Road Trip 2025: Day 4

I woke up at four this morning and had the hardest time falling back to sleep. I just didn’t feel tired and so I tossed and turned eager for the sun to rise so I could get up. However, at some point I did fall back to sleep—a deep enough sleep that I was dreaming—and when my alarm went off, I was disoriented and too sleepy to want to get up. I remember my dream, but not clearly. Parts come into sharp focus but most of it is fuzzy. It was the last day of school and I was ecstatic knowing I would not be returning to the same school next year. To leave, I had to take an industrial elevator down to the ground floor, but it didn’t stop there. It took me underground to a river that ran beneath the street. From there, I had to take a water taxi and when I sat down, I realized a former FDU professor was sitting next to me. I asked her how her son was, and before she could answer she disappeared. Then, my alarm went off yanking me awake.

Rubbing the tiredness from my eyes, I sat up and packed up my sleeping bag and sleep sack. The campground—even though it was super cheap, only $12 a night—had showers so Kati and I took advantage of them and changed our clothes. G3 saw no need to shower. According to him, “I haven’t done anything but sit in the car for three days.”

After breakfast, we backtracked a bit on the road to see Chimney Rock, the one landmark pioneers wrote about more than any other. It really does look like a chimney poking up out of a small mountain—or rock. Tourists are not allowed to get too close, probably to discourage any inkling of temptation to climb it. We walked out as far as we could on the trail, took a couple of pictures and then got back in the car. It really is no wonder that Chimney Rock and Scotts Bluff captivated the pioneers. After driving hours across the plains of Nebraska, we were awed by them. The Pioneers rode in their wagons for DAYS, not hours. Day after day, the landscape didn’t change. Grasses and rolling hills and absolutely nothing to break up the monotony until Chimney Rock rose up on the horizon. The sight of it must have been incredibly refreshing, as well as amazing.

I am back in Colorado, despite flying home from Denver exactly a week ago. From Chimney Rock, we drove three and a half hours to Rocky Mountain National Park. To get there, we had to cut through a corner Wyoming. As in Nebraska, the Great Plains stretched endlessly before us, but they were broken up by more obvious ranches. We saw many cattle and some horses grazing as we drove by.

The last time I was here, at Rocky Mountain National Park, was in the summer of 1996. I had just graduated college and two friends and I spent three weeks driving across the country. It was the very first time I went camping. The first time I crossed the Continental Divide. And the first time I traveled on vacation without my parents. Needless to say, I fell in love with the experience. That summer, we drove south after exploring the Badlands. We cut right through Wyoming. I’m not even sure we stopped for anything other than bathroom breaks and food. I just remember speeding down the empty road feeling alive and happy. As if anything and everything were possible. If only there had been a way to bottle up that sensation. When we reached Rocky Mountain National Park we stopped for a night. One night and what I remember best were the pines. Our campsite was surrounded by them and the smell was glorious. Yes, it’s the smell I remember most clearly. Every time I catch a strong scent of pine it immediately brings me back here.

Now I am back for real, and I am happy to say that my memory was completely accurate. The smell of pine did not disappoint. And our campsite is amazing. I’m not sure how I got so lucky unless Dad was looking out for us from above. We rarely make reservations or plan out our trips. We generally have a rough outline of where we want to go, but we like the freedom of being able change course if something along the way interests us. Yesterday, knowing we would be here today, I went online to see if I could reserve a site for two nights. I fully expected to find nothing. It’s the middle of summer and national park campsites are always reserved way in advance. But I was wrong. There was one site, only one—in the entire park—that was available for two nights. It’s a walk to which means we have a short—maybe fifty meter—walk from the car, but we generally like those because they tend to be slightly less crowded. The site is perfect. If we actually had a choice of where to stay, it would have been our first choice. It’s semi secluded—incredible for a national park in the summer. We only see one other tent from where we are. We’re surrounded by pine trees and the Rockies. It is definitely one of the best places we have camped—and we’ve camped in a lot of places.

When we arrived, Kati decided—since it is cooler here than it will be in Utah—we should do an overnight trip into the backcountry. We brought our packs with us in case the opportunity arose, so why not. But just one night to test out her knee. (Remember, last summer’s trek didn’t end well.) Therefore, after we checked in, we drove to the Wilderness Office to see if we could book a backcountry campsite. There were many options, lots of sites are available. The question is, how many miles would be best. I advised caution. Kati was unsure. So we have to return tomorrow to select a site and get a permit.

After being cooped up in the car the last several days, I was itching to go for a hike. So after an early dinner of really bad pizza we headed to the Lumpy Ridge Trailhead. The ranger at the visitor center recommended the 3.4 mile out and back hike to Gem Lake. It seemed short enough that we could complete it before the sunset. Kati hiked with us about a third of the way before she decided to sit at a scenic spot and read. G3 and I pushed on. The trail was rather steep, and the air is thinner here than at home, but the views were breathtaking. This park is more spectacular than I remember. Jagged peaks rise up all around, some still snowcapped. Everywhere you look there is beauty. I am glad we are not leaving tomorrow.

We had discussed having a fire tonight since it’s cool—much cooler than it has been—but it was dark by the time we set up our tents and G3 was tired. Hopefully tomorrow the weather will cooperate and we can have one.