The ride from KY to VA was long. We stopped for the night at Nana & Lolo’s before we headed home this morning. It was fun to relive our journeys with Nana – show the pictures, tell the stories. We had a wonderful trip, made beautiful memories, and have returned safely home. We have been truly blessed. And I am grateful.
Today’s drive was easy. We came to Dunnville, KY to visit friends. Hubby gets to see them twice a year but this is only our second time. And the kids love Kentucky, probably because this family so wonderful. Older son really wanted to fish Mr. Charlie’s pond. He talks about it all the time. And just like that, wish granted. Younger son did some fishing, too. And catching.
Our last national park stop … Mammoth Cave, Kentucky. This is the largest cave system in the world. We took the Grand Avenue tour of it this morning and walked 4 miles. Underground. And there is still PLENTY MORE to see. Thankfully there were restrooms behind the rocks and we got to see a rock didn’t fall in place, but was stood up (no date). We passed Frozen Niagara, saw Domes and Dripstones, and the Snowball room. There were hundreds of stairs, steep hill climbs, long passages and tight squeezes. Pretty cool. We wrapped up the day at the campground – our last night of camping, too! Fun times.
“It goes to St. Louis, down to Missouri.” And, since we wanted to see the Gateway Arch, we did. Unfortunately, we couldn’t make it up the Arch because the next tram available was almost 4pm. One thing we noticed – the humidity! YUCK! Take me back to the desert heat instead, please. Today’s final destination was Cave City, Kentucky – another 4 hours west of St. Louis which made it a full day in the car. Thankfully, the hotel has a pool. Guess where the kids are now ?!
It is time to get our kicks on Route 66. Being in Amarillo, we started our journey at Cadillac Ranch. Barefoot in the mud puddles, the kids spray painted the finned caddies. FUN! Along the Mother Road, we saw abandoned homes, motels, gas stations and towns that most people have forgotten. We visited the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum in Clinton which does a good job of capturing the nostalgia of America’s Main Street. It took us hours but we finally made it to Springfield, Missouri at 9:30pm. It was a L.O.N.G. day.
Our original plan was to leave early and head south, but the call of Pike’s Peak was too alluring. We ate a wonderful breakfast, packed the van, and headed out with Hubby’s friend to the tall, Colorado peak. The elevation of Colorado Springs is 6,035’ while Pike’s Peak is 14,115’ – a difference of over 8000’ (about 1.5 miles!). To keep the altitude sickness at bay, we made sure to drink water. At such a height, the rain that we got last night was snow on the mountain. So, much to our dismay, we never made it all the way up. We got to Mile 19 of 20 and waited. Turned back for a precarious potty break – problem with drinking all that water! – only to wait more. It was 11:10 and we finally decided to head back down the mountain as the road was still closed. ☹ I guess that leaves the summit and it’s donuts for another visit! We had BBQ for lunch at Rudy’s – that was yummy!
Seven hours later, we are now in Amarillo, Texas. We’ll get our kicks tomorrow.
Woke up to a wet tent – dripping. Ugh. Thankfully, it wasn’t still raining but it’s never fun to pack up wet. But we were motivated to hit the road and head to Colorado Springs. First stop, Garden of the Gods. Although we’ve seen similar structures, the geography here is completely different which is what makes it wonderful. We then headed to Focus on the Family. Kids have been listening to Adventures in Odyssey for years so this was a must-see. And, yes – we ordered a Wodfamchocsod at Whit’s End. ?
A special treat was meeting the family of Hubby’s friend. They welcomed us (and let me do laundry!), fed us a wonderful meal, and let us enjoy the comforts of a home for the first time in weeks. The kids enjoyed each other’s company, too, hanging out til almost midnight!
Today was a special day for my fishermen. They hired a guide from ArkAnglers to take them fishing in some of Colorado’s lakes, including Salida’s O’Haver Lake at an elevation of 9200 feet. They caught, and released, cutbows, rainbows, and one brown trout. Meanwhile, me and the other three hung out at Cañon City’s library and picnicked in the park. We did drive by the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park but decided against entering – it was more than I wanted to spend. That and I wanted someone to get some school done…
With clouds threatening since last night, the rain finally fell making dinner more difficult. Luckily, we were able to use the KOA’s Pavili
on and bbq for a dry meal. Another camping downside … proximity of facilities, especially in the rain!
For the first time this trip, we had nothing to do today but drive to the Cotopaxi/Arkansas River KOA. And we got here at noon! No sights to see, long distances to drive, just pitch the tent and relax along the Arkansas River. So we did. I even took a nap. The kids played minigolf, chilled at the playground, swam in the just-opened pool, and even did a little fishing. Then came happy hour, grilled drumsticks, and s’mores by the fire. Day complete. 🙂
The main attraction today was the Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve. On the way there, the land was FLAT with mountains in the distance and dust devils here and there. And then they came into view. The tallest sand dunes in North America at the base of the Sangre de Cristo mountains. So we rented sand boards and headed to the dunes. First came the Medano Creek crossing – a seasonal flow and a welcome treat especially at the end. But that sand was H.O.T. Note to self – next time wear socks and shoes. Poor toesies!
