It was after 6 pm by the time we arrived in Estes Park. With the help of the Good Sam Directory and the Navigate program on the Mister's Incredible phone, we found our way to the highest rated RV park in Estes Park, because after doing all that research, I certainly didn't want to end up at a park that's dirty, crowded, has traffic noise, or looks like an RV trailer trash. (It also happened to be one of the closest.) Unfortunately the office was closed and no one answered the phone. It looked extremely full and cramped. This is the highest reviewed RV park in Estes Park?! Ok, on to the next one down the road, a KOA. They were open but full. The kind lady there dialed the number of another RV park for me, but they didn't answer either.
We took off toward the next possibility but soon realized we were on Rt 34, not Rt 36 as we thought. We were out of town and headed into a narrow rocky canyon along the Big Thompson River. Absolutely beautiful, but no place to turn around an RV. Loveland is the next town, about 20 miles away, so I opened the RV guide to Loveland. What? Only one listing, and it's on the other side of Loveland in a small town called Johnstown? But it's big, it should have room. Also my state park guide tells me that Boyd Lake State Park is located in Loveland, and it has 148 sites. Hope rises once again that we will end up in a state park.
But no. As we approach Loveland, the Mister spots an sign for Riverside RV Park and is able to turn around and go back to it. "What?" I say. "It's not in the book!" Oh, but wait. I was looking at "Loveland Area". On the page before, I find "Loveland", with many RV parks listed. Good grief. When did they start that?
This is an older park with many tall trees, grass, a fenced dog area, many amenities, and it is indeed on the river. And there were a couple of sites available!!! We set up in a pull-through with a meadow behind us. After 446 miles and 12 hours 44 minutes on the road with much uphill and downhill, we were finally camped. By 9:30 pm, the beef stew has been heated for the Mister's dinner and the chicken salad is ready for me.
Unfortunately, we were next to the noisiest group in camp. I'm happy to hear people having a good time, but one woman had the most annoying loud laugh. It about drove me over the edge. (If you have a friend with a very loud obnoxious laugh, do her a favor and let her know she needs to not ever laugh again.) Shortly after 11 pm when I was about to go out and ask politely if they could quiet down so I could sleep, I heard another neighbor making the request. The party then broke up and they left the next day.
We looked over the state park the next morning, and though beautiful, it's all the way on the other end of town. We moved to a shadier spot at this park and we have decided to stay until the reunion starts Friday. (Although we are of course reserving one day at a time.) It's not perfect but it's shady. It is a gorgeous half hour drive to Estes Park, and we are blessed to have the rest of the week to explore Rocky Mountain National Park and the surrounding area.
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