Breckenridge 3.0 and on to Estes Park

We were both pretty much incapacitated from hiking Quandary Peak.  We headed back to camp, where Eric took a nice long nap, and I tried (unsuccessfully) to fish.  We then packed up our things, crammed them back into the Envoy, and headed back to Breckenridge.  We spent another 3 solid hours at Clint's coffee shop drinking caffeine and using the free interwebs.  We planned on heading back up into the mountains to camp for the evening, but as we headed up, we noticed some very heavy lightning.  

Bears are one thing.  Lighting is a whole new ballgame.  You cannot shoot lightning dead it its tracks, nor deter it with spray.

We decided to turn around and head back into town and see if we couldn't find a wonderful location to spend the evening.

We ended up in Upper Blue Elementary School's baseball diamond grass.  Let me tell you, this was the most comfortable sleeping surface we've encountered yet.  It was plush.

Here is a view of the lightning storm, as seen from our location on the ball diamond.

We both fell quickly asleep.  

We were eventually reprimanded by the Breckenridge Law Enforcement Authority around the time of 3:30.  Two police vehicles drove by and scoped us out previous to that without slowing down or saying a word.  However, this time two police vehicles rolled up, notifying us it was against city ordinances to sleep there.  We packed up and headed for a parking lot where we finished the night out in uncomfortable sleep inside the Envoy.

The following pictures are of a 1977 Dodge TransVan Eric spotted on our way to Breckenridge, and we passed again on the way to Estes Park.  We simply HAD to stop.

Little did we know that we would get a full tour of the TransVan and an invite to return anytime and sleep in it if we need.

How would you feel to look in your rearview mirror and see this beast barreling down on you at 85 MPH!

Awestruck, and scared.

This beauty was hand crafted on September the 26th of 1977.

 Captain's quarters.

Battery charge meter.

Absolutely beautiful stained glass ornamentation.  

Mrs. P shares stories of some of the wild adventures she and her family have experienced in the TransVan.

Envoy Convoy still in great shape 1,700 miles into the journey.

We took Highway 7, also known as Peak To Peak Byway.

Here is the view from a "Scenic Turnout."  This small gap in the trees was the only location that allowed even the slightest view of the magnificent mountains hidden behind them.  When nature gets in the way of nature, you have a serious problem.  Nothing a Stihl chainsaw and 20 minutes couldn't cure......

Sometimes Eric takes some pictures with my camera while I'm driving.  Here is a great example of his photo skills.....  How he managed to place that tree perfectly in front of the mountain while I cruised along at 55 MPH, I'll never know!

Longs Peak from a distance.

View of Estes Park before descending from the heights.