Rocky National Park

After Denver we me made the short trek to the Rocky Mountain National Park. In true GART fashion we got a much later start than expected and drove through Estes Park and into Moraine Park at night. Excited that we were camping in a national park we decided to camp on a hill so we would have a beautiful view in the morning. We even put the fly on the tent backwards so the shorter side of the fly did not fully cover the screen side of the tent and allowed us to have a view while still in the tent (we now just realized how absurd this fabulous idea was).

We never set out to travel gracefully and this becomes more and more obvious to us with each passing day

At around 1am we all woke up to the walls of the tent billowing and whipping in the wind. We had yet to stake down the tent since we left. While setting up the tent earlier that night we thought it would be a good night to use to stakes but after a few minutes of rummaging through the trunk and Thule we came to the conclusion that we had lost them. We laid therein the tent, barely spoke a word and tried to rolled over and went back to bed.

We woke up soon after as the wind continued to catch the tent and pull the walls inward. Keefe thought the fly might have been one of the reasons the wind was successfully whipping the tent. Molly and Keefe went outside and twisted the fly around securing it accurately. Back in the tent we, yet again, rolled over to fall asleep hopeing this small change would end the collapse of the walls.

We woke up (again) soon after to the tent lifting off the ground as well as the walls of the tent completely engulfing us.

Lilly and Keefe decided to take matters into their own hands, they brought four boulders into the tent and placed them into the corners, acting as the stakes would.

This seemed to be the perfect solution until the next gust of wind came and didn't successfully lift the tent but rather, or more dangerously, rolled the boulders towards our heads. In addition, the wind had to go somewhere so instead of lifting the tent it now just flattened it on to us.

Making some minor changes such as moving towards the bottom of the tent we managed to catch some much needed zzzz's.

We had a slow morning taking in the beautiful snow covered Rocky peaks. We also witnessed in full day light the stark difference between how seasoned travelers keep their camps compared us carefree GARTers.


one of these things is not like the others



the morning after






we're still confrazzled...how do they do it?

We packed up our haphazard camp and set off to cross the Rocky Mountains en route to Wyoming.



our view from our campsite, we weren't crazy after all for wanting a great view first thing in the am





the road was closed due to ice :(


these people had keys but closed the gate before we could squeak through.... So we had to turn around and retrace our steps alll the way through Boulder


at least we saw an elk (for the millionth time)


So our plan to drive through the Rockies and head to Jackson changed and we spent ANOTHER night in Boulder with our trusty hosts Will and Addison. Thanks again guys!

Love,
GART