Four State Traverse

 Got away from Amarillo at a decent hour (shortly after 7) and stopped to top up in perhaps a cheaper gasoline locality. Texas continues for quite a ways even from there to the New Mexico border through more high plains leading up to the Capulin Volcano just before the Raton pass. Beautiful views of the snow capped Colorado Rockies from the top of the pass at 7834’ (2388 m).  We were worried about weather reports of incoming winter storms so we made haste and continued north.  Gassed up again in Colorado Springs ahead of Denver and got mostly through Denver before the snow hit.  Minor accumulations on the road and intermittent poor visibility got me worried that things would deteriorate further as time went on so we made the call to reserve a room in Cheyenne hoping we’d make it that far.  Traffic was somewhat heavy and slow and intermittent blizzarding, but of course as soon as we committed, the weather improved and the traffic diminished to negligible north of Fort Collins.  We made Cheyenne at about 2:30 pm MST and were able to check into the very appealing Little American Resort on the outskirts of town and just off the I-25 a short way.  We had some time to kill, but sadly used it up in chasing the infernal COVID-19 test we’ll be needing to enter Canada in two days.  After couple of hours of false starts, detours, dead ends and much frustration, two options emerged in Great Falls ranging in price from $60 to $150.  The forecast is for the snowing to cease overnight, so we are hoping to make Great Falls next day and check out the options with the objective on crossing the day after.  We did have a bit of time before dusk to drive through downtown Cheyenne and make note of some of the old building and history of this important community in the old west.  Dinner reservations at the Wyoming Rib & Chop House looked promising from the outside, then discouraging inside, but wound up enjoying an extremely well prepared NY Strip steak and a glass or two of wine.  Back to the Little American in light snowfall for and ETB and expectation we’ll get away really early for the long haul to Great Falls hoping for favourable road condition in the morning.