We got our first glimpse of Denver and of the Rocky Mountains this morning. We are thrilled to trek over those mountains, following the historic Colorado River.

But, before we headed west, we went to visit Shelley Harrison Slaughter, a friend of ours from Fortuna. She and her husband are working and going to school here in Denver. Shelley, in case you couldn't tell, is expecting a baby. What you probably can't tell is that her due date is just a month away. She is still so small! Sometimes life just isn't fair to shorter women.

After saying goodby to Shelley and promising to deliver hugs to family, we entered I70 West. People have told us that this highway goes through some of the most beautiful country in the world. We would have to agree. It was absolutely thrilling climbing up to cooler air at the foot of snow capped mountains. The highway wound itself through majestic valleys and through several large tunnels straight through the mountains. One tunnel was in the process of being washed, (Yes, washed) so traffic was down to one lane and proved to be an exercise in clutch and throttle control.

We entered Glenwood Canyon, steep rock walls on both sides, the Colorado cutting its way through. This ride was amazing. The highway itself becoming one of the sights of beauty. There were times that it seemed the traffic going in the opposite direction was actually below us. On these steep walls there were narrow steps, and on these steps, trees were growing, seemingly out of the solid rock.

We stopped for a brief rest and water break at Glenwood Springs. Did we mention today was very hot? Then we turned south to Carbondale. Going beyond Carbondale we could have gone to Aspen, but we wanted to take the other fork in the road. Dick had been here before, and remembered the road to Marble being spectacular. We followed the Elk River, and even saw some elk. We got very close to the Quaking Aspen that Shirlene remembers so fondly from her childhood. There is an old marble quarry at Marble, and the remains of old coke furnaces for the process of making steel.

On the way back to Glenwood Springs we stopped at the Harley Dealer, but they were closed. And we visited the pioneer cemetary, where there is a marker remembering Doc Holliday. Shirlene chose to pay him her respects from the trail head, but Dick took the 1/2 mile hike.

We had planned to head toward Grand Junction, but the heat and the miles of previous days have taken their toll, so we will spend the night in Glenwood Springs and rest in air-conditioned comfort.