Thursday, July 9 Through Colorado to Snowy Range

Thursday, July 9

53 degrees this morning as we have a leisurely breakfast and discuss our route. We originally planned a few days through Colorado, but they are having a bad forest fire. After checking Google and the Colorado Dept of Transportation, we opt to just get on I-25 and buzz through the state.  Pretty countryside as we wind our way there.  Skies are a bit hazy, but nothing terrible.  A fair amount of construction, especially around Denver, slows the "buzz" considerably.  

We get off I-25 after Fort Collins to cut over to Laramie, reaching the Wyoming border around 2:00 with scattered light rain on and off.  See a few antelope and deer along the way.                .

 The Snowy Range, west of Laramie, is one of our favorite spots and we've camped there numerous times.  We decide to try a more remote campground called Deep Creek which is in the northern part of the Medicine Bow National Forest.  A stop at the local Ranger station for any info on what's happening and they agree that it would be a good choice as "hardly anyone goes up there"  and some of the other campgrounds are full.

Old water pump

After 16 miles of gravel road, dusty in spots but in good condition, we arrive to find the small campground over half full!  Talk with a neighbor from Missouri who is camping with his son and grandkids.  He has a van similar to ours but laughs and says the grandkids have to stay in a tent - "they need to start at the bottom". 

Beth finds a short trail which goes through a lovely meadow complete with stream and wildflowers.

  After dinner of ham, sweet potatoes and pineapple, we go for a walk, hoping to see some critters. A few mosquitoes join us, though they seem to have a preference for Greg. Our neighbor said a moose came through the campsite this morning! 

 All we see is this strangely behaving ground squirrel/gopher (?) who flattens himself on the dirt road and stares at us, then finally moves away a short distance.  Sand Lake is a short drive away, but we opt to check it out in the morning.

No fire ban here but we pass on a fire.  It stays light for a long time and the mosquitoes keep us inside where Greg is the winner at cribbage tonight.