Over Rabbit Ears Pass

     The ongoing snowfall has closed Vail Pass.  Hundreds of cars are sitting along the highway waiting for the pass to reopen so that they can take advantage of the huge piles of new snow.  We have been looking carefully at the weather reports and wondering about the trip back to Denver.  Everyone was up early this morning - packing up and checking the weather.  Our bus arrived a few minutes early, but the luggage was still outside our door, three stories above the parking lot.  I helped Rick get tucked into a window seat on the bus - his jacket and my puffy coat cushioning his sore shoulder.  The luggage got loaded by hotel staff.  By the time we left Steamboat the snow had stopped.

   For a while it seemed that the weather was clearing and the drive would be easy, but soon we headed up the 7% grade that took us over the Continental Divide to the 9520 ft Rabbit Ears Pass.  The road went from wet, to wet and sloppy, to sloppy and slick, to snow covered.  Fortunately we came up behind a team of snowplow and sanding truck and followed them slowly and safely over the Pass.  This is a popular snowmobiling area and dozens of cars and trucks pulling snowmobile trailers were parked at every pull-off.  The snow was just beautiful - an endless white blanket that just called out to the snowmobilers, snowshoers and cross country skiers.
     On the bus the usual Ullr tradition called for consumption of leftover snacks and drinks.  A cheerful group shared crackers, chips, cookies, soda, wine and beer.  Rick took one of his more powerful pain meds and was reasonably comfortable on the four hour trip.  I was happy to see the dry pavement in Denver where the temps were in the 50's.
     One of our delightful condo mates, Wayne, helped us get all our luggage including Rick's skis and boot bag from the bus to the check-in counter at the airport.  There was a long line, then a shorter line at security, then down two escalators for a ride on the airport transit system, back up two escalators and then a two hour wait for our plane.  We got a "pre-board" pass for our Southwest flight so that Rick could get on early, find a seat where his shoulder was protected, and get settled in before the very full plane was loaded.  The flight was only an hour and a half and went well.  When we got to the airport Rick went out to the car with Kellen while Arik came in to help me haul out the luggage.
   All in all, not a bad trip home despite many worries about the weather and worries about Rick being miserable from the moving about.  He was very happy that he kept relatively comfortable all day.  Now we are happy to be home and will get the injury checked out on Monday.  Hopefully it will continue to get better and we will be on our way again next month to Hawaii.