Vacation in a Vacation

As some may know, the kids and I got back about a week ago from Colorado. We were out there visiting my sister and her family. We had the most wonderful time. God was so kind to bless us with so many sweet memories! There were many tears shed when it was time to leave. I thought I would share though, about our vacation within this vacation. My sister graciously drove us to all of the places we wanted to go visit, in a whirwind, 5 day jaunt around the Colorado Rockies! I don't know if you have ever seen the movie "Vacation", but this trip was somewhere along the lines of that movie. So as you read, just know that we were, and I continue to, laugh at all of the mis-adventures. (And as a side note, my kids were such troopers to endure 5 days and 1200 miles in the car with relatively few scuffles.)

First our trip was delayed as we waited for the FedEx delivery of a lens that I was renting while out there. We left as soon as the package arrived and we got to our first destination at dinner time. We went to Glenwood Springs, CO where they have a huge swimming pool that is all fed by a natural hot spring. Though it smells a bit like egg salad, it is a fun place to go visit. When we went to get changed into our suits to go swimming, I realized that I had forgotten to pack mine. No problem. I will just sit this one out and take pictures. When we went to pay, I asked if I had to pay even if I wasn't going to go swimming. THe answer was yes. I said that I had forgotten my suit, and the guy says to me, with a straight face no less, "That's okay. You can rent 1 in our store!" I was a bit taken back and not sure whether I should laugh or grab the kids and get out of there! Eww! I am sorry but that just sounds rather gross! Needless to say, Linda (My sister) had the fun with the kids in the pool while I stood on the side lines taking pictures!
Glenwood Springs pool
Kate at the historic Colorado Hotel in Glenwood Springs

The next day we left for Dinosaur CO. Danny had learned about this place in school and was really excited to go there. They have an observation building built right up against a long rock wall of the mountain that has thousands of dinosaur and other fossils exposed. Also there are archeologists there working to excavate more. This was to be the highlight of the day. We got there only to find out that the building had been declared unsafe and was now closed until they could build another. Needless to say, Danny was a little more than disappointed! We did get to hike along a trail and find some fossils- a leg bone and a back bone in the mountain side were the most exciting. Oh and the lizards were fun to try to spot.


Dinosaur National Park, Dinosaur CO

Kate and Danny convinced that they have found a fossil in the rock.

An actual fossil-a dinosaur vertebrae. Can you see it?The kids in Dinosaur

Back at the "open" visitor center, the man there told us of a museum that was 12 miles down the road in Utah where they have whole dinosaur skeletons to see. So of course we drove the 12 miles to find the museum. We had to stop once for re-directions but finally found the place only to see a big sign that said "CLOSED" on the front door! Our jaws dropped in disbelief. I decided to go up to the door anyway and saw that there was fine print on the sign. It said that the museum had moved 2 blocks east. Renewed hope! We piled back in the van and drove to the new and improved museum. We could see Dinosaur statues of all kinds from the road and the kids' excitement grew!

After parking we went in to the front desk where we were informed that the museum would be closing in 15 minutes!! I explained our tail of whoa and asked if we could still get in. "Yes but you will have to pay full price." Fortunately the price wasn't too high-$15 for my kids and I. So as we walked through the entrance I said "Kids. You go. Run everywhere you want to and see everything you want to see. We have 15 minutes and I am paying a dollar a minute to be here so go!" Good thing it was a small museum and we were able to easily locate the dinosaurs!
At the Museum-Our 15 dollars, I mean 15 minutes of fun!

From the museum we drove 3 hours to visit my Aunt and Uncle who live outside of Montrose, CO. It was so wonderful to see them. I hadn't seen them in probably 15 years. This was the 1 stop without a hitch! Well, actually they did have a hitch-a hitching post for their 2 horses! Kate was so thrilled! Uncle Bob was so kind to let her pat the horses and help him walk the horses and then, thrill of all thrills for Kate, she got to ride one!!! She was the happiest little girl up there in the saddle! This has been a dream of hers for a long time! Aunt Karen and Uncle Bob were so kind to us and the kids just fell in love with them. They were so much a part of my up-bringing and walking around there home brought back so many memories for me even though it was not the house that I knew as theirs when I was little.
A very Happy Kate up in the saddle with Uncle Bob leading the horse.

Danny's turn

Uncle Bob played tour guide and took us over to see the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. A spectacular sight! I had many attacks of mommy panic though as Danny rushed down the trail to see each over look! I could just picture him slipping on the gravel and going over! Thank you God, for holding him back-and for fences!
Black Canyon of the Gunnison

Danny at 1 overlookTyler in a rare photo of him

The next morning we shared a wonderful breakfast with Aunt Karen and Uncle Bob and then we were off again. We headed over to Alamosa and to the Great Sand Dunes National park. The sand dunes there are as high as the mountains. We had plans of climbing to the top and sliding down on sleds, but they were another thing we forgot to pack. So we would just have to try butt sliding! We started hiking out onto the dunes. We got as far as the first little mound of sand and all of the sudden a storm kicked up! No rain, but incredible wind! The kids started yelling "OWWW!!!" and we got sand blasted as we walked as fast as we could back to the shelter of trees! Great Sand Dunes National Park

The Wind kicks up-"Run from the hills!"

As we were driving away

We drove around a bit to see what we could see and then headed back to our hotel where we spent the next several hours palying in their pool-fully equipped with a 3 story water slide. Okay, well I was relegated to the side of the pool again, but it was fun watching Dan and Kate go up the stairs and down the slide, and up the stairs and down the slide so many times that I lost count. Tyler spent the time playing with Aunt Linda-who as some of you may know, is just a big kid herself!

The Water slide at the hotel

The next morning, after finding a Starbucks of course, we headed for home with a side track to the small ghost town of St. Elmo.

Along the road to St. Elmo

Another beautiful drive in the mountains,but it is hardly a ghost town any more! There were so many people there and now they have built a working bed and breakfast and much of the land around it has been sold off and people have been building homes there. In other words, it isn't as quaint as I remember it, and it has been tourist-ized! But never-the-less it was fun to see and we were able to feed a bunch of over fed, tame chipmunks!

The town of St. Elmo

Kate feeding one of the skinnier chipmunks

After we ran out of chipmunk food, we decided to brave a drive up an off-road trail which looked pretty smooth and do-able in our minivan. We got about 2 miles in and came to a split in the road.

The Off-Road

We decided then, that it was now looking like we wouldn't be able to clear some of the boulders on the way and we decided to turn around and head back. As we backed up, Linda and I looked at each other and both said "UhOH! Do you hear that?" It was the sound of flapping rubber!!! And yep, you guessed it. The tire was flat!!!

So there we were, 2 women and 3 kids on the side of a mountain with a flat tire. What were we to do? Well, we got out the car manual to find out where in the world the spare tire was located and then we proceeded to teach the kids how to change a tire! Several people did stop and offer to help, but it was a fun learning experience for the kids and we declined! After the donut tire was on we drove to the nearest town-45 minutes away where we found a tire store. What a nice bunch of people! You would have thought we were at a NASCAR pitstop with how fast they fixed the tire and got it back on for us! And all they charged for it was $12!!Jacking up the van

Loosening the lug nuts

Tightening the lug nuts on the donut tire. (Again he didn't want his picture taken)

So here we were. On the road again headed back to my sisters house! About 2 1/2 hours more of driving in the beautiful mountains before we would be home.

View along the highway

Everything was going well and we were on the home stretch-just 1 hour more. Then Kate says from the back "Mom. I really need to go potty!" That starts the hunt for the next town-"How bad do you have to go honey?" "Really bad" "Okay. Well it looks like about 10 minutes to the next town and we will try to find a place to go there." So we're cruising along and all of the sudden the lights of a police car are flashing behind us! My sister finds a place and pulls the car over. By now Kate is crying "Mommy I really have to go!" "Okay honey. PLease try to hold on we're almost there." Meanwhile on Linda's side of the van "Maam you were speeding back there. I am not going to give you a citation, but I will need to see your license and registration." "Ok Sir" "Mommy please. I really need to go. I can't hold it any more!" So what could I do?!! I opened the door and took Kate out to "go" at the side of the road all the while the police man is writing up his paperwork in his car!

Well, fortunately for us, that was the last of the events and we made it back to my sisters in time for dinner-Pizza. What could possibly go wrong with that?

More from our vacation when I can finish processing pictures!