I’ve traveled all over this great country, but most of that travel has been for business. I’ve been to forty-two states, Puerto Rico, and nine foreign countries in the last forty years. It has been amazing. My travel to foreign countries has all been for pleasure, but my travel at home in the US has almost all been tied to business. I’m hoping to change that in the coming years, and I got a start on this with my recent trip to Fort Collins, CO, and Rocky Mountain National Park.
Good Friends
A good friend, who moved to Colorado in the past year, invited me out to visit her new home in Fort Collins. I’ve known her for the last thirty-plus years and was excited to go visit. Of course, she also let me know that there was going to be a Claude Monet exhibit at the Denver Art Museum this fall. Going to see my friend was plenty of incentive, but the Monet exhibit gave me the extra incentive to get there in November. More about Monet in another post.
The Trip to Denver
My middle granddaughter went with me on this trip, it was her turn after her older sisters went to Europe with me this past summer. She is so amazing and very funny, and I just love spending time with her. At 14, she is very smart, a talented volleyball player like her older sisters and loads of fun to hang around with. I just know she is going to do great things when she gets older. I was so excited that we could spend this time together.
Fort Collins, Colorado
Our flight to Denver was uneventful, which is how I like them. We left early, 5:30 a.m., so we would arrive in Denver early and still have a full day to explore. We crammed in a lot during this first day, including visits to Rocky Mountain National Park and the town of Estes Park.
Loveland, Colorado
On the way to Estes, we went by this nice little park in Loveland, Boyd Lake State Park. I couldn’t resist stopping to get pictures. It was our first view/preview of what we would see throughout the day in multiple areas around Rocky Mountain National Park.
Estes Park, Colorado
Once at Estes Park, before we headed up the mountain, we stopped for lunch. We found a great little restaurant called Penelope’s World Famous Burgers and Fries. The food was great, filling, and hit the spot on such a cold day. If you are ever in the area, look them up, lots of items to choose from aside the burgers. My granddaughter had a hotdog that she seemed to enjoy.
Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park closes mid-October to higher elevations, but we were fortunate enough to be in an all-wheel-drive vehicle and were allowed in the Park up to where it was closed at Many Parks Curve.
As I looked out over the mountains, I couldn’t help but imagine what it would have been like back in the settler days when people didn’t have the things that we have now to stay warm and survive. I couldn’t even begin to imagine how difficult it would have been to cross this mountain range. We only visited a small portion of the park, and it took us a few hours in our car with heat. Our ancestors must have been some hearty folk to live in this area, find food, stay warm and thrive. Very impressive.
I have to say, I had traveled to Denver previously on business, but only during the summer, and at that time, we stayed in Keystone. I knew the mountains would be beautiful, but I was totally unprepared for how awe-inspiring they were at this time of year.
We saw a variety of animals, including deer, antelope, elk, and more. It was a bit surprising how close they all came to the cars and the road. I guess they have learned to coexist with the cars and the people over the years. Although, there are tons of signs around saying “Don’t feed the animals.”
As we progressed up the mountain, we continued to stop frequently and take pictures. I couldn’t seem to get enough of them. It was great to have my granddaughter around to pose from time to time.
Ending our day at Estes Park
When we finally made our way back down the mountain, we decided to stop in Estes Park again for a little shopping. We did the touristy thing while there and picked up some sweatshirts, gloves, and more. Perfect for the frigid weather.
By the time we got back to my friend’s home, my granddaughter and I were completely exhausted from a full day of travel and sightseeing. We decided to turn in early to prepare for the next day’s adventures. All in all, we had a wonderful day, full of new sights and lots of laughter.
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