7/21/15 - Cache la Poudre Scenic Byway

My cousin Terry and his wife live just outside Fort Collins, CO.  One day while we were there, he took us for a drive up the Cache la Poudre Scenic Byway. (Actually, I didn't know that's where we were going because they kept saying "the Pooder".  I guess it's a Colorado thing...)

Terry drove. Good thing I didn't have to navigate for George because my sense of direction around this part of the country was pretty messed up. It's often at least 90 degrees off, but sometimes it's more like 180. Consequently I have really no idea where we went. I think we went sort of west (which was probably north), then south (possibly west); it was a twisty road going through a canyon with a river in it...and a really cool tunnel.

The Cache la Poudre is a Wild and Scenic River.  That's not just my description--that's a federal designation. Since 1962, 203 segments of rivers in 39 states have been protected from dams and development. Sounds like a lot but it's less than 1/4 of 1% of the rivers in the US.  Who knew???

Sometimes the river is nice and calm. 

And sometimes there are some pretty wicked rapids.

Sometimes when there's white water, there are rafters. Terry drives a bus for one of the rafting companies. Couldn't talk George into it. Maybe sometime... (Insert "when pigs fly" or "when hell freezes over".  Either would work for George.) These guys had just put in and were getting organized.

We didn't drive the full 105 miles of the scenic byway, but enough to appreciate how pretty the canyon and river are. There were wildflowers...

More pictures here:  Cache la Poudre River Natl Heritage Area