Day 7 | Moab to Denver
Sadly there was no sunrise this morning due the overcast clouds and rain. So we took the opportunity to have a few extra zzz. The room was basic but had everything needed.
Moab is one of the many towns graced by the Colorado River. In Moab they have Lions Park where the river crosses the main road into town and bounded by huge red rock walls towering above. Rosie and I just spent a few moments on a couple of paths that come through and the footbridge there.
We came through this part last night's darkness, missing it. It wasn’t busy apart from a few joggers and recreation.
Then it was a quick trip to sadly named Dead Horse Bend. Another spectacular view across the Colorado River as it cuts through the rocks, here doing a couple of switchbacks.
You look down from about 1800 m (6000 ft) to the valley below at about 1200 m (4000 ft). Anyway, it’s Wile E Cayote high. Straight out of the car we saw a squirrel (found out later it was a yellow pine chipmunk). Man, they’re quick. Here there were lots of French tourists ooh-la-la-ing about. They seem in their element in this alpine environment. The outlooks and facilities up here are nice. Being on a point a few metres more got you a different view. Could have stayed a lot longer but we must move on.
Moab to Denver five hours 30 minutes
Back on the road to Denver the road followed the Colorado upstream.
We passed into Colorado state without fanfare (the state is a rectangle and seems to follow no geographical boundaries. The rocky valleys and the road through it (almost always separated two lanes east and two lanes west) is an amazing feat itself. We lunched at a town called "Eagle" where there seemed to be camo-ed tourist hunters about.
As the altitude rises you go from working towns to ski resort towns. The temperature dropped from the 18 deg C at the base to about 3 deg C and there was some persistent snow in the trees (the elevation peaks at 2445 m, 8000 ft). The houses also changed from minimalist weatherboard to stone faced mansions.
Finally, we joined Denver’s rush hour, checked in and went out to the “An Act of God” show at the Denver Centre for the Performing Arts. It was a well performed show almost carried by one guy to about 300 of us. Almost booked out it was a great laugh.
A quick dinner at Applebee’s and we returned for the night.
Highlights:
Rosie – jaw dropping scenery driving through Greenwood Springs
Angus – ski resorts at the Vail