Enjoying Colorado

[padredw]

We have spent the last few days in Spruce Lake RV Park in Estes Park, Colorado. This morning, early (before breakfast), we got up and drove up into the Rocky Mountain National Park to get some photos of the high mountains with fresh snow from yesterday.

I have posted some of those photos on this web page:

http://dw4u.net/rmnp/park.html

[capn chris]

Very nice! This time of year, a drive up to Morraine Park area after supper should be quite a show w/the elk! Enjoy.

[richfaa]

Beautiful country..did that last year. walked through a cloud near the visitors center in Estes park. Now how many times in a lifetime do you get to do that..

[sunshineduo]

My neck of the woods! We live about 20 miles of east of Estes. Sre hope you had a good time.

[padredw]

We surely did have a good time in Estes Park. We just left this morning after 10 days at Spruce Lake RV Park. We are now back in Buena Vista at the Arrowhead Point RV Park. We will stay here for 4 days before moving on the Taos and Santa Fe.

The best color we have seen on the entire trip was this morning just north of Leadville. Seems like the aspens are turning later this year. Of course, we saw lots of elk in Rocky Mountain National Park.

[adelmoll]

We plan on doing this next spring David... Sure wish we could have met up with you there but we may still see you in the spring on the way.

Helen

[bsmeaton]

Just came up through Taos today David - leaves are turning at 8,000 ft!

[ole dude]

Just returning from Colo. Was too early for leaves changing, I recon. Was up on Wolf Creek Pass, still green, same in Durango and Silverton. However, a great trip in a great part of this country.

[padredw]

I am glad to report that we did find colorful aspens over Crested Butte way.

I've posted some of the photos from Sunday afternoon.

Above Crested Butte

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

Nice photos of that glorious golden color!

Thanks Dave!!

[sreigle]

Rocky Mountain National Park is gorgeous. We loved it there. I'm glad to hear you're having an enjoyable trip. That part of the country and this time of year are tough to beat.

[c214dick]

We just came home from spending 2 1/2 weks at Chatfield State Park in Littleton. The max is 14 days in a 45 day period but we worked around the system. We had the resevoir and the mountains facing us as we got up each morning. What a great park and a great state. Our son lives there so this is the first time we were able to spend this much time there. We spent a few days in the mountains chasing the aspen.

One bad thing was that when we returned home I ended up in the hospital with "mountain sickness" or "high altitude pulminary adema (sp). I ended up in the hospital for three days after spitting up blood for a few days. I have to go back for more tests but it looks like my elevations will be limited to less than 7000 feet.

[bsmeaton]

Dick,

So sorry to hear you developed complications at altitude. I don't know about pulmonary adema but would that be a long term issue or altitude restriction?

I live here in CO and have had to accept some limitations with altitude myself. At this point I pretty much use 02 to do any hiking at 7,000 ft or above.

[c214dick]

That is one of the possibilities. There are some other complications as well. It looks like i have sleep apnia (sp) which contributed to my oxygen deprivation. My white cells were extremely elevated and my hemoglobin was 18. I guess normal is 13-16 and Mt Everest climbers have 21 so I was pretty screwed up.

After 3 days in the hospital I'm home now but still have some problems. More tests and Drs. visits later this week. One of the nurses suggested that if I want to see the mountains I should stay in Tennessee. They're only about 6000 feet.