CO trip recap -

Back to CT after a GREAT!!!! vacation in CO... here's the recap -

last week - had to spend 2 days in NYC for work AND there was a big blizzard headed our way. This combo made for an anxious week leading up to the trip. Luckily our flight was no affected but the one we were originally schedule for was cancelled.

Thurs -

Arrived safe and sound at DEN. I was a little sad that we were landing after dark as seeing the mountains from the plane was a vivid memory i had from my previous trip. Lugging bags, ski and ski boots around the airport was fun (not really). Picked up our rental SUV and headed out. At the rental car exit the woman asked if we needed direction. Told her we were headed to Keystone and she said "Take your first left and go straight for 2 hours." Sounded funny but that is pretty much what we did. Made a little pit stop on the way out and found a fun place called Noodle Factory or Noodle Company ( one of those) and had a quick dinner. Stopped at the grocery store to get some basics for our condo before continuing our westward trek.

Heading up the east side of the Rockies we suddenly heard a POP.. pulled off the road and found that a bag of chips had popped due to the pressure change, that made for a good laugh. back on the road and moments later another bag popped.

Fri –

Even with the time change we managed to sleep in a bit. Had quick breakfast in the condo and headed over to Keystone. Amy dropped us off and headed to the spa. The kids and I got our boots on and had a quick over-breakfast (as Meg likes to call it) then hit the slopes. We skied the front side of Keystone all morning. It was good but nothing special. Certainly bigger than what we normally ski in the East but just didn’t thrill me much. Took a lunch break (Amy met us) and then headed back out. I convinced Meg she was ready for some harder trails so we went over the backside to a different area of the mountain and found much more fun (for me) trails. The day got cut a little short when Meg said she felt sick. We took the gondola back down to the base because she felt too sick to ski. Eventually she felt better so we figured it was altitude sickness.

We went out to dinner at a ranch house via horse drawn sleigh. Dinner was a lot of fun.

Sat –

Expecting crowds due to the holiday weekend and fact that Meg just likes skiing while Jake and I LOVE it, we planned to split up. Amy and Meg for a “girls day” – shopping, lunch, movie and hot tub + pool while Jake and I headed to Arapahoe Basin. Rough start to the day and driving conditions were not great on the way up to Abasin. We ended up turning back because I didn’t want Amy to drive in those conditions. Jake and I took the bus back to Abasin. On the way back up the road we watched a 4 wheel drive jeep coming down the road fishtail and almost hit our bus. He ended up in the ditch on the side of the road.

Jake and I skied most of the day. Abasin was amazing. Even though they were only 50% open we had a great time. Towards the end of the day I started to feel like how Megan did on the day before but kept going because it was so much fun.

We were heading out for fondue dinner at the top of Keystone. By that time Jake was starting to feel ill also. He and I didn’t eat much but Megan and Amy had a great time. Riding the gondola at night was fun. Just enough moonlight to make out the mountain below us.

Sun –

Plan was for all of us to ski Breckenridge. Unfortunately Jake still was not feeling well and we ended up skipping skiing for the day. Amy and Meg went skating and out to lunch while I hung out with Jake. Later in the afternoon Amy, Meg and I went to the pool and hot tub. Jake started feeling better and we ended up going out for dinner @ a brew pub down the road in Dillon.

Mon –

Last day of the trip and everyone was feeling better. We headed over to Breckenridge. Cool town at the base of the mountain but hard to navigate for a first timer. Amy dropped us off @ Peak 9 and went to town for shopping and touristy stuff. Kids and I skied all morning and after lunch they took a break hanging with Amy who’d come back to the lodge. I went off and tried some more advanced terrain that Meg wouldn’t have liked. I dropped down to the learning area 6 pack lift for a ride over to the peak 10 chair. Took a few runs on my own and then went back to grab the kids to finish up the afternoon of skiing. Jake went off on his own to check out the terrain park while Meg and I tried to get back to the NASTAR race course. We had all tried the race course earlier. Jake and I got medals but Meg was upset that she didn’t so we were going to try again. Sadly it was closed by the time we go there. Meg and I took a few more runs and called it a day.

We had an early dinner in town @ Eric’s downstairs (something like that). Headed home and packed for the trip home.

Tues –

White knuckle drive up the west side of the rockies in the AM and then we flew home :-( delays getting in so we weren’t home until almost midnight.

The trip was better than I had imagined, despite the altitude sickness we got hit with. I’d have liked to have gotten in the 4^th day of skiing but sometimes you just have to go with the flow. I think I could live out there.

I’d love to go back and see more of the mountains we skied as well as maybe hit a few others…. Hmmmm, southwest airlines has a special on for flights from Hartford to Denver… maybe I could swing another quick trip…..