Colorado - The Ups and Down TR

Colorado – The Ups and Downs

June 16 – June 26, 2018



Long before Al Gore invented the internet and shortly after Gutenberg invented the printing press, I was assigned by Miss Liner, my 7th grade teacher, to choose a state, send away for informational material and write a report. I chose Colorado which to this day continues as one of my favorites though I am embarrassed to admit almost 2 decades have passed since our last visit.



In the course of planning this trip, I started with us doing a large loop that commenced in Denver and continued on in succession to Colorado Springs, Crested Butte, Durango, Mesa Verde, Ouray, Palisade, Basalt, Frisco, Estes Park and back to the airport. After plotting it out using Google maps, I realized we would be spending far too much time in the car so I came up with Plan B.







June 16 – we had a 9 AM departure so Brody, our fur baby, was dropped off at Midge’s the day prior. As usual, we entrusted our car to Executive Valet Parking, tendered a LAZ Fly coupon and took the shuttle to the airport. Also as usual, we flew on Southwest Airlines, this time non stop to Denver, with me using Rapid Reward points and Ann free courtesy of a companion pass. The flight proved to be uneventful though as we approached Denver it was evident the skies were not clear due to smoke from a wildfire.



We picked up a Camry at the Dollar lot that had 30K miles on the odometer, a solitary dent and countless scratches. The drive to Colorado Springs was relatively short and we were soon checked in for 3 nights at the Mel Haven Lodge which is situated within minutes of Manitou Springs and directly in front of ongoing road construction. The lodge proved to be much frumpier than I expected, but the room was clean and included a good sized refrigerator and freezer.



Our happy hour libations this evening were provided by the staff at Four by Brother Luck. Ann kicked off the evening with a Fresh to Death cocktail that included vodka, cranberry, cherry orange bitters, lime and mint. My refreshment of choice was a pear mule (vodka, pear cider, ginger and lime). On the second round we requested and received glasses of Coastal Vines Cabernet. (4 Sips)







Our dining destination, Springs Orleans, was about 4/10ths of mile away, so we hoofed it, passing several pieces of public art.















Ann chose shrimp etouffee and I the shrimp and grits. Both dishes were good though neither would challenge New Orleans’s finest. Service by Jason was very good. (3 Forks)

Side note: this evening’s bar tab exceeded our dining bill.

















Prior to turning in this evening, we stopped at a Safeway for a few items and drove through Manitou Springs.



June 17 – shortly after daybreak, I made the short drive to Garden of the Gods city park and, after a few wrong turns, found the trailhead for the Siamese Twins loop. This trail at 0.7 miles is relatively easy with a modest 127’ gain in elevation, though I had to pause periodically to catch my breath, provides an excellent view of Pike’s Peak as well as an up close and personal one of the Siamese Twins formation. (4 Footsteps)



Pike’s Peak





Siamese Twins





As I was making my way out of the park, I stopped for a few mandatory photos of Balanced Rock, a true geological gem.







Breakfast this morning was at Good Karma Cafe in Manitou Springs. On entering we were greeted by a pair of dogs that had been resting under a table. We did not see menus so blueberry muffins were ordered at the counter that proved to be very good. (3 Forks)



My tire tracks were retraced back to Balanced Rock and then we continued on to the Garden of the Gods visitor center.











After spending several minutes viewing the exhibits, we caught a shuttle to the Perkins Central Garden trailhead, named after the man who purchased the entire property and donated it to the City of Colorado Springs for use as a city park. The ADA accessible path is situated in the center of the park at the base of the highest rock formations. It began to rain during our walk so we sought shelter under a few trees until the worse was over. (3 Footsteps)







Our next stop was Mountain Equipment Recyclers where we had hoped to purchase a few used trekking poles, but prices proved to be too high.



Prior to returning to the room, we stopped at Amanda’s Fonda, a busy Mexican restaurant located near our motel, for a lunch of chicken tortilla soup which had a thin, marginally tasty broth with not much in the way of chicken. (2 Spoons)







The remainder of the afternoon was spent in the room as the showers continued unabated. In the late afternoon we walked around old Colorado City and then found a Wal-Mart where we bought a pair of inexpensive trekking poles.



Dinner was the Rabbit Hole, a subterranean restaurant that is Alice in Wonderland themed. Its history may include use as a city morgue back in the 1800’s and more recently as storage space for an above ground business.

















On Sunday evenings, and this was indeed a Sunday evening, a special is offered that includes a $6 bottle of Penfolds wine with the purchase of 2 entrees. The restaurant was apparently out of Penfolds merlot so a bottle of Rawsons Retreat was substituted that proved to be very good given its modest price tag.



Ann chose herb crusted salmon with basil lemon risotto, grilled asparagus and fennel apple slaw. Her dining companion, after consulting with our server, chose chorizo stuffed and bacon wrapped prawns, green beans, and cheesy grits with citrus butter. (3.5 Forks)











It had begun to rain again so a vote was taken to determine who would retrieve our vehicle, it was a tie, Ann wins all ties. Though it continued to pour with intermittent claps of thunder, Ann was in need of a caffeine fix so a stop was made at a Dunkin Donuts. Another vote was cast, same result. (4 Sips)



June 18 – I made an early morning drive through the town of Manitou Springs to the terminal for the Pike’s Peak Cog Railroad which is not operation this year. I then took a circuitous route through Garden of the Gods for additional photos though there was heavy cloud cover throughout.



Giant Footprints





Later we stopped at a Kneader’s Bakery where we found only a few unappetizing breakfast pastries on display so we each ordered an egg and cheese on croissant sandwich that I upgraded with bacon. The croissants were more like a regular roll, but the sandwiches were enjoyable. (2.5 Forks)




The remainder of the morning and early afternoon was spent exploring the “open to the public” sections of the US Air Force Academy including viewing an excellent film on cadet life shown continuously in the visitors center. We also spent time in the Cadet Cathedral which will be closing later this year for 4 years in order to repair leaks in the 17 rows of spires that rise 150 feet high. Although a single building, the chapel houses three distinct main worship areas on two levels, a Protestant Chapel, Catholic Chapel, and Jewish Chapel, along with two all-faiths rooms and two meeting rooms. The Jewish chapel is currently closed so we only visited the Protestant (top level) and Catholic chapels. (4.5 Claps)







Catholic chapel





Protestant chapel







On our way back to the motel we stopped for lunch at a Black Bear Diner where we shared a reuben accompanied by a generous portion of sweet potato fries. (3 Forks)



Next stop was the Garden of the Gods Trading Post that was mostly filled with tourist junk though I did enjoy the small section set aside as an art gallery that housed several pieces of Native American pottery. (2.5 Claps)







In the early evening, we drove to Old Colorado City where we visited Vino Colorado for a free tasting of 3 wines with Ann choosing white and me red. We also each ordered a glass of our favorite that were only $5 each during happy hour.















Since our dining destination was within easy walking distance, we decided to walk, stopping at Bancroft Park where the annual WestFest was beginning to wind down though a few vendors remained open. (2 Claps)



Dinner was at Jake & Telly’s Greek Tavern. $20 bottles of wine on closeout were listed in the wine menu, but when I inquired our server said those were sold out, but offered us a $10 bottle of Concha y Torro’s Frontera Merlot, a Monday evening special. We did not refuse her offer. (3 Sips)



We both chose Colorado lamb kebabs that were accompanied by Greek rice and green beans.

(3.5 Forks)







On our return to the room, we sat out on the deck before turning in for the night.



June 19 – my pre-Ann’s awakening hours were spent at Red Rock Canyon Open Space where I followed the Mesa Trail for about 45 minutes before retracing my steps. This 780 acre, city-owned park is a continuation of the red sandstone rocks of the Fountain Foundation that makes up the Garden of Gods. (2.5 Claps)







We had an 8:30AM commitment so for breakfast we stopped in the Garden of the Gods Trading Post hoping to grab a couple of breakfast pastries to go, but had to settle for egg sandwiches on overdone English muffins. (2 Forks)



We originally planned on visiting the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center in Divide this morning on our way to Salida, but a month prior to our departure I learned of the Colorado Wolf Adventures (CWA) which proved to be far more appealing since it involved taking a wolf, in this case Spirit, on a hike. Spirit is a timber wolf (90%) that was adopted by Peggy Jehly, owner of CWA, when he was a mere 9 weeks old and who recently celebrated his 2nd birthday.



We met Peggy, 2 volunteers and Spirit at the parking lot for the Cabin Canon trail which provided a panoramic view of Pike’s Peak as well as many of the park’s geological features. Spirit had a gentle disposition though I believe the mouse he pounced on at the very beginning of the walk might disagree.











The walk was so much fun, truly the highlight, though there were many, of this trip.







We all had a howlin’ good time













I think Spirit liked me





I am now an official member of his pack









Unfortunately, as Ann followed the path and Spirit up a small sandstone hill, she slipped on some pebbles and turned her knee as she fell. Though she soldiered on, the injury proved to be far more severe than originally believed. Peggy gave us a flash drive containing 262 photos of our once in a lifetime walk with Spirit. (5 Claps for our wolf adventure, 2 Crutches for Ann’s knee)



After checking out of our motel, we set off for Salida making a small detour to visit Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. The monument includes an amazing number of petrified redwood stumps as well as a wide variety of insect and plant fossils. Ann could barely walk at this point, but a ranger came by and provided us with a wheelchair which was used to push me around as we toured the petite visitors center and a couple of outside exhibits. (2 Claps)







Continuing on, we passed a section of the Collegiate Peaks Scenic Byway, stopping at an overlook that provided a panoramic view of the Collegiate Peaks section of the Sawatch Range that rises 14,000 feet and include Mounts Princeton, Yale and Harvard.







We arrived at the Tudor Rose Bed and Breakfast in Salida before the official check-in hours of between 4 and 6 PM, so I explained to Terre, our hostess, that Ann was injured earlier the day. She begrudgingly allowed us to check-in to the White Water room, a spacious 2nd floor room with a king bed. Neither she nor her husband Jon ever welcomed us or even introduced themselves though Jon asked if I could use help with the luggage and was otherwise available to answer any questions unlike Terre who I never saw again.







Dinner was at Amica’s Pizza Microwbrew & More where we stood in line to order. Another customer suggested I try a sample of green chili ale which almost did me in so I ended up ordering a bottle of Rosso Toscana sangiovese which was more than decent. For nourishment we chose a Margherita pizza and house salads. The pizza toppings were first rate, but overall it proved to be a disappointment because the thin, wood-fired crust was the consistency of cardboard. (2.5 Forks)







Ann was in severe pain so we decided to make use of the emergency room services at the Rockies Regional Hospital. The staff proved to be friendly and competent, but, as typical in such situations, painfully slow. Some 2.5 hours after entering and following x-rays, she walked, actually was pushed in a wheelchair, out sporting a brand new pair of crutches, a splint for her leg and a prescription for painkillers.







June 20 – I visited Riverside Park this morning where I followed a path that traced the picturesque Arkansas River through town for several hundred yards and then completed a circuit of the downtown area.











A pair of arborists pruning trees this morning





View of Tenderfoot Mountain from downtown Salida







We were the only ones to sign up for the 9AM breakfast at our B&B, all the other occupants choosing the 8AM seating. While I began packing the car, Ann slowly made here way down the stairs to the dining room table where our less than gracious hostess asked her to move so she would not have to walk all the way around the table to serve a fruit plate. Bear in mind, Ann was wearing a full leg splint and on crutches.



Our eggs Benedict and a pair of mini blueberry muffins were sitting on the table by the time I sat down. The Benedicts, featuring regular ham rather than Canadian, were now lukewarm, the eggs overcooked and not particularly good, though the muffins, one each, received a favorable review from both diners. Neither of our hosts were seen again much less bid us a fond adieu as we exited the premises. (1.5 Sheets)



The drive over Monarch Pass, considered to be among Colorado’s most scenic, provided a panoramic view of the Sawatch Range at its 11,000 plus foot summit plus many wildflowers and large stands of aspens.







In the town of Gunnison we followed CO-135 for 27 miles up the East River Valley to Crested Butte. This former dingy coal mining town just may be "the last great Colorado ski town" as it claims given its beautifully restored historic district and breathtaking mountain setting.







Sean Guerrero’s dragon and knight sculptures





I located a parking spot directly in front of Brick Oven Pizzeria and Pub so we were soon settled in at a curbside table with frosty pints of craft beer, Elevation Beer Co’s 8 Second Kolsch for Ann (3 Sips) and Ska Mexican Lager for me. (2.5 Sips)







At check-in at Old Town Inn, our home for three nights, I requested a room with a pair of queen beds on the first floor with easy access to the parking lot. After packing away our remaining clean clothes, we rested until 4PM when I headed to the lobby to secure a quartet of white chocolate chip cookies that were polished off while still warm.



Happy hour was at Coal Creek Grill which had creaky wooden floors and $5 Merlots.



Dinner was at Pitas on Paradise where we sat on the patio on a perfect evening and ordered a pair of O.G.’s – gyros with thinly sliced, slow-roasted lamb cooked in sauteed onion with lettuce, tomato, feta cheese and homemade tzatziki sauce on a pita. A side was included so Ann ordered an unusual, though tasty, tabouli salad and I, a Greek pasta salad. Everything was very good. (3.5 Forks)







The evening was beautiful so we drove up to Mount Crested Butte and back and then tried to locate Strand Organic Salon where Ann had a hair appointment on Friday. After considerable sleuthing and amid much cursing (me), we discovered the salon faced a different side street and had changed its name to New Moon Salon.



View of Mount Crested Butte from our inn’s patio





June 21 – I woke up to a beautiful, crystal clear morning though the temperature registered a mere 41 degrees. After a few failed attempts, I located the trailhead for Woods Walk where I hiked for about 1.5 hours to Peanut Lake and beyond while taking in the amazing display of wildflowers and the view of both Gothic Mountain and Mount Crested Butte. As I was concluding my hike, I ran into 4 dogs taking their owners for a morning stroll and received kisses from 2 of them, the dogs, not their companions.

Perfect – perfect – perfect. (4.5 Trekking Poles)



Colorado columbine among a grove of aspens





A field of mule-ears sunflowers





Peanut lake





Ann slept and otherwise rested for most of the day. Prior to lunch, I walked over to the Center For the Arts, currently in process of being expanded, to view a small art exhibition.











I then made my way to Teocalli Tamale and purchased a trio of red chili and pork tamales for our lunch. I topped 2 with green chili sauce and cheese while leaving the remaining one plain for Ann figuring there was no need to add an upset stomach to her current woes. Both were good though we have frequently had better. (2.5 Forks)



In the afternoon I drove south of town on CO 135 in an attempt to locate Brush Creek Road and the trailhead for the Brush Creek trail, but there was no road signage so, after 60 frustrating minutes, I retreated back to town and sought guidance at the visitors center, eventually locating it by turning left at the sign for Crested Butte Club on CO 738.



We chose the The Dogwood for happy hour because of its interesting list of cocktails coupled with reasonable pricing. Ann chose a beetnik (beet, vodka, lemon, ginger) which our server recommended while I navigated my own course by requesting a fennominal (fennel, vodka, strawberry, lemon). Both were okay, but we fared better on the second round with a pair of mojo jojo’s (gin, mint, ginger beer). (3 Sips)







Dinner was on the patio of Ryce Asian Bistro with Ann ordering sesame chicken and I the Fourteener that included a mix of seafood, chicken, beef and veggies. Both entree portions were humongous so neither of us finished our meals though it was not for want of trying. (3 Forks)











We took an after dinner drive out Brush Creek Road passing by a beautiful countryside and many cows while the sun slowly slipped behind the towering mountains.



June 22 – As the sun began to slowly rise and with the thermometer registering 39 degrees, I could be found on the Brush Creek trail passing one field after another of bright yellow and blue flowers under a nearly cloudless blue sky.











Nary a single fellow traveler would be encountered on my entire 2 hour hike and the only sounds heard were from birds, the creek, presumably Brush Creek, and an occasional moo from the cows far below that we passed last evening. This proved to be the most picturesque hike I took on this trip. (5 Trekking Poles)



We almost enjoyed our breakfast of canned pears with blueberries plus vegetable quiches in the motel this morning. We then made the very short drive to New Moon Salon for Ann’s 10AM appointment with Heather only to discover the salon door locked so after waiting 10 minutes, Ann called the number listed on the door for her. As of this writing, we are still waiting for the return call. Ann then called Leta’s number, also listed on the door, which was returned a few hours later via text message offering to squeeze Ann in on July 6th.







Ann did manage to secure an appointment at A Cut Above Salon for 1PM that afternoon which we found much to our delight was actually open upon our arrival. The new owner seems to be doing a lot better job than under its prior ownership. (3.5 Curls) In the meantime, I returned to the motel and started our wash.



After picking up Ann and returning to our room, I took a short walk to Frank’s Deli at Creative Catering where I purchased a Fourteener sandwich (lettuce, tomato, avocado, thick sliced turkey and bacon jam on sourdough bread) that we shared in the room. (3.5 Forks)



Given the fact that Ann was in considerable pain and not really enjoying our vacation, we decided to cut the trip short and called Southwest Airlines to make a new reservation for the 26th, fully expecting to be charged the current tariff. Much to our delight, the customer service rep informed us that the price differential would be waived. Thank you SWA!



Happy hour was at the Last Steep with Ann ordering a Merlot and I another Elevation 8 Second Kolsch draft. On the second round, Ann switched to a margarita while I remained Elevated. (3 Sips)



Dinner was at upscale Django’s where we held an Opentable reservation for 6:30PM. I got a wee bit warm under the collar when the owner(?) indicated we would have to wait until another party was seated even though there were several tables available. I asked had he noticed Ann on crutches and was he aware there were other restaurants in town? He did bring a chair out which she politely declined and shortly thereafter we were seated.


Bar dates back to early 1900's.






Plate sharing is encouraged and plate share we did, advising our server to send them out in the order prepared. The first plate was a pair of cornmeal dusted soft shelled crabs that were served with grilled Romaine lettuce, tomatoes, garlic and harissa vinaigrette. This was followed by a generous bowl of crispy Brussel sprouts (apple cider reduction, Creme Fraiche, apples, pistachios, rosemary, sea salt), a house specialty. Last, but by no means least, was a plate of Colorado boneless short ribs (pomegranate-balsamic braised with fresh pomegranate and mint). Each of our tapas was both unique and delicious. I was surprised to discover on settling the bill that menu prices included a, hopefully, generous gratuity. (4.5 Forks)













June 23 – I located the trailhead for Long Lake Trail on my first attempt – Bravo! This was another easy trail that I only wished was longer because the view of the distant mountains, fields of wildflowers and calm lake was just outstanding. (4.5 Trekking poles though the poles were hardly needed)



















It was bike week in Crested Butte





After checking out of our room, we drove to Izzy’s for breakfast, but were advised by a server that it would be an hour wait for a table and the kitchen was out of most menu items. She recommended both McGills or Paradise Cafe. The line at McGills was long and the estimated wait approximated 45 minutes, so we decided to invest 20 minutes waiting for a table at the Paradise Cafe.



We each ordered huevos rancheros with green chili sauce and salsa that were served in a skillet with runny eggs as requested. Hands down, these were by far the best huevos rancheros in memory. (5 Forks)







We drove over the Kebler Pass section of the West Elk Loop scenic byway passing through groves of Aspens and wildflowers as the road alternated between paved and gravel. The view of the West Elk Mountains and Ruby Range was almost continuous.











Just outside Carbondale, we arrived at the Roaring Fork Valley where we turned south, following the Roaring Fork River which was rarely out of sight. On arriving at our Basalt destination, we stopped at its lone pharmacy to see if Ann’s prescription for pain meds could be filled only to discover it had closed for the day (Saturday) and would not reopen until Monday morning.



After checking-in at the Basalt Mountain Inn, we made the short drive back to the small town of El Jebel where we successfully had the prescription filled at City Market Pharmacy.







We then spent an hour or so resting in our room before it was time for adult beverages at the Riverside Grill. It was a bit windy so we settled for an inside table rather than its patio which overlooks the river. I chose a New Belgium Fat Tire that was followed by a Roaring Brook IPA while Ann was content with a Stella Artois draft and Hess Chardonnay. (3 Sips)



Dinner was at Heather’s Savory Pies & Tapas Bar with us again eschewing patio seating in favor of an inside table. We both opted for shepherd's pie made with Colorado lamb that included warm sourdough bread and a bountiful house salad. (4 Forks)








June 24 – My early morning walk included a trail that ran along the Roaring Fork river where I encountered one of 5 outdoor sculptures, Back Flip, included in the Motio 2.0 exhibit currently on display in separate locations throughout town.











Before returning, I crossed a bridge over the river and found Gisella Fou Park, for skateboarders, plus what I believe is Midland park immediately behind the library. As I walked through the park, I spotted high on a dead tree what I believed were a pair of bald eagles only to discover the next day that the female was actually a turkey vulture. This small park also included a story tree for children. (3.5 Claps)




We again encountered a line for breakfast/brunch. This time at Cafe Bernard where, after finally being seated, it took forever to receive menus. Ann ordered a coffee, but I had to go to the counter for a second cup because the cream was sour. Our orders of omelets, Florentine for Ann and the Gardner for me, were merely okay and certainly not worth the investment in time. Our server appeared totally overwhelmed throughout our meal so after requesting the check, I brought it to the counter to pay. (2 Forks)







We then toured the Ann Korologos Gallery that features western art. The current exhibit titled “The Western Experience” runs run through July 7th. The various paintings and sculptures by contemporary artists were unfailingly excellent, but what we enjoyed most were several pieces of pottery by Michael Wisner. (4 Brushes)











Next stop was Aspen where we visited the Aspen Art Museum, a non collecting contemporary art museum. The building is gorgeous, but overall we were disappointed by the art currently on display.







We started off at the roof top sculpture garden which was primarily devoted to a cafe, but included a sculpture by Larry Bell titled Aspen Blues.







The basement housed only a few pieces of art that may have been contemporary, but hardly qualified as art IMHO. Floor #2 was closed for a change over in exhibits so maybe that is where they keep the “good stuff”. (0.5 Brushes)











On our way back to Basalt I made a detour for Woody Creek Canyon hoping to chance upon Woody Creek Tavern that is decorated with photos and memorabilia of its most famous customer, the late gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson. We did not locate the tavern, but the drive, shared with countless cyclists, proved to be scenic.



On our return to town, we drove up Frying Pan road that traces its namesake river for several miles past majestic red sandstone cliffs before making our way back to the motel.



Ann rested while I further explored downtown making stops at the farmers market that was in process of closing, the chamber of commerce, housed in a former railroad car, and the Art of Hair which serves double duty as both a hair salon and art gallery. The latter was cluttered from floor to ceiling with far too many similar paintings. (2 Brushes)










Happy hour at the Colorado Creek Brewery ends at 5:30PM so Ann kicked off the evening with a pineapple blonde draft (4 Sips) and, as the little hand approached 29 and the big hand at 5, ordered a glass of Chardonnay (2.5 Sips). My initial beverage was a bighorn Czech style pilsner (3.5 Sips) and then a Colorado dew wheat (4 Sips).






Following a short drive to a newer section of Basalt, we arrived at Smoke Modern Barbecue where a rack of babyback ribs plus sides of smoke coleslaw and mac and cheese were ordered. The ribs were not fall off the bone tender, but tasty while the coleslaw proved disappointing and Ann ate all the mac and cheese so I assume it was pretty good. (2.5 Forks)



June 25 – this being our last full day in Colorado, I and about ½ dozen other hearty souls, the temperature being a brisk 41 degrees, were on the shores of Maroon Bells Lake outside Aspen, the most photographed site in Colorado, at around 6AM under crystal clear skies. The wind was but a mere a whisper so the giant mountain tops, named Maroon Peak and North Maroon Peak, were clearly reflected in the lake. After taking an absurd number of photos, I proceeded to follow a path along the circumference of the lake, past an active beaver lodge and then along a creek until I reached a wooden bridge, realizing too late that to continue on would require trekking poles which were resting comfortably in the trunk of our car. (5 Photos)











As I departed at 7:50AM, I passed a steady stream of cars heading to Maroon Bells, likely to avoid paying the $10 vehicle tariff that is charged between 8AM and 5PM.



Our breakfast at Two Rivers Cafe took a 1 hour and 45 minutes because we had to wait – wait to be seated, wait for menus, wait for our food and wait for our bill. Ann chose a breakfast special that included a pair each of eggs, bacon and French toast. I opted for a 3 egg Spanish omelet with green chili and cheese that was topped with salsa plus hash browns and an English muffin. Burp! Ann’s breakfast turned out to be good, mine not so much. The cash only policy coupled with locals being served first and the long wait relegates this restaurant to “one and done” status. 2 Forks



While Ann waited, I hastily walked over to Alpine Bank, formerly a railroad depot, to break a bill.



We again took a drive out Frying Pan Road past the same red sandstone cliffs and river, but continued on a total of 15 miles to Reudi Dam and Reservoir that is part of White River National Forest. On our return we made a short detour to visit the charcoal kilns, circa 1880’s, in Arbaney Park.















This evening’s happy hour festivities were held at Mezzaluna Willits a drop dead gorgeous restaurant. 4 margaritas, two each, later we drove back to town for dinner at Tempranillo, a re-purposed former railroad hotel. It was another gorgeous night so we chose a table on the front porch.







The menu features both Spanish and Italian cuisine with us sharing a Mediterranean salad (organic filed greens, sundried tomatoes, pine nuts and goat cheese dressed with piquillo vinaigrette), clams a la vasca and finally paella mariscos (saffron rice with seafood). Though on the border of being satiated, we felt our last dinner in Colorado should conclude with a dessert, a chocolate mousse received the nod. (4 Forks)



On exiting we took a drive uphill, straight uphill, past several homes clinging to a mountain until we reached a dead end sign and retreated to the inn.



June 26 – my early morning escapades included a drive to El Jebel where I followed a road that led me high above the town, past the Spring Park Reservoir and eventually to another section of White River National Forest.



Later in the morning we drove north up the Roaring Fork Valley to Glenwood Spring where we stopped at the 19th Street Diner that has been in continuous operation for over 30 years. Mr. and Mrs. Piggy each ordered the Simply Eggs breakfast that included a pair of country fresh eggs, MoPos’ potatoes and a blueberry muffin. Service was very good as was the breakfast. (3 Forks)











The stretch of I-70 running east from Glenwood Springs to Denver through the Rocky Mountains is often billed as the most beautiful in the entire interstate highway system and who are we to disagree?



On our return to Dollar car rental we were met by an affable attendant who waived the early return charge and seemed genuinely happy to receive my trekking poles and our cooler. He also took our luggage to the shuttle while I went inside to secure our final receipt.



The shuttle driver arranged for Ann to be met at the airport by a wheelchair though going through security proved to be a rather time consuming process because of the full body scan she received due to the metal in the splint. We enjoyed a late lunch at Woody Creek Bakery & Cafe, sharing a BLTA sandwich (bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado, chipotle mayonnaise) and turkey avocado wrap. (3 Forks)



As occupants of our arriving plane exited, we witnessed a Pee-Wee Hermanisque character, dressed in a bright blue suit with trouser cuffs well over his ankles and a polka dot bow tie to match, dashing off the plane while pulling his carry on luggage. Pee-Wee returned less than 5 minutes later, apparently to ask the attendant to retrieve something left on the plane, then as it was being brought to him, he jumped in the air while clapping his hands for joy. When last seen, he was skipping along while whistling a happy tune.



We were not without a few interesting characters on our return flight including a dysfunctional family comprised of a grandmother in a wheelchair, her daughter and Junior, the mean widdle kid. Throughout the flight each made a series of special demands of the flight attendant while constantly bickering among themselves. My suspicions that granny was not an invalid were affirmed when we spotted her jogging out of the baggage claim area trailed by Junior, the mean widdle kid, who was pushing the wheelchair laden with luggage, presumably theirs.



Though we have returned home, this trip has not concluded, it has merely been adjourned until I can book our next flight to Colorado. I do hope you, the reader, and Miss Liner have enjoyed this somewhat tardy trip report.



“Things go up and down. If you can survive the down, it will come back.”

John Denver

Thanks for the great trip report. I can never get enough food porn.

Great report westie - glad you got to enjoy some really nice hikes. Colorado has some of our absolutely favorite vacation areas. Hope your lovely wife is healing up quickly....

Frank, 

I've lived in Colorado Springs since 1965, and you went to some places I've never been to!