Colorado Vacation, June 2018
June 15, 2018, On our way to Breckenridge, CO
We started out the day early, up at 5 am, packed the car, and on the road by 5:55 am. The mileage is 13,412. We drove a couple of hours and then stopped for a snack (crackers) since we hadn’t had any breakfast. The weather is warm so it’s nice to be able to get out of the car for breaks and meals. On a lot of our trips we’re driving during cold weather and have to eat in the car.
Our first gas refill was at Hays, Kansas. Cost of gas is high right now and our pockets are reflecting it. We drove on and ate lunch at Colby, Ks at a rest area. We had fried chicken that we had brought with us. While eating lunch we met a man who was vacationing with his son and he lives near us in Parkville, KS. I’m always amazed at what a small world it is. The man was going to Zion NP so we had a short conversation about the Angel’s Landing Trail.
After lunch we drove on until refilling the gas at Limon, CO. While filling up with gas Mike talked to some people who were on their way from Rocky Mountain National Park but who live at Olathe, KS.
We drove through Denver and ran into a lot of traffic but made it just fine. It was around Denver we started seeing the mountains. They are gorgeous with snow covered peaks. We got to Grand Timber Lodge around 4:30 so we made pretty good time. However we had a time change today and we didn’t realize it until later so we figure it took us about 11 hours driving time including all of our breaks to get here.
We checked in with ease and they went over all the amenities of the resort and some of the activities that are available in the area. It looks like there are a lot of fun things to do in the area. Mike and I went up to our room, unpacked, and got settled in.
We went to happy hour at the resort in their bar. It was really good appetizers with a good price. Mike and I were both ready for a little relaxation after our long day of driving and so both of us ordered a drink with our appetizers. The food was so good we’re hoping to come back and eat here sometime this week. After dinner Mike and I walked around the resort viewing the pool and playground area. It looks like a nice resort.
We went back to our room and Doug and family got here around 6pm. It was nice to see them and great that they are staying in the same building as we are. It will make it easier to get together with them for meals. Their room is much larger than ours so we will be getting together in their room more often than ours. Julia and I realized we brought some of the same food items for the week and we both brought too much. I don’t think we’ll run out of food!
Later once Doug and Julia settled in we went to Wal Mart and got a few other food items that we needed for the week, mainly items that need to be refrigerated. Alyssa stayed with Mike at the resort and they played games in the room while the rest of us shopped. We got home around 9 and we are all ready to call it a night. Doug, Julia, Olivia, and Alyssa are going to a “Bacon Run” tomorrow which will include a BBQ cook-off so Mike and I plan to join them. We’re getting up early and will leave by 7:30 am.
Our first gas refill was at Hays, Kansas. Cost of gas is high right now and our pockets are reflecting it. We drove on and ate lunch at Colby, Ks at a rest area. We had fried chicken that we had brought with us. While eating lunch we met a man who was vacationing with his son and he lives near us in Parkville, KS. I’m always amazed at what a small world it is. The man was going to Zion NP so we had a short conversation about the Angel’s Landing Trail.
After lunch we drove on until refilling the gas at Limon, CO. While filling up with gas Mike talked to some people who were on their way from Rocky Mountain National Park but who live at Olathe, KS.
We drove through Denver and ran into a lot of traffic but made it just fine. It was around Denver we started seeing the mountains. They are gorgeous with snow covered peaks. We got to Grand Timber Lodge around 4:30 so we made pretty good time. However we had a time change today and we didn’t realize it until later so we figure it took us about 11 hours driving time including all of our breaks to get here.
We checked in with ease and they went over all the amenities of the resort and some of the activities that are available in the area. It looks like there are a lot of fun things to do in the area. Mike and I went up to our room, unpacked, and got settled in.
We went to happy hour at the resort in their bar. It was really good appetizers with a good price. Mike and I were both ready for a little relaxation after our long day of driving and so both of us ordered a drink with our appetizers. The food was so good we’re hoping to come back and eat here sometime this week. After dinner Mike and I walked around the resort viewing the pool and playground area. It looks like a nice resort.
We went back to our room and Doug and family got here around 6pm. It was nice to see them and great that they are staying in the same building as we are. It will make it easier to get together with them for meals. Their room is much larger than ours so we will be getting together in their room more often than ours. Julia and I realized we brought some of the same food items for the week and we both brought too much. I don’t think we’ll run out of food!
Later once Doug and Julia settled in we went to Wal Mart and got a few other food items that we needed for the week, mainly items that need to be refrigerated. Alyssa stayed with Mike at the resort and they played games in the room while the rest of us shopped. We got home around 9 and we are all ready to call it a night. Doug, Julia, Olivia, and Alyssa are going to a “Bacon Run” tomorrow which will include a BBQ cook-off so Mike and I plan to join them. We’re getting up early and will leave by 7:30 am.
June 16, 2018 Breckenridge, CO Bacon Burner Run, Frisco BBQ Competition, Epic Discovery Slide
This morning we got up early by 6am so we could leave the resort by 7:30 am to get to Doug and Julia’s run that started at 9:30 at Frisco. We ate breakfast in the rooms and I sent coffee cake down to Doug and Julia’s room for Olivia and Alyssa. We met up at 7:30 with Doug, Julia, and the girls. We drove to Frisco and arrived there at 8:00 with plenty of time to spare. Doug, Julia, and the girls signed in for the race and got their t-shirts. This is called the Bacon Burner 6K Run as in the middle of the race they received strips of bacon along with the typical water. One of the local TV stations was there and Doug, Julia, Olivia, and Alyssa were interviewed live for their program. That made everything fun and they did a great job!
It was a gorgeous day for the run but Doug and Julia thought the run was fairly difficult because of several steep sections. Doug ran with Alyssa and Julia ran with Olivia. Because they were running with the girls their time was much higher than usual but they enjoyed running as a family. Their time was around 45 minutes, lots better than anything we could do! Olivia and Alyssa placed 3rd and 4th in their age group (19 years old and under) being beaten by a 19 and a 16 year old.
After the run everyone got fried bacon (which was delicious), and plenty of snacks and water. Then we all walked over to Frisco where there was a BBQ challenge that Frisco sponsors every year. We walked around and after looking at lots of the booths ate some bbq for lunch which was wonderful. Several of the participants were from the Kansas City area so it was fun to see them here. Our lunch was prepared by Basted from Branson, MO.
After the run everyone got fried bacon (which was delicious), and plenty of snacks and water. Then we all walked over to Frisco where there was a BBQ challenge that Frisco sponsors every year. We walked around and after looking at lots of the booths ate some bbq for lunch which was wonderful. Several of the participants were from the Kansas City area so it was fun to see them here. Our lunch was prepared by Basted from Branson, MO.
After lunch the weather was beginning to look like it was going to rain so we headed back to the car. We decided to go back to Breckenridge to the resort, we all rested a bit, and then we headed to the gondolas that are located close to our resort. The hotel offers a free shuttle to the gondolas which are also free. The gondolas took us to Epic Discovery which is located at the base of the ski runs. We looked around to get a feel for the place. There was so many things the kids could have done, zip lines, coaster, rock climbing wall, slide with a ski lift ride, and on and on. It was almost overwhelming at first and it’s a bit pricey! You can buy a day’s pass which is the best deal for your money but we didn’t want to spend the entire day here.
The first thing we did was to go to a mountain of snow (free) where we all climbed on. It was really slick and I think Olivia and Alyssa enjoyed it a lot more than we did however it was still fun. After that Olivia and Alyssa decided they wanted to do the slide so Doug, Julia, Olivia, Alyssa and I paid for the tickets and away we went on the ski lift. This is the first time the girls had ever been on a ski lift so it scared them a little that the lift was so open and if you fell it would be a long way down. Once we got to the top and in the cars, we were shown how to speed or slow down as we were descending. Doug rode down by himself, Alyssa and I rode in one car, and Julia and Olivia in another.Doug was pretty fast going down. Alyssa and I didn’t want to go that fast but we accelerated on the straight a ways, and slowed down when we came to all the steep curves. We beat Julia and Olivia by quite a bit but of course, Doug beat us all.
We went back to the gondolas which took us back to Breckenridge on Main Street down town. We ate dinner at the Breck Tap House. We really didn’t know anything about this restaurant but decided to give it a try. Most of us had some type of tacos. Mike and I shared fish tacos and everyone said their meal was delicious. We did some window shopping after dinner. We bought very little but Breck has some cute shops and the usual t-shirt and souvenir places. By this time Olivia and Alyssa were getting tired so we returned to the resort via their free shuttle. Mike and I went back to our room to catch up on our photos from the day and our daily journal. Olivia and Alyssa talked Doug into going down to swim and use the hot tub.
It’s been a nice day. I always worry when there are two families trying to make decisions about what to do especially in a place that we’re not familiar with but it’s all been working out very well so far. Tomorrow is supposed to rain so we’re planning on sleeping in and then going to the Coors Brewery in Golden, CO.
It’s been a nice day. I always worry when there are two families trying to make decisions about what to do especially in a place that we’re not familiar with but it’s all been working out very well so far. Tomorrow is supposed to rain so we’re planning on sleeping in and then going to the Coors Brewery in Golden, CO.
June 17, 2018 Breckenridge, CO Coors Tour at Golden, CO
We slept in a little bit this morning, had breakfast, showers and dressed for the day. Olivia and Alyssa came up for a few minutes this morning to visit. One of the perks of this vacation is being able to spend time with the grandkids!
We wanted to do the Coors Brewery Tour in Golden, CO so we left the resort around 9:30 am. It took us a little over an hour to get there and there was heavy traffic for a Sunday. The road is very curvy with steep grades. We reached the Coors Brewery around 11 am and had plenty of time before the tour started.
Beer cans were introduced in America in 1935 but Adolph Coors, Jr was never satisfied with the effect the tin cans had on taste. His son, Bill, vowed to find a replacement. In 1959 Coors introduced the nation's first all aluminum beer can. That same year the brewery launched a recycling revolution, offering a penny for each returned can. Coors was responsible for a decade of innovation with the development of sterile fill process and the introduction of refrigerated marketing to deliver quality taste and the freshest beer.
We were all disappointed in the tour. It was a self guided audio tour of the building. The tour included history of the Coors family and the brewery but what we found most interesting was the packing part of the tour. We could see the packaging of twelve packs of beer on an automated assembly line. It was amazing how fast the line operated. We were also able to see the entire brewing process. When comparing this tour to the Budweiser Tour in St Louis it was really disappointing and a little boring.
At the end of the tour we went to the courtesy lounge where we were each allowed 3 glasses of a beer of our choice. Olivia and Alyssa and I had root beer, the others had beer. Actually 3 glasses would have been a lot because the draws were full sized. None of us had our allotted 3 drinks especially since we were driving.
We wanted to do the Coors Brewery Tour in Golden, CO so we left the resort around 9:30 am. It took us a little over an hour to get there and there was heavy traffic for a Sunday. The road is very curvy with steep grades. We reached the Coors Brewery around 11 am and had plenty of time before the tour started.
Beer cans were introduced in America in 1935 but Adolph Coors, Jr was never satisfied with the effect the tin cans had on taste. His son, Bill, vowed to find a replacement. In 1959 Coors introduced the nation's first all aluminum beer can. That same year the brewery launched a recycling revolution, offering a penny for each returned can. Coors was responsible for a decade of innovation with the development of sterile fill process and the introduction of refrigerated marketing to deliver quality taste and the freshest beer.
We were all disappointed in the tour. It was a self guided audio tour of the building. The tour included history of the Coors family and the brewery but what we found most interesting was the packing part of the tour. We could see the packaging of twelve packs of beer on an automated assembly line. It was amazing how fast the line operated. We were also able to see the entire brewing process. When comparing this tour to the Budweiser Tour in St Louis it was really disappointing and a little boring.
At the end of the tour we went to the courtesy lounge where we were each allowed 3 glasses of a beer of our choice. Olivia and Alyssa and I had root beer, the others had beer. Actually 3 glasses would have been a lot because the draws were full sized. None of us had our allotted 3 drinks especially since we were driving.
When we came out of the tour it was raining so we rushed to the car after a few quick photos.
We ate lunch at Anthony’s Pizza and Pasta. It was good but kind of forgettable. We all had
pizza and a salad.
Right after lunch Doug drove us all back to the resort and we went back to the room to rest.
Doug and the girls went for a walk and played checkers on the outside chess board at the resort.
We were still full from lunch so we waited until around 7 to eat sandwiches in Doug and Julia’s
room. After dinner we talked about our plans for tomorrow’s white water rafting which I have to
admit I’m a little nervous about. Then we played games that I had brought from home for about
an hour. It was a lot of fun and we returned to our room about 8 pm because it was the girls bedtime..
June 18, 2018 Breckenridge, CO Whitewater Rafting with AVA Rafting and Zipline at Buena Vista, CO
We ate breakfast this morning with Doug, Julia, Olivia and Alyssa in their room. Shortly after breakfast at around 7:30 am we drove to Buena Vista, CO and checked in at the AVA Zip line and Rafting Company. The staff was awesome and very helpful. Julia, Olivia, and Alyssa and I picked out wet suits since the day was a bit on the cool side plus the water is 45 degrees. Brrr! Then we all got splash jackets, personal flotation devices (life vests), and helmets. Once we were all suited up they presented a safety talk.
After the safety talk we boarded the bus which took us to the beginning of the white water rafting trip down the Arkansas River. The tour we chose was an all day with lunch provided navigating class two and three rapids. It was a great trip floating nine class three rapids. At first I was concerned about Olivia and Alyssa but they hung in there and paddled right along with the rest of us.
On the first part of the trip we rode a number of pretty good rapids and barely avoided some rocks and boulders in the water. At about the half way mark we had lunch of fajitas provided by the tour company. It was a pretty good meal. On the second part of the trip I almost fell out of the raft three different times but was rescued by our guide, Joey, who was exceptional. He kept us on the right track avoiding all the boulders in the river and yet giving us some pretty thrilling rides over the rapids. He pointed out lots of points of interest and kept us entertained the whole time. He was very knowledgeable and outgoing and we really enjoyed him. I give him a lot of credit since he had to accommodate our raft with two young kids, two older people (Mike and me) and then Doug and Julia. We tried our best and did pretty well but towards the end of the trip we were wearing down.
We got back to the headquarters via their bus around 4:30 pm, dried off, and looked at the photos from the trip that the tour company had taken earlier. Photos were pretty expensive so we only bought one. On our way back to the resort we stopped at Wendy’s, got some dinner, and took it home to eat in our rooms. We’re all tired and needed showers. Bedtime came early tonight.
After the safety talk we boarded the bus which took us to the beginning of the white water rafting trip down the Arkansas River. The tour we chose was an all day with lunch provided navigating class two and three rapids. It was a great trip floating nine class three rapids. At first I was concerned about Olivia and Alyssa but they hung in there and paddled right along with the rest of us.
On the first part of the trip we rode a number of pretty good rapids and barely avoided some rocks and boulders in the water. At about the half way mark we had lunch of fajitas provided by the tour company. It was a pretty good meal. On the second part of the trip I almost fell out of the raft three different times but was rescued by our guide, Joey, who was exceptional. He kept us on the right track avoiding all the boulders in the river and yet giving us some pretty thrilling rides over the rapids. He pointed out lots of points of interest and kept us entertained the whole time. He was very knowledgeable and outgoing and we really enjoyed him. I give him a lot of credit since he had to accommodate our raft with two young kids, two older people (Mike and me) and then Doug and Julia. We tried our best and did pretty well but towards the end of the trip we were wearing down.
We got back to the headquarters via their bus around 4:30 pm, dried off, and looked at the photos from the trip that the tour company had taken earlier. Photos were pretty expensive so we only bought one. On our way back to the resort we stopped at Wendy’s, got some dinner, and took it home to eat in our rooms. We’re all tired and needed showers. Bedtime came early tonight.
June 19, 2018 Breckenridge, CO Baker's Tank Trail, Boreas Pass, Quandary Peak Trail
Doug and Julia hiked Quandary Peak (a fourteener) near Breckenridge today so we decided it would be a good day to take the girls on a couple of easy hikes. We went down to get the girls around 7 am as Doug and Julia were leaving for their hike. Oh to be young, again! Mike and I hike in Arizona but not at this elevation! Doug and Julia said it was a tough hike but well worth it once they got to the peak. The last photo shows mountain goats blocking the trail on the way down.
Back at the resort, once we were all dressed in our hiking clothes we were ready to go. We stopped at the resort’s office and got several suggestions for hikes that they felt that we and the girls could handle. We decided to go on the Boreas Road and when the paved street ended and became a gravel road we stopped and decided to hike a bit on the Baker’s Tank Trail. We ended up hiking about two miles round trip as we discovered the trail was around 2 ½ miles one way and it was entirely in the woods. We thought it might get boring for the girls.
Once we got back from the hike on Baker's Tank Trail we continued driving on the Boreas Pass Road. It was a rough road sometimes single lane, but the scenery was beautiful. It went on for about 6 miles. This road is the former rail bed of a narrow gage railroad from the 1880s. Shortly up the road we stopped at Baker’s Tank which was a water tower used by the railroad. We took some photos with the kids and also discovered a small waterfall nearby. Baker's Tank served the Denver, South Park, and Pacific narrow guage railroad, later the Colorado and Southern, from Como to Leadville. The railroad had 63.83 miles of track and 435 curves. The longest stretch of straight track was 1.6 miles. This line was begun in 1880, completed in 1884, and abandoned in 1937. The kids weren’t half as impressed as Mike with the tank.
Once we got back from the hike on Baker's Tank Trail we continued driving on the Boreas Pass Road. It was a rough road sometimes single lane, but the scenery was beautiful. It went on for about 6 miles. This road is the former rail bed of a narrow gage railroad from the 1880s. Shortly up the road we stopped at Baker’s Tank which was a water tower used by the railroad. We took some photos with the kids and also discovered a small waterfall nearby. Baker's Tank served the Denver, South Park, and Pacific narrow guage railroad, later the Colorado and Southern, from Como to Leadville. The railroad had 63.83 miles of track and 435 curves. The longest stretch of straight track was 1.6 miles. This line was begun in 1880, completed in 1884, and abandoned in 1937. The kids weren’t half as impressed as Mike with the tank.
Along the Boreas Pass Road we saw lots of tents, campers, and people even camping in their vehicles. Once we got to the Pass we got out and discovered a trail that we really wanted to hike. It was steep but would have taken us to the peak for some incredible views. However it was already getting late in the morning and the peak would take us above the tree line. We have been advised not to hike above the tree line after noon time because of the chance of thunderstorms and lightening. So we hiked about ½ mile and we all wished we had come earlier to experience this hiking trail. Oh well, there’s always another time! We spent a little time at the pass. There is a visitor’s center here at the pass but it was closed. In additional it looked like there were some small cabins that are rented in the winter season for skiers. My advice on this area is don't waste your time at Baker's Tank Trail, although very pretty we could have hiked this trail later in the day and hiked Boreas Pass Trail early in the day.
The kids were getting hungry by now so we returned to our rooms for lunch. After lunch we all went to the pool for some R & R. Doug and Julia got back around 3pm exhausted from their hike of Quandary Peak but very happy that they accomplished this hike.
For dinner we had grilled hot dogs that tasted pretty good! The resort provides bbq grills for anyone that wants to do their own grilling. I saw someone that was grilling a good looking steak but the hot dogs would have to do this time. We had promised the girls ice cream after dinner so we took the shuttle from the resort to downtown Breckenridge. Downtown consists of lots of good restaurants and cute shops along with the usual touristy and t-shirt shops. I think Doug and Julia bought a couple of small things but we mainly just window shopped. Finally we stopped for the promised ice cream at Higgles Ice Cream Shop. The reviews I read for Higgles were great. We thought the ice cream was good but nothing exceptional and a bit pricey. The lines there were long and we had quite a wait to get to the counter. After the promised ice cream was eaten we took the shuttle back to the resort, planned for tomorrow’s hikes with Doug and Julia, and went back to our room. It’s been a fun day with Olivia and Alyssa.
For dinner we had grilled hot dogs that tasted pretty good! The resort provides bbq grills for anyone that wants to do their own grilling. I saw someone that was grilling a good looking steak but the hot dogs would have to do this time. We had promised the girls ice cream after dinner so we took the shuttle from the resort to downtown Breckenridge. Downtown consists of lots of good restaurants and cute shops along with the usual touristy and t-shirt shops. I think Doug and Julia bought a couple of small things but we mainly just window shopped. Finally we stopped for the promised ice cream at Higgles Ice Cream Shop. The reviews I read for Higgles were great. We thought the ice cream was good but nothing exceptional and a bit pricey. The lines there were long and we had quite a wait to get to the counter. After the promised ice cream was eaten we took the shuttle back to the resort, planned for tomorrow’s hikes with Doug and Julia, and went back to our room. It’s been a fun day with Olivia and Alyssa.
June 20, 2018 Breckenridge, CO North Tenmile Trail, Chuckwagon Dinner
Today we hiked the North Tenmile Trail with Doug, Julia, Olivia and Alyssa. We started the trail about 9:15 in the morning. It was a perfect clear, sunny morning. The trail starts at the west side of Frisco just across I-70.
We didn’t hike the entire trail but did hike a total of 5 miles in and back. The first short section is along a paved road but quickly turns into a rock and dirt pathway. It starts a little steep and continues to gain altitude with some fairly flat sections. It goes in and out of the forest but is mainly through the woods. It follows a stream and has several access side trails to the stream. There are several nice waterfalls and we all took some great pictures. We were able to cross a section of the stream on rocks laid in the water. The girls were a little shaky but made it over and back without much problem. Overall this is a nice trail and you can hike farther or turn around as we did at any point.
We didn’t hike the entire trail but did hike a total of 5 miles in and back. The first short section is along a paved road but quickly turns into a rock and dirt pathway. It starts a little steep and continues to gain altitude with some fairly flat sections. It goes in and out of the forest but is mainly through the woods. It follows a stream and has several access side trails to the stream. There are several nice waterfalls and we all took some great pictures. We were able to cross a section of the stream on rocks laid in the water. The girls were a little shaky but made it over and back without much problem. Overall this is a nice trail and you can hike farther or turn around as we did at any point.
We got back to the car around 12:30 and headed back to the lodge. Mike stayed in the room and rested and I joined Doug, Julia, Olivia, and Alyssa for lunch in their room. Doug and Olivia went on a trail near the resort and hiked the Snowflake Trail while Julia and Alyssa rested in their room and Mike and I rested in ours. A little later in the afternoon Alyssa came to our room and we played some games. Here are some photos of the Snowflake Trail that Doug and Olivia hiked.
Later in the afternoon we got ready for our Two Below Zero chuck wagon dinner. Two Below Zero provides chuck wagon dinners in the winter and summer seasons. In the winter you are taken to their camp by a horse drawn sleigh. Since it was summer we were taken by a buckboard wagon drawn by mules to the summer camp site for an evening of games, barbecue dinner, and a Wild West Show. When we arrived at the tent they gave us homemade biscuits and honey while we waited for dinner and the show. We got there around 5 pm so we had time to play their outdoor games; roping a wooden steer head, ladder golf, corn hole, and ring toss. Around 6 pm dinner was served chuck wagon style of bbq chicken and brisket with sides of beans, corn on the cob, and cornbread with dessert of apple pie. Picnic tables were set up under the tent and we were served our meal on tin plates. We thought the dinner was just ok, about what we expected. They put on a western comedy show with the sheriff and “Dirty Dog”. Doug was pulled out of the audience to be the deputy sheriff and he was great! The show was kind of cute but what we enjoyed the most was Doug as the deputy sheriff. The show was over around 8 pm, we rode the wagon back to the parking lot and drove back to the lodge.
I try to review places we've been and I just couldn't make myself do it for this dinner and show. Mike and I thought it was a little too corny but the kids seemed to enjoy it so I couldn't give it a poor rating either. My final thoughts are it's great if you have kids but don't go for an adult evening. It’s been another great day and our vacation is winding down.
I try to review places we've been and I just couldn't make myself do it for this dinner and show. Mike and I thought it was a little too corny but the kids seemed to enjoy it so I couldn't give it a poor rating either. My final thoughts are it's great if you have kids but don't go for an adult evening. It’s been another great day and our vacation is winding down.
June 21, 2018 Breckenridge, CO McCullough Gulch trail
This morning we had an 8:30 am appointment with Grand Colorado on Peak 8 which is affiliated with our resort of Grand Timber Lodge. Grand Colorado is much newer and is beautiful. It is the last large resort that can be built on the slopes in Breckenridge or that's what we were told. We got a break on our room at Grand Timber Lodge by agreeing to a preview. The preview is actually a time where they try to sell you a time share. So Mike and I sat there for about two hours while they gave us a sales pitch. It’s an interesting concept but it was expensive and at our age it didn’t make sense. This isn't usually our thing to do but the reservations we had through airbnb were cancelled at the last minute (a long story I won't bore you with, but not our fault) and the only way to get into Grand Timber Lodge at a decent price was to sit through a preview (sales pitch).
After the preview we joined Doug, Julia, Olivia, and Alyssa, for lunch at Doug and Julia’s room. After lunch we decided to hike the McCullough Gulch Trail. This trail is located on the north side of Quandary Peak. From the trailhead we hiked an old mining road. After about .7 mile we went to the left to follow the trail. The trail continues through lodgepole pine and eventually comes to a clearing where the waterfalls are. About .3 mile above White Falls is a glacial lake. The trail was classified as a moderate trail. We decided this trail must be Colorado moderate. In Arizona where Mike and I do lots of hiking, I think this would have been considered a difficult hike due to the elevation and steepness of the trail. Colorado is known for its various outdoors activities and also the physical fitness of its people so that’s what I mean by Colorado moderate. Mike and I made it to the falls but it was a tough hike for us.
After the preview we joined Doug, Julia, Olivia, and Alyssa, for lunch at Doug and Julia’s room. After lunch we decided to hike the McCullough Gulch Trail. This trail is located on the north side of Quandary Peak. From the trailhead we hiked an old mining road. After about .7 mile we went to the left to follow the trail. The trail continues through lodgepole pine and eventually comes to a clearing where the waterfalls are. About .3 mile above White Falls is a glacial lake. The trail was classified as a moderate trail. We decided this trail must be Colorado moderate. In Arizona where Mike and I do lots of hiking, I think this would have been considered a difficult hike due to the elevation and steepness of the trail. Colorado is known for its various outdoors activities and also the physical fitness of its people so that’s what I mean by Colorado moderate. Mike and I made it to the falls but it was a tough hike for us.
Mike stayed at the falls and I went a little further to the top of the falls.
Julia, Doug, Olivia, and Alyssa hiked on further about .3 mile to the lake. They said it was beautiful but both Mike and I were done physically. At the lake, they were able to play for a while in the snow. Mike and I stayed for a while at the falls where we rested and ate snacks. Then we decided to hike down the trail ahead of Doug and family. They ended up catching up to us so Julia and Olivia went ahead while Mike, Alyssa, Doug, and I followed at a little slower pace.
By the time we got back to our rooms it was around 4 pm and we were all tired and dirty. Doug and Julia wanted to go out that night for an adults only kind of evening so we volunteered to stay with Olivia and Alyssa. Once we had all cleaned up Olivia, Alyssa, Mike, and I went down near the pool and played some shuffleboard since we had been promising Alyssa all week that we would find time to do this. We played a couple of games (we don’t really know the rules of shuffleboard) and then took the resort’s shuttle bus to downtown Breckenridge to Flipside Restaurant.
Flipside Restaurant is known for its hamburgers, fries, and milkshakes so we thought it would be a good place for the kids. I noticed on the menu that they had cheese curds so we ordered that for an appetizer. The rest of us got hamburgers and fries for our meal plus onion rings. It was a good meal but not as good as I had read in the reviews. It was also a bit pricey, $55 and Mike and I shared.
After dinner we took the shuttle back to the resort. While I was putting the girls to bed Mike was in our room packing things up as we were leaving for home the next morning. Doug and Julia got back earlier than I expected at about 9:15 pm. I said good night to everyone and went back to the room to help Mike pack. It’s been a long day so it wasn’t long before Mike and I went to bed.
Flipside Restaurant is known for its hamburgers, fries, and milkshakes so we thought it would be a good place for the kids. I noticed on the menu that they had cheese curds so we ordered that for an appetizer. The rest of us got hamburgers and fries for our meal plus onion rings. It was a good meal but not as good as I had read in the reviews. It was also a bit pricey, $55 and Mike and I shared.
After dinner we took the shuttle back to the resort. While I was putting the girls to bed Mike was in our room packing things up as we were leaving for home the next morning. Doug and Julia got back earlier than I expected at about 9:15 pm. I said good night to everyone and went back to the room to help Mike pack. It’s been a long day so it wasn’t long before Mike and I went to bed.
June 22, 2018 Breckenridge, CO Back Home
We’re leaving this morning for home so we were up at 6 am, loaded the car, and were ready to go. We waited for Doug and Julia to leave and they were packed up and ready to go by around 7:30 am. We said goodbye to them, all of us checked out, and away we drove towards our homes. We changed time zones near thr Colorado state line losing an hour. Mike and I got home around 7 pm, the trip taking us about 10 hours. We stopped a couple of times for bathroom breaks, and once for lunch of sandwiches near Colby, KS. Total mileage for the trip was 1,363 miles, ending mileage 14,775. Doug did most of the driving while we were at Breckenridge otherwise it would have even been more miles. Thank you, Doug! Our mileage for the trip averaged 24 miles per gallon with the interstate speed limits of 75 mph.
It’s been a great trip. We have enjoyed our time with Olivia and Alyssa immensely. I don’t know if Mike and I will come back to this area, seems like the Southwest is more to our liking but the ski areas of Colorado are beautiful and we love the hiking. As we have found when we go to any new area, the first time is alway a matter of figuring out where you want to go and what you want to do. The second trip is always much more effecient and less time consuming because you are familiar with the area and you know what things you feel like you missed. I'm not sure we will come back to Breckenridge but we have definitely enjoyed our time here. Now on to our next adventure!
It’s been a great trip. We have enjoyed our time with Olivia and Alyssa immensely. I don’t know if Mike and I will come back to this area, seems like the Southwest is more to our liking but the ski areas of Colorado are beautiful and we love the hiking. As we have found when we go to any new area, the first time is alway a matter of figuring out where you want to go and what you want to do. The second trip is always much more effecient and less time consuming because you are familiar with the area and you know what things you feel like you missed. I'm not sure we will come back to Breckenridge but we have definitely enjoyed our time here. Now on to our next adventure!