Rocky Mountain National Park

July 12th and 13th

On July 12th we left Steamboat Springs mid-morning and headed east for Rocky Mountain National Park.  The rain from the night before had cleared out, and we had a nice sunny day to get started.
We had done the famous drive through the mountains of the park many years ago.  The road used to be quite narrow above the tree line, and mostly gravel.  It is now wide enough for two motor homes to pass comfortably, and there are shoulders and rock walls in many places.  There are even public bathrooms placed along the way in spots that get a lot of foot traffic.

Elk Crossing Jams Traffic at 11,000 feet

Mid-July is high tourist season.  The road was crowded in many places, and it was impossible to pull off or get a parking place in most of the view pull-outs.  There was a bit of a traffic jam at one point where people stopped to see a female moose, and another when some elk decided to cross the road.




As we climbed up into the mountains, it started to rain, and the rain was COLD, but at least there was no lightning or hail. The rain stopped for awhile as we reached the top elevations.

12,000 feet

Between storms

elk feed on delicate tundra plants above the tree line

A back country hiker was killed by a lightning strike above the tree line on July 11th, and then another man was killed the same day we were there on one of the view pull-outs, about an hour after we went by that location.  Thirteen other people at the overlook were also taken to the hospital.  We have been very fortunate avoiding all the really bad weather.

No Guardrail!

Feeling on top of the world

We stayed overnight at a motel about an hour east of Estes Park, missing all the big storms roaming around the area, and I got a new Kindle!  I am now ready for the ride across the prairie states and mid-west.

Eastern Colorado

South Central Nebraska

On July 13th we continued east on Route 34 through eastern Colorado, then through the farm and ranch land of southwestern and south central Nebraska.  250 miles today under bright sunny skies and warm with a high of 85 degrees.  I got a lot of reading done. :)

South western Nebraska