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Our trip began to the north, as we had two appointments to make modifications to Blue Thunder. In Grants Pass, Oregon we had new shock absorbers installed all around, and in Vancouver, Washington we had new front seats installed that we ordered when we passed through there in May. These are fabric-covered Flexsteel seats in the latest model, with a layer of memory foam! Other modifications made to the bus can be seen on the Wanderlodge page.
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New front seats.
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Clyde Holliday State Park
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We traveled across Oregon on US 26, overnighting at Prineville and at Clyde Holliday State Park near John Day. Then it was I-84 across Idaho and down to Salt Lake City.
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After a stop at Motosat the satellite dishes on top of the bus have changed again. The big .98 meter (39-inch) diameter dish is now a 1.2 meter (47-inch) dish, running a commercial internet service. A smaller .74 meter dish was added at the back corner (only place it would easily fit!) running Hughes service so I can use it for testing of the software I write for satellite users. This picture was taken at a Utah rest stop where we climbed the hill to find a geocache.
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New Dishes
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Golden Colorado City RV Park
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We rested up a couple of days in Cheyenne, then it was down to Golden Colorado. The pictures here were all taken from places on Lookout Mountain, which rises steeply above Golden. At left is an aerial view of the City-owned RV park we are staying in. The Coors brewery is the dominant structure in Golden, and the Colorado School of Mines is also prominent. To the east is downtown Denver.
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Golden Colorado
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Golden Colorado Coors Brewery
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Colorado School of Mines
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Downtown Denver
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The Graves of Buffalo Bill Cody and his wife are on the very top of Lookout Mountain. Radio-controlled flying wings were quite interesting to watch, and there were a lot of hang-gliders flying off the mountainside.
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Buffalo Bill Gravesite
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Radio controlled gliders on Lookout Mountain
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Hang gliders off Lookout Mountain
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In Golden we were joined by Michael and Georgia Day, who will be traveling
with us through the end of October. Michael is this year's chairman
for the DatastormUsers rally in Tucson the last week of October. One of our earliest outings together was to the Butterfly Gardens in Broomfield, where the occupants liked to land on heads.
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Georgia with a Butterfly
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Michael with a Butterfly
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Butterflies mating
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A visit to Coors is obligatory when in Golden!
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Coors
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Coors
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We took a loop trip up US6/Clear Creek Canyon, then North to Nederland,
and back through Boulder. Got to see some Mountain Sheep jumping around in the
rocks, and the aspens were turning some very nice colors.
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Mountain Sheep
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Fall colors in the Rockies
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The Colorado Train Museum is located in Golden. Michael and I spent a couple
of hours looking through the extensive collection.
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Colorado Train Museum
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Colorado Train Museum
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Colorado Train Museum
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After 12 days in Golden we traveled the short distance to Colorado Springs
for another week-long stay.
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US Olympic Training Center
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US Olympic Training Center
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One of the three US Olympic Training Centers in the US is located in Colorado Springs, and they have free tours. (The other two are in Chula Vista, CA, and Lake Placid, NY). We visited during lunch hour, so there weren't many athletes around. although there was one female weight lifter working out.
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US Olympic Training Center
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US Olympic Training Center
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Michael joined us for a trip up the Cog Railway to Pike's Peak. This is a 9-mile trip that rises to 14,110 feet at the top. Quite an experience, and certainly some exceptional views!
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Cog Railroad up Pike's Peak
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Fall Colors seen from Cog Railroad up Pike's Peak
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Cog Railroad up Pike's Peak
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Cog Railroad up Pike's Peak
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View South from Cog Railroad up Pike's Peak
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Pike's Peak summit seen from below
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Colorado Springs from Pike's Peak
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Colorado Springs from Pike's Peak
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Pike's Peak
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In the two photos of Colorado Springs above, the Garden of the Gods can
be seen on the near side. This formation of red rocks is a Colorado Springs
City Park, and is very photogenic.
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Garden of the Gods
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Garden of the Gods
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Garden of the Gods
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Garden of the Gods
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We continued to get really good weather for early October in the Rockies, so
on Friday the 5th we took the Royal Gorge train in temperatures in the low 80s.
Absolutely a gorgeous day!
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Royal Gorge
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Royal Gorge
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Royal Gorge
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Royal Gorge
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Royal Gorge
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