Summer Vacation Trip - Day 12

We woke up at 0530 and packed quickly.  We were on the road (US-40) by 0615, eating breakfast (snacks) on the way.  After avoiding a traffic jam in Steamboat Springs (speed cameras, red-light cameras and metric system speed limits - geesh), we stopped for gas in Kremmling CO (0815).  We continued east until we reached US-34 and we entered Rocky Mountain National Park at around 0830 and stopped at the Visitors Center.  We went for a hike at the Colorado River Trail and then drove through the park, stopping for lots of photo opportunities (including for elk and moose).  Later, we hiked up a tall hill to 12,000 feet at the Alpine Visitors Center (1215) and ate lunch (hot dogs) and the Cafe in the Clouds.  Soon afterwards; we drove down the east face of the mountain and then decided to drive up to Bear Lake.  We arrived at around 1400 and took a hike around the lake and to Alberta Falls.  On the way back, we used the free park shuttle bus to reach our car.  We then headed towards Estes Park.  It was quite clear that we probably could not get a campsite in the National Park (and it looked like rain), so we decided to leave.  Before exiting, we did stop at the Morraine Education Center so Mollie could work on her Junior Ranger but she didn't finish.  After getting through Estes Park (lots of traffic), we used US-34 (Big Thompson Canyon) to get to Loveland.  We saw a bighorn sheep on the way.  Eventually (whew), we got on I-25 and drove north to Cheyenne, WY.  We ate dinner (sandwiches, salad, pie) at the Down Home Diner on the edge of town (finished at 1830).  Afterwards, we drove to Frontier Park to enjoy the Independence Day festivities.  The city was celebrating its 150th birthday and the mayor was there.  We enjoyed music and dancing by local kids, a gun shooting demonstration, live country music and fireworks.  Mollie truly got to see how "Small Town USA" celebrates July 4th.  Just before the event ended, (2200), we drove north on I-25 to a rest area near Chugwater, WY.  It was Mollie's idea, actually, and there weren't any hotels nearby anyway.  We slept the entire night there, starting at 2245 (despite local kids shooting off bottle rockets in a big field behind the building).