In July of this year I hosted a wonderful trip to Colorado where my guests and I rode on several coal-powered steam trains and saw many amazing sights. Colorado still has a very rugged countryside and there’s so much history. Summer can also be a great time to visit, the skies are sunny, the humidity is low and the people are very hospitable. We spent our first night in Denver where they were still in the July 4th Spirit.
Denver is quite the town
From there it was on to Estes Park where we spent the night at the Stanley Hotel. The Stanley took six years to construct and opened in 1909. It was built by the Stanley Brothers, the same ones that started the Stanley Steamer Automobile company.
Of course it’s best known as the site of Stephen King’s movie, The Shining.
Supposedly the Stanley is haunted but I never saw anything scarier than a loose dog
After that we headed into the Rocky Mountains…
There’s an overload of dramatic scenery in Colorado 
This is a yellow-belly Marmot, he’s a type of ground squirrel 
Ouray, Colorado. This reminds me of a few towns in Switzerland 
Yours truly with Barbara, Judy and Roger 
The Durango & Silverton chugs along the river 
Along the way we heard plenty of great Cowboy music 
And had a fun Cowboy meal. That dark blob is actually a foil wrapped potato, once I unwrapped it, it was delicious 
On the Georgetown Loop Railroad near Silver Plume, Colorado. Don’t look down! 
Then we chugged up the Pikes Peak Railway and spent a couple hours taking in the sights from 14,000 feet up.
We also visited Mesa Verde National Park in Montezuma County. Home of the largest archaeological preserve in the United States. Mesa Verde was once home to a thriving civilization of native Americans
Perhaps one of the most photographed churches in the US. This is the Chapel at the USAF Academy in Colorado Springs. Its dramatic lines have inspired many a pilot and it dates to 1963 and it’s the most popular man-made attraction in Colorado.
Although this house of worship dates to 1963, it’s evident that the architect was designing this for the Air Force.
At the end of this splendid adventure I was reminded at how spectacular this country really is. I’ve seen some pretty amazing sights and traveled across the globe and the natural scenery, the man-made attractions and the warmth and hospitality in this country is as rich and generous, perhaps more so, than anywhere else in the world. If you would like to join me on my next adventure then just shoot me an email or give me a phone call. I’d love to take you along on my next adventure!