Thursday, July 17 More Snowy Range

 Thursday, July 17

50 degrees this morning.  We drive down to Lewis Lake and have hot oatmeal for breakfast while admiring the view.  Coffeemaker still on the fritz.  

We decide to drive the main road and stop here and there. But our first stop is to admire this young bull moose as we are leaving the lakes area. Young, because a ranger tells us the moose antlers should be fully grown by now and these are fairly small.  Still covered in velvet.

First stop on 130 is Libby Flats overlook where there are still some wildflowers though many have finished.  The growing season here is very short - the road often doesn't open till June because of snow.

Dandelions are prolific.

Then Mirror Lake, which we have mostly to ourselves except for some people fishing.

 Then Lake Marie where we've been many times. First time was with brother Tom and his wife Sue and we climbed to the summit of Medicine Bow Peak - (we were in our early 20's).  Still love it. 

The lower bridge is closed, so we have to double back the way we came.  Quite a few trout visible in the water.

Last night's campsite was only available for one night, so we decide to try Brush Creek campground tonight, which is near the western end of the Snowy Range.  We claim site #5 and then continue to explore.  A ranger suggested a drive to French Creek, so we head there.  Decent gravel road, some gorgeous flowers and a sweet doe with fawns.  The campground there is fairly deserted and pretty primitive but quite a ways from the main road.

After French Creek, Greg takes an alternate road which takes us out of the forest and through several very large cattle ranches.  Then back to camp.  We have some snacks and hike the Moose Trail which goes along Carroll Creek and around the campground.  This area was used first as a CCC camp, then as a POW camp during WWII, though there are only a few foundations of buildings remaining. 

Greg cooks burgers on the grill and we bring out the cribbage board again.  So far we seem to be taking turns winning.... 

Wed., July 16 Snowy Range, Wyoming

Wed., July 16

Beautiful 48 degree morning!

  But when we go to make coffee, the coffee-maker won't work.  And last night Beth discovered she'd left the card reader at home, so can't download pictures from the camera.  We plot a route that will take us through Littleton, CO where there is a Walmart.

Nice, winding country roads and we see a deer just outside the campground.  Lots of streams and anglers.

Success at Walmart with a new card reader and we opt to try the coffee-maker at Sandy's before buying a new one.  Find coffee at McDonalds.   (Note: we end up buying a new coffee maker once home and this one has a sticker that says not to use it at high altitudes!)

We take 287 towards Laramie. Nice scenery with cliffs and living snow fences for quite a few miles. (Plantings instead of manufactured snow fences.)

We arrive in Laramie around noon and try to visit the University's Mineral Museum, but it is on campus and campus parking is insane, with most spots requiring permits, so we finally give up, get gas and head on towards the Snowy Range.  The young guys we talk to in Laramie lament the parking situation and the few places they suggested didn't work, so....beware if you visit on a school day - and this is Summer!

The Snowy Range isn't far and we stop at the ranger station to get a suggestion for camping, but the young summer intern, while pleasant, isn't very helpful.  Lots of hummingbirds at their feeders.

 We decide to try a campground we haven't used before - Sugar Loaf - and snag one of the last sites.  It is a gorgeous spot near Libby and Lewis Lakes.  It is windy and cold - Beth breaks out her heavy jacket and stocking cap! What a delightful change from home!

Beautiful wildflowers as we hike around the lakes.  The only person we see is a woman with her dog, fishing.  A bit of snow lingers here and there.

Lovely columbine

  It sure stays light longer up here - 9:00 or so.... and a nice colorful sunset.

More cribbage tonight, playing with the actual correct rules this time :) 

Tuesday, July 15, 2025 West Texas, Panhandle to Colorado

Tuesday, July 15

We leave Amarillo and head into the Texas Panhandle.  Home to lots of agriculture with irrigation systems, grain silos, cattle and horses. Sorghum is a big crop.

Railroads often parallel the Ports to Plains highway which will run down to the Gulf Coast ports.  Long trains with coal cars and others. Some train cars sitting on sidings waiting.... often with graffiti. 

 Toot 'n' Totum convenience stores.  Truck traffic from "Moo-ving Milk" tanker cars to Doritos trucks and everything in between.

 Small towns and wide open spaces. 

We enter New Mexico for about 100 miles, and pass Capulin Volcano, where you can drive up to the caldera, which we've done before.

 We begin to see antelope in the fields, but none close enough for a good picture.    Then over Raton Pass into Colorado.  

We decide to stop and stretch our legs at Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs.  The Visitor's Center was closed last time we were here, so we go there first.  Some nice displays and information.

 They say they get 1.7 million visitors each year and the place is pretty busy today. You can take a shuttle into the park, which is a good thing. But we opt to drive through with a few stops and short walks, then continue north to South Meadows Campground, a spacious National Forest Campground near Manitou Springs.

This noisy mountain jay welcomes us.

Beautiful campsite among huge Ponderosa Pines.  Smells wonderful!  We take a short hike and see

chipmunks galore, a great blue heron and pretty scenery. Not bad for $14 with our senior pass.

Chicken salad sandwiches, guacamole and fresh peaches for a great dinner.  Then we break out the cribbage board.   We are at 8,000' elevation and we even need an extra blanket this cool evening.   

WASHINGTON, OREGON AND ALONG THE WAY JULY-AUGUST 2025

It is going to be a long trip, as we'll drive as far as Washington State, via Wyoming and Montana,  before going down the Pacific Coast and then homeward, with many diversions.  

 Monday, 11/14/2025

We begin this trip this morning at 7:30, leaving 75 degrees and heading for Amarillo.  Have done this trip a few times, so no surprises.

 Through Fort Worth, Wichita Falls, Childress, etc.  Cattle, cactus, wind turbines (more each time we come this way), sunflowers, railroads, oil pump jacks, etc.

Forth Worth

Arrive at Comfort Inn in Amarillo about 6 PM and walk over to Red Robin for dinner. This has become our usual routine when heading west.