There was a moment at the wedding reception when it seemed like the mix of emotion and memory left everyone in a state of suspended animation. On stage, Jon’s nephew, Jameson, danced with his mother, Jean, to Billy Joel’s haunting “Lullabye.” Jon’s brother, Jody, was leaning against the frame of a doorway, looking on. Jody’s…
We spent the weekend with the Heart of Texas Camping Unit enjoying warm breezes off the Brazos River at Cedron Creek Park, an Army Corps of Engineers park located on the east side of Lake Whitney. The park has 65 sites on a tree-shaded hill that overlooks the lake, offering shelter from the warm breezes…
We left our mountain perch near Breckenridge two hours later than expected. We just couldn’t seem drag ourselves away from Tiger Run Resort. But soon we were making hairpin turns through steep mountain passes amid spectacular scenery. Destination: Amarillo, the helium capital of the world. Soon after entering New Mexico we encountered torrential rains that…
Our last full day in the Rockies provided a crisp, clear morning, followed by a warm, sunny afternoon, allowing us to stroll along the Swan River, a 10-mile long tributary of the Blue River. The site where it joins the Blue River, in a narrow valley about five miles from Breckenridge, was previously occupied by…
Our final morning in Estes Park was spent readying for departure. An 11 a.m. checkout time meant we had only a brief period for coffee and catching up on a few work-related emails. But soon we said goodbye to our little aspen grove and were off for our next stop: Tiger Run Resort in Breckenridge.…
A summer cold front brought overnight thunderstorms, cooler temperatures and clouded skies to Rocky Mountain National Park, so we spent Thursday cleaning Cloud 9, doing laundry and relaxing with our doggies. It gave us an opportunity to reflect on the wildlife we’ve encountered during our sojourns into the park. The first was a herd of…
A bright, mild Wednesday seemed an ideal time to visit Grand Lake, Colorado’s largest and deepest natural lake, situated at the park’s western entrance. The lake fills a valley formed by a glacier about 12,000 years ago, with one side dammed up by glacial sediment. It was originally named Spirit Lake by the Ute Tribe…
Today’s destination was Bear Lake, one of Rocky Mountain National Park’s most iconic spots. The alpine lake was formed by 500-foot-thick ice between 15,000 and 30,000 years ago. Flanked by the 12,720-foot Hallett Peak and the Continental Divide, Bear Lake sits at an elevation of 9,450 feet, providing a breathtaking view of Longs Peak, one…
Today we ventured into Rocky Mountain National Park, opting for a driving tour of Trail Ridge Road, the most heavily traveled highway in any national park. Covering 48 miles between Estes Park and Grand Lake, the highest continuous paved road in the United States leads to thrilling views, wildlife sightings and more than 200 species…
Our second day of travel found us driving from Amarillo to Estes Park, a route that took us through New Mexico’s Raton-Clayton Volcanic Field. The highlight was the Capulin Volcano, an extinct cinder cone volcano that was designated a national monument 101 years ago. Considered relatively young, the volcano was formed about 60,000 years ago…
Garinns on the Go 