Bonus...

Just as I was coming to terms with waiting around all day for a 20.15 flight, father and son team, Gary and Brian have hired a car and invite me for a drive out into the Rocky Mountains. We head past down town Denver and on to Golden, a sort of tourist town with a river flowing through the centre . Gary buys me a "snow cone" and we wander around a market before heading off in the direction of Mount Evans, a 14000ft peak. We detour to Red Rocks with a built in amphitheatre which has a "who's who" programme of bands on over the year.

We grab lunch which takes care of my last US$ and drive off towards Mount Evans. Only in America can you drive to the top of a 14000 foot mountain. There are also plenty of mad people cycling and jogging to the top. We drive up endless hairpins, surrounded by high banks of unmelted snow. The road has no barrier as we get higher, it's been damaged over the winter by ice, it's narrow and there is a vertical drop awaiting anyone who puts a wheel in the wrong place. Seriously scary. And it's taking for ever, and I'm getting concerned about getting back to the airport on time.

We eventually make it to the top and it is FREEZING! Well, 3c and a gale force wind and it's hard to breathe. We take a couple of grab shots to prove we were there. Curiously I get a mobile signal at the top.

We head back via a short cut on the interstate and Brian gets me back to get to the hotel in time to get the shuttle to the airport.

From leaving the hotel to home takes 19 hours and I'm glad to see Liane and the kids at Newcastle Airport.

Final thoughts.

This was one arduous week, with over 3000 miles clocked up. It was expensive and the elusive tornadoes wouldn't come out to play.

Was it worth it? Would I do it again?

Hell yeah!!!

Cheers

Adam