We arrived in Denver early this morning after 17 hours on the Amtrak train, leaving Chicago at 2pm on Sunday. This time we opted for general coach class recliners, which as we had expected, were very comfortable widely spaced seats. We spent most of the daylight hours in the observation car, looking out on the farmsteads of Illinois and Iowa. We slept reasonably well - Bob remarked in the early hours that he didn't like sharing his bedroom with 'all these people' - but not something to repeat for more than one night.

This morning dawn rose over the plains of Nebraska and we arrived in Denver at 7.15.

Next we picked up our hire car and drove towards Colorado Springs, in cloud and rain. - but good spirits. Later we visited North Cheyenne Canon Park for our first experience of the Rocky Mountains; stunning and so good to be out in the air after such a long time in airports, railways stations and on transport. I was suffering from altitude sickness a bit as we are now at 7000 ft.

We are staying in Manitou Springs; a lovely historic spa town. Early night for us!