Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1911-06-29
ssMOFFAT ROAD"
Eighth Wonder Of the World. Denver
To Steamboat Springs. Broad
6uage Over The Rockies.

10 anyone not accustomed to view
all the wonders there are in this old
world of ours, perhaps the trip from
Denver to Craig, Colorado would in
spire the uninitiated more than any
other highway on this terrestrial
sphere; for here trains of the broad
guage, the very same cars as run over
our level prairies climb the lofty rug
ged Rockies to a height of IL 900 feet
above sea level, where perpetual snow
invites you to an after dinner snow
balling even though your neighbor or
the fellow next to you be cranky
crouch. His presence there is an in
vite to you to once more play the boy
collar, any way you will try to do so,
for your animation of school days
when you would rather SNOWFALL than
study again crops out at the sight of
the beautiful snow on Corona's lofty
height just after crossing Colorado's
sandy desert. On our outward trip
from Denver to Routt County, Color
ado where we spent ten of the most
pleasant days of our life visiting and
trying to improve our physical condi-
tion; with our son in-law and daugh-
ter who will be remembered in Extra
as Mr.. and Mrs. John Hicks, we were
obliged to follow the only highway of
commerce to that far-off countryside
cause of it's supposed impossible
mountains and it's deep decliyities-so
took a ticket on the Moffat Road
which by many is called the Eighth
Wonder of the World.' From Denver
to Steamboat Springs is 2l4 miles and
and allow me to say that you enter in
to the tunnels so quickly and so often
in travelling that distance that you
intuitively are as apt to grab your
seat mate, Ono matter whether it be
lady or gentleman, white or black as
you are to grasp the back of your seat.
The sudden darkness from the brill
liant and dazzling sunshine of mo-
ment before inspires you with wonder
and moves you to awe. But there are
fifty-six of those tunnels yet to pass
through before we reach the end Of
the road, Steamboat Springs. So on we
go to Arena whose altitude is 6162 feet
then on to Crags 7040 feet, and q
miles from Denver Here in the
"Crags of the Rockies a resort is be-
ing built by the ''elite" Of Denver
where some very nice little bungalows
are built on the points and peaks of
this rocky elevation where play and
dance halls adorn the tops with pref
tily smoothed roads dodging in and
out of almost impossible places. Still
on we go passing station occasional
ly-unless fiagged-reaching Rollings-
vile elevation 8 S67; then on to Tol-
land, elevation $3.50 where we stop for
ten minutes taking on fuel and water
before we make the detour above the
clouds, where we are informed in our
ascent we travel IA miles and raise
1000 although we were from lis
souri, we took the informants word for
it and start up the hill to Corona 1860
feet ab0v sea level and the highest
peak in the known world travelled by
mortal man on broad guage railway
of commerce. Here we find a tunnel
over the mountain top one and quar-.
ter miles long with restaurant that
rings its ''gong" inviting you to
LUNCHEON ABOVE THE CLOUDS.
Whether hungry or not you accept the
invitation and willingly partake of
sandwiches and coffee which you has
tily devour and out you go like school
boys from their studies at recess, and
through the openings climb to the
perpetual snow clad peaks of the
Rockies and perhaps without thought
gather up handful of pure white
snow in it's crude condition and your
first impulse is to literally donate a
portion to the neck of your neighbor.
This started perhaps without mali.
cious but thoughtless intent, all are
in a scramble for the cars at once.
All Aboard! is heard and the de.
scent to the Pacific slope of the Con-
tinent over the Continental Divide is
begun where the waters from it's
peaks part company; some refreshing
the thirsty lands on Colorado's desert
plains and finally reaching the Allan
tic Ocean through the tributaries of
its southern course while that which
takes its way westward, through the
arteries of the western slope, irriga-
ting the vast expanse of orchards and
yineya rds supplying rich fruits which
bedecks the tables of the rich and the
poor alike and finally kissing the Pa
cffic Ocean where the glorious sun dips
into its oceanic bed, beneath the sill
very waves, again to rise on the coast
of-Maine tomorrow. Well we come
back to earth agaiu and down, down,