In Steamboat/Lake Agnes

Leaving the Denver area, we drove to Steamboat Springs area. The drive was on two lane road, but relatively easy. Lake Agnes is about 35 miles southeast of town, and a beautiful little mountain lake about 1 1/2 miles around. Crystal clear water and amazingly remote. The silence in the evening and morning was absolute. Daughter Betsy found it, rented it, and joined us for six days of fun with husband Erik and Max and Teddy. Played with boats and kayak, hunted for crayfish, and hiked the perimeter of the lake.

The "cabin" was three floors, three bedrooms and baths, hot tub, and a deck to relax on and stargaze.

The bottom shot is at the ski hill at Steamboat - we rode the gondola, and the threesome of Peg, Betsy, and Teddy (age 3) hiked down.

Best of all - at least for Peg & me - we saw the Kingston Trio- second row seats - in concert. Got to meet the performers afterward. The new members of the group are carrying on the tradition in great form. Loved hearing the old songs done again.

More Colorado

Tuesday 6/22, drove to Pikes Peak with Chuck & Mary and rode the cog railway to the top. Temperature at the bottom was in the 80's, but in the 30's at the peak, with wind chills in the 20's. This area is beautiful - can't really duplicate it in pictures.

In Colorado

Expanding on the last post, here are details of our time in Denver area.

These pix are in Georgetown Co., a preserved mining town from the mid 1800's.

Same day in Vail - this is a beautiful area. Metzgers drove us up from Denver. We took the gondola to the top of the mountain at Vail, then had happy hour there and went to Idaho Springs for dinner.

Next day (Father's Day), played golf - and among other things went for a ride in Chuck's antique MGB. He's done a great job with it. Spent more time just being together and catching up.

back on for a short message

Haven't posted for a while - internet connection at last campsite was not good and since Tuesday have been at a cabin near Steamboat Springs, CO with no cell phone or internet.

Will fill in the details later, but spent the 18th - 22nd in Denver area with high school best friends Chuck & Mary Metzger. Went to Vail and Pike's Peak, played some golf and cought up with each other. Drove to Steamboat area on 23rd, and will be here until next Tuesday. Pictures and more later,

North Platte, Nebraska

Moved Tuesday to North Platte - small town, we thought the type that would have been given a "Yahoo!!!" on "Hee-Haw". We intended to drive out to the N.Platte river, one of the scenic drives in our guide book. Found out that the river was a foot over flood stage, and the highway was closed. So instead had one of our most fun days yet!

Here we are at the entry to the Buffalo Bill Ranch. Cody lived here for several years and headquartered his show from the Ranch. They've done a good job in restoring the ranch house and one of the barns. A lot of midwestern memorabilia.

This place is called Dancing Leaf. A retired elementary school teacher and her husband, a paleontologist, have recreated a plains native hut, made from 400 trees, from the time after the ice age. In addition, they have a museum with mammoth and sabretooth tiger bones, shark teeth, and other finds from this area. Who would have thought that central Nebraska was once connected to the ocean? Amazing place, and well worth visiting if you're ever in the area.

Finally, we found out that the Buffalo Bill Nebraskaland Rodeo was in town. Neither of us had ever been to a rodeo - had fun watching calf roping and saddle bronc riding.

Met a family in the stands whose family on the mother's side lives in Kenmore, NY. Talk about a small world!!

On to eastern Colorado

comments on eastern Nebraska

Messed up getting the pictures where I wanted them on the page. Anyhow, we spent the weekend in Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska. The two lower ones are in Lincoln, the state capital and home of the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Headlines all weekend were about Nebraska U joining the Big Ten. Lincoln has done a nice job rehabbing downtown, creating an area called the Haymarket. Walked through the area and had dinner at a patio restaurant. Sunday went back to Omaha and walked their Missouri River waterfront. They were having a "Taste of Omaha" fair, and ate Buffalo chicken sandwiches. Hurray for the Anchor Bar!!! Took a ride on the riverboat you see - the river and many of its tributaries were running very high - floods were north and east of where we were. After the ride, walked through downtown area, where these beautiful bronze sculptures were spread out over a multi-block area. They depict a wagon train starting out from the area, scaring up a buffalo herd and a large flock of Canada geese. The size and detail of the statues were just amazing. On westward to western Nebraska, then Colorado.

In eastern Nebraska

Crossed the Mississipi on Tuesday. Maybe not quite the same as the equator on a ship, but momentous for us. Stayed at a campsite in Davenport, Iowa and Wednesday spent the day looking at the river. A national park site put us at the lock at Rock Island Arsenal where we watched barges two football fields long being pushed up the river. Having been a boater, can't imagine the training necessary for those captains to push that size load upriver against a crosswind. Had lunch on the river, then walked two? miles in a river park. Beautiful day.

Left Wednesday morning for DesMoines area. Ran into thunderstorms en route and had to duck into a rest stop. Got there OK, spent today catching up on mail, itinerary, etc. Nice campsite. Take off tomorrow for the wide Missouri.

Excitement in Michigan

While at our campgrounds in Monroe, Mich. the tornado siren went off at 11:30pm and then again at 2:30am to warn of 135 mile per hour winds!!! Our RV was TRULY rockin & rollin...It actually touched down 5 miles from us...but WHEW was that exciting. THANKFULLY we survived (now I'm thinking this should be called pegandtomsTRIP...NOT adventure!!!)

We are now in Indiana and have had a marvelous day at the dunes

In Michigan

Had some "interesting glitches"...but lived and laughed and got out of them as we left Ohio.
Having a WONDERFUL time in Michigan...yoga in the morning, cocktails later and LIFE IS GOOD always!!
We get together with Lippard cousins tonite and tomorrow.