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South West USA | Part 3 |
Saturday 16 May 2015
Come back soon for the english text.
The breakfast at the motel is on the meager side. Toast, jams, cereals and a
tiny muffin. After the breakfast we leave immediately for the
Canyonlands National Park
in order to beat the wee
kend
crowds. It is an hour's drive to the park entrance. It's raining pretty hard
when we go to the park. But once we arrive, it is dry. We did not realize
that in this park there is no food or drink for sale. In the other parks so
far, this was always the case. We have nothing with us to eat. Fortunately
the visitor center sells energy bars. Better something than nothing. We
drive to the Mesa Arch trail. This short trail leads to an arch overlooking
the canyon of the Colorado River. Because we are early, it is still very
quiet here. It's cold here, this high in the mountains. About 4°C (39°F),
and sometimes we feel a cold wind. We drive to the Green River Lookout. By
now coach parties the have arrived and it is a lot busier on this
easily accessible vantage point. The view of the Green river is beautiful.
From here we drive further south. At a picnic place we go off the road and
get to the starting
point
of the White Rim Overlook trail. The trail is not signposted from the road,
but the Rough Guide had the solution. At the picnic area there is an sign in
the right direction and we continue to follow the cairns, which are piles of
stones that mark the path. It is approximately a 3km round trip to a
beautiful rock formation with excellent views of the White Rim. This is the
white rim of the canyon of the Colorado River that winds through this area.
The white edge is caused by deposites of millions of years ago, and
protects the underlying softer layers.
After this nice walk we drive to Grandview Point. This is the best view point in the national park, but because it is easily accessible, here too, it is pretty crowded. We are lucky to get a parking spot. A ranger gives a talk about the geology of the area. The canyons have been formed, because in the west, near the Grand Canyon, volcanoes became active, which threw up lava dams in the river. When these dams, that came under the pressure by the water reservoir behind them, gave way all kinds of things washed through in a big wave westward and eroded the area forging a deep canyon.
We drive to Upheaval Dome. To get to Upheaval Dome we
have 
to
follow a steep trail that leads up to a viewpoint looking out on a crater.
It has become sunny and it feels quite warm, although it is only 13°C
(55°F). The view of the crater is beautiful. The sunshine makes the green
rock even more spectacular. We drive back to Moab. It starts to rain
heavily, but once in Moab the weather is fine . We eat at
Twisted Sistas (like yesterday) and after that we go to our room
for a rest.
Later in the afternoon we drive back again, but now to
the
Dead Horse Point
State Park. This is a nature reserve with the main
attraction being a viewpoint looking over a bend in the Colorado River. The
view is spectacular. The area owes its unusual name from the fact that
cowboys drove wild horses (mustangs) onto the isthmus in the river bend
using it as a kind of natural "horse ranch". They chose the best horses and
left the others to their own devices. The horses did not dare leave the
narrow strip of land, because they had to step / jump over a gap. They died
of thirst while overlooking the Colorado River! We can also see potassium
carbonate mine, also called potash.
We drive back to Moab. We fill up our gas tank and do some shopping at the
City Market (giant
supermarket) and go eat at
Eddie McStiff's Bar & Restaurant. Happy and busy. The food is
nice, but not startling. Erik takes a pasta with chicken, and I three
skewers with beef, chicken and shrimp on a bed of salad.
Weather: cloudy. Heavy rain alternated with sunny periods. Temp 4 to 14 ° C
(39 to 57°F).
Sunday 17 May 2015
We get up
early. After a simple breakfast we drive to
Arches National Park.
That's only five miles from Moab, so we're right there within minutes.
There is quite a queue at the entrance and we have to wait 10 minutes
before we can go inside. Like yesterday at Canyonlands there no
facilities for eating and drinking, but this time we came prepared. We
bring the food and drink we bought from the City Market yesterday! We
drive all the way to the end of the main road, about 20 miles away.
There we start on a trail to the Landscape Arch. The National Park is
known for its arches and Windows, which were created by wind erosion of
the sandstone. The arches are vulnerable. In places they are very thin
and the rock is quite soft. From the parking lot we walk through a
narrow passage in a hilly landscape with beautiful rocks left and right.
After 500 meters we get to a junction and turn right to visit the Tunnel
Arch and Pine Tree Arch. Tunnel Arch sits high in a mountain while the
Pine Tree Arch is on the ground so you can walk through. We backtrack to
the main trail and
continue to the Landscape Arch. That one is located some hundred meters
uphill from the trail. It is a wonderful sight. In 1991 a big chunk fell
off. Photos of the Arch in earlier times are there to prove it. We could
go on to to the Double O 'Arch, but this is too much for us, given the
climb involved. We walk back to the parking lot. Next goal is the
Delicate Arch. Unfortunately, the road to the easily accessible
viewpoint is closed due to the excessive rain of recent days. The trail
to the Delicate Arch is open, but it requires almost 500m climb, the
passage of a gap and a negotiating a narrow path along a precipice. We
walk the part of the trail. We g
et
an impression of the climb, but not the Arch. That is unfortunate,
because Delicate Arch is the signature sight of the park, if not for
Utah. The arch is on the license plates of cars from this state. We
drive to the Windows section. Here we take a walk to the North Window
and South Window. Together with a rock in between they look like a pair
of glasses on a thick nose. Opposite is the Turret Arch. An arch with a
tower shaped rock behind. Last stop today at the Balanced Rock. This is
a sort of a pillar on which a large boulder seems to be balancing but
not falling off.
It is 1pm. We drive back to Moab. We take a shower, take a rest before
we have a coffee at Moab Coffee
Roasters. Erik drives to the car wash, because it is covered in
red dust gathered over the past few weeks. We have a beer at Spruce Tree
Café. We are told that it is mandatory to order something to eat to go
with the drink under Utah law. The rest of the afternoon we spend in the
sun (and by the pool) at the motel. In the evening we eat a pizza at
Paradox Pizza on the south side of Moab. It is more a takeaway joint. It
takes quite a long time before we get something to eat - that is
probably the Paradox are: fast food that takes a long time waiting - but
it does not taste half bad. Then coffee and back to the motel room.
Weather: sunny 23°C
Maandag 18 May 2015
After breakfast
and coffee we drive at a leisurely pace to Grand Junction
in Colorado via the US191 and then onto Interstate 70. We arrive already
at 10.40 am. The room is not ready yet. We go to the town center. The
room is ready at noon. We have a break and eat sandwiches we bought at
the supermarket in Moab. In the afternoon we drive to Palisade. A
village 10 miles away, which is known for its vineyards and orchards.
We're going to taste wine at the
Talon Winery where we buy a
pinot gris and a red blend wine (Wingspan Merlot/Cabernet
Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc). We drive around the area to take pictures of
vineyards. Then we drive back to Grand Junction. We buy groceries at the
Walmart and later we go to the town center. We drink a cocktail at the
Thunderdome bar and before
we have a delicious dinner at Bin 707
Foodbar. A somewhat alternative-looking restaurant with
only healthy and locally produced ingredients. We start with a
charcuterie and cheese platter and as a main course I take the Colorado
Wagyu Beef brisket, beef cooked in spinach leaves. Erik takes the duck.
It is delicious and our charming waiter Lloyd's doing his best. In
addition, a local wine makes it all perfect. Not cheap, of course.
We have coffee at
Roasted, a nice little espresso bar.
Weather: sunny 25 ° C
Tuesday 19 May 2015
Breakfast here in Grand Junction, is a bit more elaborate than in Moab. The owner of
the motel tells us she has immigrated from Poland 20 years ago. From
her
limited English we would not have guessed. After breakfast we buy
sandwiches at Walmart and then drive to the town center to drink coffee
at Roasted . Then we drive towards Fruitta towards the eastern entrance
of the
Colorado National Monument. This is a mountain range with some
canyons. The distinction between a National Park and a National Monument
is not always that clearcut. In general, Monuments are smaller
than the Parks and less varied. Often they have only one type of natural
phenomenon. We follow a winding road up to a plateau at around
2,000m meters elevation. From various points we can look at the
beautiful canyons. The road through the park was built in 1931 by
unemployed workers participating in a job creation project during the
Great Depression under President Roosevelt. These were the WPA (Works
Progress Administration) and the CCC (Civil Conservation Corps). A
number of road workers did not survive the construction. The road winds
along the edge of the plateau. It starts to rain very heavily, rain turning
into a hail storm. After a while the sky clears again. After some 23
miles we leave the Monument at the exit on the side of Grand Junction.
Later in the afternoon we do some shopping in the center of town and
have a drink at the Thunderdome bar. For dinner we go to Il Bistro
Italiano. Delicious meal. Again local products. The pasta and sauces
are all homemade. John, our
server did not fail to mention that. It's pretty cold outside, but thanks to the heater we
can still eat outside.
Weather: Wind, rain and hailstorms. 14-18 ° C
Wednesday 20 May 2015
We drive to Denver. It's a long drive of almost 400 km. Interstate 70
largely follows the 
valley
of the Colorado River. The valley is narrow at times, sometimes wider.
In the river we see occasionally groups of rafters charging down the
river. When we get near Vail, the mountains get higher and there is more
snow. We drive through a winter landscape. There are also many
roadworks. Closer to Denver it gets very foggy. The temperature is
around 4°C (39°F). The drive takes about four hours.
Once in Denver the sky clears slightly and the temperature rises to 14°C
(57
ster
bed. The B & B is run by Carl Schmidt II and his daughter Bailey. We
have lunch at Aces on 17th Ave, not far from the B & B. The cuisine is
Asian fusion and the restaurant has a large room with tables, where the
lunch guests can play a ping pong game between courses. After
lunch, we rent a bike from the Denver's B-Cycle system.
You insert your credit card into the terminal and you pay $9 for 24
hours. You can borrow a bike for up to 30 minutes. Then you have to turn
it in at one of the distribution points. There are many of such points
in the city. With an app on your smartphone, you can see where they are
and how many bikes are available. We cycle to the
State Capitol. At three o'clock we join a free tour through the
building. The building was built in 1894 and was completed in 1901.
Colorado is a state since 1876. The building was built in the s
hape
of a Greek Cross Basilica, like the Capitol in Washington DC. The guide
shows us the chamber of deputies and the senate, and then we go up to
the dome. From the outside of the dome we have a nice view of the city
and surroundings. Across from the state capitol is Denver City Hall. In
between, an obelisk commemorating the war dead. In front of the Capitol
is a statue of a soldier in remembrance of the troops that participated
in the Civil War on behalf of Colorado - which back then was not even a
state - on the side of the North. We walk from the Capitol to 16th
street. This is a pedestrian area in Lower Downtown (LoDo) with hotels
and shops. Along this street a free shuttle bus runs up and down. We
take the bus to the other end at the junction with the Wynkoop Street
and go for the
Tattered Cover Bookstore, which is housed in a former
warehouse. Here we drink coffee and look around at this extensive
bookstore.
After
this
cultural side step we take some photographs on the 16th
street, especially of the Daniels & Fisher clock tower halfway
down the street. The tower was built in 1910 as part of a department
store. With 99m in height it was the tallest building east of the
Mississippi. The design is based on the bell tower in St. Mark's Square
in Venice. The department store was demolished in 1971, but the tower
was restored. Then we take a bike again and drive to the Colorado
Convention Center. Here is the famous sculpture of a blue bear, looking
through the glass front. Funny idea by Lawrence Argent back in 2005, who
named it "I see what you mean" . We cycle back to the B & B leave
our bags here and cycle to the 17th street to have dinner. It is crowded
and many restaurants have a queue outside. We go to the Tavern Uptown,
a sportsbar with lots of tv screens.
After dinner we walk to Colfax Avene to the X-bar,
a gay bar. It is a spacious bar, which is quite busy, at this early hour
(7pm.) Lots of men sitting at the bar. OK on atmosphere and we stay for
a few beers here.
Weather: alternately sunny and foggy. Cold. Temperature: 4-14°C
(39-52°F)
Donderdag 21 May 2015
Carl Schmidt, the
owner
and cook of the B & B makes us a special breakfast. No eggs for me, no
bacon for Erik. Erik gets an egg soufflé and I waffles with
blackcurrants. We sit at table with two older ladies from Wisconsin who
talk endlessly. Very nice but also very busy. After breakfast we go for
coffee at
Pablo Coffee,
just down on Pennsylvania Street at 13th Avenue.
After coffee, we drive to the
Recreational Equipment Inc (REI) flagship store to buy a soft
shell jacket with hoody for me. It's nice to wear over my fleece vest,
because it stops the cold wind. It is a Mammut jacket.
Then we drive to Boulder, the university town 25 miles
from Denver. It is a peaceful town entirely dedicated to the university
. Many young and brainy people around. It also called "seven miles
surrounded by reality". We have coffee at the
Laughing Goat
on Pearl Street. After that we stroll down Pearl Street
,
the main shopping street of Boulder. We have lunch at the
Westend Tavern. After lunch we drive up the Flagstaff Mountain
for views of Boulder and around. There is low-hanging cloud, but we can
still enjoy a nice view. Boulder was founded in the late 19th century
when prospectors came looking for gold. Gold was not found, but the town
still grew. Next we drive to the Nederland. A town about 25km west of
Boulder in the mountains. It was founded in the 19th century as Middle
Boulder, named after the river. It was a mining town. The Caribou mine
was 10km to its Northwest. In 1873 the mine was acquired by a Dutch
company. Because of the harsh environment around the mine it was decided
to process the minerals in Middle Boulder. Middle Boulder was lower than
the mine and was therefore called the Nederland, the Dutch word for the
Netherlands, which means low
countries. At 2400 meters altitude it is still quite high and certainly
much higher than the Netherlands in Europe. Today it is a gateway for an
outdoor sports area and situated on a lake. Nothing reminds us of our
country, but it is funny to see the name of our country on many shop
signs and even on police cars. We drink coffee and eat a pastry before
we drive back to Denver.
At night we eat at Steuben,
where we have to wait for a while to get seated. It is very noisy, but
the food is reasonable.
Weather: cloudy, max.
8°C
Friday 22 May 2015
Breakfast
is
again an egg soufflé, but this time with chicken in it. I get pancakes with
blackcurrant. After breakfast we do not go to Rocky Mountain National Park
and the Trail Ridge Highway we wanted so much to visit. Unfortunately the
weather is bad. The road - with a peak at 3700m, the highest paved road in
America - is closed after 1/3 of its length, because there is still too much
snow left. Moreover, there heavy snowfall is predicted for today with 1 to 3
inches of extra snow. As an alternative and because it rains we visit the
Denver Art Museum.
This has a broad collection. Pre-columbian, through Spanish-colonial,
Indian, European to American contemporary photography. The Indian collection
consists of everyday objects, such as clothing, feather headdresses and
ceramics, but also artifacts. After visiting the museum we have lunch at a
salad bar across from the museum.
We relax in the
B & B, and around half past two we drive out to Lookout Mountain. William
Cody lies buried there , known as Buffalo Bill. This adventurer, who has
shot (too) many buffaloes in his time and who toured the nation with a kind
of traveling circus, died in 1917 in Denver. According to his widow Lookout
Mountain was his favorite place. The town of Cody, which he helped establish
in Wyoming disputed this claim, but Bill is still buried here with his wife.
The views of Denver and surrounding area is stunningly beautiful. The grave
is not and neither is the museum . The shop and cafeteria are of the really
ancient variety. After a snack we drive back to the B & B.
At half past five we take the bus to
Coors Field,
to wathc a Major League Baseball
game: the
Colorado
Rockies against
San
Francisco Giants. It is quite an experience. The match starts
at 6:10p, but until then, we are kept busy with various commercial
activities. There is plenty of food and drink available to fill the stomach.
Vendors come and go on the stands to sell broad variety of food. The most
exotic must be the skewers with strawberries with chocolate poured over it.
The Rockies are at the bottom of the Western Conference of the National
League. And this evening it is not going to get better. They get behind in
the third inning and it gets worse. Many visitors are not bothered at all by
that. Many are here with the entire family, from babies to grandparents.
They catch up on gossip and now and then glance at the field. It rains off
and on. After the 7th inning it starts raining even harder. During the 7th
inning stretch, we need to stand up and sing along with "Take me out
to the ballgame" . In the 2nd half of the 9th inning, it 11-5 for the
Giants, when play is suspended because of the weather. Time to go home. At
the station we take a taxi. Within ten minutes we are home for only $ 8.
Weather: rain. In the afternoon overcast, but rain again in the evening .
12°C / 54°F
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