We entered into Colorado and where things should be going up across the Rockies, our moods were going down. We did the usual morning things like coffee, dog walk and of course driving. Tom had not seen Bob for a day and I was trying to find him in Denver through an old friend of mine. A few texts and we were going to stop in Denver to say hey to Don and Bob.
The plan was to meet around 5 PM, but we had made some great time on the road and found ourselves passing through Denver around 2. It was hot outside, and our communication with each other had taken a nose dive. Arguments ensued. Quiet filled the car. All of a sudden there was no plan and it would have felt better if we drove off a cliff going over the Rockies.
We passed through Denver and into Golden. A quick stop to finalize the argument and make a plan. I think it was the anxiety of getting close to home. Maybe it was too much or too little coffee. I finally just headed back onto Rte. 6 headed towards the Continental Divide. Up, up, up we went. As we got closer to the divide, we merged onto I-70 for a bit, always making sure we hooked onto Route 6 when we could. At Loveland's Pass, Route 6 veered off. What a treat it was!
We were above the tree line and there was still snow on the tops of the mountains. It felt great to be in the cooler weather after being in the 90's for the past few days. We still were not talking to each other, but I stopped the car and took a look around. 11,990 Feet above sea level.
The dogs were with us on their leashes and tried to take a few pictures for the TravelingDog Calendar. I must say that Luther just wasn't in to it. BuddyJack, though, was an excellent model. His photo will definitely be a part of this year's calendar coming soon.
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| Luther at the Continental Divide |
We hooked back onto I-70, passing through the ski areas of Vail and Glenwood Springs. It was my intention to stop for a soak at the Natural Springs Pool, but with no talking, it seemed pointless. We instead continued onto Rte. 6 and landed in New Castle. There is a state park nearby and we picked up some supplies of ice and beer. We checked with the store clerk and she stated that it was quite a drive into the state park. She had no idea how far we had come already.
We got to Rifle Gap State Park and found a line of cars waiting to enter. It was the weekend and I was afraid that they may be sold out. There was another campground further into the forest, but would have taken awhile to get there. Fortunately, there was room and we set up camp in the final loop of the campground. We were away from the water but had gorgeous views. There were rain clouds and lightning in the Eastern skies. The campsite had a lean to structure, so if the rains came, we would simply sleep under that.
I got some wood from the camp host and Tom lit a fire and made some dinner. The conversations were short and rare. It was not a good day and I just wanted to go to bed. Tom stayed up for a while longer. Who could blame him. Two dudes and two dogs in a two person tent was a bit close after the day we had.
We awoke the next day refreshed and to a beautiful morning. The sun was bright in the sky and we were just a few states away from home. We were headed into Utah that morning and we had the chance to leave the bad memories in Colorado, where they belonged.
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