Day 40 - Denver

I have left my final motel – yay! It was quite a cathartic experience throwing away the motel directories I have accumulated for all the different chains! Today I drove from Leadville to Denver. This morning was better weather in Leadville but as soon as I started driving it began to rain. Hard. It was quite depressing really! Drove through some beautiful mountains, but there was no way that I was going to get out of the car and take some photos of them in the rain! Colorado has been one rainy state whilst I’ve been here! I drove past Vail which didn’t actually look as nice as I thought it might seeing it is one of the places where the jet-set go on holiday. Maybe I just don’t appreciate what they look for!! I arrived in Denver early afternoon and SatNav easily directed me to the street with my hotel. After valet parking Thelma I approached the front desk but they couldn’t find my reservation. After looking up my confirmation email on my computer I realised that I wasn’t staying at the Hotel Monaco Denver, which is where I was standing, but the Hotel Magnolia Denver which was half a block along the street. Well done me. The receptionist was very nice about it but I felt like a complete idiot as I shuffled out of the hotel with all my luggage and headed down the street. The Hotel Magnolia Denver had my reservation fine and it is much nicer staying in a hotel than a motel! I even have a duvet which I was so pleased to see as I have got rather fed up of sheets and itchy blankets! I haven’t had a duvet since I was at home. There is also wireless internet but it is the most temperamental thing I have ever encountered. Every 5 seconds it either works or doesn’t! Once I had installed myself in my room I noticed that they had bottled water. How nice I thought. I was just about to open it when I saw a tiny sticker on it saying that if I opened it then it would cost me $5. How cheeky! So I walked down the street and bought some Evian (which is pretty expensive here, but then it does come from France) for $1.79. They will not outwit me! I had a little look around the neighbourhood this afternoon but the weather wasn’t great so I took the opportunity to have an early night as I’ve been really tired recently – maybe it’s the driving finally taking its toll.

Distance travelled today – 135 miles.

Distance travelled today - 135 miles

Bearwatch – 0.