Go West

We took a family trip a couple of weeks ago.

This was our destination

Colorado.

To visit friends and to be tourists.

I went to Colorado with my parents and sisters many years ago.  Apparently when I was about 10.  I remember a lot of it - which surprised me since they said I was only 10.  So now I'm realizing that Elliott is probably going to remember a lot of what happens in his life from this point on.  Better make it count, huh?

One of the things I remembered was how flat Kansas was.

I thought it was pretty when I was younger and still do.

Love the storm cloud above.  Right before this scene, we had stopped in Salina and our trusty phones told us it was 110 degrees outside.  Our bodies told us it felt like that, too, with warm gusty winds to top it off.

It cooled down a little bit in the evening, but it was still windier than any place I ever remember.  It was the same story in this part of western Kansas on the way back.  Brian even remarked that he admired anyone who lived there, because it seems so isolated to begin with and then wind is blowing hard in your face all the time.  Very true.

We stopped and stayed the night about 30 minutes east of the Colorado border.  Apparently the time had changed to mountain time, but our phones didn't register that (and neither did our alarm clock in the room).  So we were down in the lobby (some of us sporting awesome vacation attire for our feet) ready for breakfast at 6:30, wondering why we were the only ones there and no food.  Elliott was starving and did not hesitate to find out where the food was.  He came back with an annoyed look and voice saying that the front desk guy said that it's only 5:30.  Oops.

And we made it into Colorado.

So far, it still looked much like western Kansas.

We stopped at this gas station and found this huge huge bear to pose with. 

I love this picture because in the background you can see Elliott laughing about this flushing toilet candy that he found.  (that we did not purchase)  At this stop we also found frisbees in the shape of a pile of cow manure.  (also not a purchase for the Weilers)

Very interesting place, I tell you.

Saw trains like this much of the way along I-70.

This one was my favorite, because it was so colorful.

Up next:  Rocky Mountain National Park