Following the Peak to Peak to Allenspark

The drive from dinner (in Lyons) to Allenspark took us on part of the Peak to Peak Scenic and Historic Byway. It was a beautiful drive. We could definitely feel the rise in altitude and were glad we had reconsidered making this our first night. Lyons was officially 5,375 and Allenspark is 8,520 feet above sea level.

We stayed in this charming three-story lodge that was begun in the 1930's and added on to several times.

In the evening, I enjoyed a hot bath in a claw-foot tub as the full moon rose over the mountain. A deer walked past our car out front. 

The sun rose so very early; by 5:45, it was quite bright. The plentiful breakfast was very nice and we enjoyed the conversation at our table with probably a dozen other guests and one of our hosts. There was a second table, as well.

Here is a peek inside the original sitting room.

This collection of riding tack adorns one corner of the porch.

We liked the bumper sticker on their truck.

Just down the road, was this colorful metal sculpture: a pelican. I thought is seemed terribly out of place. A crow, maybe. Or a woodpecker. Even a buzzard. But a rainbow-colored pelican?