Reformedville

When we lived in Estes Park , CO (Rocky Mountain National Park ) I was working in Denver ( and Cheyenne WY ) , traveling  down the canyons at 4am with the elk and  fog  and coming home in the early evening would be very relaxing enjoying the view the entire way home (once I passed Boulder and got on Rt. 36) .

We would go into Rocky Mountain National Park a few times a week (From our flat it was 7 miles to the main entrance and 9 miles from the North entrance  )  and we would frequently travel on Trail Ridge Road. Trail Ridge Road is the highest through highway in United States. It crosses the park from east to west and then drops into the Kawuneeche Valley, where the North Fork of the Colorado River flows. As you travel along Trail Ridge Road, above tree line, you are on the”roof of the Rockies” with superlative vistas of glacier-carved peaks on every side. The road travels for 4 miles above 12,000 feet and for 11 miles above 11,000 feet..

My brother sent me pictures of The Millau Viaduct  this past week and it reminded me of driving in almost unnatural conditions.

The Millau Viaduct is part of the new E11 expressway connecting
Paris and Barcelona   and features the highest bridge piers ever
Constructed. The tallest  is 240 meters (787 feet) high and the
Overall height is an impressive 336 meters (1102 feet), making this
The highest bridge in the world.  It is taller than the Eiffel Tower .
Intriguingly, the Millau Viaduct is not straight. A straight road could induce
A sensation of floating for drivers, which a slight curve remedies. The curve
Is 20km in range. Moreover, the road has a light incline of 3% to improve
The visibility and reassure the driver.   It is an amazing engineering feat!