Breakfast at the hotel is pretty decent.
For a change, they have china plates and bowls and proper cutlery! We fill up on cereal, and fruit before our drive.
Today we started in – Glenwood Springs, Colorado
We finished in – Glenwood Springs, Colorado
Miles travelled today – 85
Miles so far this trip – 2148
Tonight we are staying at – Glenwood Springs Inn, Glenwood Springs
There is a lady that seems to be constantly washing up though, and does seem a little stressed with it all.
After a lunch stop at City Market, which reminds us of a mini Walmart, we are on Route 82 south and are one hour from Aspen.
The drive is quite busy with plenty of overtaking and being overtaken.
I am a passenger as I have been a lot this trip, allowing me to take photos and videos.
There are mountains/hills around us, (not sure when a hill becomes a mountain) with one peak in the distance dominating the horizon.
The drive was relaxing and peaceful. The parking, however, is not. The recommended city car park is full to bursting. Street parking is one of two extremes. Impossible or lucky.
We were neither so we headed to a small visitor centre to see our options. There weren’t really any so we decided to see if our luck was any better with parking and a shuttle ride to Maroon Bells.
It was and wow are we glad it was.
The 20-minute half-empty shuttle ride was pleasant. The speakers in the ceiling fill us in on the history and facts as we climb to 9,580 feet.
We step from the cool bus to what must be 90-degree heat.
You see photos of places. Pictures in books. In galleries. On line. But they don’t prepare you for the real thing. The ‘bells’ reach to the blue skies, the maroon of them contrasting perfectly with the richness of earth’s ceiling.
This is the view from the other end of the lake where lunch is our first priority.
After lunch and slathering up with sun cream we head down to the lakeshore, and to a plethora of photo opportunities.
Suffice to say, I can wax lyrical about the views, the scenery and the feeling that they bring. No words I will write here will replace the feelings I have as I stand there in awe at Mother Nature. But for those that may not see this place, here goes.
The blue/green lake (I neglect to say turquoise as it isn’t, not really) stretches from my far left, to my far right. Your attention on the lake soon diminishes as the Maroon Bells take over and my eyes head skywards. Two coloured mountains towering over the never-ending cluster of people taking photos.
I feel insignificant. And as tiny as the ants that scurry around my feet. We are the ants to the Maroon Bells, scurrying around at the near foot of the mountains.
Long grass, with flowers I can’t name.
Well-worn footpaths, getting smaller as the ground gets tougher, I guess less travelled.
Families, such as us taking a short-mile hike. In contrast to the experienced one we heard that left their camp at 5 am, for an 8-hour hike further than we can fathom.
I depart from Suzanne and Max to try for another photo that is not successful.
Queue for the bus fighting for shade. Another family member starts singing Livin’ on a Pray. A member of their group join in. Had it been a musical, I am sure plenty of people would develop superb dance skills and be pirouetting off rock, while singing in perfect tune to a coordinated dance routine. Both the singing and dancing would stop as soon as the coach approached.
The coach journey back is busy but comfortable. Into Aspen, boring, rich shops, not our scene at all.
Ladies sit outside overpriced cafes with the over-pruned pooches. Pedestrian areas are filled with tables and chairs. Menus are out front of the establishments proudly displaying happy hour prices ($20 for a hamburger, and $12 for a glass of wine)
We know we are in the wrong area as we walk past a Sotheby.
Spring Cafe lures us in, and we spend $31 on a cup of tea, 2 lemonades and a couple of cakes.
Then we hurriedly leave for a Chinese before going back to our room for early evening,
All the Days from our 2024 Rockies Road Trip
Day 1 – London to Denver
Day 2 – Lovedale to Custer
Day 3 – Custer to Lead
Day 4 – Lead to Sheridan
Day 5 – Sheridan to Cody
Day 6 – Cody to Gardiner
Day 7 – Gardiner to Yellowstone’s Canyon Village
Day 8 – Explore Yellowstone
Day 9 – Yellowstone to Grand Teton
Day 10 – Explore Grand Teton
Day 11 – Jackson to Pinedale
Day 12 – Pinedale to Vernal
Day 13 – Vernal to Glenwood Springs
Day 14 – Day Trip to Aspen
Day 15 – Glenwood Springs to Rocky Mountain National Park
Day 16 – Explore Rocky Mountain National Park
Day 17 – Rocky Mountain National Park to Denver
Day 18 and 19 – 48 hours in Denver
Day 20 – Homeward Bound