San Francisco to Denver

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Originally Posted by UKCraig

Reserved timed entry tickets for Rocky Mountain national park yesterday. The site (recreation.gov) was horrible and kept dying. Had to register multiple accounts before I got one to.go through. Is this normal or just bad luck?

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I'd say it's both a little normal and a little back luck. The times I've had issues with recreation.gov are when the site is struggling with demand. If timed entry tickets opened up at a certain time, and there were a lot of people trying to claim them all at once, the site often struggles with that.

My previous trips to Mesa Verde, I bought tickets after arriving at the park, but it's been a few years since I was there, and I'm not sure if online tickets were even an option at the time.

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Originally Posted by Midwest Michael

I'd say it's both a little normal and a little back luck. .

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This is nearly the 4th of July weekend and so demand is extra high. Especially since the parks are all free on the 4th.

By the way -- have a wonderful trip Michael!

Mark

Okay well fingers crossed it was a blip. I have to book the next tickets on Friday this week so hopefully it works better then :)

Was just playing around on Google My Maps and came up with this rough route (more to lay out the order of the route rather than the precise directions we will take so I am sure it is far from perfect). Not sure if the link will work or not but this is what we are planning. With just 12 days til the off it's all getting a little exciting now.

https://earth.google.com/web/@38.747...mFrayACOgMKATA

The map displays and gives a good idea of your plan, but it is 'clunky'. Not long to go now, and a lot to look forward too! Have fun!

Dave (Pleased for you but slightly jealous!) ;-)

Yes it is far from perfect. Horrible thing to work with too!

recreation.gov worked flawlessly this time so now have Mount Blue Sky tickets. Just Mesa Verde to go now next Friday.

Tagged on the end of the ticket was a text advising that the route is closing from September and will re-open in 2026 so we did well to get in before it closed down. see link

Sadly I just missed out (by a day!) on the Pikes Peak Airshow which I just learned about. Bit disappointed about that but I guess you can't do everything!!

Craig,

Glad the ticket/reservation site worked well this time.

I don't remember traveling along the Mount Blue Sky scenic route -- so looking forward to your thoughts about that.

Mark

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Originally Posted by Mark Sedenquist

Craig,

I don't remember traveling along the Mount Blue Sky scenic route -- so looking forward to your thoughts about that.

Mark

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You're probably already aware Mark, but this route used to known as Mt Evans scenic route and is the highest paved route in the USA.

Dave

The Mount Blue Scenic Highway is also known more prosaically as CO-5.

AZBuck

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Originally Posted by Southwest Dave

You're probably already aware Mark, but this route used to known as Mt Evans scenic route and is the highest paved route in the USA.

Dave

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Dave, after I posted that remark, I wondered about that very thing, but whether called Blue Sky or the former Mt. Evans -- I guess I have never driven it. Something I need to do something about someday.

Mark

Well we are still here. Just! It has been a hard trip in truth... teenage boy kicked off even before we left London and clearly doesn't want to be with us. The feeling, currently at least, is mutual! Currently at Great Sand Dunes Lodge sitting doing very little which is nice. A well earned rest although I can't help but think I should have taken that opportunity for us all to headp home early a couple of days back. There will be no more family trips like this again... next time I will be travelling alone for certain.

... is a learning experience, else why take them?

AZBuck

Oh boy, that's a tough one to take. Hopefully taking a little time out, and giving each other a bit of space, will improve the situation. I hope you can all get something positive from the trip going forwards.

Dave

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Originally Posted by UKCraig

There will be no more family trips like this again... next time I will be travelling alone for certain.

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Well, that is a big bummer. Sorry it hasn't been the fun you hoped for.

As SW Dave suggested, maybe things will turn around nicely in the days to come.

Mark

Traveling with teenagers can be hard. 10 years ago we did a big extended family roadtrip around Iceland and our at the time 15 year old seemed like it was her goal to ruin the trip for everyone else. Some for the good days were when she just sat in the car and sulked while we went off exploring. Obviously, this is a girl who had been taken on roadtrips her entire life, so it wasn't like she didn't know what to expect, it was just a teenager being a teenager.

That said, a decade later, she does seem to appreciate the fact that she got to go and I think she has some regrets about how she acted, so thing do get better.....

I think you nailed it, Michael. Sounds exactly the same as our situation.

Thankfully we are home now. No disasters along the way, no car-crashes, no messed up hotel reservations, no flight delays, no queues at immigration, even our bags were waiting for us on the carousel as we entered arrivals. Never doing it again though. As before, next time will be like the old days with just me alone.

Thanks everyone for your help in the planning process. I am happy to answer any questions on the places that we visited if I can but please do excuse me if I don't write our a daily report... it's all just a bit too raw right now!