North Bound! part II

WHERE DID WE LEAVE OFF? 

Colorado, just north of Hooper.  The UFO Watchtower:

good morning!

WEDNESDAY May 23rd,  got up around 7ish to a lovely skyline view.  the fenced-in donkey not too far away was heeing and hawing, perhaps talking to his horse companion.  Joel stirred the coals of the fire and made us bacon, eggs and toast  while we discussed our plan for the day, turning over a few different ideas.  It was a tough call.   We decided to skip the Great Sand Dunes park only 40ish minutes away, in exchange for plenty of drive time through the mountain roads, and we'd visit some of Rocky Mountain national park.  I was pretty bummed at first.  I've been excited about driving up through the Rockies for MONTHS, yes, but The sand dunes were SO CLOSE right now!  I badly wanted to see them.  Then I remembered the fact that everything always works out for us.  I would have what I wanted, and at the perfect time.  Do I trust this??  Yes.  Okay then... onto logic and gut feeling, we were clearly being pulled to the many mountain peaks off in the distance.  So... ONWARD HO!  North we go, to Leadville.  
(see you another time, sand dunes, that are claimed to be Great.)

Leadville, CO

We drove passed peak after peak... peaks a'plenty, all of them sitting at just above 14000ft at varying heights.  And it's only the end of May, so they still had snow on them, SNOW! they were so pretty.  
WHOA! it was such a great drive.  

By lunchtime we hit Leadville, a historic silver-mining town that sits at 10,152 feet, making it the highest 'city' in all the U.S.!  Back in the day, late 19th century, it boomed to be the 2nd most populated city in the state of CO (Denver was #1).  Today the pop is about 2600.  Some friends in Sedona recommended we stop here and check it out.  It's hilly!  We found a nice park high up with a view to make and eat our lunch.  Afterward we walked downtown to grab a coffee and took some pictures of oddball things.  this place is cooool.  And I wasn't huffing and puffing from the high altitude.  This surprised me.  I lived in Cusco Peru for close to a year, that sits at 9,000some feet, and I had a hard time breathing calmly walking up a hill, EVER.  Walking up hills was a trip.  I just had to take it slow.  but not here. ?  that was neat!  (one time in peru, a friend and I went to market together during the New Year season, when folks run around with water balloons and squirt guns, or even buckets! of water.  a group of kids came up from behind us as we walked back home, and nailed us with balloons.  My friend and I took off running.  we did OK for a minute or two.  then we came to the large hill that leads up to our home, with 100s of steps to climb.  we started out running up those steps, but didn't get very far without having to stop and catch our breath.  the kids gained on us.  we couldn't move forward fast enough.  they were ruthless- screaming and throwing and squirting, they DRENCHED us!  I tried to run more, eventually giving in, I actually sat down, covered my face & head with my arms and waited for the inevitable.  I was surrendered to the laughter, giggles, shouts and smacks of exploding water.  we were cold and dripping from head to toe by the time we reached home.  Rough time!  but GTs.)

We left town with our treat of decadent coffee, ready to hit the park a couple hours more away.  What a time of year to show up!  we missed the opening day of an incredible mountain pass road by only 48 hours!  they close it for the season due to snow.  some years there are still MANY feet of snow where we were standing- they had a whole wall of pictures from seasons past. we'd have to come back another time to do the drive we had in mind.  Oh well, All good- we were allowed to drive into the park at least, and just turn around at the road closed.  It was spectacular, to see elk, a few moose, one with a baby calf! (see it sitting!  so funny.  in the pics link at the bottom), picturesque lakes, and ponds with snow-capped mountain wilderness behind them... just like on a postcard.  After leaving here we drove by Grand Lake and hiked around Adams Falls.  The trail passes by a pretty, swampy meadow, more untouched, gorgeous scenery, and gets up close and personal to the cascading water.  This was a lovely respite and bit of exercise for us on our sunny driving day.  Felt great to stretch the legs more. 

In the early evening we shot out through Estes Park to keep heading east, until I got us into Nebraska.  I got really tired, and couldn’t go much further.  Joel, the excellent navigator that he is, soon guided us to a free camping area near the shore of a park reservoir.  It was BUGGY!  first flurries of bugs we'd been in since leaving Kansas in November.  It was about 2am when we arrived and quite populated.  Our tent is tiny, so we found a small spot, on what appeared to be a small cliffy area, near enough the edge of the water to hear it lapping onto shore.  The grasses were tall. We were careful to set up and get situated as quietly as we could to respect the other campers.  I drifted off to sleep quickly while wondering what this place looked like in the daytime.  

Babysitting.  Literally.

THURSDAY, woke to the sound of screeching birds in the tree next to our tent just before light began to creep up.  Tried to doze on and off for a while longer.  Finally saw the view we had pitched ourselves into- a wide and pretty one!  of the lake/reservoir.  It was so warm and humid.  Buggy.  First bugs we’d encountered for a long time.  Our goal today: get through all of Nebraska!  Into Iowa, where we’d overnight at my friend Callie’s place in Waterloo.  I found the drive to be very pleasant.  It was pretty to see so much green, soft grass, and some trees, like back home in MN, and unlike what grows in the desert.  Callie is a gracious host.  We slept well that night IN A BED- OH, to have a bed!  Yum.  We helped her out the following morning by watching her kiddos so she could leave the house for a bit.  The smallest of the 3 took my sitting on them the best. 

    

TOUCHDOWN!  we made it home.

FRIDAY, It was as hot up here as it was when we left where we were!  wtf?!  only difference was the level of dew and humidity.  which was thick.  and we got to see our first intense storm since months ago.  What a dilly we drove through! as we finished our trek into Wisconsin, arriving at Joel's parents' house early evening.  We climbed out of the truck and were greeted with a rainbow!  but no people inside the house.  Joel called one of his brothers- the one who also came in from out of town, with his family, and found out everybody was gathered at sisters house.  Brother said he would not tell anybody we called, and we scooted over that way.  What timing!  everyone was together, about to leave for our niece's graduation ceremony.  Joel and I didn't know that was happening tonight... it just hadn't occurred to us.  we had "Saturday party" on the brain.  but we were here Friday evening, proving our arrival to be even more magical!  We pulled into the driveway the same moment our niece was about to leave for the high school.  She didn't even notice us!  I tapped on her car window to get her attention.  she saw us, realized it was us, and freaked out.  it was awesome.  we hugged a long time amidst the shock and emotions.   she calmed down a little bit then took off down the road.  into the house we went to surprise another 10 ppl.  It was hilarious!  more freaking out happened, more hugs, more laughs.  what a SATISFYING experience.  hfsb!

as if all that wasn't fulfilling enough, we learned that just the previous day, niece did not have enough tickets for all the fam that wanted to attend the ceremony.  but today she happened to end up with 2 Xtra ones.  so Joel and I got to see her walk and receive her diploma.  what a wonderful surprise how the timing of everything unfolded.  Also, it's small town, so we ran into other friends and family that we love and miss.  It was a wonderful evening, and next few days, catching up with Joel's family, before we went to surprise my folks.  HeeHeeHeeHeeee!!!

Click here for more pics