On Our Way to Wyoming

Thomas has his annual WASHTO conference this year in Laramie, Wyoming so we are off on another trip. And while Thomas is at his conference I will be letterboxing. This morning we left Santa Fe sometime around 6:00am to begin our journey. There were no boxes for me to stop and get in New Mexico so we just drove along I25 until we got to Raton. We decided to take a break from the drive and fill the car with gas and get some breakfast. We stopped at a restaurant that was recommended to Thomas on one of his many work trips to Raton. This local place is called the Oasis Restaurant. The food was really good and it was a nice break from the drive. After eating we stopped and filled the car with gas and then we got back on I25 headed to Colorado.

Welcome to Colorado!

We only went a few miles and then took exit 460 to find The Woodshed's Colorado Highway Mountain Passes: Raton Pass letterbox. The box is hidden at a pullout at Raton Pass in Colorado. You can get a great view and picture of the Colorado Welcome Sign from here. When we got to the pullout there was no one there so it was easy to find the box, stamp in and then put it back in place without being seen. A nice box and a nice break along this drive. Back on I25 we drove another 18 miles and stopped at the El Moro Rest Area just north of Trinadad. The Woodshed has a series of four boxes here. I found The Art of El Moro series. This wasn't an easy task - this has to be one of the busiest rest areas I have ever seen. When we pulled in the entire lot for cars was full except for two spots. I was skeptical about being able to find the boxes but since we were here I gave it a try. I went to the area for the first box and quickly found the hiding spot but had to wait about 5 minutes for a man to move away and quit staring at me. When the coast was clear I grabbed the box, stamped in and put it back in place. The second box was very near the first one and this one was easier since I had a wall and a bush to block me from most views and I only had to watch one direction. Again I grabbed the box, stamped in and then put it back. I then went in search for the third box. Like I said the parking area was full and there were cars parked right in front of the hiding spot and there were people sitting in two of the cars and there was no way I could have gotten the box without being seen.

El Moro Rest Area - Trinadad, CO

So I left that spot and went in search of the fourth box. This one was a little easier but still took a little time. It is near the entrance to the rest area and I just sat there waiting while car after car kept coming in - I counted twenty-three cars before there was a long enough break to get the box. I grabbed it and found a spot behind a wall to sit and stamp in totally obstructed from view. Getting the box back in place was easier as I just went and sat at the spot and dropped the box back in place. I then went back to the car and we started to head out and since that third box was at the far end of the rest area I thought we could stop and see if it was a bit safer. There were only three cars parked near the spot and all were empty - so Thomas kind of blocked me from view while I grabbed the box. I took it back to the car and quickly stamped in so we could get it back in place before the owners of the cars returned. It took us about 40 minutes to be able to get the boxes with all the people hovering about. It was definitely a lesson in stealth. Then we were back on I25 heading north. Everything was going well and the drive so far was uneventful and pleasant. But then we arrived in Pueblo. We first encountered signs about road work ahead and then we saw signs that the interstate was closed and we had to detour. They had us exit the interstate and go into Pueblo, turn right and drive a ways and then turn right again and rejoin the interstate at another exit pass whatever road work they were doing. It was stop and go, moving along very slow - the whole detour took us 45 minutes. When we finally were back on the interstate and moving at the normal speed limit we were thankful - unfortunately that didn't last long. Just as we entered into Colorado Springs the traffic became increasingly backed up. We moved slow for a while and then we gained speed and then we had to slow down again and there were a few time when we came to a stand still. There was some construction but not enough to stall traffic - we never did find out why it was so busy and backed up. Not that it mattered because this traffic pattern continue all the way to Denver and beyond. The drive between Pueblo and the north area of Denver took us just over three hours (normally about a two hour drive). Once we got past the I70 interchange the traffic began to thin out. From Denver to Fort Collins was much better. We exited at Fort Collins (Exit 269) and then took Hwy 287 up to Laramie. Just before we reached the Wyoming border we stopped at a rest area to find preboxed's Wagon Ho! - Overland Trail box. This was a quick and easy find and in no time we were back on the road for our final stretch into Laramie.

Little Boy - Greenhill Cemetery, Laramie, Wy

We arrived at the hotel at 6;00pm - we had estimated A 3:30pm arrival with stopping to eat, fill the car with gas and letterboxing. So with the added traffic it took us 2+ hours longer. We still arrived in plenty of time for Thomas to shower and get to his conference dinner. After Thomas checked in we got our bags up to the room and Thomas jumped in the shower to get ready for his dinner and I headed out to find a few letterboxes. I drove about six blocks from the hotel to Greenhill Cemetery. I spent about 30 minutes here finding three boxes - Public Hand's A California Quail Comes to Wyoming, Grumpy Grinch's Horned Hooter and Batty Girl's Spring Flowers. This was a pleasant letterbox hunt since the place was empty. I only saw one car with two people and they were leaving as I was entering. After finding these three boxes I decided to call it a day and returned to the hotel. Thomas was at his dinner when I returned so I walked next door to the hotel to a deli for a sandwich. I brought the food back to the room to eat and I logged in my finds at the same time. Even with all the traffic it was a good day. Tomorrow I am on my own as Thomas is busy the entire day with the conference. I am sure I can keep myself busy with letterboxing.