Colorado Trip

We just got back from a week in Colorado. It had been five years since we last vacationed there. As in 2009 and 2011, the three of us traveled with my parents, both my brothers, and my two nephews.

This is the view from the front porch of the little cabin where we stay near Wagon Wheel Gap between South Fork and Creede, Colorado. Lindsey's grandmother bought the property and would visit there from her home state of Texas. Now her descendants are able to rent the cabin for a very small amount on a weekly basis. It isn't fancy, but the location is divine! 

This is the lane in front of the cabin, which leads to the banks of the Rio Grande.

This is the northwest view towards Creede.

Many beautiful rocks, treasures, and very cold water at the Rio Grand river bank. We worked on Audrey's rock skipping skills. She enjoyed navigating the steep bank and rocky terrain with a walking stick and was pretty adventurous.

We all took a drive up Pool Table Road in the Rio Grande National Forest where scenic views of the Rio Grande River Valley are visible for the first few miles of the trip. The road climbs through spruce, fir, and aspen timber to beautiful rolling, grassy areas and you can see for miles and miles. It is so quiet. I'm not sure if I enjoy the view or the quiet more. 

From Creede, we took a day trip to Lake City and saw the Rio Grande river basin on the way. Lake City is a really cool town and I could see myself hanging out there for an entire week. Extremely remote, river access, and the town is so small you could ride a bike anywhere. The day we were there was gorgeous and the town park was straight out of a hippie Mayberry.

On Friday, hubs and I took the Durango Train to Soaring Colorado for a full day of ziplining over the San Juan Mountains on 27 different zip lines that ranged from 56 to 1,400 feet in length. There was over a mile and a half of cable with ten zips going over the Animas River. It was terrifying (at first), gorgeous, and exhausting. I highly recommend. On the way back to Durango, the closer we got to town, the more folks were out enjoying the river, and apparently mooning the train is a "thing". We also saw a bear in someone's back yard. Durango is another place where I would like to be able to spend more time.

    >> MORE PHOTOS on FLICKR <<

Other high notes included:

• My 17 year old nephew playing the open mic night at the Tommy Knocker in Creede.
• Watching the stars with Lindsey and Audrey after we got back from the open mic night. The sky was black and twinkling in town and by the time we got to the cabin, the sky was almost gray with twinkling starts. I had never seen so many in my life. Too much light pollution where we live. 
• Throwing rocks in the creek by the old mine in Creede.
• Playing tons of rummy and Old Maid. I know it sounds corny, but cards are fun. Period. 
• Seeing a mountain lion, a bear, wild turkeys, countless mule deer, jack rabbits, chipmunks, and prairie dogs.
• Accepting hard truths. "Mommy are Doritos just corn chips with fake cheese?"
• Being able to vacation with family. Grateful that we are all here and healthy and able to get along. 
• Audrey telling me in her squeaky tiny voice, "Mommy, I'm just so happy I don't have words to describe it. Like, I'm just so happy." 
• Driving new routes and being able to really appreciate nature in an entirely different way. One short drive with my parents about 30 miles outside of Durango took us to wheat fields that went on for miles and miles with mountains in the background. It was straight off a calendar. I've never seen anything like it. That is what I love so much about Colorado - how far you can see and how there are still so many places where you can see without crap in the way. If it wasn't for the cold - I'd try to figure out a way to stay. 

Most of all, I love my family.