The huge Rockies rise west of Denver and sets up a brilliant contrast between the dry Denver plains and the snowcapped peaks. The Rockies disrupt the Pacific storm systems and if that  pattern prevails through winter and spring, eastern Colorado can become an awfully dry place. We depart Denver heading SE towards Kit Carson and the Oklahoma Panhandle..the dryness of the landscape is vivid! Winters here are brutal with severe frosts - what the frosts haven't killed, the lack of rain has....as we head SE through Limon and Kit Carson, humidity is in the Death Valley range struggling between 10 and 20% - there is virtually no water - the creeks are dry. It's such a contrast to the time when we travelled this way in 2010, when the landscape was vivid green!

Fuel prices have jumped by more than $1 a gallon since 2010, and the locals are blaming everyone from Obama to BP...but there are few places in Australia where you will pay less than $1 a litre for petrol.....As we head SE into the Oklahoma Panhandle, we turn due east and follow Hwy 412 all the way to Woodward. Small town America in this part of USA looks dilapidated and uncared for. Interestingly, we find some of the best wall murals in the smallest towns. After covering almost 700km, we are not happy with accommodation in Woodward, and continue SE to our favourite overnight stop in Watonga. This small bustling town still has a motel that is family owned - a rarity in the US.

A pusher or 'banker' locomotive near Limon, Colorado

Coal train NW of Limon, Colorado

Fantastic wall mural, Campo, Colorado

Small town America, Guymon, Oklahoma Panhandle

Improvised cafe sign in Hardesty, OK Panhandle

Bryan's corner...for all the Bryans we know!!

Remote country western Oklahoma

Home of Oklahoma football

Another fantastic mural, Woodward Oklahoma