Day 4: Yellow Trees, a Big Sky, and a Night at the Winery
Day four of the Southwest loop, Lakin, Kansas to Salida, Colorado, 303.45 miles and 5 hours and 37 minutes planned. The day the plains turned into mountains. Press play above for the drive slideshow; our written reports follow.
Dublin's Report
We woke at Beymer to a sunrise worth getting up for, and then we rolled. Pueblo first, under a big sky, the kind of sky that makes the whole world feel wide. Then the road started to change. The plains gave way, the ground rose, and by Penrose the trees had turned the brightest yellow we have seen on this whole road. I do not exaggerate. Whole hillsides of yellow, glowing against the rock like somebody switched on a light.
Cañon City came next, the sign standing under wild clouds, and the air smelled different after that, thinner and cleaner, mountain air. The truck worked a little harder and nobody minded. Colorado is a state that announces itself.
We ended the day in Salida at Mountain Spirit Winery, a Harvest Hosts stay, and slept with the vineyard around us. A winery night is a quiet night: no traffic, no crowds, just the rig, the vines, and the two of us on our beds doing our jobs. Chester sniffed the evening air like it owed him an explanation. It did not provide one. Day four, done, and the mountains are officially here.
Dublin's road wisdom: Watch the trees. When they change color all at once, you are somewhere new, and you should pay attention.
Chester's Report
DAY FOUR. Kansas to Colorado and the whole WORLD changed color. We started with a sunrise at the lake, which Dublin watched like it was his job (it is, he is the supervisor), and then we drove and drove and then BAM, YELLOW TREES. Not regular yellow. The BRIGHTEST yellow trees on this entire road, at a place called Penrose, whole hills of them, and I pressed my nose to the window so hard I left a print. Worth it.
Pueblo had a giant sky. Cañon City had a sign and crazy clouds stacked up like a weather argument. And then mountains, real mountains, and the air went all thin and fancy and I sneezed twice, which Dublin says is my mountain adjustment protocol. It is not a protocol. I just sneezed.
Night time: a WINERY. Mountain Spirit Winery in Salida, and we got to sleep there, which means vines everywhere and smells everywhere and a very quiet night with zero leaf blowers at 3:30 AM, which I appreciated personally. I sniffed everything twice and then fell asleep mid-sniff, probably. Colorado, you are beautiful and yellow and I am ready for more. Day four, done.
Photos and video from the day
Sunrise at Beymer before we rolled.
First light at Beymer.
Pueblo under a big sky.
The brightest yellow trees at Penrose.
The Cañon City sign under wild clouds.
Our winery night in Salida.
Dublin & Chester, Paws Parks & Provisions