Goin' Home

In the week since we left Billings, we've had very limited internet access, so no postings for you anxious readers - we know you're out there. Well, we're b-a-a-a-ack.

We left Billings on Monday, 7/13, bound for Denver. Wyoming was in between (actually, it's a very nice state, but we had another agenda).

Our main excursion was to Story, WY - several miles off of the interstate, for lunch. Our Road Food book lauded the Waldorf-a-Story (get it?) General Store and Cafe. Well, the Waldorf had been sold and renamed and the "restrunt" subsequently closed (see picture), but the store was still an interesting visit. They did have a deli crammed into this over-crowded store and we got some good soup for our evening meal.

With our typical last-minute advanced planning, the campground at Chatfield State Park, near where Jeff and family live in Highlands Ranch, was booked solid for the weekend. No other campgrounds in the area. We did spend Wed and Th nights there and had a day with Malia with us at the lake. Here's Malia wearing one of Susie's shirts for apres-swim wear. We found out she's quite the UNO player.

Tried to get a night or two in the motel closest to Jeff's, but no room there either. So, we had to cut our Denver stay short and then decided to spend the weekend at one of our favorite Colordo places, Westcliffe. Usually we go there for bluegrass festival weekend. We were a week late for that, but this was Rodeo weekend. We kept seeing sights in Montana that reminded us of Westcliffe (lush valleys, towering mountains), so this also lured us. Some pictures:

The view from the campground.

Some beautiful old barns in the valley (officially the Wet Mountains Valley) also:

The rodeo parade had horses

and more horses

and ...

Fire trucks spraying water were a lot of fun.

We went to the rodeo on Saturday, then Cowboy Church at the rodeo grounds on Sunday. There were make-up rounds of calf-roping happening at the time. How about this setting?

Sunday afternoon we were treated to mountain showers sweeping across the valley and into the mountains.

So, we had a nice, relaxed Westcliffe weekend, then drove on home Monday - six weeks and nearly 5000 miles since we left. Lots of great sights seen and memories made.

Here's the traditional Almost Home, Ah New Mexico, There's the Sandias picture, shot through a bug-specked and rain-dropped windshield.

Cheers to all,

Susie and Rob