September 22, 2014

After having a wonderful visit with Robin and Doug, we bid farewell to Cheyenne. They have an annual event....Cheyenne Frontier Days in the city usually starting in mid July that lasts for about 10 days.  Do we really want to leave Maine in the Summer? Gather a look at Cheyenne Frontier Days

Today we planned to hit the high mountains and traveled to Rocky Mountain National Park. On the way, we passed through Fort Collins and the anticipation of spending the rest of the day in the mountains was beginning to mount.  

Before getting to Rocky Mountain National Park...or ROMO for short, we drove through a rocky canyon that is part of the Roosevelt National forest.

...and the winding roads begin.

On the way up to Longs Peak there is an area where many Elk spend their days getting ready for Winter.

 After spending a while at Beaver Meadows visitor center gathering information, we headed to the park entrance and paid ...nothing.  Being a senior citizen has it's advantages.  We finally got to Trail Ridge Road and the color of the Aspen really started to stand out.

The next several pictures are on the way up to the Alpine Visitor Center,  all the time going up to the highest point along the way at 12,183 feet.

There are still some snow fields  that haven't gotten around to melting. 

Still a ways away, the Longs peak is obscured by clouds.

The color of the Aspens is very brilliant in the sunshine.

Zooming in on the picture above.

There certainly wasn't any shortage of people enjoying their day with a wonderful hobby.  Can one really think of this as a job?

This little rascal was busy filling up with seeds from the grass.

We finally got out the mini tripod and put it to work.

Do you see it.  Look in the center of the picture.  Look real close.

There it is, down by the tree.  How could you miss it?

Here's Grammie, hugging a tree.  Not because she loves trees, 

but because everywhere around her is down.

From higher up you can see the small winding streams that work the water towards the Atlantic.  The two women painting were down near one of the bends in the stream.

As we near our destination, we drive into the Alpine Tundra ecosystem where the environment is very fragile.  The bitter cold, wind, intense ultraviolet light and brief growing season let only specialized plants survive.

We finally reach the highest point of the day.  It took a while but my golf cart did fine.

Just over the other side we stop in at the visitors center and warm up a bit.

While we were at the center, the weather got considerably colder and dropped to 39.

We took this pic before the rain started and continued half way back to Estes Park where we are staying.

A wonderful day in the mountains.  We plan to hit some different roads in the morning before we head back up again and continue over the continental divide down the other side.

September 21, 2014

Today we took a ride up to Laramie where the Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Park is located.  One of it's claim to fame is that it once incarcerated Butch Cassidy for robbery.  He was released after 18 months.  After release he still went on what was called the Outlaw Trail to rob banks.  He used the money to help poor people and was actually considered a popular outlaw.  People gave him supplies to continue his robberies.

The prison was first put into use in 1872.  It is located on 197 acres.

 

Just inside the front door is the inmate reception room.

 Along the walls are pictures of inmates who were more well known.  Robert Leroy Parker aka Butch Cassidy

Grammie...really

No, this isn't the Electric Chair but after you realize what it is, it might as well be the Electric Chair.

It's the Dentist Chair.  The rack on the table on the right contains the drill bits and the object to the right of the window is the drill.

In an attempt to save the government money, the prisoners were put to work making brooms and candles... as well as running a farm. The picture below shows broom corn, used for making brooms.  The process of preparing corn for use was in itself rather time consuming.

Bundles of broom corn straw ready for use.

NO, Grammie isn't here anymore.  You'll notice the teachers desk and chair in front of the right window is empty. Grammie didn't use the desk and chair very much when teaching.

Wyoming Territorial Prison was both a Federal and later a State Prison.  The last of the prisoners were transferred to a new State Prison in Rawlins in 1903, and is still in operation today.

On I-80 heading back to Cheyenne, is a giant sculpture of Lincoln's head. It was built by Wyoming's Parks Commission to honor Lincoln's 150th birthday. It was sculpted by Robert Russin. The head originally stood alongside the highest point of the old coast-to-coast Lincoln Highway, at Sherman Summit, 8,878 feet above sea level. When I-80 was completed in 1969, the head was moved here.

On the return trip Tom took a picture of the clouds that looked kind of ominous...but nothing came down from them where we were.

September 20, 2014

After a quiet day yesterday we spent the day on a trip to Fort Collins, CO.  Before we left, Tom went for a morning walk/jog around the nearby parade field on the base.  On the way around the track were Antelope that really weren't paying any attention to people walking by.  They are free to roam around that base as they please.

Fort Collins is the home of one of the branches of the University of Colorado.  It is located about 40 miles south of Cheyenne, WY.  Being a college town and a great weather day, it was a good time for the college students to close their books and have some fun.  It was homecoming weekend. Ever heard the term Fort Fun?

The downtown area of the city had several streets blocked off to vehicle traffic and there was live entertainment in several areas.

We started the afternoon at a Brewery that started 25 years ago and is now distributing in 11 states.
We arrived in time for the 1 pm tour. 

Even though the tour didn't start until 1 pm, there was a line waiting for the opportunity for being on the first day's tour.

If you look at the handles on this refrigerator, it looks like an old model.  You will also notice the 2 taps on the right middle.  Sure wish I had one of these when we went on vacation a few years ago.  It might have prevented damage to one of the shelves in our downstairs refrigerator when we were gone.

 This equipment is about 20 years old and is still used today to bottle the product.

Two happy couples thankful that the sun is shining and it is 77 degrees outside.

The rest of the afternoon was spent doing a little shopping in stores that you don't normally find in smaller cities (like in Maine).  A college band (The Rappers) warming up the fans.

 The owner of the hat made a sale this afternoon when he described the item as including hummus.

 Not all the cowboys can handle a plain old seat.

 Grammie doing her rendition of Whole Lotta Shakin Going On.

Whole Lotta Shakin Going On

One happy Grammie!

Doug and Robin posing because Grammie wants a picture

There were a lot of people...and families having fun today.

We had supper at the Senator's Steakhouse.  The Bison burgers were a popular item on the menu.

All in all....a great day.  Lots of fun people watching.