We have been driving west from Kansas to Colorado. Most of the way - until we crossed the border anyway - there wasn't a lot to see but the closer you get to Colorado the more the topography changes to look a little more like this (below). Beautiful, isn't it?
These iconic Rocky Mountains was formed between 55 and 80 million years ago and stretch more than 3,000 miles from the northernmost part of British Columbia (western Canada) all the way to New Mexico in the southwestern United States. The mountains can be seen from about 100 miles away and they are truly spectacular - with or without snow!
 |
| Driving into Colorado Springs, situated at the foot of Pike's Peak. |
We were only passing through Colorado Springs on the way to Woodland Park, which is where we spent our first night. It is a bit of a pity that we didn't get to see much more of this city. There is definitely a big difference between exploring a city on your own vs. taking a paid tour.
The one thing that really left an impression on me though, was something I heard on the radio while we were driving through town. Winter was just around the bend and they were doing a blanket drive for the poor and homeless. Both of my favorite radio stations in South Africa do that as well. I haven't seen much of that kind of poverty in the areas where I've been in the US and often wondered about it. It warmed my heart to hear it. Ironically, Colorado was the first place to have snow this winter - in October - the earliest that it has snowed in many years. I hope those blankets made a difference.
 |
| Driving through the mountain pass; isn't it just gorgeous! It was worth every mile of Kansas bareness. I'm glad I wasn't driving. I was hanging out of every window ooh-ing and aah-ing - simply beautiful! |
 |
| And on the other side of the mountain pass... A breathtaking burst of color! |
 |
| Wow! What a back yard! Picture perfect. |
Another one of the highlights for me was definitely our stay in the hotel. I loved the bathroom and the wooden blinds on the windows. Friendly service, clean, neat, warm and simple, yet practical - more than sufficient for a lovely evening and a good night's rest. Tomorrow was going to be a rather busy day - click, click, snap, snap.
I still dream big dreams about traveling the world; I love airports, hotels, B&B's, lodges, cars, buses, plains and trains. I don't know if I'm just in love with the idea of it, but when I'm there I feel strangely at home, as if I'm doing exactly what I'm meant to!
Stick with me; we meet some interesting characters in the next post!
No comments:
Post a Comment