From Nebraska to Colorado

---

The day began at Fort Laramie National Park. The Fort was established as a trading post along the emigrant trail. The Mormons, Oregon and California trails all traveled through this area. The park service has done a wonderful job of restoring the Fort. The troops lived a very isolated , rugged existence, but then the emigrants faced such hardships, the soldiers must have been a welcome sight. Their barracks and facilities must have seemed a luxury to the wagon trains.

From Fort Laramie we moved on to Rocky Mountain National Park. The elevation was really bothering me, so we drove through with only one stop. The high altitude really makes my ears ring and at the highest point the pass was over 11,000 feet. As we came over the pass, I was able to see a group of Elk on the right side of the mountain. We stopped at the first pull off. Just as we stopped we could hear a Elk "bulging". This is the male mating call. Ed had only heard this a couple of times in his life. There were lots of Elk in the park, but mostly in where several cars had piled up. We were the only ones at this stop for a while...

The next day everyone headed to Pikes Peak. I stayed behind due to the high altitude. I drove an hour down to Colorado Springs. Ed rode with Lee in his GTR. First they took the train up to Pike Peak and then they drove. Lee's GTR is very, very fast and the Peak is over 14,000 ft. high. Ed said he didn't know his eyes would open that wide.

---

Photos

Barracks
Fort Laramie

Officers House
Fort Laramie

Guardhouse
Fort Laramie

Belly up to the Bar!
Fort Laramie

Fort Post Office
Fort Laramie

Single Officers Barracks
Fort Laramie

Peak At Rocky Mountain
Rocky Mountain National Park