Wednesday we left Mesa County, home of mesas, monuments, and memories on our way to Granby, deep in the Rocky Mountains northeast of Denver. The train was 15 minutes early - no more bad-mouthing Amtrak. Our destination was Grand Lake, 16 miles east of Granby.
The train departed Interstate 70 about two hours out of Grand Junction and headed deep into the Rockies. After living in the heart of the most beautiful part of the Rocky Mountains, it was difficult to be too excited. The scenery was nice, the river was greenish, and many mountain sides were covered with beetle infested trees. My view might be compromised as I compare the southern Rockies with the peaks, meadows, and rushing rivers that are in my backyard.
A highlight of the trip were the various sizes and plumpness of rearends as the rafters mooned the train passengers for many miles along the riverbank. Refreshing . . .
Anyway, Grand Lake was still Grand, at 8,300 feet + elevation, we are experiencing the Rocky Mountain High - Rocky Mountain National Park ridge road is over 12,000 feet. It might remind some people of Lake Tahoe fifty, a hundred years ago. There are no Holiday Inns nor Motel 6's, every building looks like its been here forever, even if constructed last year. Grand Lake is one of the oldest resort communities in Colorado and Grand Lake is the largest natural lake in the state.
Bob booked us into the Terrace Inn, a quaint three room hotel with fine dining as their selling point. We had our 25th wedding anniversary dinner last night - blowing our dining budget, fine or otherwise, for the next week. The bed is huge and very high, like saddling up - we knew we would get our exercise somewhere. During the night a groups of revelers made their way between a nearby pub and their hotel rooms down the street. To be young and reveling is another memory.
Bob and I were here about 12 years ago for a Lyle Lovett concert. Good thing we missed the concert this year, we wouldn't be able to climb up the ski slope anyway! Bob worked with his uncles here in 1952 on a construction project, Denver Boulder Turnpike (US 36), so he likes to revisit and see if his rebar is still in place.
On the train we sat amid a family group of 24 including grandma, grandpa, sons, daughters, in-laws and grandchildren ranging in ages from 4 to about 15ish. They were on a pilgrimage to Nauvoo, Illinois- a special place in LDS heritage. As we observed them coming and going, going and coming, it seemed like a fun way for a big family to do 'it' together, but glad we were only in charge of one.
The train departed Interstate 70 about two hours out of Grand Junction and headed deep into the Rockies. After living in the heart of the most beautiful part of the Rocky Mountains, it was difficult to be too excited. The scenery was nice, the river was greenish, and many mountain sides were covered with beetle infested trees. My view might be compromised as I compare the southern Rockies with the peaks, meadows, and rushing rivers that are in my backyard.
A highlight of the trip were the various sizes and plumpness of rearends as the rafters mooned the train passengers for many miles along the riverbank. Refreshing . . .
Anyway, Grand Lake was still Grand, at 8,300 feet + elevation, we are experiencing the Rocky Mountain High - Rocky Mountain National Park ridge road is over 12,000 feet. It might remind some people of Lake Tahoe fifty, a hundred years ago. There are no Holiday Inns nor Motel 6's, every building looks like its been here forever, even if constructed last year. Grand Lake is one of the oldest resort communities in Colorado and Grand Lake is the largest natural lake in the state.
Bob booked us into the Terrace Inn, a quaint three room hotel with fine dining as their selling point. We had our 25th wedding anniversary dinner last night - blowing our dining budget, fine or otherwise, for the next week. The bed is huge and very high, like saddling up - we knew we would get our exercise somewhere. During the night a groups of revelers made their way between a nearby pub and their hotel rooms down the street. To be young and reveling is another memory.
Bob and I were here about 12 years ago for a Lyle Lovett concert. Good thing we missed the concert this year, we wouldn't be able to climb up the ski slope anyway! Bob worked with his uncles here in 1952 on a construction project, Denver Boulder Turnpike (US 36), so he likes to revisit and see if his rebar is still in place.
On the train we sat amid a family group of 24 including grandma, grandpa, sons, daughters, in-laws and grandchildren ranging in ages from 4 to about 15ish. They were on a pilgrimage to Nauvoo, Illinois- a special place in LDS heritage. As we observed them coming and going, going and coming, it seemed like a fun way for a big family to do 'it' together, but glad we were only in charge of one.
young and reveling: remember "skating" down Hwy 50 in Lake Tahoe, the middle of winter, icy road, at 3 o'clock in the morning!
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