Does anyone have a guide of this years COLORADO Leaf Peepers tour?. I can't wait to attend this tour. Can we still get reservations?
Dan:
Day 1. September 28th: We leave Loveland on the 28th and drive to Walden, Colorado.
Day 2. We leave Walden and travel to Saratoga, Wyoming.
Day 3. We leave Saratoga and travel to Laramie, Wyoming.
Day 4. We leave Laramie and return to Loveland.
Please note there is an optional day on Sept. 27th to drive from Loveland to Estes Park and up Trail Ridge. Last year every one that went on the tour also did Trail Ridge.
I checked the Motels last night and they all still have rooms available. Contact me and I will send you a list of the Motels.
Dan:
I have been having so much trouble trying to post pictures that I thought I would post them on a separate post
Day one: from Loveland to Walden.
Day two: Walden to Saratoga.
Day three: Saratoga to Laramie}
Optional Day: Trail Ridge
David,
This is going to be a great tour.
Thank you.
We are sure looking forward to it. Want to try the Devils Gulch Road going to Estes Park on Friday.
Ron and Linda Dupree
Ron:
I am not sure were the Devils Gulch Road is. If its through New Raymer be sure to stop and get a Cinnamon Role. They are some of the best in Colorado. Your grade for a short distance above New Raymer will be 18 degrees.
Dave,do we need to bring extra gas with us?
Thanks Randall
Randall Strickland:
You will not need to bring extra gas. There are plenty of gas stations and the trouble truck will have gas. Boy was I embarrassed last year. When we were doing the optional day up Trail Ridge the day before the tour I told every one to be sure to gas up in Estes Park because there are no gas stations on Trail Ridge. I trailered into Estes with my T because I wanted to have a trouble truck on stand by. I down loaded my T and did not gas up because I swore I gassed up the day before when I drove into town. I must have taken one of my other Ts to town because when we got almost to the top of Trail Ridge I ran out of gas. Since I was wagon boss and told every one else to be sure to gas up did I take some ribbing. Anyway Randall gas will not be a problem.
Ron Dupree:
I said the wrong settlement, I should have said Glen Haven. I go that way every once in awhile just to do a different route. We have been having some rain the last couple of days. Tonight at dinner my wife said that the road to Glen Haven was closed as they had a wash out. I would think that it will be fixed by the time we will be going to Estes. I will try and find out what the estimate on time for repair will be and let you know.
I hope your wife's shoulder is feeling good!
Ron Dupree:
I don't know if you remember Mark and Jerri O'Keen and their 24 coupe they are coming again. I think you will recognize their T.
Dave,
It was Devils Gulch road to Glen Haven that I was talking about trying. What about Big Thompson canyon itself? Any damage from the rain?
Linda's shoulder is fine. She has had some other problems this summer. We will talk about them when we see you later this month!
Ron Dpree
Dave, The news about flooding in Boulder and Lyons is all over TV. How are things in Loveland, besides, wet.
Dave
The worst rain I ever drove in was on the back road between Golden and Boulder the summer of 1982. We had to stop because we could not see the road and on the flat there was an inch covering the road (On top of the mountain.) In Boulder I watched a parking lot go from no water to over the hubcaps in about 15 min.
Hope that doesn't happen again now.
Bob
Bob
Terry Woods:
I have not heard anything on TV about Loveland but the Big Thompson River up in the Canyon is overflowing its banks. People keep building down at the river level. I sure there will be some damage along the river. They forget what happened about 10 years ago when over a 100 people died when the river flooded. Right now all three roads on the East routes to Estes is closed. Some of you knew Bill Tharp. Bill had a house in Loveland on the Big Thompson River and a number of years ago had it get flooded real bad, so I guess that a lot of houses will be damaged again. I did put side curtains on my 16 this morning and drove into Berthoud for the daily coffee and I had no problems on the highway but there was one place that looked like a lake.
Ron Dupree:
The road into Glen Haven is a piece of cake, like driving in Kansas except lots curves. There is a couple of curves were I have to use my Ruckstell for a hundred yards or so. Its about a mile past Glen Haven where the road gets serious.
Dave, can you run this tour okay without a Ruckstell or other auxiliary transmission? Joe
Joseph A. Stearns:
That is a good question. We have people without auxiliary transmissions every year that make it through just fine. I would not recommend doing Trail Ridge, that is just too much up hill for 24 miles. I would recommend that you go as far as Estes as that is high gear almost all the way. We will be doing Estes and Trail Ridge the day before the tour and is an option for those that want to do them. Last year every one that went on the tour also did Estes and Trail Ridge.
Thanks for info, I can't make it this year but it is on my bucket list. Joe
Josep A. Stearns;
If you wait and go next year that will give you time to install a Ruckstell. There is usually some for sale at Chickasha.
Dave,
Things don't look very good for the Big Thompson canyon and trip to Estes Park. I am hoping that Hwy 14 is reopened before too long.
Ron Dupree
Ron Dupree:
I hope to have information for you this afternoon. I plan to spend the morning on the phone. At this point I understand that 34 is definitely out. I also understand that 36 is also out. I went to town this morning and had coffee with one of the CDOT (Colorado Dept. of Transportation) employees and he suggested another way to Estes. It would be up Left Hand Canyon on Highway 7. I have been up 7 and its a real neat trip. It would be further so we would want to trailer the Ts to Estes and down load there. We will be passing the Church on the rocks if we go by way of 7.
Ron Dupree:
Don't give up on me. I am not having much luck getting through. Half of the offices are closed on Saturday and the other office phone are so swamped with calls that I can't get through. I will keep trying and get back to you as soon as I get any information. Highway 14 as you know does not travel along the river like 34 so I don't look to have too much problem with it. The state makes a real effort to keep it open. By the way its real nice here today with sunshine.
My father taught summers for 10 years at the state college at Greeley and I spent one summer there in 1947. We were up the Big Thompson Canyon several times and visited the Stanley Hotel at Estes. Floyd Clymer was from Loveland. Clymer published many books on the history of early automobiles. I corresponded with him when he lived in Los Angeles. I have many of his books. Greeley is also known for it's cattle feeding lots. Much of the area around Greeley is flooded.
Ron Dupree:
It does not look good for the Trail Ridge Drive. All the roads to Estes are still closed and damaged so bad that it looks like they will be closed down for months. Trail Ridge has been closed to tourist, only trucks with supplies for Estes are allowed on the park roads.
GOOD NEWS for the Leaf Peeper Tour though. I finally got through this afternoon to the Sheriffs Office. They tell me that Highway 14 to Walden is closed today because of water but that they don't think there has been any significant damage to the highway.
I understand that Wyoming Mountains did not get quite as much rain so the roads are still open. I will spend some time tomorrow trying to contact officials in Wyoming about the roads on the tour.
Side bar: I tried to get to the Dam Store on 34 to take some pictures of the damage to send you. I fired up the 16 and went through Deer Valley to Highway 34 about 3 miles East of the Dam Store. I thought that a picture of the water coming over the dam and all the damage to the road would be interesting. When I got to the intersection of Deer Valley and Highway 34 the road was blocked. I thought that well since I can't get to the Dam Store I will go East to Loveland. I was told by the deputy that I could not go East on 34 because the bridge over the river was out. The bridge was about 4 miles from the La Quinta Motel that you stayed in last year
I will let you know what I find out about the roads in Wyoming
Ron Dupree:
I Had breakfast with a CDOT (Colorado Dept. of Transportation) employee this morning. He advised me that the lower section of 14 is in bad shape and that it probably will not be ready by the 28th. The damage is in the lower section of 14 below Rustic. We spent the morning going over maps trying to figure a route to Rustic. I am glad I have side curtains for the 16 as it started raining again and I drove home in the rain. I hope to drive some of the routes to Rustic this afternoon and tomorrow and will let you know how they are.
Dave,
We have all of our reservations intact. Not being able to get to Estes Park is not a surprise, or a big deal. We will stay on hold until we hear from you. We will be leaving here on the 24th, so we have a little time for things to settle out on your end. If you have to cancel, we will certainly understand why.
Ron and Linda Dupree
Ron Dupre
Is raining again. We have had an inch since it started again about 9PM. They all say that it is raining real hard in Fort Collins.
Side Bar: Even if you could get to Drake, you could not get to Glen Haven. They showed a shot on TV last night of Glen Haven, the main store is a pile of lumber. The main street (the only street) is gone. I will miss the cinnamon roles as I doubt that the old store will ever be rebuilt. I used to sit on the front porch with my coffee and role and only see about one or two cars go by on the way to Estes. The were saying on TV this morning that the National Guard is evacuating people by helicopter out of Glen Haven.
So far all I can find out in Wyoming that there no problems on their roads. I will be doing some more calling to Wyoming.
Ron Dupree:
We are going to have to change Day one of the Leaf Peeper Tour. Huge chunks of Highway 14 to Walden are washed away. The new route will be up to Laramie, Saratoga, back to Laramie and then return to Loveland. I have reserved rooms at Laramie in the Down Town Motel for the 28th and 30th.
Day 1: Sept 28th. Laramie, Down Town Motel 307-742-6671 (Note the name has changed from the Travel Lodge to the Down Town Motel.
Day 2: Sept 29th. Saratoga, Riviera Motel 307-326-5651
Day 3: Sept 30th. Laramie, Down Town Motel 307-742-6671
Day 4: Oct. 1st. Return to Loveland.
We will be travelling over Snowy Range Pass which was voted the NUMBER THREE most scenic drive in the U.S.
Observation platform on top of Snowy Range Pass.
We still may be able to get to Estes on 27th. Saturday eight Safeway semis were able to deliver food to Estes. They went up Highway 7. As you know its an optional day not part of the Tour, but we will have a trouble truck available. At this time only emergency vehicles are allowed to use Highway 7.
Time permitting we may be able to visit the Wyoming territorial prison while we are in Laramie
on Dupree:
Good Morning, I am helping the wife drain water out of our basement, so I have not had any time to work on the tour. All the information that I am getting still says that the Wyoming roads are good. I have a CDOT friend that has spending his nights watching the Big Thompson River at Teds Corner and 287. So far the river has not hurt 287 but he says the water is 8 inches from the guard rail. I have not heard from him yet today. At this point I would still say that it looks good to go. If you know anyone that coming please advise them about the Motel Change at Walden.
Dave,
Any updates? Looks like Hwy 34 is cut east of Greeley. Not sure how we are going to get the trailer to Loveland!
Ron Dupree
Ron Dupree:
I checked with my CDOT friend again this morning and he advised me that 287 is still open so we are good to go to Laramie. I am also will be checking to see about getting up Highway 7 to Estes the day before the tour. The State is already hauling rock to start on road repair but I think it will take at least a year and maybe a lot more to fix highway 34 to Estes.
I hope that the damage to some of the roads do not deter people that were coming on the Leaf Peeper Tour. The new routes on the tour are good with NO damage, little traffic, and are in good condition. There is no reason to not come.
Ron Dupree:
I just saw your question on routes to Loveland. I will send you some routes this afternoon, as soon as I get finished with some paper work on the Tour.
Dave,
We WILL be coming. Not expecting to be able to get into Estes Park. I have figured out some routes into Loveland.
Ron Dupree
Dave Huson,
My hat is off to you sir for your constant work and concern to keep the tour going. I hope someday to attend. It is amazing that you never called it quits when you could have easily blamed the weather and shut the tour down. THANK YOU for your Model T spirit.
Ron Dupree:
Sounds good. I called Jim Becker in Estes about road 7. Jim was going to come on the Leaf Peeper Tour and has been on them before but I doubt he will be with us this year. He said that road 7 is now open to road 72 Black Hawk, but it makes a round trip of 120 miles to Loveland. It was 24 miles on highway 34. I really don't think I want to do 120 miles around that way plus another 48 miles on Trail Ridge.
m
Ron Dupree:
I refigured The route around black hawk to Estes from Loveland and its 140 miles not 120 miles. That road is the Peak to Peak Highway.
The HCCA called yesterday and advised that they are still coming. They are going to meet us at Centennial on day two and go on to Saratoga and return with us the next day.
Dave,
Is it true that hwy 14 has been reopened from Teds Place to Walden?
We will be leaving for Loveland in a couple of hours. If any of your plans change, just e-mail us.
Ron and Linda Dupree
Ron:
The State is reporting that 14 is open. You have to go down in the washed out places and drive across gravel. I am sure some of those places are very rough.
They also opened up the bridge on overland trail. That is the way we went around Fort Collins last year.
Bob Chapasko did the new routes yesterday and reports that the new routes are good to go A lot of the Colorado T people can not go for one reason or another. Jim Becker is still tied up in Estes.
We are still planning a barbeque in Saratoga.