Top of the world - Colorado 3

When we left Estes Park I drove us 9 miles up a very steep and winding road, to the Chasm Falls (there will be photos on Tony's website in due course) which was so crowded with people skidding to a halt, trotting down the path and taking a quick snap and moving on again, that there was no chance of just enjoying the view. Tony was trying his new technique of photographing running water, which involves taking up a lot of space and lying, or standing, very still for a long time. Not long now, I kept telling people, just a few more seconds.... I am a very faithful and understanding photographer's assistant. I think I should get a certificate, if not a medal, even.


The road is one-way, so after you've done your bit at the waterfall you have to keep on for another 19 miles or so (at 15 miles an hour), as it gets steeper and steeper - and narrower. Luckily we wanted to go that way anyway, as we were on our way to Leadville, for the Independence Day Parade. The views were breathtaking. I am going to run out of adjectives very quickly on this holiday. There are not enough of them to do justice.


Here's a photo of Tony near the top. The white stuff by his feet is ice. You can see the road behind him, where it's levelled out and got easier. It was hard work driving. Total concentration plus elevation gain - by the time we got to the top I felt as if someone had been bashing me about the head repeatedly with a large firm object. Also my ears felt all clogged up (this does not count as a bodily fluid, Margot...) so when Tony eventually found me in the gift shop (I didn't realise he'd lost me, actually, but you know what boys are like in supermarkets, even very very small ones) and was waving his arms and mouthing something in an agitated fashion I had no idea what he was saying. I think he was accusing me of dithering, or wandering off, or somesuch. I was buying gifts, for god's sake... 


The food in the Alpine Visitors Centre is wonderful. I had freshly made chicken noodle soup followed by chile con carne... fantastic. Tony doesn't do soup. I feel his life is poorer for this fact, but he was happy with his sandwich.