On the road -- more mountains

We are back chez YD after a really great circuit north to Golden, west to Steamboat Springs, south to Glenwood Springs and east to CS through Buena Vista. Wonderful scenery. Lots of high roads for JG. He wanted his photo taken in the snow and he got it.

For the mad mountaineer, this was, erm, a high point. Here is the road we drove to reach these heights.

The cruddy stuff at the bottom of this pic is also snow, a windrow left by the plough. JG was disappointed that the snow was not cleaner and therefore proposed to go back via Independence Pass which is 12000'+. Luckily it was closed due to inclement weather. I am told the road is only one lane in places. Whimper.

I got to veg out in the hot springs, and they are wonderful. Lovely and sulphury and bubbly and hot. A nice change from the snow. Steamboat Springs is a fun little town that lives on skiing and white water sports, fishing and hunting. And lives well. Lovely shops and superlative restaurants. I have not had to cook a meal for over three weeks now. Eat your hearts out, my friends.

This is the Yampa River through Steamboat Springs, with the ski hills in the distance.

We toured up to Fish Creek Falls from Steamboat Springs. There is, as you can see, a huge amount of melt water coming down and the falls were spectacular. There is a fine paved walkway to take you to see them, and along this walkway I encountered this little guy, who posed for me.

The only down side for me is that the high tech shot that was supposed to fix my knee did not work and I have been limping, shirking climbs and not sleeping any too well for the whole trip. Yesterday the YD arranged for us to have a tour of the NORAD facility under Cheyenne mountain. I have no photos of this as I gather that if you take a camera in there they have to arrest you and throw you in the clink. Brig? Anyway, a fantastic tour and much enjoyed by the engineer in the family. I kept thinking about how it would have been to be in there during and in the aftermath of a nuclear strike, and shuddering. There were a lot of stairs and ramps and a lot of young and agile fellow tourists. I came home exhausted and was no good yesterday afternoon at all.

But what a place! I have been over and under mountains now and, given my choice, would take Independence Pass. Hoping for a hot spring in which to recover.