Well howdy folks...how y'all doin'? Still in the wild west an' looking out for them bandits.....

Dateline Denver. Sunday 17/6/12 2133hrs

Day 9

Singin':'I shot the sherriff, but I didn't shoot no deputy, oh no!

A day of many highlights, full on for this senior! Pretty good sleep at Motel 6 Lakewood, and was pleased to wake up around 6 and put on my walking shoes...got out of the driveway and turned right, just to see where it would take me. Well it took me past some beautiful properties set in parklike grounds, with squirrels abounding and a robin greeting me. I actually wanted to jog, but didn't want to expend too much energy too soon. Passed a jogger and a lady walking 2 dogs. 40 minutes later got back to the motel having completed a circuit of several blocks. Talked to Kaly and she offered to pick me up at 11, so went across the road for breakfast. (I wonder how much weight I'm putting on...oh never mind...). And so to the bowling alley at Brunswick Bowl. Couldn't quite pass off Kaly's partner P as my son, otherwise I'd have bowled for free! It was only 99 cents a bowl anyway. None of us had bowled for ages so there were a few gutter balls but also some spares and strikes. Great fun!

Kaly is as bubbly and as friendly as I always thought, and she drove us to Golden where we checked out lunch opportunities, eventually deciding on the Old Capitol Grill. A bit of a wait, but it was worth it. My first taste of buffalo meat, served with french fries and in a burger melt. And an apple. Yummmmm.                                                                                                                      

And so on to the Colorado Rail Museum. We got to ride on a galloping goose, which have a fascinating history. 7 of them were built in the 1930's, and are a sort of hybrid built from a touring car with a small bus body built on and yet it runs on rails! Ingenius.They used to operate in south west Colorado. They are painted a bright silver and we rode in engine number 5. Fascinating.

Then a quick tour of the museum including a large model railway which I got to work for a quarter dollar in the slot. So much labour went into creating the railroads out west, what a fascinating part of American history.

And that was me for the day.........so glad I met Kaly and P, I wouldn't have been able to do any of this on my own.

Later folks......heading to Kansas state tomorrow, real early.........