Wichita, Kansas to Estes Park, Colorado
Tuesday I was in California for the day. Myself along with some interested parties visited New Technology High School in Napa, California. Then, we visited the Tiger Woods Learning Center in Anahiem. Two very nice, innovative environments.
Anyway, Wednesday, after school, me and the family started out for our fall break trip. We have Friday and Monday off, but we added Thursday and Tuesday. Leaving at about 6:00, we drove Interstate 35 to Wichita, Kansas. This driving portion of the trip was mostly non-eventful other than Jeb sang a bunch of songs, we listened to favorite music selections, Leslie and Erin read, Caleb vegged. We arrived in Wichita, Kansas, after unsuccessfully locating a hotel in Wellington, Kansas. The hotel was $54.00 a night. Four of us in a beds and Jeb on the floor.
Arising the next morning, after an early morning walk and a nice breakfast continental, we left Wichita. We had the option to stick to the interstate or to take back roads. Concrete, trucks, exit signs, and speed or farms, pumpkin patches, local eateries, minnow shops and a slow jaunt. We took the latter. We have now seen Hutchinson, Great Bend, and myriad other small towns in the heart of Kansas including Russell, the home of Bob Dole.
We hooked back up to Interstate 70 travelling on fumes for quite awhile with me fearing that I had made a crucial planning mistake only to be saved by a Phillips 66. I celebrated with a Diet Coke. Caffiene Free.
Driving through eastern Colorado the one thing that was clear was that it was vastly different than the mountains. Rolling plains reminiscent of northeastern New Mexico.
We were lucky enough to hit Denver at rush hour, but we made it through unharmed and on to Boulder. Caleb was reminded of his last visit to Boulder which was at last year's Aggie football game. Well, the campus was nice.
We stopped at a place Leslie and I had visited before. The Pearl Street Mall. Got out. Dropped some change in the meter. And walked. Stretched our legs. Found a great shop called "Into The Wind" and ate at Old Chicago Pizza.
We didn't have a place to stay so we started asking around and found that there were no beds available or they wanted $100 for us to sleep. That ain't happening. We called Motel 6's 800 number and located one of their enterprises on Federal Avenue in Denver. It was a rather seedy part of town but the room was $45.00. We slept just as good. The ESPN was just as good. We woke up and wrestled on the beds, packed, and headed north to Estes Park.
We immediately went to the Beaver Meadows Visitors Center and asked some critical questions. Where could we see Elk? What were the best hikes for our needs (kids, animals, scenery, not too long)? What else should we see? We got our info, bought a book, watched a 30 minute film on the park, and went to find our cabin.
Located via the internet, I had settled on Whispering Pines Cottages partly due to the price, $110 a night, and because they had an opening that would accommodate five people. One never knows exactly what one is getting from internet pictures. We drove past Lake Estes, Mall Road, bunches of motels and bears carved from logs and drove up on our place. The owners are very nice, the cabin has a deck, is modestly decorated and is nestled on the Big Thompson River which, by the way, is a great name for a river.
After unloading we were off to the Fern Lake Trailhead off of Bear Lake Road near Moraine Park. The intention was not to get to the lake but to get a series of rocks and caves to explore and to get to The Pool, a rather interesting section of the Big Thompson. We accomplished our purpose with wild abandon. Jumping rivers, skipping rocks, exploring little holes in the walls, and Jeb falling into the river - twice. Juice bags was the reward at The Pool, our furthermost destination and peanut butter crackers when we arrived back at the car.
In the car, we looked for elk and found some within a mile or so. We got out and left the road and everyone else and walked through the meadow for a closer look. Leslie and Erin turned back after a little while. Me and the boys ventured on jumping two little creeks. We had great views of bulls and cows.
Other Eld were seen in Upper Beaver Meadows and in town.
Tonight it was spaghetti we made, peaches we brought, raspberry tea we mixed, and marshmallows roasted over a fire pit next to the cabin.
We have a t.v. in the cabin. No cable. It gets four channels, Mrs Owner said. Two are fuzzy enough not to make out. One is CBS. The other is ESPN. Sweet. College Game Day next to the Big Thompson in freezing weather.
Tomorrow it is Bierstadt, Nymph, Dream, and Emerald Lakes, I think.
I do not have time to check this for grammar and spelling. Gotta go.
Anyway, Wednesday, after school, me and the family started out for our fall break trip. We have Friday and Monday off, but we added Thursday and Tuesday. Leaving at about 6:00, we drove Interstate 35 to Wichita, Kansas. This driving portion of the trip was mostly non-eventful other than Jeb sang a bunch of songs, we listened to favorite music selections, Leslie and Erin read, Caleb vegged. We arrived in Wichita, Kansas, after unsuccessfully locating a hotel in Wellington, Kansas. The hotel was $54.00 a night. Four of us in a beds and Jeb on the floor.
Arising the next morning, after an early morning walk and a nice breakfast continental, we left Wichita. We had the option to stick to the interstate or to take back roads. Concrete, trucks, exit signs, and speed or farms, pumpkin patches, local eateries, minnow shops and a slow jaunt. We took the latter. We have now seen Hutchinson, Great Bend, and myriad other small towns in the heart of Kansas including Russell, the home of Bob Dole.
We hooked back up to Interstate 70 travelling on fumes for quite awhile with me fearing that I had made a crucial planning mistake only to be saved by a Phillips 66. I celebrated with a Diet Coke. Caffiene Free.
Driving through eastern Colorado the one thing that was clear was that it was vastly different than the mountains. Rolling plains reminiscent of northeastern New Mexico.
We were lucky enough to hit Denver at rush hour, but we made it through unharmed and on to Boulder. Caleb was reminded of his last visit to Boulder which was at last year's Aggie football game. Well, the campus was nice.
We stopped at a place Leslie and I had visited before. The Pearl Street Mall. Got out. Dropped some change in the meter. And walked. Stretched our legs. Found a great shop called "Into The Wind" and ate at Old Chicago Pizza.
We didn't have a place to stay so we started asking around and found that there were no beds available or they wanted $100 for us to sleep. That ain't happening. We called Motel 6's 800 number and located one of their enterprises on Federal Avenue in Denver. It was a rather seedy part of town but the room was $45.00. We slept just as good. The ESPN was just as good. We woke up and wrestled on the beds, packed, and headed north to Estes Park.
We immediately went to the Beaver Meadows Visitors Center and asked some critical questions. Where could we see Elk? What were the best hikes for our needs (kids, animals, scenery, not too long)? What else should we see? We got our info, bought a book, watched a 30 minute film on the park, and went to find our cabin.
Located via the internet, I had settled on Whispering Pines Cottages partly due to the price, $110 a night, and because they had an opening that would accommodate five people. One never knows exactly what one is getting from internet pictures. We drove past Lake Estes, Mall Road, bunches of motels and bears carved from logs and drove up on our place. The owners are very nice, the cabin has a deck, is modestly decorated and is nestled on the Big Thompson River which, by the way, is a great name for a river.
After unloading we were off to the Fern Lake Trailhead off of Bear Lake Road near Moraine Park. The intention was not to get to the lake but to get a series of rocks and caves to explore and to get to The Pool, a rather interesting section of the Big Thompson. We accomplished our purpose with wild abandon. Jumping rivers, skipping rocks, exploring little holes in the walls, and Jeb falling into the river - twice. Juice bags was the reward at The Pool, our furthermost destination and peanut butter crackers when we arrived back at the car.
In the car, we looked for elk and found some within a mile or so. We got out and left the road and everyone else and walked through the meadow for a closer look. Leslie and Erin turned back after a little while. Me and the boys ventured on jumping two little creeks. We had great views of bulls and cows.
Other Eld were seen in Upper Beaver Meadows and in town.
Tonight it was spaghetti we made, peaches we brought, raspberry tea we mixed, and marshmallows roasted over a fire pit next to the cabin.
We have a t.v. in the cabin. No cable. It gets four channels, Mrs Owner said. Two are fuzzy enough not to make out. One is CBS. The other is ESPN. Sweet. College Game Day next to the Big Thompson in freezing weather.
Tomorrow it is Bierstadt, Nymph, Dream, and Emerald Lakes, I think.
I do not have time to check this for grammar and spelling. Gotta go.
posted by Brian Miller at 6:31 PM
1 Comments:
Sounds like the perfect family vacation. Inspiring.
Post a Comment
<< Home