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Wednesday, June 3, 2026

Arriba to the Front Range: a road friend at dawn, then north to Lyons

Woke at the Arriba rest area on I-70 with a friend parked behind us, an Airstream (BRN 6624) and its red GMC. Bacon and eggs in the camper, then west off the plains and north into the foothills toward a Rocky Mountain basecamp at Lyons.

Weather: Colorado high plains into the foothills, cool 50s morning at 5,200 ft, clear early

The white Rivian R1T towing the polished Airstream west on an open highway, the Front Range foothills rising on the horizon
Day 21 Off the high plains and pointed at the foothills.

The day, by the numbers

  1. Miles driven161.4mi
  2. Towing efficiency1.21mi / kWh161.4 mi · 133 kWh
  3. Energy133kWh used · 137 kWh charged across 1 session
  4. Peak charge rate211kW
  5. Wind8mph NNEMostly crosswind
  6. Temperature83°F66 – 83°F range
  7. Peak elevation5,791ft↑ 3,180 ft↓ 2,970 ft
  8. Avg speed41mph · 3.9 hr moving
Photographs

Day 21 in pictures

Every photo from this trip → Browse all our photo galleries →

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Stops, in order

The day

  1. start

    Arriba rest area, morning departure

    Woke at the Arriba rest area on I-70 (5,222 ft) to find a friend parked behind us overnight, an Airstream wearing BRN 6624 and its red GMC. On the road you stick together. Bacon and eggs in the camper, then back on the hitch and west off the plains. Trip A reads 4,355.5 mi leaving the rest area, the towing math holding near 1.1 mi/kWh.

    Map 39.2858, -103.2772

  2. navigation

    West across the high plains into the Denver metro

    Crosswind on this leg 8 mph from the NNE

    West on I-70 across the last of the high plains and down into the Denver metro, the open prairie giving way to the Front Range skyline.

    Map 39.7642, -104.6892

  3. activity

    Rivian Space, Cherry Creek (Denver)

    Tailwind on this leg 8 mph from the NNE

    Pulled the rig up to the Rivian Space in Cherry Creek and got some great shots out front. Picked up a green "Keep Colorado Adventurous Forever" tee and talked our whole trip over with Krystal and Steve, fellow Rivian people.

    Map 39.7193, -104.9527

  4. photo

    REI flagship, Denver

    The iconic REI flagship in the old Denver Tramway powerhouse on Platte Street. Parked the Rivian and the Airstream out front for the photo op every overlander wants at the mothership.

    Map 39.7553, -105.0095

  5. charge

    FlatIron Crossing RAN, Broomfield

    Headwind on this leg 8 mph from the NNE

    Free RAN charge at the FlatIron Crossing mall just outside Denver, 137 kWh in 75 minutes before the last climb to Lyons.

    Segment data Map 39.9337, -105.1340

  6. activity

    Coyote Car Wash, Boulder

    Crosswind on this leg 8 mph from the NNE

    Hosed the high-plains dust and bug splatter off the truck and the Airstream at Coyote Car Wash on 28th Street in Boulder before settling into camp.

    Map 40.0305, -105.2590

  7. sleep

    LaVern M. Johnson Park, Lyons

    Headwind on this leg 8 mph from the NNE

    Riverside town campground on the St. Vrain at the mouth of the canyons, the Rocky Mountain National Park basecamp for the next two nights. Settled in and relaxed at the site: Mission loved his river walks, watching the tubers and canoes float the St. Vrain, with red rock formations rising all around.

    Segment data Map 40.2206, -105.2742

The white Rivian R1T hitched to the polished Airstream at the Arriba rest area at dawn, a Class A motorhome and a Freightliner semi alongside as the sun breaks through the clouds
Day 21 Dawn at the Arriba rest area, packed up and pointed at the Front Range.

Towing segments this day

The charge-to-charge data, leg by leg.

Every towing leg logged today off the Rivian dashboard, with its elevation profile. Open one for the full per-segment data: efficiency, energy, grade, wind, temperature, and battery state of charge.

San Diego Home DAY 21
Charging plan

Where the electrons come from

  • RAN charge Rivian Adventure Network

    FlatIron Crossing RAN (Broomfield)

    Free for this trip. 137 kWh in 75 minutes at the FlatIron Crossing mall RAN just outside Denver, the towing charge that covered the plains-to-foothills pull before the last hop up to Lyons.

Next on the trip

Day 22, Rocky Mountain National Park from the Lyons basecamp

Leave the Airstream in Lyons and run the Rivian up into Rocky Mountain National Park. We landed both timed entries this time, the Bear Lake Road corridor and Trail Ridge Road. Hike the Bear Lake loop in the morning, then climb Trail Ridge to the Alpine Visitor Center at 11,796 ft and turn around, an out-and-back through the high tundra before dropping back to the river camp at night.

113.9 mi · ~5 (truck only, no towing) · return-leg
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