Day 96 - Rabbit Ears Pass

Day 96 - Friday - crossing the Continental Divide at Rabbit Ears Pass

Time to leave Laramie.  Wyoming 230 cuts a straight line southwest most of the way to the Colorado border where it becomes CO 271.  At first we're still in ranch country and the gain in altitude is almost imperceptible but once past the town of Woods Landing we're going through a pass in the foothills of the Rockies.  The town on the border is appropriately named Mountain Home and we're now in evergreen country.

It's not too long before the road levels off and we're surprised to see country that looks like we're back on the prairies.  It's probably a very wide valley but the higher mountains are off in the distance to the west.  We don't see livestock or crops here and closer examination reveals the vegetation is mostly sagebrush.  This is probably the result of overgrazing in previous years.  I'm just glad we're not here in spring as I'm strongly allergic to the stuff.

Eventually we reach US40 and turn right.  Vicky has picked out a boondocking site for us here for tonight but I'm not in the least tired and tomorrow's journey is only 89 miles so I suggest we keep going.  Vicky agrees.  Quill and Cosette have no say in the matter although Cosette prefers to travel since she spends the time in Vicky's lap being petted.

We stop for lunch in a parking area just past the original destination point, and soon after restarting we cross the Continental Divide at Rabbit Ears Pass - 9,250 feet high.  Vicky thinks the name comes from the road, which forms a loop that does look like a rabbit's ear.  Once over the top the sky, which has been cloudy all day, brightens up.

A mile or two further on we see a sign for Meadow Campground and decide to check it out.  It's in the Routt National Forest and with our senior pass will only cost us $5 per night.  It's also delightful, shaded by pines and spruce trees and with sites that give you some privacy.  We decide this is much better than the Walmart parking lot we had planned for tomorrow and pay for 2 nights..  We make friends with 2 other couples - one from Kansas who visited most of the places we did so we can compare notes, the other from Florida, also full timers and also traveling with 2 cats - in their case both black.

We put out the lounge chairs and read for a while.  Vicky's plans to cook outside are thwarted by a thunderstorm so instead we have her savory broccoli quiche, followed by ice cream.  Vicky surprises me with dulce de leche ice cream.  I discovered dulce de leche on our South America trip a few years back and have missed  it ever since.  This brings back memories and as I write this the evening sky has turned red, promising good weather for tomorrow as we enjoy a day in this great find of a forest.