Last Day in Estes Park, Colorado

Our last day at Estes Park found us doing some more hiking. This time it was to the Alluvial Fan. Once again our timing was just about perfect. The Big Horn sheep were on the move.

The afternoon hike took us to the Alberta Falls area. Just can't get enough of this amazing place.

Ghost Stories and Other Things

The Stanley Hotel. This is a 1909 structure built by F. O. Stanley as a place for he and his friends to get together for the summer. F. O. is of the Stanley Steamer car fame.

This is also where Stephen King stayed and acquired his inspiration for the book "The Shining". The original movie with Jack Nicholson wasn't filmed here, but King bought back the rights to the film from Stanley Kubrick and filmed the TV Mini Series of "The Shining" here.

This is the door to the famous room 217.

You'll need to watch the movie to understand.

But it is said that this room and some others have had some other worldly things going on in them.

We then made our way back up the mountain to the Alpine Visitors Center on Trail Ridge Road. The views are just indescribable.

Not much air up here at 12,000+ feet above sea level. Hiking takes on a whole new meaning.

Up in the tundra where nothing seems to grow, there is amazing beauty however small.

Oh, and did I mention, there is still a little snow up here in the middle of June!

Horse'n Around

I found us some horses,

I found me a cowgirl,

And over the river and through the woods we went. Some of us (me) got wet going through the river!

4 hours up Beaver Mountain.

Saw a lot more unbelievable scenery, but never did see grandma!

Golf With a View

The local golf course can provide for a nice morning outing.

But you need to know and follow the local rules.

Time to See the Sights!

First full day took us to see some of the area sights in the Rocky Mountain National Park. I'd like to say that the pictures do the experience justice, but that would not even come close!

And it's also nice to meet some of the locals as well.

The Big Adventure Continues

After two days in St. Louis it was time to hit the road once again. This day would bring our longest drive of the adventure. 550 miles to get to WaKeeney, Kansas. It would also bring an unanticipated adventure.

Adding up Missouri and Kansas, 105 degree heat and some of the flattest land I have ever seen, we decided that wasn't enough! The motorhome decided to start acting up. Yep, plugged fuel filter. Remnants of a bad batch of fuel acquired in Kentucky last year. I changed out one of the two filters and away we went!

The next day, up and going again. This time we make it to Estes Park, Co. But again, not without some more adventure. Started up the mountains out of Kansas and the motorhome starts acting up again. Dang! Oh well, this time I change both fuel filters. Some nice folks in Flagler, Ks helped out with additional filters at twice the price I normally pay for them. So after a short delay, I get the filters changed and we arrive at Elk Meadows Lodge and RV Resort. You can see our view out the front window and some of the native wildlife.

We'll get settled in and then start seeing the sites.

More to come!

The Big Adventure of 2011, Part Two

Because this was the shortest drive and the time change from Eastern to Central, we were able to just dump off the motorhome at the campground and high tail it to one of Pam's Mecca's. The Loopy Ewe yarn shop in downtown St. Louis. I think she was in seventh heaven for awhile!

The next day we got up and went to see the other less famous sites in St. Louis. The Gateway Arch is something to see. And a whole bunch more to ride to the top in. 680 feet tall!

While the Arch was being built by the firm then known as Pittsburgh Des Moines, it travelled through our home town of Warren, Pa. A lot of welding happened to it there.

And how do you visit St. Louis without going to the Anheuser-Busch brewery?