Jeeping in the High Country...Colorado

Before I begin, I forgot to show a map of the trip we did over the summer holidays.
21 000 kms, (13 000 miles) 21 US States and 4 Canadian Provinces.

We got back from Summer break on the Thursday night, and on the Saturday we went on a Jeep trip organized by CITEL (the Colorado Teacher Exchange League)  They organise a few events over the year for the Australians on exchange and it's always good to go and catch up with the other Aussies, compare and share stories, and to hear our accents en masse (there were 15 of us Aussies, including kids, on the Jeep Trip).
The Jeep Trip is organised by a Colorado teacher (Kyle Houghton) who went on exchange to Adelaide 6 years ago.  When he got back from Australia, he offered to take Australian exchangees up the mountains 4WDing and it has become an annual event. He puts a notice out on the internet and people answer, volunteering their time and their jeeps to take us out.  It is such a great idea and really appreciated.
So we all met at the carpark at Keystone (up in the mountains) and were offered a choice of 2 rides...the really scary one or the not really scary one, but a little bit scary.  Stu and Joshuah chose to go on the really scary ride and I went on the gentler one!! They each had their own driver and Joshuah got THE best jeep!..and the driver did his best to make it a memorable ride for Joshuah, driving over every huge boulder he could possible get near to!!

I went with my friend Sharon, who is also living over here on exchange with her husband Lindsay and we got to go with Kim, our driver, who was bloody fantastic...the tracks were steep, narrow, rocky, windy and she was so composed and relaxed...telling stories and not missing a beat. She made Sharon and I feel so comfortable.

When I first arrived in Denver I found the altitude particularly confronting...mainly blood noses and headaches.  The solution is to drink plenty of water.  After being away from Colorado for 10 weeks, I immediately started getting blood noses and headaches again when we returned. So going up into the highlands only a few days later made it even worse. I knew I had to drink lots of water, but when there is nowhere to go to the loo privately you don't want to drink...BUT you also don't want the altitude sickness! AND the more you drank, the more you needed to go to the loo and the more rocks Kim drove over!! Such a dilemma!  Anyway I had to bite the bullet and drink heaps. Below is our first wee stop...no shame.. no bushes!! Blokes turn away! Later on we did find a more private solution for Kim, Sharon and I...Kim had a blanket in the car and 2 of us held it up for privacy while the other person (amidst hysterical laughter) went to the loo behind the blanket!  But it was a very picturesque toilet break.

It was a great day...such beautiful country (again). I know I say it over and over!

 This was the road I watched Stuart and Joshuah come up on.

 We got to see some mountain goats, who made their way up just as we were leaving the lunch site..

There were tracks all around the mountains and we came across hikers, off road bikes and plenty of other jeeps.  There are some real enthusiasts out there!

 Some of the rocky track we drove on.  The jeeps didn't miss a beat.

 We all gathered at the top for a picnic lunch overlooking the spectacular views.

 It was a fabulous day...we were so appreciative of all the Americans who gave up their Saturday for us...although I have to say, they are all pretty enthusiastic about 4WDing, so perhaps they didn't need their arms twisted too much.  Sharon and I in particular had so much fun....so much laughing in Kim's little jeep.. we shall call Michelle!!

At the end of the day, all of the Aussies and a few of the drivers, went into Dillon to a pub and had a meal together.  This was the first time I had met one family who have exchanged to Durango, so it was great to catch up with Sue and Warren and enjoy a few drinks and a meal together.  This was where we discovered West Aussies speak betta than the rest of Australia..."Stu, can you buy me a beeya please".
Here's a link to a video Stuart made of our day up in the mountains...
Colorado High Country, Jeep Trip..August 17th
Another great day, great experience, great fun, great company and great countryside!