Over The Top ... Contentintal Divide

April 8, 2015

I can't say enough about the Glenwood Springs RV resort ..... it was just too pleasant to wake up & well rested after an evening of  hearing the river running by, the freight train making its way east and just being in the Rocky Mountains with all the tree and smells ..... well ..  you know what I mean.
We packed up fairly early as we knew we had Eisenhower Tunnel just ahead, as well as friends and most of all family just over the mountain.  As we headed east up I70, the canyon through Glenwood was beautiful.  You almost want to stop every few miles just to take pictures.

But the climb begins, and as you come out of the canyon, you enter some incredible open space with ranches and green meadows that are absolutely beautiful. 

 Every time I see areas like this, it makes me wish I could plant down, right here, raise horses and just chill.  But of course I know  "Chill" would be the operative word up here at nearly 9000 ft above sea level. I guess I'm still a cowboy at heart!













I have always been impressed with the awesome job that was done to I70 way back when, making it easier to cross the Continental Divide for travelers. It's just a constant climb up toward Vail Pass and the tunnel, sometimes as much as 7%. 

 

Our coach did an awesome job getting us to Vail ... even though we were at times down to 35mph, but what a beautiful ride, even though we saw a lot of snow and much cooler temperatures.  From Vail, it's just a short climb up to the tunnel. Jackie did much better than I thought she would making our assent. She continued to have many questions regarding overheating engines and brakes systems! Hey, if it makes you feel better asking.... ask away! A little difficult to focus at times.... but, we got it done ...and no major panic attacks !!

 

What was very funny, is that at one point Jackie & I both agreed we should pull over and give the "monster" a break, and as we got off the road and stopped, we could see the tunnel only a few hundred yards ahead of us.

After a short break, we started through the tunnel, and even though there was still some uphill grades, coming out the other side was a great relief for me.

Jackie on the other hand, was just beginning to cringe as we started going down, with concerns that the "jake brake" wouldn't take care of us. To top it off, just as we got down a few miles there were police and blinking signage reading "ice, water on road".  As we made the curve, sure enough, a car had spun out and ice was on the road! Thank God is was just a few yards of ice.  There was No place to pull over and park at this point.
As it turned out, the grades on the east side were much reduced compared to the west side, and the coach did an amazing job of maintaining our speed coming down into Denver.  This drive is still one of the most amazing scenic highways anywhere in my opinion, for a major highway.

It didn't take long however, as we approached Denver to discover .... Traffic .... and lots of it!  We were very happy when we were able to transition to I76 & I25 to start north to Broomfield, where my brother, his beautiful wife and my Mother live, and in no time at all we were parked along side my brother's house.

Stay tuned as we get set up in our new home in Loveland Co .....