FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA January 22, 2004 Note: I just uncovered two pages of notes that I had jotted down regarding the photos that were taken on the trip Prior to our stay at Eagle, Colorado, we drove through the San Isabel National Forest. I don't know why they call it a forest in that any trees along the streams weren't all that tall. However, maybe the part we drove through wasn't like the rest of the park. Outside of Leadville, Colorado, in the summer heat we could see some of the mountains with snow on their peaks. Truly amazing! When we drove through Leadville, Colorado, we couldn't believe our eyes when we saw the buildings along their short main street! It was as if we had just entered the late 1800s! The one-story storefronts and other businesses looked like they probably did back when Leadville was a roaring mining town in the late 80s! However, we did notice that the storefronts were only façades and figured that the small town was trying to keep up its Old Wild West flavor. They certainly managed it in great style! We continued on and started driving across the 175-mile-wide desert west of Grand Junction, Colorado. We had stopped in Grand Junction to purchase a canvas water bag for the car that we had been advised to carry with us. The very hot, dry desert wind never stopped and opportunities to get water for the radiator were few and far between. We also purchased a sizable thermos water jug for personal drinking water. As we crossed the Colorado state border into Utah, the desert was hot with sparse vegetation. It did have many patches of cactus but I doubt that any of them were even a foot tall. Regarding the 4th of July rodeo in Green River, Utah, in the middle of the desert I had forgotten that I had taken a number of pictures of the cowboys and the events of the day. I don't recall any grandstands for the spectators but I do recall the excitement that was going on only a bit of a distance between the action and me. First, the rodeo started up with a race from one pole on the far right to another pole at the other end. What a magnificent sight and sound as the four horses kicked up dust and sand and roared past us! Note: I noticed that one of the cowboys was a GIRL! Regarding the calf-roping contest that too was exciting. We watched as one of the cowboys roped and tied a calf in 29 seconds! Note: All in all there were only about ten cowboys competing. What a marvelous once-in-a-lifetime real-life experience!