Landed at Eagles Creek

It has been a crazy couple of days. We have travelled almost 1000 miles since Tuesday.

We stopped in Oklahoma and stayed at the new Hard Rock Casino (it is in the process of changing over), and Ma played nickel slots for 2 hours on the same $20. She is one of the luckiest people I know. I also saw an OCC bike, it was beautiful up close. I wonder if I saw the episode with them making the bike....maybe.

Next up was Kansas, and man is it long and FLAT and they have GIANT bugs that go splat on your windshield and have a variety of colors. ICK! Through all of the bugs and dust, we found the chalk pyramids. They were breath taking and so worth the drive.

That night we headed over to Colorado Springs so that we could meet up with Cory in the morning. Her plane had been delayed, but she landed safely on Wednesday afternoon. The Rockies were so amazing. Every where you looked we were surrounded by views that seem as if in magazines. Ma even said that she no longer needed to watch the Discovery Channel.

We went to the memorial park for the veterans, the Olympic Training Center (watched some of the men's gymnasts on the tv screen) and then went up in a mountain elevator to 7 Falls. We stayed in a former hospital that was converted into a bed and breakfast. The staff there was so nice and told us all about Cripple Creek, one of the oldest gold mining towns. They extract 1,000 ounces of gold every day, which translates into about a million dollars, EVERY DAY!

Today, Cory was up and after her cell alarm went off we were out of the hotel and packing up the car. We thought we were running behind, but come to find out that her phone was still on Boston time. This left us plenty of time to meander our way over to Canon City. There we went on a mountain train ride through the Royal Gorge. We had the best meal we have had on the trip and they had an open car where you could step out and take pictures with no obstructions. After that we went for a little wine tasting and then drove Skyline Drive. I have to say this is one of the scariest things I have ever done. You felt like you were driving off the top of the mountain. It gave us an unbelievable view of the city. Cory took tons of pictures and my hands still hurt from gripping the wheel so tightly. Thank goodness for her camera and lack of fear.

Cory took over the wheel and as we drove in NM and through the Cimarron Park, we saw deer, antelope, a jack rabbit, a bunny, Cory saw a moose, a bear (he was so little), and a couple of foxes. We made it through without hitting anything. We are staying the night in Eagles Nest so that we are able to do the rest of the drive to 4 corners in the day light.

Since it is late, I will be posting pictures later--we have several hundred to go through :)