Mimi and Maumau, Martine and DD Return! Or the Denver-Denver Loop of the 4 Friends (page 1 of 17)

Hello! 🙂

In 2017, struck by western addiction, our first road trip gave us an irresistible urge to return, which we did from September 2nd to 24th, 2019, on a loop from Denver to Denver via Yellowstone. The westernmost point of this journey, which took us through the geographical center of the USA, brought us within about a hundred kilometers of Moab, which had been the easternmost point of our last trip.

We’ve been back for over a month now, and I realize I’m starting to forget some details—it’s high time I started my travel journal before my brain turns into Swiss cheese and lets everything slip away. As I mentioned in my last story, it’ll take me quite a while to finish, so if any travelers have specific questions, don’t hesitate to message me privately. Once again, I’d like to thank everyone who helped me (and there were many!) prepare our road trip, with a special shout-out to Disneydiddl, Hiacinthe, and Titou (ladies first) as well as Fred and Itat, whom I bombarded with questions for months and who always kindly and patiently gave me tons of great tips. It’s thanks to all of you that this trip was such a success. I was a little worried I wouldn’t recapture the emotion and enthusiasm of our 2017 trip, but this one was just as "Wow" as the last.

For those who don’t know us, let me introduce our little group. We’re four friends in our sixties (this time, everyone made it, which let us score some "senior" discounts...). We live in the Var region, have known each other for over 20 years, and this was our second trip together to this magical West.

Mimi (Michèle): always the smallest and the funniest. Thank goodness she was there to speak English! Maumau (Maurice): her husband, always with his white hair, his Gallic mustache, his humor, and his Southern accent. He drove every other day. DD (André): the one with the beard, with whom I celebrated our 41st wedding anniversary at Yellowstone. Our second driver appreciated having a peaceful mind since he’s been retired since July. Marcalamar (Martine): that’s me—still blonde with glasses, still talking a lot, and still terrified of messing up the organization of this trip despite all the hours spent on the forum.

Recognize us? Ha ha ha!!!! No, just kidding!!!! That’s us!!!

Michèle, Maurice, André, and Martine... if you'd told us they were recent high school grads celebrating their diploma, we might've had a hard time believing it! 😛

But I'll be following this travel journal with as much attention as the last one. 😇

The itinerary: Day 1: Flight Marseille-Munich-Denver then Idaho Springs (92 km then 50 km round trip to visit Georgetown) Day 2: Idaho Springs - Wheatland (445 km via Rocky Mountain National Park) Day 3: Wheatland - Custer (500 km with visit to Custer State Park) Day 4: Custer - Interior (275 km with visit to Badlands) Day 5: Interior - Deadwood (222 km) Day 6: Deadwood - Sheridan (415 km) Day 7: Sheridan - Cody (318 km with visit to Bighorn Canyon) Day 8: Cody - Cooke City (372 km with incursion into Yellowstone up to Canyon Village) Day 9: Cooke City - Gardiner (288 km) Day 10: Gardiner - Canyon Village (151 km) Day 11: Canyon Village - West Yellowstone (177 km) Day 12: West Yellowstone (234 km) Day 13: West Yellowstone - Thayne (340 km) Day 14: Thayne - Brigham City (263 km + 86 km in the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge) Day 15: Brigham City - Rock Springs (447 km with visit to Antelope Island) Day 16: Rock Springs - Vernal (389 km with visit to Fantasy Canyon and Dinosaur National Monument on the Utah side) Day 17: Vernal - Fruita (356 km with visit to Dinosaur National Monument on the Colorado side and part of Colorado National Monument) Day 18: Fruita - Montrose (250 km with visit to Colorado National Monument and Black Canyon of the Gunnison) Day 19: Montrose - Cripple Creek (398 km via Divide) Day 20: Cripple Creek - Manitou Springs (113 km) Day 21: Manitou Springs (153 km with visit to Garden of the Gods and Painted Mines in Calhan) Day 22: Manitou Springs - Denver (160 km)

In calculating the distances, I included the trips from one accommodation to another with all the detours (roads, trails, round trips to restaurants, etc.) we made during the day. An app on our phone also let us know we walked over 150 km!

We covered 4,033 miles, almost 6,500 km over these three weeks. It was pretty fast-paced, and even though we got up at 6 a.m. every morning, we didn’t have time to linger in the small towns like we would’ve liked. Still, it was a fabulous trip—no one was left wanting, and everyone wants to go back to see more wonders! Maybe we should’ve planned to stay two nights in the same place a bit more often to "chill" a little, but apart from adding a few days (which we couldn’t do), looking back at our program, I don’t see anything we could’ve cut!

Haha!!! Well spotted!!! 😏 It’s true that just by seeing those names, you can guess the age of the people who have them!!! Have a great day! 🙂

Hi Martine,

I’ve been keeping an eye on this travel journal. Of course, I’ll follow along! I’m off—I leave Saturday for two weeks, so I’ll pick up reading when I get back. Good luck with the writing!

Take care,

Hello

I’ll take the time to read through your posts. And see where the madness of old age has taken you (you’ve definitely passed the 250-year mark). And see the world through your eyes.

Good evening Martine,

I still remember your 2017 travel journal, so I’m boarding for the 2019 one now!!!

Welcome everyone! 🙂 Budget. The prices you see include bank fees and currency exchange charges. Some are in euros, others in dollars. The ESTA, flight, and airport parking were paid by credit card when booking, accommodations were paid by card on-site, and everything else was covered by dipping into a shared pot that we topped up as needed.

The car, flights, and all accommodations were booked since October 2018.

Per couple: Flight: Marseille-Munich-Denver, Denver-Frankfurt-Marseille: 1978 € with Lufthansa, including one night at a hotel of our choice from their catalog (to get a better price on the flight, we had to book a ground package). ESTA: 28 € Airport parking in Marseille: 55 € (old parking) for 22 days. (For those who usually use it, note it’s now 115 € for the same period if booked for March 2020.)

For all four of us: Car: Toyota 4runner 4x4 (from Hertz): 1360 € (1482 dollars, including 189 dollars for a second driver and a 131-dollar discount as a goodwill gesture for our faulty air conditioning in 2017).

Accommodations: 2120 € per couple For the 21 nights, we stayed in hotels and motels booked via Booking.com and cabins inside the parks (1 booked through Xanterra for Yellowstone and another directly at Cedar Pass Lodge for Badlands National Park). We split our stays into 10 nights in a single room, 2 nights in a two-bedroom apartment, and 9 nights in shared rooms to cut costs and have a laugh—acting like the overgrown teenagers we still are. Some places offered breakfast; otherwise, we had it together in the room.

Cash: 2050 dollars per couple. This covered everything else: gas, evening restaurants, parking, state parks, groceries for breakfasts and midday picnics, tips, and personal souvenirs. Gas: 470 dollars America the Beautiful Pass: 80 dollars Custer State Park: 20 dollars per car Mount Rushmore parking: 5 dollars per car (senior price, otherwise 10 dollars) Mount Moriah Cemetery in Deadwood: 2 dollars per person Fort Phil Kearny: 5 dollars per person Buffalo Bill Museum in Cody: 9.5 dollars per person (discount for arriving at 4 PM) Antelope Island: 10 dollars per car Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine in Cripple Creek: 25 dollars per person Rock Ledge Ranch Pow Wow: 5 dollars per person (senior price, otherwise 8 dollars)

For us, the vacation cost 6911 € for both of us, all included.

Like during our 2017 road trip, we didn’t rent a GPS. We used the offline GPS app “Here WeGo,” downloading the maps of the states we’d be crossing onto our two phones and tablet before leaving. It took us absolutely everywhere we wanted to go, even to remote spots like Fantasy Canyon or Painted Mines. Just make sure to plug it into the car—otherwise, your phone battery drains *super* fast!!!!

Alright, friends! I’ll leave you for now and catch up as soon as I can (tomorrow’s kids’ day, so Grandma will be busy!!!) Have a great evening everyone

Hey Martine... I'm here too... I really like your writing style... I can just picture the four of you... and with that southern accent, of course 😄😄... Have a great day with your little ones tomorrow—I’ll be doing the same with mine... Have a good evening!

Hi Martine! I was a fan of your group in 2017, I’m still a fan in 2019!

Hi Martine,

I just discovered your 2017 adventure not too long ago 😊 this time I’m joining from the start 😃😃😃

Off on an adventure!

Have a great day, Myriam

Hi Martine, I followed your 2017 adventures too I’ll be following these even more closely because Yellowstone has been catching our eye for quite a while now 😉. Thanks for sharing!

Alright, here we go!!!! Day 1, Sept 2 – Marseille - Munich - Denver - Idaho Springs Argo Inn & Suites: Idaho Springs 137 € with breakfast (for 2 people) A cute little hotel just under 100 km from Denver. Located by the river, our rooms had a balcony overlooking it. Spacious room with coffee maker, fridge, and microwave. Barbecue and picnic table by the water for guests. We chose to stay here to get away from Denver and avoid morning traffic on our first day, but also to visit the charming town of Georgetown on the day we arrived.

Once again, we decided to leave very early in the morning, even though our flight to Munich wasn’t until 8:45 AM. Better to wake up a little earlier than deal with the chaos in Marseille and stress about missing our flight!!! It’s not every day we go to the States!!! Especially since, with the excitement, sleep is super light!! No message from Lufthansa about a schedule change!!! Cool!!! Quickly, tea down the hatch, and we jump in the car. 4:40 AM, the control tower at Marignane is in sight. Our friends arrive almost at the same time as us. Mimi and I are excited as fleas!!! So happy to reunite for this new adventure. Just thinking about what’s ahead has us jumping for joy. A little hot chocolate while waiting for boarding, and we’re in the air. Too bad the sky is overcast. A sea of clouds blocks our view of the Alps. Only one or two peaks taller than the rest poke through. Munich!! We wander around the Duty Free, where I buy another bottle of champagne (we still have our wedding anniversary to celebrate!!!). The flight to Denver is on time. Darn, more clouds!! Glued to the window, I hope they’ll clear by the time we reach Greenland. Every now and then, a break in the clouds lets a bit of blue through, and then suddenly, everything clears up. I’ll never get tired of this spectacle of glaciers, sea, and icebergs!!! Our Earth is so beautiful!!!!





At 2:25 PM, right on schedule, we touch down on the tarmac at Denver Airport. Customs, immigration, and baggage claim in record time!! As soon as we leave the terminal, a blast of hot air surprises us!!! Thanks to our Hertz Gold Plus Rewards card, our name is already on the board, and the icing on the cake—the employee speaks French!!! We get to the car—what is this monster!!!! A huge 4Runner 4x4!! With our short legs, Mimi and I are going to need a step stool to reach the seats. The trunk is massive; we won’t need to play Tetris every morning. We program the address of a Walmart into our Here WeGo GPS to buy a styrofoam cooler and supplies for our first picnics and breakfasts. At 3:45 PM, we’re off!! 1 hour and 20 minutes between landing and leaving the parking lot!! What a difference from Los Angeles Airport. No issues with the automatic transmission—our drivers are pros!! Denver Airport is funny with its white structures that look like tipis. Everything is dry and sun-scorched on both sides of the road. I glance at the temperature: 101°F on the dashboard!!!! Over 38°C!!! Uh!!!! The cold-weather lover that I am packed sweaters, technical t-shirts, a heavy-duty parka, and even wool gloves and a hat!!! We leave Denver. The road on I-70 is very hilly. Soon after a desert plateau, we start seeing pine trees. And to think we’re so close to the scorched fields of Denver.

It almost feels like the Alps. We spot a herd of “deer” drinking from a small river, and we arrive in Idaho Springs, which is both a little mountain village and a Wild West mining town that stretches quietly along the river. Our smiling hotel hostess gives us our keys. Just enough time to settle in for a few minutes before heading to the picturesque Georgetown to stroll around, see its historic downtown, its shops full of old-timey items, and its Hotel de Paris turned museum.

Unfortunately, even though we’d have loved to keep exploring all its nooks and crannies, time flies, and it’s already 7 PM!! It’s too late to look for and photograph the steam locomotive, and it’s twilight as we head back to Idaho Springs for our first night in the U.S., not without first devouring a good burger at the Clear Creek Cidery (4 burgers, 2 beers for $91).

People we love, full bellies, a cozy bed, a river lulling us right beside us (I even got up to open the window to hear it better), an amazing trip ahead—life is beautiful!!!!

Hello

It's always nice to arrive at your first motel, with all the luggage, no delays, and a good car waiting for you.

You're in the US 😉

Hi Martine and Co, I’ll be following your travel journal with interest since your trip might resemble the one we’ve planned for June 2020. It already radiates the fun the group seems to have had doing it... and thanks for sharing! Yves

Good evening! 🙂 It’s so great to see familiar usernames again!!!! As I’ve said, the 4Runner is super spacious—there’s room for everyone, old friends and new!!!! If we squeeze a bit, you’ll all fit inside, and if we really have to, we’ll put some on the roof!!! How’s it going, Gilles? Not too nostalgic about finishing your travel journal? We’re happy to have made it to the end, but it’s always tough to finally close the chapter on a trip after those few weeks on the road and all those months of planning and writing. And Yves, don’t hesitate to honk if you have any specific questions. Thanks to everyone for your little notes (it’s a bit of pressure, but it’s also encouraging), and have a great weekend! Martine 🙂

Hi Martine, I’m in too! (Looking forward to getting back to writing my own this weekend!) So nice to see your little group again!

Hi Martine,

How's it going Gilles, not too nostalgic about finishing your travel journal? We're happy to have made it to the end, but it's always tough to finally close the chapter on this trip after those few weeks on the ground and all those months of planning and writing.

Withdrawal is tough! I think this time it's even worse than previous years.

To motivate myself, I'm trying to plan a few days in Italy.

Day 2. September 3rd Idaho Springs - Wheatland Heartland Inn & Suites Wheatland: 144 € with breakfast (for 4 people) Comfortable and very spacious room with microwave, kettle tray, refrigerator, pool, and hot tub. Hearty breakfast with both savory and sweet options (waffle maker). A bit outside the city with a huge parking lot. Very well located for visiting Fort Laramie.

A long drive today (almost 450 km). The night before, everyone had crashed early, but thanks to the time difference, we were all fresh and ready at the crack of dawn. Last little stroll by the river before breakfast, and at 7:45 AM, we set off for the 80 km of the Trail Ridge Road—the highest continuous paved road in the USA and the crossing of the Rocky Mountains. Every morning, we played Tetris the same way to fit suitcases, coolers, travel bags, and backpacks into the trunk.

Right after leaving town, we came across a herd of bighorn sheep (no males with their impressive horns, just females and young ones).







We passed by mining remnants and tackled the switchbacks leading to Berthoud Pass, where we saw our first chipmunks.





We left the conifers behind and found meadows and small cabins as we approached Granby. At the Grand Lake entrance station, we bought our America the Beautiful Pass.

Shortly after this purchase, we saw cars stopped along the road—I’ve learned my lesson: where there are cars, there’s something to see! A young moose welcomed us to his park, leaving his lush, grassy meadows to cross the road right in front of us.



And as if that wasn’t lucky enough, a little farther on, a mom and her calf were there too, barely hidden by the tall grass.



Excitement was building in the car! We’d just left and were already spotting animals. After a few kilometers of tight switchbacks, we started hitting the different overlooks (OVLs). I don’t know if it’s because we left early or because it’s September, but we never had trouble finding a parking spot. Farview Curve OVL

Milner Pass



Medicine Bow Curve OVL and its hairpin turn

The road winds through the mountains. The pine trees have disappeared, and the tundra has taken over. The scenery around the road changes with every new viewpoint. Gore Range OVL





We pass the summit at 3,713 m just before the Lava Cliffs.



A little more driving, and we’re at the Tundra Communities Trailhead, where we’ll start our short hike into the tundra.

I’ve racked my brain trying to remember the names of all the OVLs—I’m not sure I got them all right. If any locals spot mistakes, feel free to correct me. Thanks!