We got a late start this morning after enjoying a terrific breakfast and playing on the waterslide. It is HOT! While driving across Kansas, the temperature inched up to 113 degrees. We saw a couple of grass fires next to the interstate, and we sure felt sorry for the firefighters trying to battle the flames in this heat.
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| Blockhouse at Fort Hays |
Kansas is, well, Kansas. There's not much to see, so we had a long day of driving. We took a detour over to see Fort Hays, but it was too hot to get out of the car! This Fort was made famous by "Dancing with Wolves." General Custer and the 7th Calvary were stationed here. Michael bravely stepped out for a minute to take a couple of pictures, and we headed back on our way.
Michael was determined to make it to the Rocky Mountains and, hopefully, cooler weather. We decided we'd camp in Golden Gate Canyon State Park at Apsen Meadow Campground. We arrived around midnight after snaking up a very steep, curvy road. Taylor, Connor, and Julie were asleep, so Michael and Hunter set up the tent. One thing that we couldn't have made it without on this trip was headlamps. We used them almost every night to put up the tent or go to the bathhouse. While they put up the tent, I sat by the car with the sleeping kids and marveled at how many stars I could see. We weren't too far from Boulder and Denver, but the sky was very dark. It was beautiful.
The elevation of the state park is about 9000 feet, so it was much cooler. Hunter watched the temperature drop like a rock as we ascended from Denver. It was 95 degrees in Denver, and it was 54 degrees by the time we got to the campground about 30 miles west of Denver. I had on shorts and flip flops when we got there, and I didn't put my socks on before I crawled into my sleeping bag. I'm not sure what the low temperature was, but I was cold before morning in my 40-degree bag.
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| View of Longs Peak from Golden Gate Canyon |
This is a beautiful state park. The campground is full of granite boulders and aspen trees. Connor couldn't believe the size of the rocks! It has lots of hiking trails and some climbing opportunities. We didn't spend much time, other than stopping to take a few photos. We're off to Rocky Mountain National Park!
We got a late start this morning after enjoying a terrific breakfast and playing on the waterslide. It is HOT! While driving across Kansas, the temperature inched up to 113 degrees. We saw a couple of grass fires next to the interstate, and we sure felt sorry for the firefighters trying to battle the flames in this heat. 
Michael was determined to make it to the Rocky Mountains and, hopefully, cooler weather. We decided we'd camp in Golden Gate Canyon State Park at Apsen Meadow Campground. We arrived around midnight after snaking up a very steep, curvy road. Taylor, Connor, and Julie were asleep, so Michael and Hunter set up the tent. One thing that we couldn't have made it without on this trip was headlamps. We used them almost every night to put up the tent or go to the bathhouse. While they put up the tent, I sat by the car with the sleeping kids and marveled at how many stars I could see. We weren't too far from Boulder and Denver, but the sky was very dark. It was beautiful. 
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