•10:22 PM
October 12, 2010 10:22 p.m.
Day 16 was Sept. 19
We woke up in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
The temperature was 41 degrees.
The odometer, 29,054.
The drive into Colorado this day would be relatively short. Within minutes after leaving the campground, we entered Colorado, and it was quickly evident that many more people live in this state than in Wyoming. Within an hour, we got off the interstate to follow US-34 toward the mountain city of Estes Park. The highway took us inside a very beautiful and impressive canyon, alongside the Big Thompson River. This was a treat in itself. It is great fun to receive unexpected visual treats, as this certainly was.
Estes Park was a beautiful town with 360 degree mountain views and gorgeous weather. The Estes Park KOA was in a terrific location, within walking distance of Lake Estes and the downtown area. Despite the fact that the campsites were the smallest we have ever been in, the location was wonderful. Since we could walk everywhere, we decided to spend the afternoon just exploring Estes Park, itself. We walked on the path around Lake Estes, enjoying the views, playing in the water, eating ice cream, and spotting elk on the golf course! That's right. Early fall is elk courting season, and the bulls gather a harem around them during this time. There was one such bull elk and his entire harem spending the afternoon on the city golf course. There were also many young elk. We stopped and watched them from a point on the path just across the stream from the golf course. Several people joined in and watched the elk, too. At one point, however, a young elk wandered toward the stream in front of us, and the bull elk found the proximity to human beings to be disconcerting. So, he came close to us, mid-stream, and bugled a warning. We took off just then; we weren't going to take any chances.
Day 16 was Sept. 19
We woke up in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
The temperature was 41 degrees.
The odometer, 29,054.
The drive into Colorado this day would be relatively short. Within minutes after leaving the campground, we entered Colorado, and it was quickly evident that many more people live in this state than in Wyoming. Within an hour, we got off the interstate to follow US-34 toward the mountain city of Estes Park. The highway took us inside a very beautiful and impressive canyon, alongside the Big Thompson River. This was a treat in itself. It is great fun to receive unexpected visual treats, as this certainly was.
Estes Park was a beautiful town with 360 degree mountain views and gorgeous weather. The Estes Park KOA was in a terrific location, within walking distance of Lake Estes and the downtown area. Despite the fact that the campsites were the smallest we have ever been in, the location was wonderful. Since we could walk everywhere, we decided to spend the afternoon just exploring Estes Park, itself. We walked on the path around Lake Estes, enjoying the views, playing in the water, eating ice cream, and spotting elk on the golf course! That's right. Early fall is elk courting season, and the bulls gather a harem around them during this time. There was one such bull elk and his entire harem spending the afternoon on the city golf course. There were also many young elk. We stopped and watched them from a point on the path just across the stream from the golf course. Several people joined in and watched the elk, too. At one point, however, a young elk wandered toward the stream in front of us, and the bull elk found the proximity to human beings to be disconcerting. So, he came close to us, mid-stream, and bugled a warning. We took off just then; we weren't going to take any chances.
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| On the approach to the Rocky Mountain area. |
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| Surprising Big Thompson River canyon. |
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| Such a lovely climb into the mountains this way. |
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| Self-Reliant Man by Lake Estes. |
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| Cantilever fishing deck over Lake Estes. |
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| Checking out those elk. On the golf course! |
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| The Man-in-Charge. |
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| Courting season - a time of R and R. |
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| Some of the ladies. |
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| Several of the herd watching the golfers. |
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| Chips at Lake Estes. |
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| Dinner overlooking the lake. |
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