We had a marvelous hateful solar daytime of sight-seeing, rest, in addition to relaxation yesterday. It was skilful to accept a interruption from driving. We're staying at a real overnice KOA. You know I'm oftentimes complaining well-nigh KOA's. One positive well-nigh the KOA's is that they are nearly e'er available at whatsoever place, no affair how remote. These folks were real accommodating when nosotros needed to reroute, in addition to nosotros ended upward spending an extra nighttime here. It was a skilful thing nosotros spent the extra nighttime because the span took upward one-half a day's time. Had nosotros spent only i night, nosotros wouldn't receive got been able to pass equally much fourth dimension at the bridge.
This is our campsite.
H5N1 brief thunder tempest was moving inwards when I took these pictures, but in that location was soundless plenty of fourth dimension to sit down exterior in addition to accept inwards the stance of the valley.
Zooming in, nosotros could come across the uprights in addition to steel cables of the bridge. You tin come across it well-nigh 1/3 downwards from the top of the epitome below.
The KOA provided a shuttle to the span in addition to back. The span common itself was a spendy proposition, but nosotros got a AAA discount. Mike coughed upward the money to ride the zip-line across the expanse of the gorge. We headed at i time for the gondola ride across (included inwards the toll of admission). While nosotros waited, I was able to larn this get-go moving painting of the bridge.
We rode across alongside iv guys from Sweden. That was sort of fun.
The zip-line was located on the far side, in addition to hence Mike got off, in addition to I rode dorsum across inwards social club to video him equally he came. And, no, I am non a zip-line sort of gal. I'm non afraid of heights equally long equally there's a barrier, in addition to the zip-line was higher upward my pay grade...955 feet higher upward my pay degree to live precise.
We spent also much fourth dimension gabbing alongside the Swedish guys, in addition to non plenty fourth dimension looking. I had the gondola to myself equally I headed dorsum the other direction. Here was a shot looking at i time down. Sorry well-nigh the reflections off the glass.
That's the Arkansas River in addition to in that location were rafters below.
Looking inwards the other direction, I was able to larn this expansive stance of the bridge. Incredible, huh? Consider that it was built inwards 1929. What an technology scientific discipline marvel!
Here's some other shot looking inwards the contrary direction.
Mike in addition to I worked out a innovation where I'd text him when I got back, in addition to he'd text me when he was side past times side inwards trouble for the zip-line. It was hard to come across him take-off, but I ran the video in addition to caught him equally he came across. You tin come across the video below. It's real hard to come across when he takes off, but continue watching only below the stone trouble in addition to a lilliputian to the correct of center. About twenty seconds into the video, you'll come across him come upward into view. If you lot can't come across the video, in addition to hence click correct here.
Well, don't you lot know he was talking fast when he got dorsum to my side. From there, nosotros walked across. Here's how it looks starting out.
Here's some information well-nigh the full general area. Pike's Peak is visible inwards the contrary direction, but it didn't brand much of a picture.
The span is suspended past times bundles of cables. They start out inwards bundles of around thirty wires, in addition to and hence come upward together to shape this large cable that extends across the gorge.
From there, nosotros could come across someone crossing on the zip-line, in addition to I've indicated i of the gondolas alongside a ruby-red arrow.
This sign described a span on the railroad below. Honestly, I couldn't pick it out, but the information on the sign was interesting.
Here's a pano of the entire area. Mike photobombed my pano. He was taking his ain pano.
This was carved into the planks at the middle of the bridge.
From the middle, in addition to looking down, you lot tin come across the Arkansas River alongside the railroad running along its correct side. Many of you lot encouraged us to accept the train, in addition to nosotros idea well-nigh it long in addition to hard. No dubiety it is a memorable experience, but having only driven to a greater extent than than 1200 miles inwards 4 days, nosotros weren't upward for whatsoever to a greater extent than riding equally a captive audience. It turned out to live a skilful pick for us because nosotros thoroughly enjoyed a relaxing hateful solar daytime spent by in addition to large at our RV. We volition most sure enough live dorsum hither at some dot inwards time, in addition to the educate volition live on our listing for then.
There were flags of all the states along the sides of the bridge, also known equally "America's Bridge."
We hastened to discovery Oregon's flag where nosotros took the requisite selfie. It was quite windy upward there, but plenty warm to live out inwards shorts in addition to brusk sleeves. (Not instance of my novel haircut.)
Our shadow selves were hence excited to come across Oregon's flag, they opted to sing the Oregon State University manage song. Yes, it was embarrassing. We should receive got left them at the KOA.
In places, i could expect betwixt the planks to the river below.
Heading back, nosotros could come across the visitor ticker off to the correct inwards the epitome below.
Here's some information well-nigh the Arkansas River below. Until yesterday, I'd never heard of the Arkansas River. After reading this sign, I tin come across that it's fourth dimension to present a lilliputian to a greater extent than respect.
And, honestly, how many times produce nosotros receive got to larn over this? Please pose your line-fishing poles away.
We were only well-nigh bridged out past times this time, in addition to hence nosotros stopped into the cafe for some actually terrible sandwiches, which were well-nigh 90% bread. While nosotros ate them, this guy kept staring at me. I intend he's actually PO'd well-nigh his body.
While nosotros waited for the shuttle to come, I noticed this "Legacy Wall."
Here's what the sign says.
Indeed, within the visitor's ticker were some pictures of the burn downwards in addition to the aftermath. Below, you lot tin read the legend accompanying the pictures along alongside some information well-nigh the fire. Consider it was entirely rebuilt v years ago. (Remember that you lot tin brand the epitome larger past times clicking on it.)
We also spent a lilliputian fourth dimension inwards the gift store where I scored the get-go fridge magnet in addition to shot drinking glass of the trip. Mike also scored an "I survived the zip-line" t-shirt. Ya gotta receive got this stuff, you lot know? Life is short.
It was early on afternoon when nosotros got dorsum to the RV. I did some laundry in addition to baked this Dutch Apple Pie for Two. We had it afterwards dinner alongside a scoop of vanilla H2O ice cream. Very tasty.
It seems a skilful fourth dimension to dot out that nosotros bought this larger truck camper because our get-go truck camper had no comfortable house to sit. This i has some overnice reclining chairs. Let's only come across how that "comfortable seating" endeavor worked out for us.
Well, at to the lowest degree someone is comfortable.
I'll goal past times showing you lot a twosome of pictures I forgot from our fourth dimension inwards Vernal. While nosotros were out doing our shopping, nosotros passed past times these 2 beautiful bushes all inwards bloom. The flowers look, for all the world, similar hibiscus, but the leaf on the constitute did not. Whatever they are, they were beautiful.
We're moving on this morning. We desire to halt inwards i time to a greater extent than at the grocery store. On our concluding shopping trip, I'd done some repast planning, but neglected to intend well-nigh items nosotros involve to replenish. So in that location are only a twosome of to a greater extent than things nosotros need. Also, Mike wants to pick upward a diesel tin in addition to some straps. We'll fill upward the diesel tin alongside fuel in addition to strap to the apartment bed trailer. We always, always, e'er behave extra diesel, in addition to we've never needed it. For this trip, nosotros didn't because we're already hauling gasoline for the ATV's. I pointed out in that location was room on the trailer to also behave some diesel fuel, in addition to hence Mike volition larn inwards so.
It's a brusk hateful solar daytime of driving to Taylor Park Reservoir today, in addition to we'll live spending half dozen days there. It'll live our get-go chance to ride ATV's in addition to it's the whole argue for this trip. I'm hoping to receive got some fun days ahead to tell you lot about. It is a remote area, however, in addition to hence it's possible in that location volition live no network access. If you lot don't withdraw heed from me for a few days, that volition live the reason. We'll choose handgrip of upward when I larn dorsum into jail cellular telephone cry upward range.
For now, give cheers you lot to all who receive got left comments in addition to shared personal stories well-nigh your ain camping ground in addition to route trips. I actually dear hearing what memories are generated equally you lot follow along.