Day Fourteen

Started in Hot Springs, SD, in the southern part of the Black Hills (very pretty area).  Headed west into Wyoming (FINALLY).  Lots of interesting terrain, but not much else.  This means that I finally knocked out another state—too bad it took 14 days to do so.  This makes 11 states in 14 days, and 14 different cities in which we spent the night (in order: Rapid City, SD; Aberdeen, SD; Council Bluffs, IA; Mt. Pleasant, IA; Ramsey, MN; Grand Forks, ND; Fargo, ND; Omaha, NE, Chillicothe, MO; Colby, KS; Goodland, KS; Chadron, NE; Hot Springs, SD; Boulder, CO).

Today’s destination was Rocky Mountain National Park, which is indescribably beautiful.  The weather was quiet today (for a change), but we still managed to see a lenticular cloud.  We made it to the highest point on the road (over 12K feet).  Still lots of snow in spots.  Also saw the Continental Divide, which means we’ve been to all three drainage basins (Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic). 

 
Spending the night in Boulder.  We’re planning to visit the Mesa Lab of NCAR in the morning, and then we head for the airport.  Hard to fathom, but the trip is just about over.  Lots of work, lots of driving, but lots of fun.  Nevertheless, I think all of us are ready to sleep in our own beds.  (Pictures to come.)