I’m sitting in Stephen’s Restaurant in Sharon Springs, Kansas (pop 748). I probably would do a live video here, but it is way too quiet. People are looking at me funny for using this laptop even though there’s a sign stating “free wifi.” It’s the only restaurant in town.
Our drive so far has been nothing special, if only for the distance between restrooms. Except for a post office most of these towns have nothing.
In Cheyenne Wells, Colorado there was big excitement. At a gas station a lady pulled away from the pumps with the pump still attached to the car. I think this might be the most excitement that town has seen in a while
We are about ready to get on Interstate 70 to make our way back to Olathe, Kansas – a good 6 and 1/2 hour drive. Will keep you updated as the situation permits.

Pikes Peak is known as “America’s Mountain.” It’s not necessarily the tallest mountain the area, however it is one of the most advertised. While going to the top it was recommended that you should be “friendly” to your car by not stopping on the way up. It’s easier to stop and put less stress on the car’s engine going down. After seeing excellent views and driving along roads without guardrails, we made it to the top.
There is a viewing platform with coin operated binoculars. While I was on the viewing platform the train carrying tourists arrived. The tourists immediately went into the gift shop and restaurant at the top.
After about 15 minutes at the top, I noticed I began to feel lightheaded, and sleepy. It was the altitude that was making me feel this way. I figured the longer I stayed the more lightheaded I got. After getting souvenirs we took some more photos and started our decent down. I laid down in the backseat as I was feeling really tired. About midway down, we stopped at a ranger check station. As a courtesy to visitors rangers check the heat of the brakes using infrared gun. The ranger told us our brake temperature was good and that we were doing everything right…that is keeping our car in low gear and letting the engine keep the car going slowly rather than riding our brakes.
Next was onto Drifters hamburgers. The owner of the restaurant used to own a In-And-Out franchise and decided to attempt the same concept in Colorado Springs. Since In-And-Our only builds franchises near a day’s driving distance of their cattle ranches, Colorado is too far east to have an In-And-Out. The burger was good. I recommend it.
Victor, Colorado was kind of a spur of the moment type trip. I did a quick search on my smart phone for ghost towns and found National Geographic had an article about it “Ghost town” is a misnomer as the town is occupied. It’s heyday was around the turn of the century when mining was big. The town is staging a comeback with a renovation of a historic hotel and other tourist attractions. I took several photos and visited the lobby of the Victor museum.
We then drove a few miles up the road to Cripple Creek. We found that there was a biker event being held in downtown with very few free parking spaces. We wouldn’t have been able to get downtown without a lot of walking. We made a few photos from the car and moved on.
We then visited the Garden of the Gods trading post – a huge gift shop, restaurant, and art gallery. Pretty much any souvenir of Colorado is at this location.
Garden of the Gods is a free park near Colorado Springs. Within the park are some huge…almost alien looking…rock formations. These tan rocks are shaped like elephant ears. We stopped and took some photos while driving through the park.
We were really looking forward to relaxing in the hotel pool and Jacuzzi, however some teenagers had taken over the pool area and we would have been fighting for space. So it was on to our hotel room for a good night’s sleep before driving back to Kansas in the morning.

After departing Durango we drove though the mountains on our way to Great Sand Dunes National Park. Along the way we drove though some significant towns geared toward tourists with hotels, camping facilities and businesses. Other were significantly lacking in services.
Along the way we stopped and Leandro’s Resaturante in Center, Colorado. It was a Mexican restaurant run by a family. It was a restaurants catering mostly to the locals – those who farmed the area and worked at the oil businesses. We waited a longer than usual time for our food, but realized that the cook might have been so used to cooking for the buffet that anything apart from the buffet would be a special order. Our food portions were huge. However I have found that at most all Mexican restaurants the portions are almost always huge.
Great Sand Dunes National Park is a long drive from the main road. We drove in an open range for cattle. Saw some llamas along the way. We stopped at the vistors’ center, purchased some postcards and souvenirs. We then proceeded to the dunes.
The sand dunes is somewhat like a big sandbox with dunes built up as high as small hills. Those photos of a explorer or sheik walking through the desert could have easily been filmed here. Vistors brought boards to slide down the dunes on. I spied a camping table in the middle of the park and took some photos. I don’t know how or why the table was there. I’m guessing maybe someone had a picnic on the dune and decided not to take it back with them. In any case it made for some good photos.
I would have stayed longer on the dunes, but we had a time schedule to adhere to. We drove though several small towns to get to the Royal Gorge. The area around the gorge is quite desolate. We arrive at around 6:15PM and found that the bridge closed at 5:30PM, a extraordinary early time We left somewhat disappointed, however we realized that some things are beyond our control. We have to save the Royal Gorge for another time.
We made it to Colorado Springs at around 7:30PM. We ate at Fargo’s Pizza, as recommended by a coworker. The themeing of the restaurant was an old west saloon style with female servers dressed in frilly dresses. A player piano played music in the background while we waited for our order to be prepared. The pizza was good, although the crust was not baked in-house.
I highly recommend the Holiday Inn in Colorado Springs. From flat screen Tvs, DVD player, fridge, microwave – it has it all. Definitely one of the better hotels I’ve stayed at.

Moab is a city set at the foot of tan monoliths…the same mountainous structures prevalent in Arches National Park. I have a feeling Moab is primarily a tourist town. Within the town and Arches N.P. I heard more foreign languages than I ever had before on this trip. Japanese, Spanish, French…they were all there.
The drive from Moab to Four Corners was a lot of ranchland and a lot of nothingness. Desert areas stretched as far as the eye could see.
We stopped in Blanding to pick up some sandwiches at the local Shell Station. Its probably a good idea we did as the communities of Montezuma Creek and Aneth had virtually no services except for a lone gas station. As we traveled to Four Corners we crossed into a Navajo Indian reservation. You know what they say about Indian reservations being desolate? It’s completely true. Seeing several abandoned houses along the side of the road was a unusual site.
The Navajo and Ute Indian Reservations own the land that the Four Corners monument sits on. Therefore it’s upto them how they want to maintain it. It was $3 / person / no exceptions to get it (or so the sign said). We paid and parked the car. It was extremely hot outside, a far cry from some of the temperatures we’ve experienced on top of the Colorado mountains.
The monument to where Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico come together is known as Four Corners. it’s a geographic anomaly. Tourists were lining up to have their photo made at that spot and then realizing it’s hot outside. The available shade is along the square border by the booths manned by Indians. Trinkets and souvenirs consisted of t-shirts, jewelry, postcards, pottery. I spoke to a merchant who gave me a brief recent history of the place – how the booths had been upgraded last year and how they hope to have plumbing and electricity to the monument soon.
We ate lunch in the Arizona side and used the porta potties on the New Mexico side.
Next it was onto Mesa Verde – a group of Indian dwellings along the overhang of mountains. The drive up to the National Park was a journey in itself, with signs indicating “No Stopping.”
In order to visit the bottom of some monuments including the Cliff Palace you must pay to take a tour. We signed up for the 4:30PM tour. Since it was sprinkling rain we waited for the rain to cease before proceeding down to the tour waiting area.
Our tour guide was a Native American himself and gave use a unique perspective on the culture of the Native Americans. We learned how sometimes people take things away from Indian tribes in order to “save” their culture. Due to pillaging by an early explorer other artifacts of the cliff dwellings had been put in museums in Helsinki, Finland. Some other artifacts ended up in Denver. Our tour guide asked the question “Are you here just to get your passport stamped or are you going to take something home from this experience?”
I think at that point we realized that it was all about heritage and culture, rather than just getting ones photo made in front of an abandoned residence. This was someone’s home at one time. This was their whole life and now its some type of tourist attraction to some, a valuable site to man’s culture to others.

We had an incredible amount of driving to do today. For breakfast we decided to drive back into Aspen from Snowmass Village. GPS said it was just 7 miles away, but due to traffic and lane reductions it took us around 30 minutes.
The McDonald’s in Aspen is one of the most nondescript McDonald’s I’ve been to. No large signs. Not at a building by itself. Just part of another building. You’d miss it if you didn’t know it was there. This McDonald’s is probably the only name brand fast food restaurant in downtown Aspen, and really only there because McDonald’s is everywhere….and the rich and famous have children who love McDonald’s.
It was on to the Black Canyon. To get there we drove through the mountains for some scenic views. We saw signs indicating next services was for 30 minutes and that meant gas. As we drove we came to a open air mine with a conveyor with the ability to load coal into railway cars. Railway cars were lined up very far along the tracks. Beside the mine was a group of around 50 houses, obviously the homes of the miners. As I recall I don’t remember seeing anything else but houses. The community was there to support the mine.
After entering Montrose we stopped to consult the GPS to find Rim Road around the Black Canyon. At some areas along the canyon you only need to was just a few yards to get to the picturesque spot. Other areas required somewhat of a hike. The canyon was beautiful. If you listened closely you could hear the rushing rapids at the bottom.
As recommended by Megan’s father we took state route 128 down to Moab. This road is very desolate. Very few cars on this road. Desert as far as you could see. Signs indicated there was a free range meaning it was possible that cattle could be in the roadway, however we saw none. As we approached we noticed the distinct rock formations much like the dark tan formations on Monument Valley. A small stream was surround by green trees – an unusual site in the desert. We saw a rancher’s house and sprinklers set to water the field around it.
The community of Dewey, Utah, consists of a house and a closed gas station. The pumps look like some from the 1980s. I really wish we had stopped to take a photo.
The rock formations were huge and overwhelming at times. This wasn’t even part of a National Park, rather part of the Department of Interior. There was no way for me to adequately describe how unique and beautiful the surroundings were. Along the way there were plenty of campsites without electrical and water hookups.
The stream that we had been following grew bigger among the rock formations. We later saw a sign stating it was the Colorado River.
We decided to drive into Arches National Park for some last minute viewings of the rock formations before sunset. The sunset really brought out the colors in these formations. This was a photographer’s dream. We stopped and parked and walked up to a very large arch and took plenty of photos. Knowing that we couldn’t see everything we decided to stay there while the sun set.
I have discovered that since most visitors stay at the National Park through sun down, most restaurants in Moab are open late. We were shopping for souvenirs at 9:30 at night and had supper at around 10PM. We ate at the Moab Diner – somewhat like Steak and Shake but more homelier with less name brand appeal. In short it was a hometown diner. Food was good especially since I had nothing since the Taco Bell in Delta.
Today we are off to Four Corners and Mesa Verde.

If you know anything about the geography of Denver, you know that the city lies on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains. We were headed west and drove through the mountains on Interstate 70. There’s a gradual incline up the mountains. We kept track of our elevation on our GPS. Along the way we passed by quaint towns situated between the mountains and interstate. One in particular had a stadium proclaiming the school’s mascot – the Gold Diggers – how appropriate given Colorado’s history. Kanye West would be proud.
We stopped at Georgetown – a village with the mountains as a backdrop on either side. Its historic district with period buildings is the draw for most tourists. We stopped at the Georgetown Valley Candy Company to pick up some of their chocolate.
The entrance to Guanella Pass is within the city limits of Georgetown. We decided to journey up the pass for a great view of the surrounding area. Although Georgetown itself is around 8500 feet in elevation, we reached heights of 11000 feet at the top of Guanella Pass. On this two lane road we encountered road construction and rams along the way. I guess the wildlife is always there, although the road construction only happens in the summertime for obvious reasons. At the top there was a parking area for some great views of the surrounding countryside. Hikers were there preparing to make their own adventure. After taking some video and photos we decided to drive down the mountain back to Georgetown for lunch.
It was time to get back on the interstate to continue our journey west. As we drove down we saw signs directing truckers to emergency areas where the could drive uphill in case their brakes gave out. This reminded me of the area around Monteagle, Tennessee.
Next was Independence Pass – a road only open from May through November – or whenever the first snow hits. This road took us up the side of the mountain. Since there were no guardrails it was obvious as to why it is only open in the summer. The area was picturesque. Photos and video do not do this area justice. On top of the mountain, just a few hundred feet from the road we saw perma-ice.
Independence Pass is somewhat the backdoor to Aspen. From its shops like Gucci, Louis Vitton, and Ralph Lauren to its art shops, I discovered that Aspen is mainly for the super rich. I felt it was a little too high brow for my tastes. Even postcards were 60 cents and above. I felt that the common man could not afford to live in Aspen. Our waiter probably commuted from a surrounding community like Snowmass Village. In fact we decided to stay in Snowmass Village, as rates for rooms in Aspen was outrageous.
Already looking forward to our drive to Moab, Utah, today.

The day started off with a visit to the state capitol. As we arrived we noticed there was scaffolding on one side of the golden dome. This seems to be the norm these days among monuments. Never has it been where all monuments are completely upgraded or repaired. There is always repair work to be done. Along the sides of the capitol there are what I thought was cherry trees. I later was told these are crab apple trees. As we reached the front part we climbed the steps to a portion which “One Mile Above Sea Level” was engraved. This offered a iconic photo opportunity.
After the capitol, we visited Four Mile Historical Park. The park is four miles from the state capitol which is how it got its name. Within the 12 acre park is the oldest house in Denver. After exploring the various outdoor exhibits such as chicken coops and wigwams, we took a tour of the house.
Inside the house we started off in the oldest section, which by comparison was the more sparse section. Exposed pines on the ceiling and homemade furniture reminded us how the earliest settlers of Denver lived. As we moved into newer potions of the house the furniture got better, an indication of the impact the arrival of the railroad gave to Denver. What used to take months to obtain now took mere days. Within the house, we saw bedrooms, sitting rooms, a underground kitchen and other unique exhibits to the house. The house itself had been occupied continuously from the 1850s to 1960s until the Denver historical society took it over.
After Four Mile Historical Park it was time for lunch. I find myself a connoisseur of sandwiches, which is why it was important to visit the first Quiznos restaurant in downtown Denver, just blocks away from the Capitol. We were disappointed to find no air conditioning in the establishment. Doors to the bathroom were locked indicating the restaurant had been overrun with vagrants at time.
I realize that the air conditioning could have just gone out hours before and with it being a Sunday there was no time or ability to fix it, yet. However if it had been days of no air conditioning, it would be a major problem. I’d consider it a black eye for Quiznos. The room temperature was 85 degrees. We chose to eat outside on the patio.
We drove to Golden, Colorado, to tour the Coors Brewery. I’m not a drinker at all, ever. However my traveling companions were interested in it and I obliged. The wait for the “long” tour was an hour long, so we decided to visit the gift shop. Upon entering the area we found there was a short tour which gave a general overview of the beer making process and decided to go on that tour. We later found that the short tour was more than adequate and I myself would have become bored very quickly on the long tour.
Prior to taking the tour participants show their drivers license to get a armband so that they can receive a sample at the end. The tour itself was expectantly heavy on Coors propaganda, emphasizing the purity of the beer, that it is American made, and most all wastes are recycled. At the end there was a lounge area for tour groups to get 3 free beverages…obviously beer, but also soft drinks.
At the end of the tour there is a gift shop where you could pick up anything with the Coors logo on it. Everything from Coors brand lip balm to Coors brand ponchos were available. I searched for some type of evidence that Coors subtly supported underage drinking such as a stuffed animal or toy with a Coors logo on it. I found nothing. I was pleasantly surprised.
Within downtown Denver there is a section called the 16th Street Mall. I’d imagine it must have been there for quite sometime, after all how could a city persuade name brand stores to commit to building stores in downtown. Several blocks of stores dotted the street. I found myself having déj� vu when we passed by a Subway, Starbucks, McDonald’s, etc. and seeing another store of the same franchise brand just blocks away. I counted three Subways in this area alone.
Now might be a good time to mention Denver’s vagrant problem. It might be the economy. It might be people trying to take advantage of the situation. It might be a little of both. I kept seeing young people..twentysomethings…on the corners with signs begging for money. We were even asked by a guy walking with a backpack “Can you give me money so that I can buy some drugs?” At least he was honest. All of it I found slightly annoying. I am of the opinion that one should pull themselves up by their bootstraps, contact charities as needed, but never lower oneself to beg.
It was time for supper. We had made 7PM reservations at the Buckhorn Exchange, Denver’s oldest restaurant. The restaurant itself is located in a sketchy part of town among the housing projects. Makes me wonder if the area was once a good part of town and the area around it fell into disrepair.
The inside of the Buckhorn Exchange is a taxidermist’s dream with stuff game mounted on the walls. Buckhorn’s draw is its offering of exotic animals such as alligator tail and Rocky Mountain oysters. Rattlesnake was unavailable, instead replaced with calamari. I opted for barbeque pork ribs.
After dinner we stopped by the Golden Spoon, a yogurt restaurant across from our hotel before returning to our rooms.
Already looking forward to driving to Aspen today.

As I began my first journey to the West, I looked forward to seeing western Kansas. After cities like Manhattan and Salina, we saw the Flint Hills. The Flint Hills discredit the idea that all of Kansas is flat. Slight hills dotted the horizon. As we drove through the Flint Hills we reached Hays, Kansas. Hays is virtually the only significant city between Topeka and Denver. Home of Fort Hayes State University, the city is a college town with a good amount of restaurants. We chose Subway simply because it was the healthiest fast food place near the interstate. I was the busiest Subway I had seen in a while. Cars from various other states dotted the parking lot. After uploading a video to Youtube (thanks to Subway’s free wifi) we were on our way.
This is where the flatness of Kansas was noticable. At times you could see for miles. Ever so often we saw a farm house and wonder what this family / individual did for a living. Does this family stay on the farm almost constantly? Is a significant journey to them a 2 hour drive to Hays? I saw a sign along the interstate stating that a Kansas farmer fed 128 people plus you. I would tend to belive this statement.
As we got closer to the Colorado border we saw the elevation on our Garmin GPS system was increasing ever so slightly. Road work along the border of Kansas and Colorado prevented a photo op at the “Welcome to Colorado” sign. We stopped at the Colorado Welcome City and stocked up on pamplets and brouchures on things to do in Colorado. As usual the workers were very helpful in suggestions.
I never knew that at the Kansas border we were only 2 hours from Denver. As we drove we saw more and more vast ranches. Mark suggested those ranchers own thousands of acres of land with hundreds head of cattle to keep up with. The vastness of nothingness was eye-opening. Mark reminded me how those in metro centers out east complain that America has run out of land. Those complainers only need to visit the western United States to discredit this notion.
After just a few more house we reached Denver. The iconic scene of the Denver skyline with the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains was obscured by the clouds or haze (not sure which). We checked into our hotel, rested and had dinner at a IHOP across the street. We decided to drive into downtown Denver to view the capitol. Downtown is just a few miles away but took around 24 minutes because of red lights and lack of a direct route. We passed by panhandlers and the rescue mission reminding us that not all residents of Denver are as well off as we think. We saw the downtown shopping district, capital, and the first Quiznos store.
Already looking forward to my first full day in Denver today.