Road Trip to Colorado Springs

While it was still dark outside, I prepared to leave for the next leg of my 17-day road trip adventure.  I said my goodbyes to my sleepy Amarillo Airbnb hosts and hopped into the car just as the sun was breaking.  While Palo Duro Canyon was a grand site, I was excited to move on to Colorado.

I traveled northwest on Highways 87 and 354 and it wasn’t long before I left Texas and crossed over into northeast New Mexico.  Almost immediately the landscape changed.  The contour lines of the desert began to rise towards the sky and the clouds lowered to meet them.  Charming and peaceful communities were nestled in between the hills.  Having no idea what this part of the country would look like, it was a wonderful and unexpected view.

A sign appeared on the highway for Capulin Volcano National Monument.  Ooh, a volcano!  I turned right and drove down the path to my next adventure.  At the visitor’s center I purchased a National Park annual pass hoping I would get to take full advantage of it in the next couple of weeks.

The 2 mile drive up the volcano was steep and narrow and I was thankful my car wasn’t very big.  There was not much wiggle room between me and the sheer drop and no guard rail.   When you reach the top, you can hike the trails, walk the lava field, listen to park rangers talk about the history of the volcano or just simply enjoy the view.  I chose the view. It was a perfect place to eat my brown bag lunch and rest.  The landscape was quiet but majestic, full of pastel colors.  My trip was definitely off to a great start. Happy that I took the time to see the volcano, I finished my lunch and continued on.

The view from Capulin Volano National Monument 

Eat lunch on top of a volcano. Check.

The drive through north east New Mexico was short and soon I crossed the border into Colorado.  I drove north on I-25 enjoying the impressive change of landscape and elevation.  The Front Range of the Rocky Mountains became an ever growing presence in my view demanding my full attention. 

The view from I-25 as you enter Colorado from New Mexico

My destination was Colorado Springs and my accommodation was another Airbnb property, this time an adorable camper.  It was tucked away in the forest with an amazing view of Pikes Peak.  It was fully equipped with a stove top, microwave, full sized bed, bathroom…and did I mention the amazing view of Pikes Peak??

Worn out from the drive, I grabbed a chair from the porch to relax in my little courtyard.  Within minutes, the locals come out to play, the furry and feathered kind.  A large bunny nibbled a blade of grass mere inches from my chair.  A plethora of tiny birds shared the bird feeder.  I had to duck more than once as humming birds flew with purpose in the direction of my head.

After a nice rest, I took a drive out of the forest.  My peripheral vision was filled with movement of deer.  They were everywhere.  I pulled over to the side of the road when I came to a field full of Pronghorn.  I got out of the car with my camera and watched them for a while.  They were watching me, too.  I crept up to the fence and slowly lifted my camera and as I got them into view they took off!  Those animals could fly!

Pronghorn: The second fastest land mammal in the world. 

When I got back to my trailer, I made a dinner of Campbell’s soup and worked out my plans for the next day.  A sunrise photo over the United States’ most popular mountain, Pikes Peak, was first on the priority list.  Because sunrise was at 5:30 in the morning and I wasn’t exactly sure where I was going, I set my alarm clock for 3:30.

In the pitch blackness of the morning, I crept my car out of the forest and headed towards the mountains.  After about a 20-minute drive I arrived at the Pikes Peak entrance.   There was absolutely no sign of life.   The entrance didn’t open until 7:30am!  Well, clearly I wasn’t going to get a sunrise photo on top of that mountain (not by car anyway.)  So I drove back down Highway 24 to the historic town of Manitou Springs, parked my car and walked around the city center.  It was the end of July but still very cold at 6 am so I looked for a place to get a cup of hot coffee.  There was exactly one place open at that hour. Manitou Springs might be filled with many historic points of interest but it also looked like it had been visited by one too many tourists.

Manitou Springs

At 7am, I drove back up to the Pikes Peak entrance and pulled up to be first in line. When the park employees drew up the shades at 7:29 I paid my entrance fee and received my instructions.  “Turn your air conditioning off going up and use lowest gear going down.” Turn my a/c off? The drive is so steep that using your a/c can actually burn up your car’s engine.

I had done minimal research on Pikes Peak but I knew a few things.  I knew I didn’t want to take the Cog Train because I would have to take photos through a closed window. I knew the top is over 14,000 feet elevation.  What I didn’t know was what impact that elevation would have on me.

For the next hour, I drove the most interesting, scenic and scariest drive of my life! The elevation began around 7,000 feet where there were plenty of squirrels, birds and deer about. The road cuts through a thick forest of pine trees.  As I got higher up the mountain, the trees began to fade to scrubbier brushes. I saw less wildlife activity but more impressive views. When I got to around 11,000 feet, the marmots appeared.  These critters, and lots of them, liked to hang out in the middle of the road.  The landscape at this elevation is mostly rocky with short grass, wild flowers and few trees.

There was probably a lot more wildlife I missed on the journey up, but I kept my white knuckled focus ahead of me.  The drive was so steep at times I couldn’t see over the hood of my car.  I felt like I was driving blind.  The winding turns could be tricky at times and any mistake in judgment could have had consequences I didn’t want to think about.

I was starting to feel light headed and was extremely relieved when I reached the summit.  The landscape on top of the mountain was not much more than a pile of rocks.  The high altitude, cold and wind make it difficult for anything to live at that elevation.  I pulled into a parking space and grabbed my hiking boots from the back seat.  I was beyond excited!  When I jumped out of the car, I immediately saw stars and collapsed on the hood.    I slowly stood and tried to walk but it felt like I was swimming through molasses. An unbelievable thirst came over me and my head pounded.  A park ranger came over and recommended I go into the gift shop café, rest and drink lots of water.  I sat down at a café table and massaged my throbbing temples.  After about 20 minutes I felt a bit better and was determined to get my mountain top photos.  I slowly swam through the molasses to make my way to the edge of the mountain top.  It felt like I was in a slow motion video and about every 20 steps or so I had to stop and sit down.  I was breathing like I had run a marathon.  When I got to the edge it occurred to me I could pass out and fall off the mountain so I sat down on a big rock.   My hands and arms were still shaking too much to get a steady grasp on my camera so I just sat there and took in the amazing view.      

View from the top of Pikes Peak

The Cog Train approached and unloaded its first round of passengers of the day.  A man with an infant in his arms walked towards me and continued on to the very edge to look out and over.  I had to turn away.  Why would anyone do something so dangerous with a squirmy baby in their arms??

My head cleared a bit so I slowly worked my way to each side of the mountain taking wide angle shots, then some zoomed in shots.  I carefully inched my way closer and closer to the edge of the Alpine tundra.  It really was something to be so high in the sky, above the clouds, with a 360-degree view of the Rocky Mountains. I will never forget that moment.

My breathing was getting heavier and my head started to spin.  I sent a text message to my host to ask her if my altitude issues would get any better.  Her response: “No! Get down to lower elevation! It is not going to get any better because you are coming from sea level!”  She suggested I go to Devil’s Playground where the views are great with a more tolerable elevation.

When I started to make my way back down I got behind a guided bike tour.  They were stopping every so often to take photos and look around.  I decided to follow them and everywhere they stopped I stopped. The trip down was a lot more enjoyable because I could see the landscape better and was easier to pull the car over and stop.  In one direction I saw many interesting sand stone rock formations and in another direction fields of wild flowers.  My breathing was much better and the views much prettier than the summit.  I took photos until my heart was content.

The drive back down offered more opportunities for photos!

In the not so far distance I saw very dark and low clouds moving in.  Thinking I didn’t want to tackle the drive down in wind and rain I decided it was a good time to make my departure.  I made it to the bottom just in time.  That was the hardest downpour I saw on my entire trip.

A visit to the rock formations at Garden of Gods was how I had planned to spend my afternoon.  But my battle with altitude sickness has completely wiped me out. I couldn’t get back to my camper fast enough to take a nap. 

My new plan was to take sunset photos at Garden of the Gods.   My host recommended entering the park from the back entrance and that was great advice.  This place was one hot tourist destination and there was not a single place to park. So I just drove through the park stopping along the side of the road whenever I wanted to take a photo.  It was a short drive so I made the loop several times.  There were many professional photographers there taking photos of engaged couples and bridal portraits. 

The rock formations were really impressive, especially when the view is back dropped by Pikes Peak.    There are so many people there it was difficult to get an image without a tourist in it.  That’s where Photoshop comes in handy.

Cathedral Valley in Garden of the Gods Park at sunset

Balanced Rock is a popular spot!

Feeling satisfied with my day’s work I drove home to my little piece of heaven in the forest. A storm came through in the middle of the night and rocked the camper.  The wind howled through the tall pine trees drowning out almost any other sound. I hardly even noticed.

Next leg of the trip…traveling to Steamboat Springs via Independence Pass

Miles driven: 861

States traveled: 3

Palo Duro Canyon

When you tell someone you are taking a road trip across the United States their eyes light up with excitement.  Then when you tell them you are doing it solo their eyes squint and their brows furrow in confusion.  "Alone?? Aren’t you scared?” was always the question.  “Scared of what?” I would reply.

Everyone should get behind the wheel and take a solo road trip at least once in their life.  It is one of the most liberating and empowering experiences. You are free to blaze your own trail, work at your own pace, and stop to enjoy all the things that make you happy. For me, this trip was about adventure, new discovery, finding peace and getting close to nature.  It absolutely wasn’t about following the well-traveled road to the next tourist spot, although sometimes I found myself there.

Of course, photography was a major component of my trip and often times the driving force.  I hoped my experiences would translate into unique perspectives through my camera lens. As much as I subscribe to the “wake up and make it up” philosophy, lighting requirements would dictate much of my travel plans.   So while I wasn’t always sure where I was going or what I was going to do when I got there, sunrise/set times and weather reports became my compass and tour guide.

First leg of the trip: Ft. Worth to Amarillo

My journey began on a Saturday morning driving northwest on Hwy 287 stopping in Amarillo. I would be staying one night in my first ever Airbnb home and visit Palo Duro Canyon.  I was so excited to be on my road trip I had dreamed about for months I thought I might jump out of my skin.   I found a 70’s funk station on Pandora and spent a lot of time dancing and singing in my car seat.  Another benefit to traveling solo.

About an hour up the highway I passed a store with the sign “Texas Greatest Beef Jerkey”.  I pulled into the parking lot and stared at the sign.  I had to fight the urge to go inside and tell them “Congratulations on Texas greatest beef jerky!” like the scene in the movie “Elf”.  Moving on…

The landscape didn’t change too much.  It became a little greener, well at least less brown and a lot more rural.  Every so often I would stop to take a photo of an abandoned barn in a field or a resting longhorn.  Because it was July in Texa, I wore sandals while driving but kept a pair of cowboy boots in the trunk.  Each time I would pull over to the side of the road I slipped on the boots. Rattlesnakes and fire ants can be a real roadside hazard, especially when you are walking deeper and deeper into the tall grass to compose the “perfect shot”.

I arrived to Amarillo an hour earlier than GPS told me I would so I was happy about that. The Airbnb home in which I was staying was nestled in a precious park like neighborhood under a canopy of mature trees.  The houses were all 1950’s style architecture that reminded me of Austin, Texas.  I was adamant about sticking to a tight budget on this trip and chose the bed and breakfast for its reasonable $35/night fee.  The fact it was such a great property with a convenient location was icing on the cake. After a quick visit with my hosts, I got directions to the Canyon and flew out the door. 

The drive was only about 30 minutes and went through some really interesting panhandle-ranch land. As I approached the entrance to the park, I saw an enormous crack in the ground that made my mouth drop open.  After driving for so many hours across very flat prairies, this was the first evidence that a canyon might actually exist.  I remember thinking, “I hope animals don’t fall into that.”

I used my state park pass to enter, got a map, and asked for the best location to take a sunset photo.  The very young park employee told me the first overlook I came to would give me the best views.  So, off I went.  

Very quickly I arrived to the overlook and got out.  The engulfing panoramic view is more than 180 degrees.  Palo Duro Canyon is the second largest in the United States behind the Grand Canyon.  At 120 miles long and 20 miles wide it seems to go on indefinitely.  There are only 6 miles of park road, everything else is back country.  The park warns hikers of snakes and flash floods and requires everyone to have on them a gallon of water each. From the looks of the raw and wild base of the canyon I’m thankful back country hiking is not on today’s itinerary.

It was in my head that I wanted a sunset picture with the sun behind the cliffs.  The overlook was on the west side facing east.  This really frustrated me, thinking the park ranger didn’t know anything.  I took a few wide angle shots facing east.  The sun was still a little high in the sky but when it started to make its decent it would happen quickly.  The view was really magnificent so I knew it would be in a blaze of glory at sunset.  I hopped back in my car and drove the trails.  It winded around camping areas, trail heads and washed out roads.  Clearly they have gotten a lot of rain recently. 

At one point, a family of wild turkeys was standing in the middle of the road.  I got out of the car and followed them into the brush.  I took a few photos of them but watching their silly behavior was pretty good entertainment.

The road was very windy and hilly at times.  This was great for all kinds of make shift overlook points.  I would stand on the hood of my car or climb some rocks big enough to be called boulders, always being mindful of hiding rattlesnakes.  I had a different kind of lens in every pocket on my body.  I switched between wide angle, telephoto, and in between.  This juggling act became my routine through much of my trip.

At one overlook spot, I walked out onto a cliff overhang that jets out in to the canyon pretty far. The wind is crazy strong here and I’m feeling like it might pick me up and carry me into the canyon.  It's impossible to get a decent picture because the wind is shaking me so badly and I find myself standing at a 60 degree angle.  Preferring to not have my trip come to a sudden and tragic end before it even begins, I hunt for a less windy spot.

Back in the car I drove to the end of the official park road. I got out to take some photos when I realized I was getting close to losing the sun.  This is when it dawns on me that the official sunset might be at 9 o’clock but it’s going to disappear behind the cliffs much sooner.  Now I’m back in my car moving at a determined pace to return to the first overlook.

As I got out of my car, I saw the sun in perfect position.  It had lit up the east side of the canyon with its golden color and painted everything in gorgeous rich hues.  Maybe the park employee did know a thing or two.  I took photos switching back and forth between my array of lenses.  (on a side note, always change your lenses in your car and not outside.  A wind gust came thru right as I took one of my lenses off and blew sand onto my sensor.  I would spend the rest of my trip editing tiny spots off all my images in PS)  I Facetimed my husband and one of my friends to show them the incredible view.  I stayed until the sun started to disappear behind the cliffs and decided I didn’t want to make the unfamiliar journey back in total darkness. 

Before I exited the park, I stopped to visit a group of longhorns grazing in a field.  It had been such a whirl wind day I really needed a minute to gather my thoughts before I returned.  Looking around, I appeared to be the last person in the park.  I saw no people and no cars, just me and my long horned friends.  I wondered if I should lock the gates as I leave??

Driving back to Amarillo I felt very pleased with the day.  I made it to my first location and got exactly what I came for.  I would sleep well tonight in my air conditioned room and comfy bed.  It would be the last time I had those luxuries for a while.

The next leg of the trip…traveling to Colorado via New Mexico.

Miles driven: 439

States traveled: 1

For more information about Palo Duro Canyon or Texas State Park passes click here

Hiking the Chisos Mountains in Big Bend

When I told people I was traveling to Big Bend, more often than not they would respond with, “Where is that?”  As one of the largest of all the National Parks, Big Bend is one of the least visited.  I suppose that has to do with how remote it is, being located hundreds of miles from any major city.  But if you are looking for a little more solitude and a lot less concrete it is so worth the drive!

Big Bend National Park is located in far west Texas along the border with Mexico where the Rio Grande “bends” through the Chihuahuan desert.  The landscape is rugged, the people are few and the wildlife rules.  Having adapted to the extreme weather and terrain conditions, a unique array of animals and plants thrive there.   More species of birds, cacti and bats reside there than any other park in the United States.  Mountain lions and brown bear roam under cover and herds of javelinas snort about care free.

Coming from Marathon, the drive to the north entrance of the park is about 40 miles.  The long drive into the park through the Chihuahuan desert is breath taking.  You simply must get out of the car to look around.  I kept asking myself how can such a place exist?  While we were far from home we were not THAT far! Fields of blooming cacti in the foreground and ancient rock formations in the background completely surround you.  I have never felt so wonderfully isolated in my whole life. 

Mule Ears Peak in the Chihuahuan Desert

When you arrive to the entrance a park employee will charge you a mere $25 for your entire car load of guests. The fee is good for 7 days.  Think about that for a moment.  A family of say, 5 people, can have a week’s worth of entertainment in nature’s playground for $5 a person. Where else can you do that? You are given a map of the park and the rest is up to you.

We decided to spend one full day hiking the Lost Mine Trail in the Chisos Mountains.  If you only have time to hike one trail this is probably the one.  The trail is not too difficult and the panoramic views are amazing. We stopped at the Ranger station in the Chisos Basin Visitor’s Center to get a trail map and find out where the cougar and bear sightings were.  I’ve been told many times that the black bear are not interested in people.  That is, of course, you don’t stumble onto a momma and her cubs.  The cougars, or sometimes called mountain lions or panthers, are a different story.  Solo hikers and families with small children are strongly discouraged from hiking trails that have recent cougar sightings.

As excited as I was to be in Big Bend and all its natural wonder, I was apprehensive about an unexpected encounter with a creature larger than me. To ease my mind, we decided to bring bear spray we had purchased at Cabela’s.   This is basically pepper spray but with a spraying distance of 40 feet.  While it didn’t say intended for cougars on the can it did give me some peace of mind. 

It was late November and the weather was perfectly mild with a cool mountain breeze.  We had walking sticks on hand and those would prove to be very helpful. The trail begins at 5,600’ elevation and is about 5 miles from beginning to end.   Good hiking boots are a must as most of the trail is steep and rocky. There are plenty of overlook spots to take photos (or pretend you are so you can catch your breath). 

The view from Juniper Canyon

We saw lots of birds, funny road runners on the trail and soaring raptors overhead.  The closest we got to a bear was walking over the scat (poop) along the trail.  There was lots of it and it usually looked pretty fresh.  We heard rattlesnakes in the brush when we would get off the path to take photos so watch where you put your feet!

We were really worn out by the time we got to the top.  There were a few joking comments from other hikers about hoping there was a Starbucks.  But what you see when you get there is far better than any over-priced coffee. The view simply leaves you speechless.  You can see what seems like a 1,000 miles in any direction (and one of those directions is Mexico!)  Because it was November, the low angle of the sun lit up the rich fall colors in the foliage adding to the perfect moment. 

As I was taking photos, I spotted a pretty little cactus sitting in the sun.  I took its photo with the sun shining down creating a nice back light. It struck me what a lucky cactus it was.  It  didn’t need much other than a small amount of water and it gets to sit soaking up the sun in all of God’s splendor every day. A lucky cactus indeed. 

It was time to make the trip back down.  That went a lot faster! We passed hikers that were just starting to make the hike up.  I wondered if they realized they would be hiking in the dark soon.

Thoroughly exhausted, we practically collapsed when we got back to the car.  Giddy from our awesome experience we fumbled for the map to find our way to our next adventure……

Terlingua.

Helpful links: 
Big Bend National Park/ US National Park Service
Visit Big Bend