Rocky Mountain High

(Photos will be posted after I get to Denver. Check back.)

I spent a day and night in Salt Like City. The pampering promised at Wildflowers Bed and Breakfast wasn’t what I called pampering. It was nice, but nothing out of the ordinary. I think I did a better job at the Laughing Lizard and that was what I was expecting, or at least, wishing for. My expectations were too high.

SLC was as clean and as interesting as I remembered. It is a city easy to maneuver around in. Light traffic, orderly numbered streets, convenient parking. I was inspired by the Mormon Tabernacle and creed. If we could all live up to their principles for goodwill and concern for others, the do unto others as you would have them do unto you philosophy, the world would be a far better place, irregardless of religious faith.

Last night I camped in a manicured campground in the the foothills, surrounded by red cliffs. The location was unique. That was because a very short walk from camp, was a Wendy’s and a MacDonald's, but even better, a Mexican restaurant with a Margarita special and great nachos and salsa. I treated myself. I ordered a torta (Mexican sandwich) which I ate with relish at my table in an outside patio with a view of the mountains. And of course, I had the Margarita special! Ahhhhh…..

I woke early as usual and started the drive into the real mountains, The Rockies. My plan was to take it slow all the way to Denver. It wasn’t much of a plan. But…. “If I had a day I could give you, it would be a day just like today!”

It all goes by so fast! I started out on I-70 but quickly diverted onto another back road with hardly another soul on it. I wasn’t sure where it went, but I stopped often to take pictures and search for rocks. The trip was windy and slow.

I found a bypass that took me through Aspen, a place I cannot remember being before. I walked among the wealthy and classy, pass Gucci and Ralph Lauren and sandwich shops too rich for my blood. I bought a nice fleece jacket in a thrift shop which I immediately put on because it was getting really cold. I could imagine this village with snow. It must be magical and romantic. It is the sort of place that reminds me wealth can be a wonderful thing..

I continued on down the road less traveled, toward Leadville. Once on the road, there were no turns off and no where else to go except back where I started, and as I said once before, I hate going back over already traveled territory. I traversed steep roads first up, then down, with sharp turns and high cliffs and no guardrails for security. I learned to use the manual gears on the car. Don’t blink. The edge is just a couple of feet away. One wrong move and you careen down a 1000 foot slope to sure death. And yet, I loved the drive! Go figure. It was getting colder. I could see snow covered peaks when there was a rare opportunity to look away from the road. That’s why I stopped as often as a turnout permitted, just to look around and admire. Every turn, the wow factor presented itself again and again.

I drove on down Route 24 toward Independence Pass. At 12,800 feet, the snow covered most everything but the road. It was beautiful. The light rain that had been falling turned into snow. Oh my, it was something for this Florida girl to take in. In my fleece jacket I walked a trail in the snow, made a snowball and inhaled the scenery. When my ears started to freeze, I headed back to the car.

As I descended the mountain, the snow turned back into rain. Vehicles were few and far between. It was not a smooth road. But oh the scenery! Got the picture? Streams and meadows and mountains and Aspen woods.

I stopped in Leadville about 5:00PM for something to eat, my first meal of the day because there had been just too much to do, and frankly, other than pricey Aspen, no where to get a sandwich. No worry. I always have peanut butter and crackers on hand!

It was getting late and I had no idea where I was going to spend the night. I had planned on camping at one of the many National Forest Campgrounds but it was rainy and chilly, not conducive to a good camping experience. I drove on toward Vail expecting lodging. I didn’t know that Vail, Colorado wouldn’t have motels, not even a Super 8 or Holiday Inn. I drove on. At 6:30 and I still had no place to stay. It was gloomy and wet. I had been on the road 12 hours by now. I hooked backup with Interstate 70, but found no motels or one night lodging. I wasn’t too terribly concerned, but this was the latest I have ever driven without a plan. 7:00PM and still moving with no place to stay. Shadows were growing as the sun dropped behind the mountain peaks.

At 7:30 I headed into a town called Frisco. A newly contrived old town with the Frisco lodge, a Bed and Breakfast! There I stopped to inquire about a room. They assigned me room 5 on the second floor. Like the old hotel that it once was, the bathrooms were at the end of the hall shared by the seven rooms. Yes, they still do that in some places. The room was shabby chic in just the right way and I had an old window that opened and looked out onto Main street.

They had organic chocolates on the antique dresser and patch work quilts on the iron bed, ornate wall paper, flowered carpet, and Indian artifacts and photographs on the walls. I loved the room. Before settling in for the evening, I wondered around Frisco, which for the most part was closed up tight except for a few bistros and a bar. The room was $45 with breakfast. It was a perfect place. I felt wonderful and charmed to have found this place just when I needed it most.

I watched a John Denver Special on TV that filled up my senses like a night in the forest! How perfect was that. I didn’t want to go to sleep. It all goes by so fast. At that moment, I wished for nothing except what was, so wrapped up in the present that yesterday and tomorrow didn’t matter.

You know how you can walk into some places that just feel good. while others make you feel antsy. This is one of those places that just made me feel good. And they have too wifi too!

Usually mornings are my time to feel optimistic and upbeat but this evening was different. All in all, a very good day.

Tomorrow I will sleep late, and then go to see some friends of mine and maybe some that I don’t know.

Goodnight. Love ya.

PS: Since this wasn’t posted last night, I will tell you about breakfast. It was just the way I wanted it to be. Not so much the food, which was, by all accounts, hot and delicious, but the company, someone to talk to. There was Dave and his daughter, Grace, from Chicago on their way to their summer home in Utah. There was Jim, on a little getaway from Denver and there was Tony and Mark and Sarah. I am in no hurry to leave. I plan on checking out late and checking out the town. Then I will head to Denver, a hundred miles away.