Moab Utah to Brighton Colorado (via Utah RT 128 & I70) 400 miles
Day 40
Today was a travel day. We left the Moab KOA around 8:30 and decided to take a scenic byway RT128 through canyons and driving beside the mighty Colorado River. This was was a little slower and longer than taking RT191 back to I70, they way we came, but oh man, it was so worth it!
Riding along the Colorado River on RT148
More open range just before the Interstate
Up close and personal...sorry, I like cows
The highway (not really, it's just a narrow two lane road) winds and twists through a canyons for 44 miles, going around the southern end of Arches, then north to the interstate about 50 miles west of Grand Junction, Colorado. Glad we took this way back, it was fabulous. A perfect way to put an exclamation point on the Utah portion of this trip.
The weather was okay, not crystal, like the last few days, but nice. It was a little chilly in the higher altitudes that we were driving through today. Before we knew it we left the relatively lower mountains of Grand Junction and got more acquainted with the BIG BOYS of the Rockies.
We drove through some of the more popular ski resort towns. Vail is something to see, even from the highway! Some day I really want to get down into that town. Still plenty of snow on the mountains, but this is what they call the 'mud' season, and the crowds are not there.
Lil Dummy somewhere on I70 @ 65 miles per hour...tough life, eh?
I70 westbound lanes are elevated due to the narrow canyons in some places
Poor Tioga was put to the test pulling the mountain passes. After huffing and puffing up Vail Pass at 35mph, we thought it best to disconnect the Jeep (which is pretty much 4800 lbs of dead weight going uphill) and I drove it behind the RV. We had lunch in a park and ride, then I followed Jim up and down and up and down a few more high mountain passes. The RV was very happy not having to drag the Jeep up some of the highest mountain passes on the US interstate system.
The we met up with the snow going up the first pass
A view I normally don't see. I'm driving the Jeep, following Jim and giving the poor RV a break.
Entering the Eisenhower Tunnel at about 11,000 feet elevation
I tagged along all the way, about 60 miles, until we 'hit bottom' which would be coming down off the mountains, in Golden Colorado. I always laugh at the signs on the highway coming down that last, long grade. They keep reminding the drivers that they are NOT all the way down yet!
We found a mall and re-hooked. Good thing because I really didn't want to drive in Denver afternoon traffic.
The shortest way to Omaha was to pick up I76 in Denver. Almost immediately we encountered our first traffic jam of the trip. It was due to an accident and many lanes of traffic trying to get into one. Actually, it worked to my favor, because apparently all the RV parks/campgrounds are on the other sides of Denver. This highway goes off at an angle to the northeast corner of Colorado to Nebraska...and who goes to Nebraska?
We found a place by accident and turned in. It has no WIFI or cable. As soon as we got settled I looked around for the railroad track, that I knew would be here. Yep, just at the edge of the park, across the street. The good thing is that it's out in the farmlands, that are disappearing, with a new shopping center less than a mile away.
Tomorrow, we drive across northeaster Colorado and western Nebraska...hope I can control my excitement! Wanna bet we see lots of cows?
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