Vapor caves, canyon, metallic intestine

It may be hard to imagine a higway as being beautiful, or at least I did. I-70, as we have come to find out, has some of the best scenery imaginable. The drive from Denver to Grand Junction, CO, was spectacular. Snow covered peaks and canyons abound. You can truly see a reflection of the American West today with all of the traces of mining towns and scars on the landscape from decades ago. I can see how the temptation was there for many to make it big in the land of mammoth and somewhat almost surreal landscape. Its beauty masks the fierceness of its winters. Fortunately for us we were able to see the beautiful side on our trip, especially with our stop to Glenwood Springs.

Glenwood Springs is not a town that would come up in normal conversation such as Vail, Aspen or Breckenridge, but it is one that I surely will remeber. When driving west on 70 you arrive at White River Park just before reaching Glenwood Springs. This part of the highway goes through the enormous Glenwood Canyon that literally swallows a vehicle whole. After emerging you arrive at the town, home to the U.S.' only natural vapor caves. It's a dark, natural, underground steam room, with mineral deposits on the walls and an earthy odor that takes a couple of minutes to get used to. We sat, sweated, came up for air in the spa's solarium, and repeated.

After the caves, we took a bike ride through the canyon along the river, and we got to see bighorn sheep up close, and went through a highway overpass that was like being in a metallic intestine. By night we headed to Grand Junction, our last stop in Colorado, and had a parking lot sleepover, before moving on to Moab, UT.