Kevin Standlee: Fandom Is My Way of Life

Today was a mostly non-rail tourism day, as we needed to put miles behind us and get to Utah.

( Our Destination )

To get to Green River meant traversing a lot of Colorado, including our one train-related stop.

( A Look in at the Loop )

After our short stop at the Georgetown Loop RR, we continued west. Scenery was lovely, and we got a very good lunch. And then I pulled a goof that cost us an hour.

( To Glenwood Canyon -- Three Times in One Day )

After the unexpected delay after lunch in Eagle, we pressed on for Green River.

( More Massive Vistas )

We got into Green River much later than we planned. On a previous train trip, we overheard a conductor on the Zephyr dealing with a woman who had boarded the train without a ticket at Helper UT. He offered to take her as far as Grand Junction, but she said she wanted off at Green River. He strongly urged against this. Having had a look at Green River by road, we tend to agree. But we're only here for one night. Tomorrow we traverse the rest of Utah on our way to Wendover and our final night on the road.

Today we did drive about 100 miles (from Pueblo to Cañon City and back), but we began and ended the day at the same hotel (the Holiday Inn Express Pueblo), as we went up to ride the Royal Gorge Railroad, an excursion through the spectacular Royal Gorge of the Arkansas River.

( A Great Day on the Railroad )

The photos I've included here are only a small sample of the photos Lisa and I took today. And they are only a pale reflection of the real thing. If I lived closer to here, I think I might spring for the $199 annual pass, which gives unlimited travel (meals not included) in dome class or lower for the season, just to enjoy the view more often.

Lisa slept most of the way back to Pueblo, and when we got back to the hotel, both of us fell into bed: me for a short nap, and Lisa for a longer sleep. We stayed in the rest of the day and tried to recuperate from travel and conventioneering.

As bad luck would have it, this was the first Holiday Inn Express on the entire trip that was unable to give us the room upgrade we wanted, because they were full up. That's a shame, given that we were here for two days, but at least they were able to provide us with a mini-fridge. (This property, unlike most HIXs, doesn't provide them standard in all rooms.) Nevertheless, we're happy for the break.

We have decided to scrap the trip to Ely and return via US-50 (despite having driven a significant portion of US-50 during our return since we left Kansas City). We simply can't afford the time. I booked us a hotel in Wendover and canceled our reservation at the Hotel Nevada, which will have to wait for another trip sometime.

Tomorrow we have to be up extra early so we can get up to the Pike's Peak Railway.