Brochures and Pamphlets and Maps... Oh My!

As expected, there wasn't much to write about the last few days, but boy did we make up for that today!  Short recap: Friday was spent packing, organizing the car, and general good-byes.  Saturday was spent on the road.  We finally checked into our new home-away-from-home at about 6:30 last night, unpacked somewhat, got groceries, and crashed.  Boring!

The first thing I have to say about our new location is WAY COOLER!  When we arrived last night it was 54F (12C) compared to the 100F we had left behind in Utah.  The days still get up to about 80, but the nights are much cooler.  This little bear likes cooler :).

Little did we know... only half way up!

I was forewarned that today would also be boring, so I braced myself for the worst.  I was told it was all about laundry, paying bills, and figuring out a plan for the week, partly because those things needed to get done, and partly to adjust to the altitude (ahhh, I reminisce about Cuzco).  I had seen the piles of brochures and maps growing from all the welcome centers we stopped at yesterday, so I tried to contain my excitement and wait until it was all planned. 

Here's what happened instead...

Just after lunch: "Lets go for a walk just to get outside for a bit."
After walking to the parking lot: "I'm out of breath, lets take the car and explore Granby."
In Granby, after seeing the exit for Rocky Mountain National Park: "We have the National Park Pass, lets just go to the visitor center to help us plan our week." (drive 30 minutes to park).
After buying some hiking guides and a map, while pulling out of the parking lot: "We could just drive to the Alpine Visitor Center to check it out too."
About an hour later, after a half hour walk at 12,250 ft: "So much for our take it easy and get used to 8,000 ft day." 

Are those mountain peaks BELOW us?

May I just take a pause here to reflect upon exactly what kind of drive this was, for those who may not be familiar with this park.  May I also point out that I think you humans are completely insane to even consider building this highway, let alone the fact that millions of you make this crazy drive every year! 

Still, I don't think we really considered what exactly it meant to drive a car up about 4,000 feet.  The switchbacks to climb from Aquas Calientes to Machu Picchu only took us up 1,280 feet, which I know my old friend Rissa would want to know!  While the drive started out innocently enough, we soon found ourselves doing hairpin turns as we climbed higher and higher.  Then we passed the tree line, and we could see the highway stretched out around the bare landscape before us, still climbing!  Robin was driving, with great confidence I might add, and Clare and I often referred to the map just so that we didn't have to look at the drop beside us.  Incredible view though!


We got back in time to attend the resorts "what to see and do in Granby" presentation.  More brochures!

After dinner my escorts finally sat down to pay those bills they were so insistent had to be paid today, got laundry done, and began to plan the week.  But where to even start!

Whatever!