Destination, Colorado

Sometime Again in the Future

 INCLUDED: Escort, charter bus, hotels, baggage handling, admissions, 12 total meals.

This is another in our “Destination” series where we travel to a certain area and spend a few more days than normally

to get to know the area more in depth.

Monday, August 21: Our charter bus heads across Oregon’s mid-section through Sisters, Bend, Burns, and Vale, and finally Idaho where we spend the night at

the Shilo Suites/Nampa. (D)

Tuesday, August 22: Today we head across Idaho into Utah. We see the Snake River Gorge at Twin Falls, and enter Utah via Snow Pass. We pass the Great Salt Lake on our way to our hotel for the night, the B/W Salt Lake Plaza. (B)

Wednesday, August 23: Leaving Salt Lake City, we head south and east through Price and Green River, Utah and into Colorado near Grand Junction, CO. We continue through the red rock country to Glenwood Springs. Our hotel is very close to the hot springs pools. If you want to soak awhile, there is easy access. Our home tonight, Glenwood Motor Inn. (B)

Thursday, August 24: Be prepared for some high rugged beauty today as we travel over the Rocky Mountains via Vale and Independence Pass on our way to Colorado Springs, CO where we spend the next 3 nights at La Quinta Inn. The Garden of the Gods Park will WOW us with it’s wonderful red rock formations. Dinner tonight is included at the Flying W Ranch. There will be good food and entertainment later. (D)

Friday, August 25: Today we travel a little south to Canon City. Here we enjoy a Scenic Train Ride and lunch on the Royal Gorge Route, traveling along the Arkansas River. Later we stop at the Royal Gorge Suspension Bridge and look down on the gorge. (B,L)

Saturday, August 26: Today we visit several local attractions in Colorado Springs; the Rodeo Hall of Fame, the U.S. Olympic Complex where our Olympic Athletes train, and the Michael Garman Magic Town. (B)

Sunday, August 27: We head north over Monument Hill, stopping for a visit at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Later we continue on through the Capitol City of Denver with a stop at the State Capitol Bldg. Since it is Sunday, the building may not be open, but it is still quite a sight and offers nice vistas from the Mile High Steps. We end today in Ft. Collins, hometown of this editor. We spend two nights at the B/W College Inn. (B)

Monday, August 28: We will visit a couple of museums today. The Michael Ricker Museum and Gallery features pewter sculptures by this artist and includes “Park City-America Remembered”

a turn-of-the-century miniature village measuring

10 feet wide and 30 feet long. The Ft. Collins Museum features early Colorado history and has several historic structures—the Elizabeth Stone cabin, the Franz Smith cabin, the Janis cabin and the Upper Boxelder School House. (B)

Tuesday, August 29: We depart Ft. Collins via a scenic route, following the Cache La Poudre River and Poudre Canyon. At Walden, Colorado we turn north into Wyoming, spending tonight at the

B/W Cotton Tree Inn. (B)

Wednesday, August 30: As we cross the lower reaches of Wyoming, keep a sharp eye out for antelope. Many times they are impossible to see unless they are moving. Our home tonight is Holiday Inn Express in Twin Falls, Idaho.

Thursday, August 31: We continue our route toward home, crossing again through the fertile farmlands of eastern Oregon and along the Malhuer River to Burns, Oregon where we spend our last night at Comfort Inn/Hines. (B)

Friday, September 1: We cross back into the Willamette Valley through Bend, Sisters and again over the Santiam Pass to Eugene. (L)