Day 4

We waited for the sun to come up before hitting the road because of all the warning signs we were seeing last night. We packed into the car in the 11 degree cold of Colorado and started off toward Canon City to see the Royal Gorge Bridge. Once we got on the road, it became clear that we made a VERY good choice by stopping last night when we did. We weren’t just in the mountains. We were ON a mountain, and climbing higher, and then dipping lower, with every passing minute. Shortly after we began, we came to “Wolf’s Pass”. You might be thinking, “Interesting name…sounds kind of cool, wonder what that’s about?” Well, let me tell you. Have you ever seen a commercial or movie with one of those steep, wind-y mountain roads? The kind where it looks like the car, and the people in it, could plummet to their deaths on the rocks in the canyon below with the slightest wrong move. Yeah, it was like that. Only with a 3” icepack on the roads, and 5 feet of snow on either side of the road. Katie’s 2WD Jeep Compass with wimpy little California street tires didn’t take too well to that. We went about 2.5-3 hours at about 25-40MPH. Ouch.

Once we got out of the mountains, things cleared up pretty well and we started making much better time. Got to the Gorge and enjoyed the view from a scenic viewpoint in the parking lot – it’s $23 PER PERSON to go into the “Amusement Park” that they’ve built around the bridge. I would have loved to see the bridge a little closer, and maybe even drive across it, although, I’m not sure I really could have done it. I’m not afraid of driving over bridges, or heights, but I can’t express to you how high up in the air that bridge is. Not to mention the fact that the bottom of the bridge is wood planks that make noise as cars drive over it. Hmmm…. Yeah, not sure about that. I wonder if they have a team of people on staff who are on “Rescue” for those people who get part-way out and can’t finish, or who get to the other side, but can’t make themselves do it again to come back. I’m thinking that would be a good idea.

After the Gorge, we drove Northeast toward Colorado Springs. We had plans to stop in to Steve’s “sister” Harley Davidson, but found out a little too late that it’s actually in Pueblo and not actually in Colorado Springs. Bummer. So, from that point on, we blazed a fast-paced trail to Aurora, Nebraska – home of Aunt Marilyn and Uncle Steve. Got here right about 10pm, and then kept Marilyn up talking until about 1:30am. Good times. Slept on the most comfortable bed I’ve ever felt. Thank you, Gus’s. Home tomorrow!