Colorado all the time

A herd of cattle and some horses in Pawnee National Grassland, in the northeast corner of the state of Colorado


"Picked" flowers at over 12,000 feet in Rocky Mountain National Park.

A view from the Alpine Visitor Center at the top of Rocky Mountain National Park.

The never Summer Mountains in the park.

I spent nearly all of the day in Colorado, and most of that in Rocky Mountain Park. The park road, Route 34, winds its way up the mountain to the Alpine Visitor Center which is above the tree line at more than 12,000 feet above see level. The views from the top of the mountain are spectacular. One even sees herds of elk wandering the grassy slopes of the mountain at this altitude. The driving is sometimes a bit nerve raking, particularly on the very twisty bits at the top when the 12 fooy-wide lane of pavement is abutted by a shear drops of God knows how maany feet on the right! "Luckily" there was some road construction nearly at the top which meant that traffic in either direction was stopped, at times for more than 15 minutes, which allowed drivers to take in the spectacular views. The logistics of road construction at these altitudes must be just mind-boggling, and the costs must be astronomical.

I was again struck today by how much motorcycle riders, regardless of the brand they are riding, easily enter into conversation with other bikers. - Where are you from? Where are you going? What's the weather been like on your trip ? Have a safe trip. Keep the shiny side up! - These conversations rarely happen between motorists.

Colorado is a beautiful state, rich with diversity; there are the mountains but also the grassy regions in the eastern part of the state where oil and gas are extracted and cattle is raised in wide open spaces.

I've now crossed into Nebraska on Route 30 and, after a couple of beer and a steak dinner, I am spending the night in Sydney.

Tomorrow it's more Route 30 heading east.