Rocky Road

We had driven through Iowa and Nebraska--now we were ready for some mountains. We headed up I-70 out of Denver and into the Rocky Mountains.

It soon became obvious our motorhome wasn't going to perform well above 10,000 feet. The transmission and the braking systems were keeping Herb very busy. The propane flow to the fridge quit altogether. So we stopped along the road for a break here and there.

We drove through the Eisenhower Tunnel at Loveland Pass.

After that, a seven percent grade. I hate going downhill (or downmountain, in this case). I generally close my eyes tightly and push my feet firmly against the floor believing somehow that will slow the coach. Herb is an outstanding driver, but all this was wearing him out.

We stopped several times to walk around and enjoy the cool, mountain air--a change from the odor of hot brakes permeating the coach. We were giving the driver and the brakes a break!

All day the skies had threatened rain. We had a few drops here and there as well as periods of light mist. Wet pavement and dicey brakes on the downhill slope of the Rocky Mountains are not conducive to a safe trip. Going uphill, on the other hand, slowed us down considerably. We seemed to find ourselves behind big trucks with emergency blinkers operating.

Eventually we came to Vail where we glimpsed ski chalets through the rain.

We eventually found our way out of the mountains and into Glenwood Canyon--more about that later!