Date: June 30, 1927                      Weather:  Great, warm, sunny.
Place: Pikes Peak                          From Denver, Colordo           10:00-

Via: Beautiful mountain sideroad  partly concrete

Impressions:  Today has been the most thrilling day so far experienced. W e arrived in Colorado Springs at about one and after pitching camp at Stone Wall Park went to see the home of the cliff dwellers at Manitau. We went thru all of the chambers, the guide explaining the use of them. They have a family of Indians there which danced for us. Then we went through the Cave of the Winds 200ft below the surface & 7000ft above sea level. The caves are filled with calcium formations. It was a 3/4 of a mile walk through. The climax of the day was the climb up Pikes Peak. It is the worst thrill I have ever had. The grade is at 45 degree angle and the curves were extremely sharp often with a drop of thousands of feet on both sides. Dad drove the Cadillac up and made it. Mother wanted to turn back. There was snow on the top and a strong gale was blowing. It was 25 degrees by the thermometer. On the top is a hotel and station. We went up at about 6:00 for sunset. The altitude affected our ears. We were all in.

Date: June 29, 1927                        Weather:Showers warm
Place: Denver, Colorado                From Denver, Colorado                  3:00-9:00     

Via: Denver  paved streets

 Impressions: We spent all morning resting, sewing, washing up etc. This afternoon we went sight seeing in Denver, the city. They have some beautiful parks and picturesque lakes fed by mountain streams. Billie and I went swimming at Washington Park. City Park is most beautiful having many tennis courts and a zoo. We also went through the capital building which doesn't hold a candel to ours. Denver has many hospitals in it & it is very spread out. They have a pile of snow from the mountains dumped on the main street. (Caused by terrible storm in Wyoming.)

Impressions: we spent all morning resting, sewing, washing up etc.  This afternoon we went sight seeing in Denver, the city.  They have some beautiful parks and picturesque lakes fed by mountain streams  Billie and I went swimming at Washington Park. City Park is the most beautiful having many tennis courts and a zoo. We also e=went through the capital building which doesn’t hold a candel to ours. Denver has many hospitals in it >it is very spread out. They have a pile of snow from the mountains dumped on the main street. Caused by terrible storm in Wyoming.)

Date: June 28^th 1927   Weather: Hot and damp by showers and cooler

Place: Denver, Col. From: Denver, Col

Via: The rocky mountains

Impressions: Today we spent sightseeing in and about Denver and had dinner at the Denver Athletics Club. This afternoon we spent partly at shopping and partly driving. The thrill of the day was “Lookout Mountain” our first encounter with the much viewed mountain from greater distances. It was positively marvelous. The road going up was winding and bordered on each side by wonderful pi8nes and mountain streams. At the top was a fine log cabin filled with Buffalo Bill’s relics. His grave also was up there by his own request. The view was great!

Date: June 27, 1927                        Weather: Warm, Sunny.
Place: Denver, Colorado   From Sterling, Colorado                  8:15-3:00 (2:00 western time)    

Via: Macadam gravel road

Impressions: .The drive today was warm but most delightful. Colorado is a very dry sandy state somewhat rolling with less trees than even the planes. The country consists of large prairies of sagebrush and along the roads, it is thick with yellow, black eyed susans. The corn or grain is thin and there are not as many cattle to be seen. We neared the mountains about noon and they were beautiful from a distance, a bluish hugh streaked with white. We are at Overland Park in Denver today. There are many camps here.
We saw Buffalo Bill's farm today. The fields were filled with Chinese pheasants.

Date: June 26, 1927                        Weather: Warm, Sunny.
Place: Sterling, Colorado           From Gothenberg, Nebraska           12:00-7:15    

Via Dusty clay like roads

Impressions: Today was Sunday, but it didn't seem much like it. We went to a real Nebraska farmer's dance last night. It sure was fun.
The scenery was typical western today. Wide stretches of plain lands can be seen on every side. There are few trees and nothing breaks the monotony except grazing cattle and huge haystacks 30 to40 feet high. In some places there are grassy mounds or hills, one after another. we passed many Indian homes today. Colorado is so far about the same. The climate is fine.

Date: June 25, 1927                        Weather: Warm, sunny, great!
Place: Gothenberg, Nebraska           From North Bend, Nebraska      10:00-   7:15    

Via Academ roads- good but dusty

Impressions:The road today was great. A few holes, but generally good roads. The surrounding country is nothing but plains stretching out for miles and miles with an occasional clump of trees. The cities are miles apart and ar small "hick" places of not much account. A queer thing about the farms is that they plant their corn in deep furrows instead of on top. The ride seemed long today, but we are at a dandy campsite. It has a swimming pool, dance hall, campfire and everything.



http://www.ci.gothenburg.ne.us/

June 24 1927

Tuesday, June 24, 1927

Date: June 24, 1927                        Weather: Very hot and dry
Place: North Bend, Nebraska           From Boone, Iowa      8:15-    :15    

Via Extremely dusty roads and brick highway

Impressions:Just as we had begun, like Iowa a little, and had four that it had some trees, a nice university and better roads we were sadly disappointed. We struck dusty sandy roads. the surrounding country nothing but vast plains. There was a stong gale (very hot) which blew the sandy poweder from the fields in long "smoke screen." It was miserable driving. We were covered with it. We found and old sand quarry in Nebraska where the roads have been heavenly and went fro a sim. It was great, but we felt real daring.

Tonight we were at No. Bend, Nebraska. the camp here advertised a lake. It was to our suprise also a sand quarry. Whew! It sure is hot!

            http://www.oldpostoffice.com/postcards/pages/ne/northbend.htm

Monday, June 23, 1927

Date: June 23, 1927           Weather: Warm - sun
Place Boone, Iowa             From Mt. Vernon, Iowa10:30-5:30
         
Via Fine country and good roads

Impressions: After sleeping from 9:30 to 7:30 we got a rather late start. I drove four hours and Billie drove four hours. Ate at a splendid parking cite at Ames- a Sinclair station.

The country is improving, fine large farms and some concrete roads. Went through Iowa State Colleges at Ames this afternoon. The buildings and campus are wonderful. The summer session had started and we felt like staying. It's a great place. Billie phoned Kritz at Cedar Rapids. We are at Herman's Park at Boone Iowa tonite. This is a beautiful spot.


















 http://newsrepublican.com/news/boone-county-history-mchose-couple-gives-city-100-plus-acre-gift.html?i

Date: June 22, 1927           Weather: warm  Thru sun and showers
Place Mt Vernon, Iowa             From Rockford, Ill.  10:10
          Cornell College     207 miles
Via Detours, muddy roads, showers

Impressions:We started from Blackhawk Park at 10:10 this morning and had fine weather and roads until passing Clinton. We passed through several showers but always passed into sunlight again. Iowa is just a flat muddy country filled with farms and animals and young corn fields. We never saw so many hogs and fat cattle as we have here. The corn is about five inches tall and everywhere farmers are cultivating it. Tonight we are camping on the campus of Cornell. The ride was hard and slow because of the roads and we are tired.

 
http://www.cornellcollege.edu/about-cornell/index.shtml

Date: June 21, 1927           Weather: Hot, sunny  3:00
Place Rockford, Ill              From Milwaukee
Via Cadillac 202 miles-concrete
Impressions: On awakening, we were greatly disappointed in the weather which was dark, warm and rainy. It cleared up at noon and we decided to go after dinner. Finally we started at 3:00, Tuesday afternoon. The sun came out, and it became a beautiful day. The country was beautiful, bright shades of green freshened by the showers. We hit several showers, but the sun shined while it rained forming a gorgeous (mattress(error due to dad suggesting we blow russ offs)) rainbow. Tonight we are staying in a very picturesque camping site at Rockford. Went through Elkhorn, Delevan, Beloit and here.



(Picture borrowed from http://thesimmonssaga.blogspot.com/2013/07/touring-winnebago-county-forest.html)