528 miles that I drove from Colorado to Maine at the beginning of the trip.  We had guessed that we would drive approximately 28,300 miles.

·         We averaged 91 miles per day.  Our longest driving day was 333 miles.  We had quite a few days when we didn’t drive at all.

·        Our average mileage was 18.7 miles per gallon.  During the trip we had guessed that the average might be closer to 20 miles per gallon.  However, we’re still happy with 18.7 since our original budget was based on 18 miles per gallon.

·        We spent a total of $5,289.07 on diesel fuel.  We had budgeted $7,914 for the trip, based on $5.00 per gallon (we wanted to use a worst-case scenario to be on the safe side).  Thankfully, prices were much lower than that.

o      The lowest price we paid was $3.599 per gallon on January 25, 2012, in Americus, Georgia.  

o      The highest price we paid was $4.699 per gallon on March 22, 2012, in Trinidad, California.

We did much better than we had predicted, and we had money left over for other, more fun, items.  Even though the price of fuel is still expensive, it’s not a reason to cancel a trip.

We Kept a Log of our Daily Mileage and Fuel Expenditures

On a sad note, we received an e-mail today notifying us that Test, our second adopted sea turtle, passed away on June 7.  Test had been at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center for a year after a fishing line had wrapped around her front flipper.  The line had torn through all the muscle and other soft tissue down to the bone, and her entire flipper had to be removed. Test seemed to be doing well until the wound opened.  Despite numerous treatments of antibiotics, as well as a blood transfusion, Test did not make it.  The staff at the Sea Turtle Center is heartbroken, as are Tim and I.  We are just grateful that Karen, our other adopted sea turtle, was successfully released back into the water.

Home Again, Home Again

Tim and I drove back to Estes Park on Sunday in separate vehicles.  He drove the RV with Kitty, and I drove the car, which Chris and Tom had kept for us in Fort Morgan.  The sky was thick with smoke, and we learned that the wildfire had grown to 10,000 acres.  The smoke had even drifted all the way to Nebraska.  The air quality was very poor, and the wind didn’t help matters.

We had planned to stop in Loveland to stock up on supplies since our cupboards at home were bare.  Since Kitty was with us, we decided to take her into PetSmart with us.  Pets are welcome, but I had never seen a cat in the store.  Of course Kitty received lots of attention.  Although she walked in on her leash, she was quickly overwhelmed with all the sights.  She much preferred sitting in the child seat in the shopping cart.  Tim teased the clerks and told them that Kitty had come for the buffet.  She did seem to be entranced with the fish and birds, but none were harmed during her visit.

The drive up Big Thompson Canyon was beautiful, and I was reminded that thousands of people come to Estes Park for vacation.  I had been one of those visitors on three occasions before I moved here, and I love the town.  I think summer is the best time to be here.

Nonetheless, it was strange to be home again.  The house was nice and clean, and Vicky had taken good care of everything, but it’s going to take a bit of time to adjust to being in the house.  I just wandered around and tried to figure out what to do and where to start.  There seemed to be no hurry, so I decided to just ease into things.  I know that Tim is happy to be home.  Kitty is also adjusting to being stationary, but she has started to rediscover her favorite places, and I think she’ll be fine as long as she is with Tim and me.

We’ve been paying close attention to any news we can get about the fire.  The High Park Fire has grown to be the second largest in state history, and there has been no containment. Dozens of structures have been lost, and hundreds of people have been evacuated.  Tim and I realized that if a wildfire ever does threaten our home, we will be able to evacuate in the RV with Kitty and have a safe and comfortable place to live for as long as necessary.

Next week, after Tim returns to work, I plan to write a series of wrap-ups about the trip.  I’m not exactly sure what I’ll write about, but in the meantime I want to take time to sit back, reflect on the trip and remember the wonderful people and places we saw. 

What a Welcome Home

After spending the night in the Medicine Bow National Forest, we began our climb over the Snowy Range Scenic Byway on Saturday.  This byway is one of the most beautiful mountain drives in southern Wyoming and climbs over the second highest pass in the state.  We reached the highest point on the byway at 10,847 feet and were amazed to find that the Snowy Range didn’t live up to its name.  Even at that elevation there was a surprisingly small amount of snow.

On the Way to Snowy Mountain Pass

Is this the Snowy Range?

Although we saw very little snow, we loved the rugged peaks and the alpine ecosystem.  The mountain lakes were beautiful, as were the abundant wildflowers.  We stopped at the highest overlook on the byway where we were almost blown away.  The visibility was good, and we were able to see many of the adjacent mountains ranges, including those at Rocky Mountain National Park.  Tim spied a wildfire in the distance, but we didn’t think too much about it at the time.

Beautiful Mountain Lakes

View toward Distant Mountain Ranges

Alpine Ecosystem

More Evidence of Beetle-Killed Trees

Alpine Flowers

Colorful Wildflowers

After stopping in Laramie for lunch, we turned south into Colorado.  Record high temperatures and a wildfire burning out of control near Fort Collins, which is not too far from our home, welcomed us back to our home state.  The small fire that Tim had spotted had grown from 500 to 5,000 acres in just a few hours.  We followed the progression of what came to be known as the High Park Fire as we drove south.  It was a scary sight, and we knew that the recent drought and the high number of pine bark beetle-killed trees would make containing the fire difficult.

Welcome to Colorful Colorado, and Wildfires

We Watched the Wildfire Grow

What a Scary Sight

We passed through Eaton, which was a kick for me, since it was fun to visit a town that shares my last name.  Our final destination for the day was Fort Morgan where Tim’s sister Chris and her husband Tom live.  They had kept our car and truck while we were away, and we wanted to visit with them and then retrieve the car.

Welcome to Eaton

We spent a wonderful evening with family.  Although we had wanted to take them to dinner, Chris and Tom thought we might enjoy a home-cooked meal instead.  How thoughtful they are.  They had invited Tim’s sister Cathy and other members of the family, and we were able to catch up with everyone over a great dinner.

Tim and Family

I can’t believe that we arrived back in Colorado when temperatures reached a scorching 101°.  We are just not used to such heat.  We had only a handful of very hot days on the trip, and that was just fine with me.  Maybe we should have waited to return until Sunday, when a cold front was predicted to drop temperatures by at least 20°.  Later in the evening the cold front ushered in very high winds.  I’m just glad we stowed the awning or it would have blown away.  It was blowing so hard that it was even hard to close our vent cover.  Now, we could add high winds to record high temperatures and a wildfire.  What a welcome home from Mother Nature!

Canyon Country

As we learned last Wednesday, there is much more to Dinosaur National Monument than dinosaur bones.  At least half of the park is the canyon country of the Green and Yampa Rivers.  In order to access canyon country, we took the thirty-one mile drive to Harpers Corner on the Colorado side of the park the next day.  This part of the park is not as well-known as the area containing the dinosaur quarry.  In fact, there are no dinosaurs here.  Tim and I have both traveled extensively in this part of the west, and neither one of us had been to this part of Colorado.  I’m so glad we decided to take this drive.

I would hate to guess how many times I’ve used the words “spectacular,” “amazing,” “awesome” or “stunning” to describe what we’ve seen on this trip.  Despite their overuse, the canyons we saw today can only be described that way.  From a series of overlooks and trails, we looked down at the labyrinth canyons that had been cut deeply into the rocks.  Sheer cliffs, great faults and rainbow-hued rocks only added drama to the scene.    

Plug Hat Butte

The Beginning of Canyon Country

A Road Leading Down into the Canyon

Labyrinth Canyons

An unexpected treat was seeing the wildflowers that bloom in the spring at these high elevations.  A profusion of yellow, red and blue blossoms seemed to flourish in the arid environment.  These delicate flowers were such a stark contrast to the wildness of the canyons.

A Profustion of Wildflowers

Globemallow

Butterfly on the Scarlet Gilia

When we reached the end of the road, we hiked to the end of Harpers Corner to take in the most dramatic view of all, the confluence of the Green and Yampa Rivers.  We climbed through pinyon pine and juniper forests on our way to the tip of a promontory overlooking the canyons.  It’s hard to describe just how rugged these canyons appear from above.  I don’t know how high we were above the rivers, but the rafts we spotted floating down the Green River appeared no larger than small dots.  The view from this spot was one that I will not easily forget.

The End of the Trail

Yampa River Canyon

Green River Canyon

Tim and Sarah at Canyon Country

We retraced our steps and left Dinosaur National Monument.  We drove eastward across a lonely stretch of northwestern Colorado and camped for the night at Yampa River State Park.  It was a long, but good day.

Almost Home

For the last few days we have had either no internet access, or a very weak signal. Consequently I have been unable to post any of our adventures for what seems like a very long time.  We have now arrived in Fort Morgan at Tim’s sister’s house, and we’ll head to Estes Park tomorrow.  We’re going to enjoy our visit while we’re here, and I’ll catch up on the posts when we return home.  Thanks for your patience.  I promise I won’t leave you dangling!  There are a lot more fun things to tell you about.

A Fond Farewell

I flew into Denver yesterday afternoon, and it was snowing!  Tim picked me up at the airport, and I’m not ashamed to admit that I was relieved when the sun started to shine as we headed north toward Fort Morgan.  Snow was not something that I wanted to deal with.

We met all of the family at the mortuary for a Rosary Vigil last evening.  Tim’s brother Rex and his three sisters, Alice, Cathy and Chris, were there, as were all of the grandchildren. We hadn’t seen many of Tim’s nieces and nephews since our wedding, and it was nice to catch up with everyone.

The funeral service this morning was lovely, and it was a fitting tribute to my mother-in-law. Irene Burchett was an amazing woman, and I learned even more about her during these few days.  I’m very lucky to be a part of her family.

St. Helena's Catholic Church

I asked Tim to take me down memory lane, and we drove by the house where he grew up in Fort Morgan, as well as many of the other town landmarks.  Fort Morgan is a small town with interesting historic buildings and a population of 11,000.  The town began in 1864 as a military post to protect commerce along the South Platte River.  Located eighty miles northeast of Denver, Fort Morgan is part of the high plains region that has been called the “Great American Desert.”  It’s an interesting part of Colorado.

Tim Grew Up in this House

James Marsh Arch Bridge Over the South Platte River,
The Only Rainbow Arch Bridge in Colorado

Downtown Fort Morgan

Tim's Mother Retired as Chief Operator for Mountain Bell

Tim's Father Retired as Postmaster for Fort Morgan

Sherman Street Historic District

Sherman Street Historic District

Nice Neighborhoods with Tree-Lined Streets

Cattle on the High Plains Just South of Town

She's Gone

Tim’s mother passed away this morning.  She died peacefully.  Arrangements have not yet been made, but the funeral most likely will take place near the end of this coming week.

I’m so thankful that Tim could spend these last few days with his mother and siblings.  I will be flying to Colorado sometime this week to join them.  

My deepest condolences go out to the family. 

Cinnamon Rolls, Cabbage Burgers and Surge Protectors

Today it all started.  The trip has begun.  What’s a bit strange is that the trip is starting without Tim.  Yes, I know, it’s our trip, but Tim can’t leave work until the end of September.  Since we want to see fall in New England, we had decided that I would leave at the beginning of September and drive to New England with several friends. 

Linda chose the first leg of the journey, from Estes Park to St. Louis.  This was so fitting since she drove from St. Louis to Estes Park with me almost one year ago to the day.

After saying a sentimental good-by to Tim and Linda’s husband Tom, I backed out of our driveway and started screaming.  I can’t believe that after more than a year of planning and anticipation, the trip is really happening.  It’s real, not just a dream anymore.

We're On Our Way!

Linda and I headed down Big Thompson Canyon and then made a detour to Johnson’s Corner.  Why, you might ask?  For cinnamon rolls, of course!  We ended last year’s trip that way, and it only seemed fitting to start this trip with that yummy concoction.

Sinful Cinnamon Rolls

Up A Tree

We drove to Fort Morgan, Colorado, where Kitty took a little break in Riverside Park, and then headed north along Pawnee Pioneer Trails Scenic Highway.  Chimney Rock National Historic Site in Nebraska was our destination for the evening.  But first we made a detour for cabbage burgers at the Gering Bakery in Gering, Nebraska, (it’s all about the food). Cabbage burgers are a regional specialty introduced by German immigrants who settled the plains more than a hundred years ago.



Gering Bakery



Cabbage Burgers



Scotts Bluff National Monument



Linda on the Oregon Trail

A visit to Scotts Bluff National Monument and a chat with the ranger at the visitor center introduced us to the Oregon Trail.

Our experience at our first campground was not the most auspicious start for the trip, however.  The campground had a view of Chimney Rock and had lots of trees and full hookups, plus a most reasonable price.  We couldn’t get the electric hookup to work, however, and later discovered that the surge protector that Tim and I had installed did its job.  No electric for the night.  The young man at the campground suggested running the water for a while before using it, so we decided that maybe we should forego water as well.  So, we’re back to basics tonight, although we hadn’t really prepared for it.  A wonderful bottle of wine, which Linda had purchased in Hermann, Missouri, on last year’s trip, a little smoked salmon and cheese and some wonderful conversation made everything so much better.