Heading west from Denver, I started climbing the Rocky Mountains. Did I say earlier that I’m more of a city boy and got tired of landscapes easily? It seems I lied, or was at best grossly misled by Nebraska. The Rockies are simply wonderful. Start with winding mountain roads that make me feel like I’m in a car commercial, past towns with names like Idledale and Evergreen, past bridges over Troublesome Creek and the like, past road signs that fail to describe the curves and bends of the road ahead, I reach Blackhawk and Central City.

Central City was a gold mining town, then a ghost town, then revived as a chic resort and Opera center in the late 40’s, died again, and has emerged once more as a tourist and casino town. It keeps a small 19th century ghost-town for the tourist, but it otherwise full of tourist traps and faux-Wild West casinos. The best part about it is that it is the beginning of the Peak to Peak Highway, connecting Central City to Estes Park, some 50 miles of winding roads, scenic vistas and the mountains. Oh, the glorious Rocky Mountains. None of the pictures I took do it justice, but suffice to say that snow-speckled autumn trees and white-topped mountains that seem to pump out the clouds that surround them are definitely my idea of a beautiful view. It was simply exhilirating.

A few hours later, though, found me coming down off the mountains and into… *dramatic pause*… Wyoming.