The Dabrowski Congress ended (officially) last night (Saturday 13 July) after a lovely dinner. Today was pack the car yet again day - one of the least fun things about traveling around for weeks at a time - and then back on the road.
I had intended that after the Congress I would head to Rocky Mountain National Park, which is one of the national parks I had never yet visited. However, the close to 100F weather we have had the last few days was forecasted to endure for at least one more day.
It's a part of the year when one needs to obtain an 'entry time' into the park. These cost just a couple of dollars, and can be obtained online either well in advance or by logging in at 7pm the night before your desired entry (if you sign in early enough). I had managed to snag one for Sunday afternoon, but it was just too hot!
Instead, I contacted a friend who lives in Vail, and headed over to meet them for brunch. I nice little interlude with someone I don't get to see very often. This is a smallish pond I found on the road between Denver and Vail.
After brunch, I looked at the map and realized I was only about 95 miles away from Steamboat Springs. It has been on my list to visit for a long while (my first visit to Colorado, specifically Denver, was actually in 1981). Another new place to see!
Steamboat Springs (or "the Boat") is the county seat of Routt County, located in the upper valley of the Yampa River, only about 45 miles from the Wyoming border. The area is known as a winter ski resort destination and also is home to several hot springs. According to the story I was told, the name came from the sounds made from the hot springs, which some of the first trappers thought sounded like a steamboat coming down the river. When they realized it was actually the spring, they named the area Steamboat Spring.
The area was originally inhabited by the Yampatika band of the Utes. Trappers moved in during the early 1800s, and James Harvey Crawford (the founder of Steamboat Springs) arrived in 1874. The Utes were forcibly removed to a reservation in Utah starting in 1879, and the town started developing, with incorporation in 1900 and the arrival of the railroad in 1909.
I arrived about 4:30pm and checked into the hotel I had booked online when I was about 15 minutes away. I unpacked (again!) and decided to head out to find a meal. On the way though, I discovered the Yampa River Botanic Park (you know how I am about botanic gardens, and for that matter any place with trees and/or flowers! Oh, and water as well.). The park runs along the Yampa River, and is at an altitude of almost 7,000 feet. It is organized into many smaller gardens (Annual, Butterfly, Culinary Herb, Dorothy's, Hidden, Hummingbird, and many more). It isn't huge, but it is quite lovely.
As usual, I took lots and lots of pictures. Here are some of them! (And keep an eye out for the winged welcomer.)
And finally, a few shots of the mountains I could see rising behind the garden:
It seemed like an entirely nourishing way to spend the late afternoon and early evening. I ended up finding some cheese and crackers and fruit out of my cooler for dinner.
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