4/30: Colorado Springs to Longmont, CO

​We enjoyed Garden of the Gods so much, we decided to return for a morning hike to see the rock formations in different light. Our 2.6-mile walk took us through the center of the park then around the eastern perimeter where the morning sun made the formations jump out against the clear blue sky and Pike's Peak. We also saw a small herd of big horn sheep and a solo rock climber working his way up a crack in the face of South Gateway.
The 90-minute drive to our next campsite in Longmont, Colorado took us through thick Denver traffic at 2 pm. Our campground is a state park featuring several peninsulas twisting around numerous ponds. We were greeted by lots of birds and a chorus of bullfrogs. Our campsite backs up against one of the ponds and Charlie tried to jump right in upon our arrival. It was very windy and felt cool, even though the air temperature was 73 degrees, so we restrained her. This location is within easy drives for visits to Boulder and Rocky Mountain National Park.
We found a dog-friendly bar patio in town, which had great food and beer.