Colorado Hiatus

Goodbye Steamboat...

2006-07-28T04:28:35Z

Well, it is our last night in Steamboat...Ian and I both feel so lucky to have been able to stay here for such a long length of time. This condo is truly beautiful and so luxiorous. We were so blessed to be able to walk out the front door of the hotel and immediately be in the mountains!
Colodorado most definitely agrees with us and we could most definitely picture ourselves living in a place like this!
There are a few more pictures on the flickr site- from the top of the gondola!
This may be, but hopefully not, the last edition of this journal, as internet access in Denver is questionable. Thank you for reading!

Goodbye Steamboat... remains copyright of the author brookeian, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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A day of repeats

2006-07-27T15:44:45Z

Yesterday was a day of repeats for us! We liked going tubing so much that we went again yesterday morning! It was just as much fun the second time around...the afternoon was the same mix of running/rehab. Then for dinner we really wanted to go back for dinner to the Slopeside Grill, where we had an excellent meal earlier...but this time it was packed. Instead we walked across to the Tugboat Girll & Pub, which was just as good!
Today is our last day in Steamboat...we'll see what it brings!

A day of repeats remains copyright of the author brookeian, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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Mosquitoes Revenge

2006-07-26T01:10:50Z

This morningn we set off to explore some of the Colorado back country, and also to scout out a potential camping spot for tonight. We drove up the Buffalo Pass, on what should loosely be considered "roads." It took us an hour to drive about 15 miles...the "roads" were more like clearings in the woods. It was well worth the drive however, as the views were spectacular. We found the camp ground where we wanted to camp- Summit Lake. It was an idealic place to camp, as the temperature was a blissful 60 degrees (!), the lake was very serene and peaceful, and there were no other people around. The only problem...the bugs!! The mosquitoes were absolutly swarming us, and after a short photo session, we each left with no less than 10 bites. That did in the camping...it turns out it was for the better, as some significant thunderstorms rolled through, and 10,000 feet with few trees is the last place we wanted to be when lightning is flashing. Instead, we did a bit more exploring, found another beautiful lake and headed back down. I may need my back re-aligned and I think I may have lost a filling or two from the bouncy ride back down, but we felt accomplished for having completed the back country expedition and also vindicated for renting an SUV for the trip!

Lots of other photos on our Flickr site!

Mosquitoes Revenge remains copyright of the author brookeian, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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Road Trip!

2006-07-24T03:32:47Z

After a day of swimming, biking, reading, watching movies (and a TASTY dinner at the Slopeside Grill) we were ready for a road trip today. Steamboat has been infiltrated with the little league world series, so we thought today would be a good day to get away.
First, we drove down to Vail! We were so lucky in that they were having a street festival in one of the villages, so we cruised around to the different vendors, had a few snacks and checked out some of the shops. Vail is enormous, and I can only imagine what it must be like to ski there. Ian says that it drips with money in the wintertime...seems plausible as there a lot of high end and "fur" shops. It was a great morning. After Vail, we drove through Beaver Creek, which is even FANCIER than Vail- I didn't think that was possible, but BC is unbelievable. You have to pass through a gaurd gate just to get to the village! There is a Ritz Carlton there, and one of the gondolas goes right into the lobby!!
After visiting the ski areas, we drove though Glenwood Canyon- quite remarkable. We made a nice loop through western Colorado, where, by the way, the heat wave had returned- 103 degrees in some spots.
It was a great day, and we were very glad to have been able to visit some other parts of Colorado!

Road Trip! remains copyright of the author brookeian, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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oohhh...the hot springs

2006-07-22T05:07:34Z

We just got back from the natural hot springs! How wonderful!! Strawberry Park natural hot springs were so relaxing and hot! The pools were about 108 degrees. We went in the evening time, which was just perfect, as the tempreatures began to cool down, and the night was so clear. The springs are at the top of a mountain, and the last two miles are unpaved and four wheel drive is mandatory. We spent about 2 hours there, and it was just heavenly.
In the afternoon we went tubing down the Yampa River- it was SO much fun! However, Ian and I were a bit humbled, as we were riding down the same rapids in tubes that we earlier in the week navigated in our kyacks...somehow the rapids seemed a bit more daunting in a kyack. Never the less, tubing was a great time.
I survived the morning mountain biking with Lee- he graciously rode SLOWLY up and down the mountain with me, and I didn't even crash this time!

Pictures forthcoming...

oohhh...the hot springs remains copyright of the author brookeian, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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Visitors!

2006-07-21T04:23:14Z

Ian's friend from high school, Lee came today! He lives in Denver, so he is going to hang out with us for a couple of days. He could be a professional mountain bike/adventure racer if he wanted to, so we shall see how it goes when we mountain bike tomorrow...
Other than that, today was a pretty quiet- I went trail running in the morning (SO much more fun and interesting than road running) and Ian rehabed. A visit to the pool was cut short because of more severe storms...
No pictures today, but tomorrow's should be spectacular, as we are going to ride the gondola to the top of the mountain!

Visitors! remains copyright of the author brookeian, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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"Think with your butt"

2006-07-20T03:10:17Z

White water kayaking is our new favorite sport. We took a three hour lesson this morning and are completely hooked. The first instruction we recieved once we were in the water, was "In white water kayaks, you really have to think with your butt."

These boats are very short (less than 5 feet) and you can manuever them quite easily with your hips and rotating your weight with your backside. We learned how to "eddy" "brace" and "surf." It was so much fun. The Yampa River is pretty low at this point in the summer, so it was a great time to learn how to navigate the rocks. I seemed to manage to ram into everyone in the river, while Ian expertly paddle down the river unscathed. I was also the only person in our group to flip over. It happened while I was trying to "surf" which basically means trying to balance the kayak upstream in the middle of a rapid. Ian surfed several times very well. I flipped on my only attempt.

Our visit to the natural hot springs was spoiled as four hours of fierce thunder and lighting storms rolled through Steamboat.

"Think with your butt" remains copyright of the author brookeian, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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Water water everywhere!

2006-07-19T02:28:28Z

We are most definitely glad to be out of the DC heatwave and out west, where the tempreatures cooled to about 90 degrees today.

This morning we took a small hike to the Fish Creek Water Falls! It was very beautiful, peaceful and much more impressive than I imagined. Ian took some exceptional pictures.

The highlight of the day was most definitely the cinnamon buns from "Winonas" cafe in downtown Steamboat. They are world famous (featured in Bon Appetit and Gourmet magazines!) and possibly the most delicioius (and enormous) pastry we have ever tasted...

More pictures on the Flickr site!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/63163849@N00/sets/

Water water everywhere! remains copyright of the author brookeian, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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Reflections from a mountain bike

2006-07-17T21:52:48Z

While Ian spent the morning rehabing his ankle in the gym and the pool, I rented a mountain bike and headed to the hills. Heeding Ian's advice to take it slowly, as I needed to get used to the thin air, I started up at the base of the mountain, only to be passed by several groups of day hikers. I biked up hill for an hour and half, and it took me 10 minutes to come down. A bit depressing...as I thought I made more progrss than that.

So, these are the other things I learned about mountain biking:
1) It is just has hard to go downhill as it is to go uphill (alas, the only time I crashed was going uphill).
2) Mountain biking is a lot like skiing- you just have to point downhill and go. It is when you try to be cautious and ride slowly that you get into trouble.
3) Again like skiing, you have to look ahead of where you are riding- where you want to go, rather than right in front of you, because if you stare at that rock you want to avoid, you are sure to hit it.
4) It must be incredible to ski here.

I can hear my mom asking herself, "Where did she COME from??"
On the other hand, I bought pretty pink trail shoes and recieved three compliments for them on the trail!

After a visit to the pool, we are off to shop and eat downtown!

Reflections from a mountain bike remains copyright of the author brookeian, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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Steamboat Grand- indeed!

2006-07-17T04:19:00Z

After spending the morning exploring some shops in the Cherry Creek section of Denver, we made the four hour trip to Steamboat. After a stop for lunch at the Smiling Moose Deli, we arrived at the very luxurious Steamboat Grand Resort. It is so beautiful here! There is a "breakfast balcony" that overlooks the mountains, a HUGE bathroom and a very comfortable living room and kitchen. We haven't had too much time to explore, but are very excited about the prospects of learning how to whitewater kayak, taking the gondola to the top of the mountain and swimming in the pool! (It is still hot...103 degrees today!!)
Be sure to check out the pictures on flickr!

Steamboat Grand- indeed! remains copyright of the author brookeian, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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Sun. Morning

2006-07-16T16:19:03Z

Brooke is in the Timbers Hotel Fitness Center. I wonder if she has discovered that the air is thinner here yet? Anyway, we posted a picture from the hotel. More shots and larger sizes are up on our Flickr site.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/63163849@N00/sets/

-Ian

Sun. Morning remains copyright of the author brookeian, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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Colorado is HOT!

2006-07-16T15:38:06Z

After enduring a good amount of turbulence that had me reaching for that handy little paper bag in the seat pocket in front of me, we arrived in Denver happily and safely this afternoon.
One step out of the airport, and we were smacked with the sweltering 99 degree Denver weather. While it is a bit easier to breath than in the oppressive DC humidity, it is still HOT and rather uncomfortable.
Ian once again unfailingly found us top notch accomodations- a trendy independent hotel called "The Timbers." We will have pictures up tomorrow, as it is dark and we are tired!

Colorado is HOT! remains copyright of the author brookeian, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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