West COLORADO 14,000 feet PLUS drives... sans trailer

[Gene]

Originally Posted by SteveH

Yea, it's interesting that Gene says he sees them all the time, yet I live in Texas, travel to Colorado frequently, and I had to find a picture on the net to post here as a gag, because I've never seen one in person.

Wonder what else Gene sees "all the time"? Wonder if that Colorado "herb" is effecting his eyesight?

It is well know Colorado is the highest state.

Gene

[Ray Eklund]

[QUOTE=TG Twinkie;1560491]I live in Sioux County, NE. And Yes Ft. Robinson is nice. But it doesn't compare to the afore mentioned states. It's a nice place to stay while traveling thru.
******

Have you attempted to camp in the Nebraska National Forest to the east of you? I have this on my things to do bucket list.

[TG Twinkie]

Ray;
Your profile says you live in Castle Rock, CO. I'm confused.


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[Ray Eklund]

You are right, we live outside Castle Rock, Colorado.

If I were to add up the days camped in western Nebraska versus Colorado... I may has well have County 69 or County 71 Nebraska plates. Found Sioux and Dawes Counties as my favorite "haunts" for twenty years. Most people have no idea what western Nebraska is like. They would be surprised. Try it, you will never forget the trip.

You must be County 21 Nebraska plates?

Nebraska Highway 2 East, Highway 71 north up to Crawford, Nebraska to Highway 20 and WEST to Yellowstone Park from the East Coast to the West Coast. Nice highways, lots of scenery and things to do!

[TG Twinkie]

We live in Sioux County (80). Traveled HWY 29, 71, 385, 2. Drove the "Henry Road" from Henry, NE to Harrison, NE. It turns to dirt 9 miles north of Henry. The town of Harrison is the only town in the county. Which is larger than Jefferson County, CO. We have a population of less than 1,500. There are many ranch headquarters in the Sand Hills where their private road is 9 to 15 miles long to get to the headquarters from Hwy 29.
I do like this kind of population density.
I have been to Nebraska National Forest.
We moved here 18 years ago. Own a small farm.
We moved from near Conifer, CO. We lived in the home I built on property which backed up to Roosevelt National Forest. I could walk out my back door and if I chose to do so. Hike to Mt. Evans. And never walk on private property.
So, I guess I am spoiled by the beauty of Colorado. After living there 38 years I became a mountain man. The high prairie here just doesn't hold the beauty for me.
Now, go due north of me and you will be in the Black Hills and not far is Sundance, WY and Devils Tower. I could live in that area.
The desert south west is beautiful to some. But I am not a fan. Now SW Utah is another story. Bryce Canyon, Zion and Escalante are more to my liking when it comes to desert.



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[Ray Eklund]

I figure four trips to the badlands of Western Nebraska and we are over 15,000 feet.

County 80... Sioux County. Anyone driving from the EAST to the Rockies need to stop at Fort Robinson, just west of Crawford, Nebraska. Great RV facilities and you can leave early to the Black Hills heading north out of Crawford for a quick tour... called Crawdad by the local ranch community. They resent the crowds of yahoos coming into the area.

Shalimar might ring a bell for you, now with new owners. Hudson / Meng showed me around in the 1960's as a energetic teenager hunting fossils.

Utah is western Nebraska with no grass and red sand.

Torrington, Lusk, Newcastle, forget Gillette... Wyoming are also great communities. Not close to 14teeners... although for those of you who want to experience the Oregon Trail of 1849+ can travel the route from Scottsbluff, Morrill and into Wyoming, avoiding those tall snow capped peaks in Colorado on this trip to the Yellowstone.

Not all mountain men stayed in the mountains... they ended up in Rock Springs, Kemmerer and Green River, Wyoming. Probably wishing they had explored the ranch country around Agate, Nebraska and your "neck of the... high plains".

[TG Twinkie]

If you want to experience what it would be like to drive on the moon. Just take HWY 20 west out of Casper, WY to Shoshone, WY.
Torrington, WY does have a nice City park with Spaces for RV. Electric and water but no sewer. Last time I looked it was $10 a night.
Not sure I know what how a person judges whether a community is nice.
Most of the old farm towns like Morrill, NE are pretty run down with half of the buildings boarded. Lyman is in even worse shape and Henry is virtually a ghost town when it comes to business.
If you want quiet. HWY 26 is not your route thru this area. 75 coal trains a day run parallel to HWY 26 from Guernsey, WY to beyond Scottsbluff, NE. And this is only the Burlington Northern. The Union Pacific joins the parade half way between Henry and Morrill, NE. If you like unit coal trains, this would be a route for you.
I will admit, this area is a step above Northwestern, CO or Southwestern, WY.
But if you get the chance. Visit the Old State Prison in Rawlins, WY. This place was built in the late 1,800's and was still in operation in the mid 1,980's.


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