December 9, 2005

AND ON TO CHRISTMAS, BUT FIRST�

Part II

Saturday morning, my daughter was awakened at daybreak by the wailing sounds of a pack of coyotes being chased out of an adjoining field, by a herd of elk. My son rushed out to see if he could get photos of any of them. A few clouds were visible above the mountains, displaying a fiery sunrise.

We had planned to explore a bit of Rocky Mountain National Park that day, but when we listened to the morning weather forecast, we learned that a major snowstorm was headed our way�expected to hit about 3:P.M. We decided to try to get a head start, and to make it over the highest part of I-70 before the storm hit. We made reservations for the night at a motel in Glenwood Springs, and we started the drive home.

Beginning the grade toward the summit, we entered the Eisenhower Tunnel. The sun was shining between swiftly moving cloud clusters, accompanied by an occasional light flurry of snow.

And then we emerged from the tunnel. Within a brief few minutes, we found ourselves in the midst of a blizzard. The storm had arrived three hours ahead of schedule.

This is the Vail area on the way home. Quite a difference from when we were going there.

As we crossed the summit and began to descend, it started snowing in earnest, and it was almost a whiteout. Cars were spinning out, trucks jack-knifing�emergency vehicles going in both directions as speedily as they dared�and we just went steadily through, on and over. We gave our driver, Tim, a rousing cheer after we slowly but steadily descended below the storm and emerged onto dry pavement. Down, down into Glenwood Canyon where one of my favorite little historical towns is located. Running right through the center of the canyon, are the Colorado River, I-70, and RR tracks carrying Amtrak and freight from east to west through the Rockies.

Another famous old hotel is located here. The Hotel Colorado. It is famous for, among other things such as its hot spring and steaming pool�famous for the visits made there years ago by President Teddy Roosevelt on his bear hunting vacations. The story goes, that his housekeeper at the hotel was a seamstress who made him a stuffed toy bear to commemorate his bear hunts. Thus, the first �Teddy Bear� was created in Glenwood Springs.

The staff at Hotel Colorado had been decorating for two months prior to the holidays. It was a wonderful and amazing spectacle of artistic endeavor. When the lights went on at night, and we toured the inside of the stately festive halls�I lost it. No one was more surprised than I, that I just started sobbing for a few moments. I was simply overwhelmed. I thought to myself, �the whole world is filled with such beauty, that I cannot contain it.�

In the morning we awoke to mostly clear skies and started out on our final leg of the journey. Crossing from Grand Junction into the state of Utah, there were still a few more wonders to be seen as we passed through the areas near Capitol Reef National Monument and skirted the perimeter of Zion Park.

As we approached our destination, Las Vegas, the clouds began to part and we were soon back in another world. It was the Thanksgiving of a lifetime�among some others, of course.

Text � copyright 2003 - 2008 The Homespun Philosopher

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