Colorado

Ever since our visit to Breckenridge over a year ago, and the day Aubrey mistook the landfill for a mountain, I have wanted to take the kids to Colorado. We packed up and headed out for a short visit.

We spent the first night in Colorado Springs. We headed to Garden of the Gods to do some exploring.

cooperative children

I wish I could capture the smell along with the views. Love it.

The next morning, we took the cog railway.

Waiting at the station.

We enjoyed some donuts, hot chocolate and views at the top.

Wayne didn't realize he had a filter selected on his phone camera, but we figured it out...after the trip. ;)

Before the train departed, Aubrey and I dashed over to this sign. I had been reminiscing about our hike up Pike's Peak with the Miller brothers and my cousins in 1997. I remembered the feeling of accomplishment when we arrived at the top of the trail at this sign. I mostly remember lots of laughs with Lynette.  The stop for the night in a cabin when my cousins were attempting to light their farts on fire. And the mission to make it the rest of the way up on day two, then barreling down as quickly as possible for dinner with family and friends in Colorado Springs that night. So fast that Lynette was limping and in a lot of pain from throwing her hip out or something. And mom doing TPT on our behinds in the hotel. Thus, this picture...

Boarding our train for the trip down.

Again. Cooperative children for photos.

We then drove a couple more hours in to the Rockies to our camp at Cascade Campground in Chalk Creek Canyon. We were right next to Cascade falls.

We did a short hike the first night.

And set up camp.

The view from our campground of Mount Antero.

We slept well with the cool night temperatures.

Tyler was chilly and was buried inside his sleeping bag.

Wayne slept in his hammock.

The next day, we went for a hike at Brown's Creek Trail.

It was an intermediate trail and Aubrey asked for lots of breaks, early on...eventually we told Tyler and Wayne they could go on ahead and we stayed behind. Inching forward until we finally just went back to the trailhead.

Wayne and Tyler went on - 3 miles one way on a tough trail to find the waterfall.

We had packed a picnic lunch, so Aubrey and I ate then played in the freezing stream while we waited.

There were wildflowers everywhere, but I only took a picture of this one...

The boys were worn out and wanted to sit in air conditioning. So, we drove around and checked out Salida, then headed to Buena Vista. Aubrey played at the playground, then we got ice cream at K's Dairy Delite.

That evening, we checked out St. Elmo, a mining ghost town.

The last day, we drove toward home, stopping at Royal Gorge. It was hot. And bright. And desert like. The kids were not so impressed. I was afraid of falling off the edge, but tried to act like I was not scared here...

I tried to doctor the photo to get rid of Wayne's phone's filter effect, but I don't think I quite got it done.

About 30 miles west of Colby, the car started to overheat. We were planning to stop for the night anyway, and finished up a hot 4 hours the next morning. It ended up just being the thermostat, but made for a more interesting ride home than I was hoping for. ;) That night in the hotel, we enjoyed swimming, relaxing and a shower (after a couple of camping days without).

It was a lot of fun and I'm excited to go back!