We landed in Denver friday morning and started on our 9.5 our drive to South West Denver.
With views like this the drive went by fast and didn't feel like it took us over 9 hours!
It's crazy how the resorts are right on the highway. Though I'm told what you see from the highway is nothing compared the the backsides, and that most of the resorts cover multiple mtns, something I can only imagine!! I think this is a couple runs at Vail. Pretty sure I drove past either the resort or a sign for every single resort in CO during my 1300 miles! TORTURE! :)
We stopped at the Glenwood Canyon Brewpub for dinner. CO is known for it's microbreweries. I tried the Hanging Lake Honey Ale and the Grizzly Creek Raspberry Wheat. Mmmm.. I liked the wheat. Here's a view from out front of the restaurant.
View from the highway.
Sunset behind the Wendy's we stopped at for frosty's around Montrose. (pronounced Mon-trose in CO, unlike Mont-rose MO)
We arrived at my cousin's cabin in Doloros around 9:30pm. We were exhausted but ended up staying up for a while chatting away. We visited Karen (my dad's first cousin) and her husband Mark. We haven't spent much time with them (ok I don't ever remember meeting them, even though I have once or twice) so there was lots to catch up on. They are the neatest couple. Very adventurous, adrenaline junkies, living life to the fullest.
The Truck :) I got to drive the truck a couple miles down the road to where we started our 4-wheeling adventure. Not sure which was more fun.. driving the truck or driving the 4-wheeler :)
My first time on a 4-wheeler. We traveled into the San Juan National Forest via forest roads. It was really hard for me to choose only a couple of over 150 pics from our little adventure!
The Aspen may be my new favorite tree. We were out there during peak color season. All the Aspen were yellow... great contrast with the dark green of the evergreens. I couldn't get enough of it. Below is a pic looking into a sea of Aspen trunks.
We met some of my mom's friends along the way. In CO they have something called open range... meaning you can let your animals graze on public land. They are protected by law and it's your responsibility not to hit them with your car etc. Also if you don't want them on your property you have to fence them out.. rather then the owner keeping them off your land.
The cabin in Dolores.
The view up the Dolores River that stretchs in front of the cabin. I'm telling you, I spent the whole trip just in awe! Everywhere you look is breathtaking!
Sunday we left the cabin and headed to Telluride. Of course we had to stop and check out Alta Lakes. Little did we know Alta Lakes was way way up a narrow rocky dirt road. For a while we doubted the lake really exsisted. We finally made it to the top and only bottomed out the rental car twice :) It was worth the detour!
Telluride is a great town. It's a quaint main street surrounded by amazing postcard views. Felt like a movie set. I wish we'd realized there was a whole other town of Mountain Village to check out at the other end of the Gondola. I'll have to check it out when I go back to board! I wish we could have spent some more time there! We left Telluride and headed back through Rico/Dolores to Mancos, where my cousin's main home is.
Here's the view of the Mesa Verde National Park from my cousin's porch. This part of CO was more dessert like. Everything seemed dry. Beautiful in it's own way, but not my favorite part of the state.
Sunset looking off in another direction. We spent two nights here in Mancos. They have a horse, mule, 4 dogs, and a couple barn cats! Add to that 2 Harleys, 2 Dirt Bikes, 2 4-wheelers - FUN!! Monday Karen, Mom and I went into Durango for the day. I had been really hurting after my race so I called around that morning and scheduled a massage. Best massage ever, amazing!! Guess what else we did... shop :) Might have had my favorite stores!
I forget her name, but here's one of the dogs. She had been a stray and Karen gained her trust. Cutest most gentle dog.. but man her coat is nappy!! Karen said she's tried brushing it and shaving her, but the dog'll go roll around in whatever she can find and is back to nappy in not time!
Tuesday we left Mancos and headed to Buena Vista with a pit stop in Pagosa Springs. A very cute little town also!! This is where we found my favortie western wear shop.. I could have spent all day in there! We spotted our first rainbow of the day on our drive from Pagosa Springs to Buena Vista. It actually felt like we'd somehow ended up in the wrong state since it was sooo flat!
This second rainbow picture is taken on the back porch of our B&B. The double rainbow climbed out of the rocks across the river. Actually both were double rainbows :)
Our cousins had a 4-wheeling trip planned in Buena Vista, Karen delayed her trip a day to spend more time with us, then we dropped her off with Mark and stayed a night in Buena Vista. Enjoyed the views and some shopping before heading to Co Springs.
Another view of the river behind the B&B.
I was really diggin the river.
The view of Mt Princeton in the AM before the night's dusting of snow melted. There are 4 fourteener's around Buena Vista nicknamed Collegiate Peaks because of their names, Harvard - Princeton - Columbia - Yale.
We passed a heard of mule deer driving to Co Springs on Wednesday.. and of course had to stop for pictures. I woke up long enough the take the pics then was out again :) Virginia White Tailed Deer are much prettier then the Mule Deer. They are actually pretty ugly :)
On thursday we explored the Air Force Academy. It was cool to watch all the gliders in the sky. I guess they learn to fly in these. They are towed by another plane into the sky.. and then they glide around the sky. Pretty much anytime you're near the Academy you can look up and spot a few. Of course the Chapel was pretty amazing. Here are a couple shots. Another highlight was watching the hockey team practice ;)
Looking straight up while inside the chapel. It surprised me to find out there are actually 3 chapels in the building. The main chapel (where these pics are from) is prodestent, below this chapel is a Cathoic chaple and behind that is a Jewish area of worship. Supposedly decided on by the percentage of students who were the different religions when it was built.
You couldn't actually be in the cadet area... where the droms, classes, dining halls etc were. But from the chapel you were overlooking that area.. so it seemed like you were watching them inside a fishbowl. I guess they are used to it. It quickly became apparent that some were a little different, jogging not walking, and staying on the stripes. The first years (not sure the proper name). I wouldn't do well in that world!
The staged snowboarding picture :) This is the view of Pike's Peak off the back deck of our friend's house in Co Springs. What a view to enjoy everyday!! Minus the houses!
Friday morning we headed to Garden of the Gods. Here's Mom and I with Garden of the Gods in the background. Can you see the kissing camels? (may need to click to enlarge the pic)
After Garden of the Gods we headed to Manitou Springs for lunch. Definitely going to plan more time there next time!! After lunch I headed up to Boulder.
A slightly fuzzy pic of my friend Doug and I. Doug and I went to HS and VT together and I've seen him maybe twice since he left the burg for CO 4 years ago. We took a short hike in Boulder where you could look over the whole city. Then met up with his wife of 3 mos and had dinner on the town. I woke up to yet another great view from their condo! It amazes me the views they have in CO!! Everywhere I stayed seemed to have a postcard hanging outside the window!
Saturday I watched the VT/GT game at Jackson's with the local alumni chapter and some other VT friends. My old roommate Matt and my friend Steve. Randomly saw I guy that used to bounce when I bartended at Kick's. He recognized me... took me a couple minutes to place him. Small world :) Afterwards Steve took me out to Red Rocks. Impressive! I'd love to see a concert there! You can see the Denver skyline beyond the stage and mtns.
Short version of a cool story. There was some stuff on stage.. almost like street show props which made us really curious.. as no one was around to play. Well as we were wondering around we heard some folks carrying up drums/guitars etc from the backside of the stage. A whole group of people materialize and start setting up on stage. All in there 30's/40's. Seem like old friends, laughing, joking, having a great day. Then they break out t-shirts. I of course had to go find out the scoop. It was a 40th birthday celebration. This guys dream was to play at Red Rocks. So his friends planned this whole thing as a surprise. He arrived to set up for a show in Denver that night and they loaded him onto a bus they'd rented and brought him to Red Rocks. Had concert T-shirts made, the whole nine yards! From the looks of it, their celebration was just beginning!
After Red Rocks I met my Mom, Linda, Doug, and a couple of his friends at Hard Rock for dinner. Then Doug and I and the guys headed over to Invesco Field to watch the CO Rapids take on Real Salt Lake. I think our group tickets though Doug's company where stuck in the middle of all the girls soccer teams. I've never heard to much high pitched screaming! It was a great game and fun night. Big differences between a CO game and a DC game.... A - CO has cheerleaders and a dance team that not only do a halftime show, but cheer during the whole game B - CO doesn't follow every announcement with the spanish translation.
Sunday morning I got up and headed to the airport to drop off the rental car and catch my flight. Of course I waited in the wrong line for 45 minutes to check in before going to the correct line that had no waiting! I hate booking through one airline but flying another!! I've done it 3 times you'd think I figured it out be now.. but even after triple checking my iterneray I was in the wrong line!
The whole trip was great!! I'm so glad things worked out and we were able to take it and visit all our friends!! I was a little weary I'd fall in love while I was out there, and while Colorado was beautiful and I loved it, I'm not ready to leave the burg or VA yet. I am looking forward to another trip out there soon... once all the resort's have a good base ;)
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