Both Grandchildren were born there. really liked the living there, I miss it myself, I know they must. They moved on with the work, now in Austin, Texas. While Austin is weird and the Texans love it so and much to offer, I do miss the Rocky Mountain High. Going up to Red Feather at the Continental Divide was a favorite place for me. My husband took one look at the place and said it was me, flannel shirts and hiking boots, a dog in the back of the pickup truck ( I would NEVER have a dog in the back, would be in the cab of the truck) ,but the picture he drew was that I could LIVE that way and he could not. Dirt street, raised wooden side walk, post office in the general store. As I sit here composing this, I can still see in my mind the storm that was brewing up there, the smell of the drops of water hitting the dirt and the ozone in the air. We left with the storm following us down to Owl Canyon where the kids lived. Do I MISS the place or not? Only other place is here, in my log house, front yard the Park.

Such a long way to pull a Pod and with gas prices it makes it really hard to consider.

Again, lucky you.

And living on the "tacky" side here in Gatlinburg, I fell in love with Red Feather up on the continental   divide. Have lived here for 40 years, I have blinders on!!! But we do have places, if you know them, that take you away from all the trash. Like my front yard that is the Park.

 

Are you the person with "the wolf signature" that has a german shepard? My best bud is a woman With a true Wolf. The most intelligent, sweetest creature.

 

And your pictures are splendid.                                     

OK...since you insist....here's 2 more pictures.  It's time for someone else to open up the picture albulm/scrapbook and treat the rest of us.

 

 

Heading over to the West side of the Park, via Trail Ridge Rd.  I didn't have my glasses on, but the sign said something about a "Great Divide".  This is an imaginary line running thru the planet that separates;

those who think we should ONLY talk about Pods and those who feel otherwise.  Due to picture cropping, not seen are the interested parties throwing rocks at each other, across the line.  (Sorry..I couldn't resist..BAD David, BAD!   )

 

 

If memory serves, this is one picture from the Western side of the Park.  And with that, if you want to see more, you'll have to hitch up your Pod and drive!

 

 

 

Hope to see you "out there"

 

Grandpod - I love the Smoky Mts. and have been there many times....it's hard to beat the Smokies in the fall.  I usually camp at Cosby but have been to most all of them.  The last time I went was in the fall of 2007.  I went to Cosby, stayed a couple of nights and then drove over near Cherokee to one end of the Blue Ridge Parkway.  I drove the entire lenght, along with Skyline Drive, in Shenandoah Nat'l Park.  I over-nighted about midway and stayed 3 nights at Shenandoah.  It was a beautiful drive and trip.  At the time, my C.A.V. was a Coleman Popup and it was very easy to pull on the Parkway. I am "due" to go back, since I haven't been in a couple of years.   

 

Again, thanks to all for you kind words.

 

Hope to see you "out there"  

 

 

The drive....a little over 2500 miles round trip and a little over $500 in gasoline.  I over-nighted there and back at the West Omaha KOA - nice folks.  Drove 11 and 1/2 hours the first day and about 8 and 1/2 the next.  This picture was taken Iowa - which is an old Indian word that means "darned windy place" (I think).  Nebraska, also an old Indian word, means "not much better than Iowa" (I think).

 

Trailer sway was never a problem.  Horsepower was.  I had 185hp.  I needed about 50-100 more.

 

 

Finally in the Park and on the road to the campground.  A welcome sight after a long drive.

 

 

Parked, at last!  The C.A.V. (Campground Assault Vehicle - which Dixie and I now own and use to inflict ourselves on peaceful, marshmellow roasting camping enthusiasts) is level, stabilizers down and ready for action.  Time to go buy some wood and practice my cooking "skills".

 

Hope to see you "out there"

 Thanks for sharing.

 Tom

 

I would offer the following for you to consider:

 

I highly recommend making reservations as they were turning people away every day.  Check out

www.nps.gov/romo and look at the different campgrounds.  Some are having "problems" due the pine bark beetle.  All of the campgrounds are over 8000' elevation.

 

If you have never been to high altitudes, it can have some effects on some people - which usually subside in a couple of days.  You may have a headache, dehydration and a general feeling of being tired.  You will also be high enough that the sun will burn quickly (less atmosphere to filter the ultraviolet).  Remember to take your preferred sunscreen, headache and "belly" pills - just in case.

 

Remember to take some warm clothes for your higher journeys.  There is snow on the ground and the wind is brisk at higher altitudes....you can have a snowball fight in July, if you wish!

 

The West side of the Park is dryer than the East.  It is not uncommon to have a brief downpour on the eastern side of the mountains.  They are short and it drys very quickly.

 

On the East side, the city of Estes Park is close and will have most anything you might want.  It is similar to Gatlinburg in the Smokys (lots of small shops) but smaller and not the gaudy, "sideshow" type stuff.

 

I'll post more as I or you think of it.

 

Hope to see you "out there"

 

 

 

 

 

Trying to figure out posting pictures....way too much trouble!  But, you folks are worth it. 

Here are 2 pictures from Rocky Mountain National Park, in Colorado, taken in July 2009.  This was my first long trip in the Pod.  I'll continue to play with the photo editor and try to post a few more.

 

More

 

 

A rather blurred mule deer (as I was trying to quickly hit the zoom button).  They seemed to come down to the campground each evening.

 

 

Hanging out above the treeline wwith the Elk.

 

 

We were having such a good time - they invited some of their friends to join in!

 

 

I needed to go get some food and beverage for our Elk/weird guy with a wolf "get together".

When I returned...they had gone!  I guess Elk aren't very patient.

 

 

the serinity of a clear blue mountain lake" John Denver

 

Do you see the two lakes?

 

Just a little "cyber-camping" to get you dreaming of better days ahead.

 

 

Hope to see you "out there"