Colorado

Having a truck driver for a friend can be interesting. He rolls into town randomly, we go get food, and he tells me what parts of the country he's visited, usually making me jealous. I've mentally debated numerous times becoming a trucker for the ability to see so much of the country, constant driving, and the slightly flexible schedule. It's not conducive to dating or family life though, plus there are enough other things I want to do. Anyhow, said friend quit his trucking job at one company and was starting at another in Colorado. The wonderful part was that he needed a ride to CO and of course I was happy to comply. We drove all night to get him there by morning to start training. Afterward I got to choose my route back and took a rather squiggly shaped tour though Rocky Mountain National Park, Leadville, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, and towns along the way. Driving out of Leadville was fascinating to me as I passed so many 14,000'+ peaks, including the highest peak in Colorado Mt. Elbert. I saw the head waters of both the Colorado and Arkansas Rivers. These are not terribly far from each other, but both flow thousands of miles in opposite directions. Rocky Mountain NP is an all right place to visit, but not high on my list of places to return to. Black Canyon of the Gunnison is now one of my favorite places ever! A massively deep canyon only a couple hundred yards across, I watched the sun set over the rim, tinting the steep rock walls with glorious shades of pinks and yellows. Enjoy the pics, all are Copyright A. Keller, 2011.

Rocky Mountain National Park, CO

Headwaters of the Colorado River, Rocky Mountain National Park, CO

National Mining Hall of Fame, Leadville, CO

Old Schoolhouse, Leadville, CO

Mount Elbert 14,440' Highest in CO

Mount Massive 14,428'

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, CO

I'll be back to tell you about my geology field trip to NE California, including the Modoc Plateau and Lassen Volcano.