Travels with Twinkles - July 25 - 29, 2026

July 24 - We had breakfast at Cracker Barrel before heading off on route 25 through Denver into the rush hour traffic.  Not so bad actually, just a normal rush hour with no major delays.  

We then exited onto route 70 where it became much more stressful as we entered a highway construction area in a mountainous area.  We made a stop in Idaho City at a visitors center just for a break, but somehow missed the interesting downtown Idaho historic area.  

The scenery was beautiful however, I wanted to make many stops, but it was difficult to pull over anywhere safely.  We eventually get on highway 91 south with more exciting steep mountain terrain to our destination in Leadville, CO. 

We had made a reservation at the Columbine Inn in Leadville but we had several hours until check in, so we walked around the historic area. Leadville was crowded with tourist traffic and the town seemed more bustling than I had remembered it from our last visit about a decade ago.  I really love this town, it's very cool in every way.

The Silver Dollar is beautiful inside

Historic Tabor Opera House sign

Leadville is very into the outdoors 

Tabor Opera House

Beautiful old building are common in Leadville

Golden Burro Cafe is a another classic

Restored Steam Locomotive 641 at the old depot

We find one of our favorite eating places from years ago, "High Mountain Pies" and we're in time for lunch.  We were not disappointed, it was as great as remembered, possibly the best pizza in the west and coming from the New Jersey / New York area that’s saying something !  

Great outdoor patio too !

We also went to a great antique shop, Western Hardware,  where I bought a Country Joe McDonald album influenced by watching several recent "You Tube" documentaries about Country Joe McDonald and the Fish.  I believe this may be the coolest antique shop in the west.  It appears to have been an old hardware store from all the drawers along the wall.   I was so impressed that I bought their t-shirt.

    

We check into the Columbine Inn at 4 PM, immediately taking showers as we felt pretty disgusting.  It will be a good nights sleep for us tonight, the ARC leaves something to be desired when it comes to comfort and roominess. The ARC however has been performing well on these crazy mountainous climbs although it gets a little squirrelly in cross winds and curves at times and it has developed this squeak that annoys me.  

I return to the downtown area in the evening to look around, stop at a bar with live music, but it’s a bit weird.  Two musicians are playing in the rear of the room with everyone else sitting at the bar in the front, hardly anyone listening to them and practically everyone there has a dog.   

I left shortly and went to the "Silver Dollar Saloon" to look again at the beautiful historic interior. Two women at the bar started talking to me, very friendly, but pretty weird.  It was entertaining for a while until they left as it was about closing time.  I asked the bar tender if the interior was original and she said that the Bar Back was an original piece that came west on a wagon.  

Outside on the street, the sky was blazing with color, great light for photography and I took a few iPhone shots, then back to the Hotel. 

Amazing that this has survived

So much to see- very interesting

Sun lit buildings and dark storm clouds look amazing

July 25 - In the morning, at the hotel we go down for the free hotel breakfast which was a major letdown, a poor start for the day.           

We leave Leadville at about 10 AM traveling on route 24 through scenic mountainous country making a stop at Buena Vista, CO.  The Main Street is impressive with many restaurants, interesting shops and brew pubs. I grab a couple of bakery items, that's all it takes to make me happy !

The Public House

We then continue to our destination of Salida, CO.  The downtown area is alive with many people floating on tubes in the Arkansas River.  It’s definitely the thing to do in Salida.  Also lots of action on Main Street which is partially closed to car traffic.  All the stores are open and busy, things are booming.  We have a good dinner at a downtown restaurant at an outside table.  We then retire to Walmart for the night.

July 26 - We drive route 50 making a stop in Gunnison, CO where we take a break and have lunch.  We then continue  driving past the Blue Mesa Reservoir and arrive in Montrose in mid afternoon.

Mural and park on Gunnison Main Street

Great Cafe sign

Travels withTwinkles - July 20-24

July 20 - We have been driving on route 191 for about a week now and it’s beautiful, but very steep and curvy and you've got to keep your eyes on the road.  Sue is a nervous passenger and reminds me of every upcoming curve and speed limit sign, pretty annoying !  Most of the traffic is large trucks pulling double trailers, probably filled with coal, my guess ?  I don’t envy these guys on this route in poor weather conditions.

We make a stop in Rock Springs, WY and tour some of the historic downtown area. As soon as I see the old railroad station, I remember this place from a previous trip due to a statue and other historic signs.  The local historic preservation group is doing good work to improve this area and save the old buildings, great to see.

It was invented right here

My kind of coffee

This historic Bank is slated for a complete restoration

Now the visitors center

The Fiesta Guadalupe

I can see the old guys talking about the old days here

A good trade !

Love these old signs

Finally, we leave route 191 behind and get on Interstate 80 east for 120 or so high speed miles, but a boring drive through desolate prairie land to Rawlins, WY. We again park and tour the historic downtown area where I again spot a familiar site bringing back memories.  This the Rifleman Club whose interior is decorated with all sorts of antique items and dead animals, much to Twinkles dislike. We enter and have a beer, people are friendly, this place hasn’t changed at all.  I miss these kind of old bars, sorry to say that we have nothing with this kind of character in the city of Tucson.

Please bring back the bread 

That's a real bar

Nothing better than school art

Don't tell the rifleman about this place

We then go to Walmart where we will spend the night and purchase a few food items.  

July 21 - We take Intestate 80 east to the exit for route 30 taking us through open range land to Saratoga, WY where we stop to explore.  It’s a beautiful town with lots of interesting shops, restaurants and things of interest on the North Platt River.  

Downtown  Cantina view

It's a river kind of town

Garage Beer at the Rustic Bar

Very strict rules here

We then take route 130 into the Medicine Bow National Forest.  It’s a beautiful ride for its entire length.  The climax was a stop at a beautiful lake (post card perfect) with Medicine Bow Peak at 12,013 in the background. 

A fine road view

Still snow in these mountains

Doesn't get much better

A short distance away brings us to an interesting trail that goes to an old mining site and cabin with great wild flowers.

The cabin has had better days

It's then a long downhill drive into Laramie, WY where we park and do some exploring around the downtown area.  It hasn’t changed much since my last visit, I had hoped for more, but The Old Buckhorn Bar still stands exactly the same as I remember, some things never change.  We then stop at the local library and then to Walmart for another night. it’s amazing that there are still pockets of snow in the parking area !

The Elk's Club is still open

The Old Buckhorn and Parlor Bar

One of my all time favorite murals

Nice Steam Train display

 July 22 - As we are leaving Walmart, I remember seeing a Daylight Donut Shop in Laramie and I am lusting for them, they’re the best !  I was very happy to see the store open as we arrived and the sales girl at the counter was most cute and  enthusiastic. 

We then get on I-80 heading for Cheyenne, WY when we come upon an exit for the Lincoln Highway Memorial.  It was dedicated in 1938 and features a huge bust of Abraham Lincoln.  

We then decide to go to the nearby Vedauwoo Climbing Area located in Medicine Bow National Forest known for its rock formations that attract climbers.  It is composed of 1.4 billion year old Sherman Granite and is a sight to see.  No climbing for us however.  

As we ride around, we come upon the campground, it's attractive with lots of open campsites, cheap, all stuff we love, so we grab a campsite for the night.  We go off for about a two mile hike on the Turtle Rock Loop Trail which was very scenic.

Lots of Aspen Trees with goofy stuff carved in them

I believe it's called a Goats beard, looks like mine at present

Pretty Rocks

July 23 - We had a cool overnight sleep so we were fully recharged for the day.  Our destination of Cheyenne, WY is only about 30 miles away where a special event, the Cheyenne Frontier Days is taking place.  As we drive into town, we see immense crowds in the historic downtown area and look for a place to park.  The Frontier Days parade is going on with lots of horse riders, horse drawn carriages, old cars, marching bands etc.  It goes on for about 2 hours, but we managed to catch only the last half hour. 

 

As we are only a couple of blocks from the Wyoming State Capital we head there after the parade and take in the building architecture and exhibits. 

Front View

$20 prize for the state Flag design back in the day

One of the chambers

Nice ceiling

Slipping on a banana peel actually can kill you

Famous Indian Chief Washakie

 We then go back to the central historic area near the Cheyenne train depot to wander around.  It’s a thriving area with many tourist shops, restaurants, interesting building architecture and murals.

Where I bought my first cowboy boots

The Cheyenne Frontier Days is a all week event held at the fair grounds on the outskirts of town and draws a huge crowd with a major rodeo, music events, amusement park attractions and much more, but we have little interest in that.  

It seems that everything in town is full and this Walmart doesn't allow overnighters, so it’s back on the road into Colorado to a Cracker Barrel Restaurant in Loveland, CO for the night. Soon after arrival, a wicked thunderstorm developed with heavy wind and hail that was a little too exciting, but no damage.

We will be looking for a hotel in Leadville, Colorado tomorrow, our first one on this trip, it's about time !