Monday, June 28, 2010

Colorado National Monument and More

As we got to Colorado National Monument, we realized that Paul had left his Golden Passport plus book, back at the visitors center at the Black Canyon of the Gunnison.  Luckily it was a no fee park.  And, we were able to get the phone number to call and check about it.  They did have it and they said they would mail it to us.  So that was great.  Paul has collected lots of stamps etc from all the National Parks etc that we have visited. 
There were interesting rock formations and beautiful views.
Dinosaur National Monument was our next stop.  The Colorado side was nicer than the Utah side.  On the Utah side the quarry is closed right now while they are building a new visitors center and building for the quarry.  So, you can't really see many dinosaur bones. 

On some of our little hikes/walks, we saw lots of pinon pines.  We even found "one nut" each in a couple of pine cones. That was really fun because I remember my father going out and collecting pine nuts.  Most of the pine nuts have been eaten by the animals, bugs, etc.  But, it was pretty neat to see so many of the trees. 

In our traveling, we had lots of little picnics.

We live in a beautiful world.  Lots of varied scenery - forests, canyons, rivers, peaks, etc.
At the Utah side of the monument, we saw petroglyphs (sp?), mountain sheep, we drove down a 13 mile steep road to where a lady had lived without running water, electricity, etc for 50 years - she was 90+ when she died.  The park is keeping her house there.
At the bottom of the canyon where the Green River is running.  People would raft and get out here -  the raft trips were 5 to 7 days to this point. 
As we got to the end of our trip, we went to Vernal Utah.  We stayed in a very nice motel and Sarah joined us there.  Saturday morning we got up and went to the Vernal Temple.


Going to the Temple was a lovely way to end our trip.  We had missed being at the Temple since our Temple, The Jordan River Temple, had been closed for two weeks. 

Canon City/ Royal Gorge

After leaving Leadville we went on to Canon City (pronounced Canyon City).  We stayed there and then the next day went on the Royal Gorge Railroad.
It was a nice, comfortable rail trip.  Also open air cars that you could walk out and see sights.  Amazing canyons etc.
We could see up to the bridge that goes across the gorge.  We went across a hanging bridge and we watched rafters going down the river.
After finished the train trip, we drove up to the top area and went to the park up there.  We road on the aerial tram that goes across the gorge.
From the tram looking over to the bridge and down in the canyon.
The park had enclosures of animals.  There were buffalo with a rare white buffalo, big horn sheep, and elk.
We walked over the bridge.  Cars can drive on it.  They have flags from all the states along the sides of the bridge.  It is quite the view looking down.

We rode on the incline railway that went from the top down to the river.

After visiting the Royal Gorge, we went to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.

Leadville Colorado

After leaving Georgetown, we headed to Leadville. We have read books that took place in Leadville and that is also where the "Unsinkable Molly Brown" and her husband made all their money. We enjoyed the time there.
We stayed in the "Ice House" bed and breakfast.
 We were disappointed in our room there.  It was up on the third floor.  It was pretty small.  The breakfast we good though.  Leadville had some beautiful victorian homes and a wonderful, nationally renown mining museum.










Mines of Leadville.  It was an interesting town with old stores and buildings.


We went on the scenic railroad there.