Day 23 Colorado Springs to Alamosa
Today we took the scenic route from Colorado Springs across/through the Rocky Mountains to Alamosa.  We didn't really know what to expect but the whole journey was, once again, stunning.  We decide not to stop on the way as we were keen to have a good long time at The Great Sand Dunes National Park, but we did stop for coffee at an amazing village store and cafe at Cotopaxi.  It was like stepping back into the past - three owners in just about 100 years!  And again at Salida an interesting arty town (think Glastonbury surrounded by mountains).  It is actually the only small town we have wanted to stop in on our journey to date!

We then crossed the Great Divide (again!) and descended to a gigantic plain surrounded by mountains.  At one edge of this, hard against the Sangre de Cristos Mountains, lies the Great Sand Dunes National Park.  This is truly an amazing place, created when sandstone eroded from the San Juan Mountains 64 miles away was blown by prevailing westerly winds to pile against the Sangre de Cristos.  But these are huge!

We have driven through heavy rain and the skies threaten again as we leave.  But the sunset as we approach Alamosa and our next overnight stop is amazing with the mountain backdrop.  Tomorrow we'll take a pass through these as we head for our next stop, Durango.

Days 21 & 22 Colorado Springs
We have been based in Colorado Springs for the last two nights.  This is a super area to explore right on the edge of the Rockies.  Close at hand "The Garden of the Gods" - a complex of rock formations in a lovely setting on the edge of the city.  We call in the the visitor centre and amaze the lady at the information desk that we are going to be walking the long trail right around the site (just 4.5 miles).  Everybody else drives the "Scenic Roadway" and perhaps walks the 0.8 mile inner loop paved walkway!  It's worth it - you see so much more from the different angles and of course you only have each other for company and not a hoard of other visitors.

While at Colorado Springs we also took the ride up Pike's Peak on the cog railway.  We went with a group of friends we have made on this trip.  The scenery as you climb out of the valley, through the various eco-zones to eventually reach the tundra at 14,000 feet are all viewed from the diesel powered, swiss designed train.

We even spotted some yellow bellied marmots.

Ended the day with a visit to Seven Falls in Cheyenne Canyon.  Big combination of waterfalls (guess how many?)!  Stairways and walkways take visitor up alongside the falls - quite spectacular!

Finished the day with BBQ and drinks with Justin and Anne (invited to visit in Spain where they move on return from this trip) and John and Jan.

Day 20 Douglas Wyoming to Golden Colorado via Rocky Mountain NP
What a day.  We belted down the Interstate and by-passed Cheyenne so that we could visit Rocky Mountain National Park.  And aren't we glad we did. The climb up to Estes Park and the edge of the NP is though dramatic scenery, a narrow gorge with steep sides towering above the narrow road.  Then the scenery opens out as you arrive at Estes Park.  There was a family festival on today "Beer, Brats and Music"!  It was pretty clear who this was aimed at.  But the town was crowded and we made the mistake of not taking the by-pass, which would have reached our destination, the NP entrance, a lot earlier.

Once inside the Park we stopped at the Visitor Centre as there were two options available to us depending on time and the advice given by the rangers.  Go for it was what we were told, it's a beautiful drive and there are no problems with weather!

We drove a grand loop taking in the main areas of the Park.  We heard elk before we saw them through binoculars at our lunch stop and later had a very close encounter with a whole group by the roadside.

We took the high road, and I mean really high, so that we were up in the tundra zone at 11,000 feet and the scenery was fabulous.  What goes up must come down and the long, log descent took us through mixed woodland with lots of golden aspen trees in full fall colour.

Leaving the park we continued the descent towards Denver but looking ahead realised that the route would take us through Winter Park, a former ski trip having taken us here many moons ago! Mary impressed that I remembered where the hotel was.

Talking of moons, tonight is a total eclipse here near Denver, and as we arrive in the dark it has already started.  We eat supper by it's fluctuating light and plan for tomorrow before a relatively early night.  Just pleased that it is a much shorter drive!

Day 19 Hill City (South Dakota) to Douglas Wyoming
On my birthday we make an early start and head for Wind Cave NP where we are able to book places on a guided tour of just a tiny part of the cave system, which is really good.  We grab a very quick first breakfast.

We descend a large number of steps and then follow a long connected series caves and tunnels with interesting geology and formations.  The Ranger guide is excellent and she explains what we see, the history of its exploration and facts about its geology and formation.

We then have second breakfast before departing for Hot Springs and the Mammoth Dig Museum.  This is another brilliant visit and Charlie would have loved it!

Tonight after the evening briefing we had drinks for all who wanted to attend at our van... very late supper!

Day 18 Hill City (South Dakota)
Hill City is in the Black Hills of South Dakota and rises above the plains which seem to go on endlessly in all directions.  We decide to take a leisurely morning and relax, read and catch up with the washing (Mary).  I do some van related tasks - cleaning the caked-on dead flies from the windshield (windscreen).

As lunchtime approaches we drive the short distance into town and explore options for lunch before settling on the Swiss Hotel where we enjoy a salads followed by rather nice ice creams (single scoops this time after Cody comments on FB).

We then drive out to Mount Rushmore to visit the giant sculptures of four significant presidents of the US carved into the mountain.  This is an immense work and its execution is spectacular. 

We meet up with some of the others from our trip and decide to stay on for the lighting ceremony. I'm sorry to say this lived up to expectations and was over the top jingoistic american nonsense.  The visit to see the sculpture is worth it... but the rest a distortion of reality!

We return to camp and head for bed.

Day 17 Buffalo to Hill City (South Dakota)
Quite a long drive today with a detour to visit the Devil's Tower which proves well worth it and another amazing experience.

But first breakfast of pancakes (Mary) and cinnamon roll (Ian) at the Occidental Hotel, a wonderful experience in a restored old west Hotel - haunt of celebrities and bandits in equal proportion!  So it was a late departure, though not quite the last, unusual for us as we are often amongst the early risers - hoping to pack as much as possible into the day!

The drive, on an Interstate, is easy and relaxed, though it does take sometime to reach the Devil's Tower which is a spectacular piece of geology.  There is some disagreement over the origins of this butte but it is undoubtedly linked with some kind of volcanic action and may be a gigantic volcanic plug like many Mary and I have seen in the Auvergne in France in and around Le Puy.  It is held as a place of great spirituality by several American Indians and we saw prayer cloths tied to trees as we walked around it today.

Soaring above the butte were turkey vultures and we also saw prairie dogs and squirrels as we walked around it.

Beware prairie dogs - apparently they can give you a very nasty nip!

Day 16 Cody to Buffalo
We are finally heading away from the mountains and travelling through the foothills, though at times they seem rather big foothills!  The scenery continues to amaze and our route today has some flexibility.  Sadly one of our group ha become unwell and has had to have treatment in Cody before he is well enough to travel again - we hope that he catches us up once we get to Hill City.  He had been keen to go to Thermopilis and we had thought that would be fun.  It is a swimming pool fed by natural heated water from deep underground to the the (Caroline) temperature of our hot tub!  Only twenty minutes permitted and of course our skin smelled of sulphur when we got out!

From here we continued to a smashing little site at Buffalo.  Due to our late arrival we couldn't fit in aperitifs at The Occidental Hotel, but had a great BBQ with our fellow travellers and a long apres BBQ of red wine as darkness descended!

Day 14 & 15 Cody
We remain at Cody for two nights.  This is an opportunity to catch up on washing and relaxing after the hectic activity of the first two weeks.  There is however a lot to see and do here and many in the group take the opportunity to visit the Centre of the West Museum complex as do we. This is a complex of five exhibition spaces with museums of Natural History, Firearms, Buffalo Bill Cody, Plains Indians and an Art Gallery.  The grounds also have several sculptures and outdoor presentation spaces.

We spend most of the morning in the Natural History area and it is excellent with dioramas, nature video clips, reconstructions and lots of information about the greater Yellowstone region.  Charlie would have loved the section on palaeontology which included reconstructions of digs including one of a bison cliff.

In the evening we watch a local admiral group perform a shootout with authentic costume and poor acting, as they do this every night through the season I think they were ready for a break!  Then we had a meal at Irma's Hotel with sour waitress and "pile it high food" - not recommended! And then on to a show at the local theatre with Dan Miller and a small band performing great western and cowboy music - highly recommended!

Oh yes and the ice creams (see Facebook for this).

Day 13 Madison to Cody
It is as though all the scenic drives so far have been building to this day.  We leave early and head back part of the route we had taken yesterday.  This time we are going to stop at the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone; which, on arrival, we view from both rims and even descend Tom's Trail on metal steps down three quarters of the canyon sides.  The views of both waterfalls are fantastic and, being early, there are very few others sharing the experience.  That all changes at the final site/sight - Artist' Point - where once again we are joined by hundreds for the short walk from the car park to the viewpoint (overlook).

The drive continues through magnificent scenery, past more geothermal action and the stunningly beautiful Hayden Valley.  We stop near Jackson Lake to have a late lunch and walk along a creek to the lakeside.  It is so peaceful and we love it.

The mountain pass down to the East Entrance is dramatic but bleak and we also pass through a large area where the great fire of 1988 has left huge devastation, then on to Cody where we are once again the last to arrive!

Day 12 Around Madison
We start the day with Ranger Miriam who gives us a potted history of the discovery of Yellowstone and is rightly proud of the fact that it was the first National Park anywhere in the US and a model for National Parks throughout the World.  We also get the lowdown on the peculiar geothermal features, including the fact that her the Earth’s crust is just 3 miles thick.  Hence all the geysers, fumaroles, mud pots and hot water springs.  We also have the wild animal safety briefing!

We have been invited to join Justin and Anne, John and Jan for a tour of the area.  Justin volunteers to drive and Mary is nominated as the navigator.  The van is very luxurious compared with our smaller vehicle and we are all strapped in and ready to go on a 100 mile circuit of some of the sights of the park.

Lots of laughs and some very interesting places - geysers, mud pots, scenery and of course yet more bison on a great day, though at the end of it we are all pretty exhausted!  An early night ensues.

Day 11 - Jackson into Grand Teton and Yellowstone N Parks

We had always known that today would be an amazing day full of highlights and so it proved to be.  We awake to low mist over Jackson.  As we can see from the map the first hour of the journey will be through fabulous scenery so we delay departure, and fill up with propane and petrol before heading towards the Grand Teton NP entrance.  Shortly after we enter the park the mist clears and we have fabulous views of the snow-dusted Teton range away to our left against a brilliant blue sky!

Our first stop will be Jenny Lake and we have been warned that “you must arrive before 10.00 or won’t be able to park.”  We arrive around 10.30 and have a choice of parking slots!  We pop into the visitor centre and Mary buys a short guide to the park which shows walks and specially notable locations for best views, wildlife sighting locations etc.  It proves very useful throughout the day!

We take the boat across Jenny Lake and decide on two walks on the other side.  Normally these are linked into a single loop but the connecting section is closed for maintenance (it looked like a bridge had been washed away and was being rebuilt).  We climb through the trees, with snatched vies of the lake below and the mountains beyond until we reach a small series of waterfalls, however the hidden waterfall lies just a little higher and suddenly appears around a corner, though you do hear it before it is seen.

Next we head back to the landing stage and head up the trail to “Inspiration Point”.  This is quite a climb and in the high altitude for those used to living at 300 feet above sea level at times you need to pause for long deep breaths.  But the reward is worth it!  After a series of zig-zags on the trail you reach an open area with stunning views back across the lake to the mountain ranges that surround the open bowl before us.  It is so beautiful we can hardly drag ourselves away!

But as we are only a short distance into our journey and we have Yellowstone ahead of us today we must.  Back down the track, spot mule deer in the undergrowth, onto the boat and back across the lake.

We have spent such a long time here that we must press on for the scale of distances is greater than expected inside the parks.  We make a small detour to Horseshoe Bend and enjoy the view of he mountains, winding river and changing colour of the trees.  It is beautiful.

Then back on the road and before long we leave Grand Teton and arrive at Yellowstone.  Although devastated by fires many times over the forest recovers and the road is through young pine trees grown since the great fire of 1988.

We call at a visitor centre and collect information, intending to watch a film of the regeneration of Yellowstone, but realise that we need to hurry on to see Old Faithful do its thing!  And this we do and it really is spectacular.  Arriving in time to get a good viewpoint with the setting sun behind us.

From here we press on to the Madison Campground but our route is further delayed by bison on the road, lots of them, including one mother feeding a calf in the middle of the carriageway.  We are the last to arrive!

Day 11 - Bear Lake to Jackson

The driving is easy with empty roads - except for our group of vans all heading out along the shore of Bear Lake and heading for Montpelier.

Here is the National Trail Centre with a great exhibition of the Oregon Trail which was great fun and included a simulation of being bounced around while travelling in a wagon!

Then we headed North crossing passes in the increasingly high mountains until we reach the valley of the Snake River.  The first section is a stunning gorge, where we stop for lunch; then it broadens out into a wide bowl with Jackson and the ski area of Teton Village (Jackson Hole) ascending into the mountains above the plain.  The view from the Gondola and at the top of the mountain are fabulous!

Tomorrow we head into Grand Teton National Park and from there into Yellowstone.  We won't have Internet between now and arriving at Cody in three days time!

We are having the most amazing time with lots of great experiences on the way!  Today we met a cowboy herding sheep... he had no English and when he asked if I spoke Spanish was amused that all I could manage was to ask him for "Two beers please."

From this chance meeting we continued to Jackson and went to the Gondola at Teton Village to ascend to the top of Grand Teton before setting up at the RV site.

So this evening went to seek out the Silver Dollar Bar and remember Brian's story of his visit here.  It was heaving and loud live band playing, so great atmosphere.  Went with another two couples and had a great evening... waitress, one of the most miserable yet met in US so either the rest were better at acting or last night's had had a really bad day!  We managed to win her round!

Day 10 - Salt Lake City to Bear Lake

Today we head further North with higher mountains and higher latitude we'll be glad of the warm clothes we brought.  The last few days there has been rain for at least part of the day - usually the evening like last night which drove the sundowner group inside for the first time.  We could see fresh snow on the mountains as we left SLC and it was certainly cold enough for heating last night.  There is a definite feeling of Autumn now and there might even be snow at our next couple of destinations.

We decide to do some shopping as the weather is expected to improve, which it does and then we head for Antelope Island State Park in the Great Salt Lake.  The scenery is a delight and the bison something we had hoped for but not expected to be so close!

We are able to see these magnificent beasts at very close quarters living in their natural habitat and grazing on the grasslands of the island.

The Great Salt Lake is quite an impressive sight and we are able to get a feel for it's almost unique qualities as, in spite of recent rain, the edge of the island has deposits of salt and other chemicals.

From here we headed North and passed up the Logan Canyon before arriving at our overnight RV site close to the lake itself.  Briefing was followed by drinks with friends in one of the larger vans as it is especially cold tonight.  Up early tomorrow as we head for Jackson, the Tetons National Park and then Yellowstone.  May have WiFi tomorrow but after that don't expect to be able to post until we reach Cody.

Day 9 - Salt Lake City

An interesting place!  But not one I'd want to hurry back to.  We sheltered from the rain in the morning, caught up with family via FaceTime, though Ettie is more interested in turning the light on and off and Charlie more interested in pulling faces!

In the afternoon we visit Temple Square and are accosted by lots of young ladies in pairs working the area as missionaries.  We visited the main sights, but I just don't get it!  The centre of SLC is immaculate, modern and affluent; however you don't have to wander far to find begging and very run down areas.

We did enjoy a great meal at an Italian restaurant to compensate.  Happy to be on the move again tomorrow!  The mormon temple is an interesting piece of architecture but non members can't go inside.  The whole complex has a high wall around it and you get the feeling that they'd love to just close all the gates to the rest of us!

The Trax tramway system is excellent!

Day 8 - Bryce Canyon to Salt Lake City

This is the longest drive to date and we decide to get on with it!  There are several possible routes but it has rained heavily overnight and it is still raining as we leave.  We have heard flash flood warnings and that Zion NP has been closed due to flash flood risk!  Really glad we got up early yesterday to see sunrise.  Mary drives the RV today and we choose a route which keeps us off the Interstate as long as possible following the 89 for most of the journey.

This route takes us through some attractive scenery but depressingly impoverished towns with small timber framed building with sagging porches and roofs.  US clearly has a sizeable population living on or below the poverty line.

As we descend from the mountains the rain lessens and part of the journey is in pleasant sunshine.  However after a late stop for lunch we join the Interstate 15 and the skies open!  Torrential rain on a six lane highway with heavy lorries all around us is not a pleasant experience.  While I am now driving Mary nods off!  We find the RV site (thanks to Mary and TomTom, our trusty navigators) and as others arrive we discover some of the group still shaking from the experience!

A few beers/wine/G&Ts later we all seem to have got over the experience and are non the worse for it.

At the evening briefing the skies open once more but this time we are more able to enjoy the sight of a beautiful rainbow over the city which we shall explore tomorrow.

Day 7 - Bryce Canyon

An amazing day!  We wake early and the overnight rain has cleared and we can see stars; so its disconnect, pull in the slide out and off to the entrance to the park some ten minutes drive away.  The gates are open and we drive straight to Bryce point the best location to view sunrise as the promontory gives a view East to the rising sun and West to the amphitheatre of hoodoos.  It is everything that has been promised!

Looking down...

After that we visit a number of other overlooks (viewpoints) all of which have fabulous views of the rock formations.  And then we set off on the Queen's Garden/Navajo loop trail.  One of life's rich experiences and to honour the event I wear my "crossing the southern alps" hat which Caroline bought for our trip to NZ.

Looking up...

At the end of the walk the skies open and we make our way back to the rim in heavy rain... at least we were well prepared unlike those in T shirts and crocs!

This evening we go with the group for a meal and western show.  The music was great!  Food OK... and the little train ride back to the RV site highly entertaining! 

Day 6 - Zion National Park to Bryce Canyon

We leave Zion with an amazing journey ahead of us.  One of the shortest of the trip but also one of, if not, the most spectacular to date.  At least that is what the guides all say... and so it proves.  It is a beautiful day and we head off into the park and continue via many hairpin bends to the Zion tunnel.  The road has amazing views in all directions and we see the Zion valley from altitude which is fantastic.  The rock formations are fascinating with erosion by rain, snow and frost producing incredible shapes and patters.  We take over two hours to exit the park, some 20 odd miles!

Admiring the view before we head off on our journey to Bryce Canyon. 

We also take some time to reach our final RV site for the night by taking two stops in Red Canyon for walks.  The second was a quick stroll around the hoodoos.  Then on to Ruby's where we pick up info on visiting Bryce Canyon.  We find that as we have "a small RV", under 25 feet that is, we can drive into the park so we have an early night and decide to get up for a dawn visit!

Day 5 - Zion National Park

We have booked a guided tour with a park ranger so are up and out in good time to arrive at the park entrance for 8.30.  Browse in the shop and then meet with Chelsey the ranger and set off up the canyon.  There is a lot about geology and erosion and the wildlife of the canyon floor and it's all good stuff and well presented.

We arrive at the top end of the valley, where the canyon narrows and eventually the trail ends and walkers take to the river bed to continue upstream.  We decide that it's a bit early in the trip to risk injury so we head back and meet up with some of our fellow travellers to explore some of the other sights along the canyon.  It is, once again, very hot and we drink copious water and try to stay under the trees, avoiding the glare of the sun.

Back at the RV park we need the refreshing dip in the pool to cool off ahead of a barbecue with others on the trip.

Day 4 - Las Vegas to Zion National Park

We leave Las Vegas and head north following Interstate 15, a fast four lane highway heading away from Las Vegas towards Salt Lake City.  It is another hot day with blue skies and views of the approaching mountains through the heat haze.  The scenery becomes increasingly attractive as we get further and further from Las Vegas along the busy highway.

We have decided to leave the Interstate for a scenic diversion near St George and visit the State Park of Snow Canyon.  Never has a location been so inappropriately named as the day is once again baking at around 40 degrees in the shade and no shade to be seen.  But it is magnificent and a great introduction to the Canyon Country of Utah.

This image shows the petrified sand dunes and we walk over them, admiring the scenery in all directions.

Back at the van we have lunch and a drink before heading on to our next destination Zion National Park.  The drive to it is beautiful and we find the RV site and check in, head for the park entrance and get ourselves sorted with our NP pass and the special pass which we shall need to access the Mt Carmel tunnel when the time comes for us to leave.  Having purchased the pass we catch the free shuttle up the valley and marvel at the scenic wonder that is Zion National Park.  Popping up to the park visitor centre to get our pass has taken us three hours and the sun is setting by the time we return!!!  But we have managed to get ourselves onto a ranger guided tour in the morning, so well worth it.  

Day 3 - Still Las Vegas

Body clock still not on US time!  Woke at 5.00 am and have just dozed since!  So up and ready for action by 7.00 am.  I know, not at all like me, and Mary rather unimpressed.  I think still on a high after yesterday and the Cirque de Soleil show at TI.  Worth coming all this way for, without a doubt!

Have resisted the "charms" of the casinos.  They are actually generally rather depressing places filled at this time of year with people of our age and older playing the slots, of which they have plenty to choose.

Today we collect our RV for the road trip and stock up with provisions. Then it's back to an RV park on the site of Sam's Town, where we are at the moment, to familiarise ourselves with it before we set off tomorrow heading for Canyon Country!

Day 2 - Las Vegas

We awake early after good nine hours of sleep, but it is only 6.00am so we sit at the window and watch the sun rise over the mountains.  Las Vegas is in a flat bottomed bowl surrounded by mountains and a desert landscape which is arid and barren; however, as the sun rises from behind them there is a warm pink glow over everything and the details of the city with its grid iron pattern of roads and combination of low rise accommodation, mostly single story bungalow housing and the high rise of hotels, "resorts" and casinos becomes clear.  There are also a surprising number of trees.

We start the day with a group breakfast and chat with the group leaders Derek and Iris then we are off downtown to see something of "The Strip" and see what is available for last minute booking.

There are seats for the early evening performance of Cirque de Soleil's Mystere so we plan our day accordingly.  There is so much to see and although it's weird it is also fascinating.  The pastiche which is the Venetian somehow manages to pull it off.  Of course it isn't Venice but it is surprisingly classy!  Then on to the Bellagio and the wonderful display of fountains.

Watched two shows and this was one of them!

Then an early supper back at the Venetian before heading to TI for the early evening show of Mystere.

A wonderful and most memorable day.

Day 1 - Gatwick to Las Vegas

Flight from Gatwick to Las Vegas uneventful and we touched down ahead of schedule. We travel by air conditioned coach from air conditioned terminal to air conditioned hotel. And are very thankful as it is very hot and temperatures are touching on 40 degrees!

We have met up with our fellow travellers and now the adventure begins.  We have waited a long time to do this trip and at last we have made it.  Tomorrow we plan to hit "The Strip", see the sights before trying for some last minute tickets for a show. Before we settle to sleep we have a cold beer and chat with the tour leaders who are a lovely couple, then register with the casino so that we can get heavily discounted food which turns out to offer quite a variety of typical american faire with some alternative oriental dishes and some extremely fattening puddings!  Mary and I eat moderately and my treat is a "sherbet" ice-cream which I quite enjoy but Mary declares "disgusting" - though I do agree that her mango sorbet was a better choice!

On our way back to our room we wander through the slots which I really find quite depressing and then take up an invitation offered in the lift earlier that day to join a group of square dancers in one of the side rooms.  We are given a warm welcome and enjoy watching and listening to two or three dances being called and performed.  We recognise quite a few of the moves, right hand star and left hand square with opposites and partners, but the whole thing is quite fast and the "caller" sings the instructions in a style very different from what we are used to with the more sedate barn danes of Somerset or Suffolk.

It's half past eight and we've been awake a very long time, hoping to last until 9.00 at least!

On the countdown to departure from Gatwick. Almost ready for packing - a job for Sunday. New camera lens and a GoPro camera (fantastic birthday present from daughter Clare and family) will mean that there will be lots to share with you during and after the trip. Excitement levels are rising!