Colorado Here We Come

Here we are in Estes Park Colorado on what has become our annual trek with our grand children. What started out as Jack's adventures has become now "The Adventures of Jack, Ella, and Elise.

French Canyon at Starved Rock State Park

We arrived at our destination late this afternoon after 3 days on the road and stopped a few places along the road. We got the children on Wednesday morning earlier than expected so we left late in the afternoon to put a few miles and the Chicago traffic behind us. That is how we unexpectedly found ourselves arriving in Utica, Illinois very close to Starved Rock State Park while there was still enough daylight hours for a good hike. We only intended to take them to the top of the rock but we somehow just kept going out to one of the many canyons the park is noted for. The children were fascinated with the legend of the Indian tribe which starved to death rather surrender to another warring tribe. I discovered that Ella is very interested in people of  "the olden days".

The next day we just road all day in the RV playing games most of the time.
Friday was very fun. We have taken I 80 out west many times and along the Platte River, there is an overpass touting a pioneer museum. We have always been curious about what this was so since we had the children with us, it was the perfect time to satisfy our curiosity and break up the trip. What a great surprise. It was a wonderful sight and sound experience demonstrating the crossing of the continent for the early pioneers and how the trip has changed over generations with the evolution of transportation. Outside there was a genuine wigwam made of mud and straw which we could walk into. Last but not least, they had a maze we could explore. Jack and Ella found their ways through
going way ahead of the older and youngest of our party and fortunately they wound up on a lookout platform where the could coach us out or we might still be wandering around in there.

Picture by Ella Chilson

We had a long drive today, but once we started to see mountains in the distance, the excitement built up for all of us. Don and I went to Rocky Mountain National Park on our honeymoon 43 years ago, we brought our boys here at least twice, and it has always been our dream to snatch up our
grandchildren and share this place with them. When we entered Thompson Canyon, their eyes popped out, in much the same way mine did 43 years ago. That was the first time I realized that such places really existed in the world.

We arrived at the campground a few hours before their parents who are joining us for the first week of our journey. After a quick dinner, we were treated to entertainment by a John Denver singer. What an appropriate way to begin our stay in the Rocky Mountains.