En Route to Rocky Mountain National Park...September 3 - Day 8

(Kim's Perspective)    *ENLARGED PHOTOS PER YOUR SPECIAL REQUEST, HAROLD!*  ;D

This morning we got up early and said goodbye to South Dakota.  I took a photo of our site for the memory books (or, blog as it were) and we hitched up and, after the requisite dump station stop, we were on our way.

We didn't get very far before we had to slow down or stop for wildlife.  Lane was checking out the buffalo but soon settled in the back seat for a long cat nap and totally missed the turkey in the road.  Mmmm...turkey.

Apparently, the turkeys in CSP are used to handouts.  We drove by this guy, but he waddled back to the Sitts' truck as they tried to pass and was poking his head by the window gobbling for a handout.  Mr. Sitt has a pretty funny video of it.  Alas, I do not.  :)

We continued on our journey through Custer (they have the coolest street art)...

 and into Wyoming.

We stopped for a quick break.  I think Shele misunderstood and thought we were stopping to break dance.  HA!

Lane chilled in the backseat...

...as we drove by the seemingly endless sunflower fields.  Mmmmmm.....Bacon Seeds.

We rolled into Colorful Colorado...

...and the views started getting pretty interesting.

We stayed off the interstate and took 385 out of Custer to 89 to 18 to 85 all the way down into Greeley and then took 34 east to cut across through Loveland toward Estes Park.  This is where the drive got super cool.

No, we're not pulling a toasted marshmallow behind us.  Mmmmm....marshmallow.

We made it the park around 3pm and while we were waiting in line to get through the entrance, we saw this...

Wait.  Hold on.  We've been here for 5 minutes and have already seen a mama black bear and her cub?  Oh, this is going to be a goooood trip!  :D

We flashed our Annual Park Pass to gain entrance and wound our way to Glacier Basin campground. 
Side note: I like this campground better than Moraine (where we stayed last time we were here) even though the road through the campground is a little tight in our lengthy rig. 
We quickly got set up...

 

 ...and Lane quickly adapted to his new world view.  Hmmmm...sounds very political and pompous.

ADVEEENTUUURE KITTEH is rewarded for his traveling awesomeness with a dinette view.

As soon as we were all set up, Bill and I were raring to go.  Shele wanted to chill and take some time to settle a bit, but we explained we only had two nights here so she was a trooper and agreed to head out to get a quick hike in.  Wooohooo!  We stopped at the ranger hut to get a hiking map of the Bear Lakes area.  This is a very popular spot and has a multitude of trails of varying length and difficulty.  The nice thing about it is you don't have to hike far to see some amazing views.  It's kind of cheating.  Most of the time, in order to get to the good stuff, you have to pay with some sweat equity.  Not here.  A little 1.8 mile jaunt back to Emerald Lake and you're graced with this...

 

 

 

 

 

Throw in some cute wildlife, and it's a pretty great little hike.

It was dark by the time we made it back to the parking lot.  We headed back to the camper, said goodnight to the Sitts and prepared for the next day.  Tomorrow's agenda... Sprague Lake sunrise hike and the drive up Trail Ridge Road to the other side of the park.