Day 44, September 25

Day 44, September 25 — Headin' for home!

Locations: Snowy Range; Laramie; Cheyenne; home

Miles driven: 207

Click map to enlarge

I woke up at 7:00 to blue skies with some light clouds. I was soon on my way up the road. I made stops at Marie Lake, Mirror Lake, Bellamy Lake, then at the main observation overlook nearby at the top of the 10,847-foot Snowy Range Pass with a wonderful 360-degree view. The Colorado plains were covered in an ocean of clouds. I was wondering if Canada had delivered them here for me! Too ironic! After taking a number of snaps from here, it was time to head for home. This has really been fun.

I got back onto I-80 in Laramie at 8:38 and it’s nothing but interstate from here.

I arrived in Cheyenne at 9:15 and turned south onto I-25 for the final leg.

I was back in my Colorado at 9:21 and only 90 miles to Denver! I passed through Ft. Collins at 9:45.

I finally arrived home at 10:47 after fueling up just a few blocks away. Wow! I am home! Praise the Lord for another safe and beautiful trip! The whole thing of getting back home had been very surreal. These six weeks really felt like a long time away. They didn’t just fly by like most vacations do. Most vacations aren’t exactly this long, though, I guess! It really felt like a full six weeks. Six weeks of being a full-time photographer! However, even full-time photographers only get to spend a third, or less, of their time out in the field and eventually have to return home, too.

I had a couple of nice surprises when I got home. 45 minutes later when I was checking my answering machine, one of the messages was from the Denver Post who had called a couple of weeks prior. Both the designer and editor of the Colorado Sunday section had wanted to use some images for an article they were going to be doing for that upcoming weekend. Something relating to aspen leaves. Naturally, the only time I receive a phone call like this I’m only in the middle of the longest time away from home in my life! That was okay, though. I was still more than excited that they found my site and liked some of the images enough to want to use some of them. Hopefully, they’ll save my name for future articles. Only time will tell.

While I was unpacking the 4Runner, my sister, 4 year-old nephew, and 2 year-old niece drove up. They were planning to leave a little welcome home gift in the house for me as a surprise. Instead, they got to hand it to me in person. The gift consisted of two welcome home balloons tied to a gift bag containing soap, shampoo, deodorant, air freshener, toothpaste and a toothbrush! Ha! It was great to see them again after being gone for so long. And, 31 days without a shower, they even gave me hugs! Now that, my friends, is love!