Colorado Road Trip, 2016

[Jeff Matthews]

We are really taking in some great sights!  I'll share a few pics taken by my phone.  My friends have professional camera equipment, and I can't wait to get my copy of the pictures taken with those.

 

Okay, here's White Sands, NM for starters.

 

 

 

 

[Jeff Matthews]

Here's a gorgeous lake nestled nicely just outside of San Isabel, CO.

 

[Jeff Matthews]

We stumbled across this castle just outside of San Isabel.  If it wasn't for Jim's 2nd glance, we would have whizzed right by it.  What a treasure!

 

Pictures can't show you the magnificence.  The scale is awesome!  The owner clearly spent millions and millions on this.  A strange oddity words can't describe.  As far as I'm concerned, this is a must see for any Colorado adventure.

 

These are my friends and car-mates, Jim and Li.

 

 

[Jeff Matthews]

We took a dirt road for about 22 miles, called Phantom Canyon Rd.  Here is one of its 2 narrow tunnels.

 

 

[Jeff Matthews]

Here are some nice fluted rock formations along Phantom Canyon Rd.  We had a picnic lunch here.

 

 

[Jeff Matthews]

Some beautiful fall colors.

 

[Jeff Matthews]

More colors.

 

[Jeff Matthews]

Here is Summit Lake near the top of Mt. Evans.  The road up Mt. Evans is the highest road in the United States.  The last 5 miles to the tippy-top were closed after Labor Day.  

 

 But we were darn close!  So high up the trees will not grow.  It's just tundra.  About 12,600 ft.

 

 

 

 

 

[Honeybadger]

Looks like a fantastic trip.

 

Thanks for sharing the pics.

 

HB

[Jeff Matthews]

Ascending the trail up the mountain from Summit Lake, looking down at the folks behind me.  I had enough climbing at 13,100 ft.  I was sucking wind kind of hard.

 

[Jeff Matthews]

From the vantage of the trail, there is a nice view down to the Chicago Lakes.

 

[Jeff Matthews]

We took a wrong turn out of Nederland and headed up Hwy 119 toward Boulder.  Let me tell you what...  Clearly this mistake was a gift from God.  The road follows the bottom of a narrow gorge.  Jagged rocks and cliffs up both sides of the road with a river along the road side.  Plenty of twists and turns.

 

I am surprised this road isn't marked as "scenic."  It had some of the best "rocky" mountains.

 

  

[Jeff Matthews]

I would have thought the authorities would not allow dare devils to scale cliffs like this.  This was along the same stretch of 119 out of Boulder.  Lots of people were doing it.

 

I know it's hard to see, but check out the pair of climbers just above the center of the cliff.  Click to zoom and then click the "Full Size" button on the lower left.

 

[Jeff Matthews]

Here is a sunset picture taken at Forest Canyon overlook on Trail Ridge Rd., which traverses Rocky Mountain National Park, west from Estes Park.

 

[Jeff Matthews]

Good night all.

[rummy]

Great pics and trip.  I am losing my breath looking at the pictures.

[oldtimer]

Nice road trip and the pics really bring back some memories.

[oldred]

Nice.....Vacations are always the best.....I for one love Colorado...Estes Park was one of my favorite vacations.....You are giving me ideas

 

Thanks for sharing...

 

G.E.M.

[TasDom]

Very nice pictures from some beautiful areas. If you are coming back thru NM, the annual International Balloon Fiesta is running this week in Albuquerque. Enjoy the trip!

http://www.balloonfiesta.com/event-info/event-schedule

[CECAA850]

Fantastic!  Thanks for sharing and bringing us along with you.  It reminds me of an old car slogan from years ago.  "See the USA in your Chevrolet ".