Travel log for our Rallye

I am sorry I have been shirking my blogging duties. I have been tired when I finally got back to our room for the last few days, so I have put it off, but now I feel pretty good, so I will get you up to date.

First, I promised to let you see the picture of our friend, Dick Lunny, getting pretend arrested by the state trooper. Well, here it is. I still can't believe what a good sport the trooper was!

Now, where did I leave off. Oh yes, we were in Lenexa, KS. When we left Lenexa we were Headed to Dodge City, KS. That's right, another day of driving in the same state. They really make these states large--being from the small state of Connecticut it just seems strange that you can drive so long in one state. Anyway, the temperature was very pleasant for the whole drive. We noticed we were in the Bible belt of our country and there were crosses everywhere we looked. Other than that, the land was flat for most of the drive. We did notice that the wind really kicks up across the plains. When a large truck went by it was a challenge to stay on the road! But, those people in Kansas are really smart. They put that wind to use by building windmills for electrical power. Just check out this wind farm in Spearville, KS. The windmills stretched as far as the eye could see. They were very interesting to watch and to read about.

We entered Dodge City, KS in the late afternoon. We went to the Old Dodge City Museum and had a great dinner and watched a reenactment of a gunfight and then went into the Long Branch Saloon for entertainment by Miss Kitty and her girls. It was a fun evening. When we got up the next morning, we were surprised to find that it was quite cool. We had to put on our jackets and roll up all our windows. We were headed to Canon City, CO. Along the way we saw a lot of Cattle Feed Yards. This is a large area where the cows are taken to fatten them up before they were sold. Their activity is limited, so they just eat and get fat. We knew when we were getting close to one because of the smell--very distinct! We saw some sage brush as we entered Colorado, and tall mountains came into view. The landscape was changing dramatically. We made it to Canon City very early in the afternoon so we took in some of the local culture. Dennis and I went on a train ride through the Royal Gorge--what breathtaking views! Afterward we went across the Royal Gorge Bridge--one of the highest bridges in the world. What a view. check it out for yourself. That view is looking down from the bridge--very scary, but I managed to keep myself together long enough to get the picture, and it was worth it!

After a dish of ice cream for dinner--don't judge, we're on vacation!--we settled in for the night.

After leaving Canon City we headed to Grand Junction, CO--yes, another large state! What beautiful scenery! There were mountains everywhere. Our little Midget climbed those mountains like a champ! We made it to The Continental divide. That is the place in the mountains where the water divides itself and half flows to the Atlantic Ocean and half flows to the Pacific Ocean. Definitely a photo op. Oh, did I mention that there was still snow on the ground at these elevations. In case you can't read the sign, we were at 11,342 feet above sea level! As we continued our day, we traveled around the Black Canyon, and the Grand Mesa. I am going to let Dennis tell you about those beautiful locations, the thought of them still scares me!

We had yet another barbecue dinner--sponsored my the North American Classic MG Magazine--starting to get full of barbecued pork, but it was delicious.

We left Grand Junction and headed to Ely, NV. All I'm going to say about this part of the drive is WOW! You would not believe the panoramic views. Everywhere you looked your breath was taken away. Dennis called it eye candy and he was right. I will add some pictures later, but I haven't had time to download them yet. Believe me when I tell you they are worth waiting for.

Today we start our last leg of our trip to Reno--we will be there for a few days, and then we head to San Francisco and the Pacific Ocean. Dennis wants to say a few words, so I will sign off. I miss seeing all our friends and send a special shout out to Heather, Dave, Carley, and Olivia. As the little girls will tell you, they are my sweethearts.

In my previous missives I mentioned the drive through WV, parts of IN and MO had been worth the heat and sameness of the plains. Well, let me tell you they tweren't nothing. Driving into Canon City one starts to get a sense of what is in store as you continue west, but leaving CC and heading to Grand Junction it becomes almost too much to describe. The first part of the drive winds along the Arkansas river as it cuts through the mountains headed east. The road has been cut into the mountains so it is one continuous series of curves most of which are taken at 60MPH with the ocassional 35MPH thrown in just to keep you awake. Then it up and over the Continential Divide where the rivers start flowing west as they cut the path that the road builders followed and dive into the next valley, again giving you all the curvey thrills you ever are gonna need along with views that make it hard to concentrate on hitting the apex of all those curves. Just when you think it can't get any better you pop out of the mountains into a valley that looks like something out of a John Houston movie.

Although US 50 goes right into Montrose and Grand Junction we chose to take CO 92 through Black Canyon to connect with CO 65 over The Grand Mesa then into GJ. When you turn off US 50 onto CO 92 you imediately cross the Blue Mesa Damm with Blue Mesa Lake to your right and The Black Canyon to the left. Water is shooting out of the outlet pipe 50-70 feet into the air before plunging into the canyon 300 hundred feet below, and then you start to climb the side of the canyon. The speed limit is posted at 25-35 and at those speeds snakeing your way along the rim of the canyon you're praying nothing breaks or blows because, as they warn hikers at the Grand Canyon, few will survive the first 300 foot fall before plunging down the remainder of the 1000-2000 foot drop into the river below. Yup, it is like driving along the hiking trails on the south rim of the Grand Canyon, my palm are sweaty now just remembering it. Once past the canyon rim 10-12 miles it becomes just beautiful mountain driving up an over to Crawford and on around to the CO 65 to The Grand Mesa.

Climbing out of the valley from the junction on 92/65 the road does another series of swithbacks, some at 55mph some at 20MPH, pay attention, as you gain 5K feet in altitude and pop out onto the Mesa where the ponds are still frozen and 3-4 feet of snow continues to melt feed the mighty Colorado. An absolutely beautiful drive through a winter wonderland on June 10th. Then it's down the other side through hairpin switchbacks, while you admire the valley and the road below, finishing with driving through a river canyon so cool you'd swear it was computer generated as you and the river dump onto I70 and the mighty Colorado, for the 17 mile run into GJ.

Next day you think 200 miles of I70 before you get back on little old US 50, boring. Shows how little we know. I70 across Utah has to be the most awe inspiring interstate drive you can take. Every where you look movie scenery and more computer generated sights, or at least they seem so. I have not seen movie with visuals any better.

If you love to drive US 50 seems to be the way to go across the country, just when you think the driving can't get any better it does. See you latter after Reno and the final run into SF.