Denver July 2003

The plan: Mom, Auntie, Obaachan, and Marie, left from Emeryville CA on an Amtrak train bound for Denver CO. It was going to take them 2.5 days. Meanwhile, Dad and I were to fly from SFO to DEN, check into the hotel in Denver, and await their arrival.

I am not quite sure that I can do justice to the experience that the women had on that train ride. I know a few things though. The scenary was stunning. Riding the Amtrak across that area of the country was breathtaking. Amtrak dining cars are ok. The food was edible, and it was better than to be expected while eating on a moving vehicle. Taking a shower is difficult in a train...imagine crashing into the walls of a 1'x2' shower and trying to get yourself clean...probably not fun. I think they enjoyed the overall experience of riding across part of the country on Amtrak. I can't say that I have been there and done that...so I'll just have to wait for my turn to come.

Once we all arrived in Denver, we did a little bit of sight seeing. One of the places that we went to was about an hour's drive from Denver. We wanted to drive up the 14,000 or so ft. up to a peak of a mountain (for those who know what I'm talking about, please let me know, because I have no clue as to what this mountain was called...maybe Pike?) We passed through a cute mountain town, and started our climb upwards in our rental minivan with 6 adults inside. This was supposed the highest paved road in the US.
Dad was driving, and Auntie with the concerned look on her face, wondering if this was a good idea...
We got up to 12,000 ft. We decided we didn't want to go any further. Why? Because it was pouring. And every turn we took while going up the mountain put us dangerously close to the edge of the road, which was the edge of the mountain. And it wasn't a nice grassy hill to tumble down...it was a straight drop. So we decided that it wasn't worth risking the lives of 6 people to climb to the top of a peak that we weren't going to see anything from. However, even from 12,000 ft. we were above the clouds just enough to see the rest of the Rockie Mountains stretching out into the distance. It was amazing! I jumped out of the van just long enough to take some pictures, and then we headed back down the mountain.
I've decided to say no when someone says "Go outside and take a picture of us in the van" when there is a thunderstorm and pouring rain outside.
We weren't the only ones silly enough to try to drive up the mountain
Auntie and Obaachan sitting at the porch of the building/gift shop at the base of the road. They were dry...I was still rain drenched.