Along with the training, a wonderful addition to the trip was to be able to spend time with my dear friend Shelley. We met in first grade, but didn't really become close friends until seventh grade. Shel says she came to me and insisted that I be her best friend. Anyway, from that time on we were "joined at the hip" as they say. When I arrived on Friday, Shel and Craig picked me up and took me to lunch in downtown CO Springs. After a great lunch, we drove through Garden of the Gods to see it in fresh snow.
They took me to their home where I could freshen up and relax then out to dinner at the Cliff House Dining Room in Manitou Springs. Here is Craig going up the steps of the hotel.
The food was fabulous and after being stuffed, we headed back home to sleep.
The next morning, Shel and I ran a few errands and then headed out to Canon City to meet with a friend of Shel's who, along with her husband, directs a prison ministry. Shel is keeping the books for the ministry. She is a powerhouse of a lady and very joyful. We had lunch at a nice mexican restaurant and then to Jan's house so she and Shel could reconcile some financial matters. Then we got back on the road to drop me at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort for my training. So when Paul arrived on Wednesday, we toured the CBS National Service Center (see Colorado post), and went to Shel and Craig's home to have dinner. Here we are, in the kitchen with Julia (Shel and Craig's oldest) and her husband Barry. Jul and I enjoyed talking about my family and Lauren's wedding. She loved seeing the wedding pictures and thought Lauren was beautiful. Of course I agreed with her.
The next morning, Shel, Craig, Paul and I loaded up the truck and headed north to Glenwood Springs. Here we are approaching the Eisenhower Tunnel....here is an interesting fact:
"The Eisenhower Memorial Tunnel is located approximately sixty miles west of Denver, Colorado on Interstate 70. It is the highest vehicular tunnel in the world, located at an elevation of 11,013 feet at the East Portal and 11,158 feet at the West Portal. The Tunnel traverses through the Continental Divide at an average elevation of 11,112 feet." And the higher we climbed, the more snow we saw. 
We stopped in Vail to have lunch 
Look at the size of that onion ring! MMMMM! 
We landed in Glenwood Springs and grabbed our swimsuits to go to the natural hot springs. You can read about the history of the hot springs here. 
After relaxing in the pool, we decided to (yup, you guessed it) eat again. This time dinner was at Juicy Lucy's. In the morning, we loaded the truck again and made our way east to Estes Park. It was snowing quite alot and we had to stop to refill the window washing fluid to keep the windshield clean enough to drive. 
We checked in to the Wildwood Inn (I highly recommend this place). At Wildwood, we stayed in the owner's apt. which had a huge living room, a huge kitchen, 2 bedrooms and 2 baths. Across the back was a long deck with a brand new hot tub on it and a fantastic view of the Rocky Mountains. 
This is the life! 
We cooked a great dinner this night and the Freeman's taught us to play Sequence. We taught them the game of Hand and Foot. I wish we'd had more time to stay here!! But alas, we were on a short schedule...so packed the truck next morning to go into Rocky Mountain National Park.
Lots of Elk grazing in the park...
We were only able to drive a short distance into the park. The road was closed due to snow. A side note here: the snow pack is at 124% of normal which means a very significant change to our Lake Powell trip this year. For five years the Castle Rock Cut has been dry due to the drought. This year, we will have passage through the cut! Yay! this trims 12 miles off our trip up the Lake! The map shows (the yellow dotted line) how we have had to travel around Antelope Island for the past 5 years. This year we will follow the red dotted line. 
Back to Colorado....This picture is taken with Longs Peak in the background, one of Colorado's 14 er's. 
We also went into Estes to window shop and (of course) eat, then to the Stanley Hotel. This where the filming took place for "The Shining" (the TV mini-series, not the movie). It is a wonderful, unique hotel. It's where Jul and Barry honeymooned in 2003. 
We got back into Denver where we'd made plans to have dinner with Phil and Liz Shanks. The evening passed so quickly, trying to catch up. All too soon, we found ourselves on the road again back to Colorado Springs. It snowed all the way home. 
The next day was Easter. We went to church with the Freeman's, then back to the house for an excellent brunch with Craig's parents, Jim and Marilyn, Jul and Barry, Didi (Craig and Shel's 2nd daughter), and some good friends. Then Paul and I packed our bags to catch our flight out. It was a whirlwind trip, but so much fun! 
Good times! Friends for many years!
They took me to their home where I could freshen up and relax then out to dinner at the Cliff House Dining Room in Manitou Springs. Here is Craig going up the steps of the hotel. 
The food was fabulous and after being stuffed, we headed back home to sleep.
The next morning, Shel and I ran a few errands and then headed out to Canon City to meet with a friend of Shel's who, along with her husband, directs a prison ministry. Shel is keeping the books for the ministry. She is a powerhouse of a lady and very joyful. We had lunch at a nice mexican restaurant and then to Jan's house so she and Shel could reconcile some financial matters. Then we got back on the road to drop me at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort for my training. So when Paul arrived on Wednesday, we toured the CBS National Service Center (see Colorado post), and went to Shel and Craig's home to have dinner. Here we are, in the kitchen with Julia (Shel and Craig's oldest) and her husband Barry. Jul and I enjoyed talking about my family and Lauren's wedding. She loved seeing the wedding pictures and thought Lauren was beautiful. Of course I agreed with her. 
The next morning, Shel, Craig, Paul and I loaded up the truck and headed north to Glenwood Springs. Here we are approaching the Eisenhower Tunnel....here is an interesting fact: "The Eisenhower Memorial Tunnel is located approximately sixty miles west of Denver, Colorado on Interstate 70. It is the highest vehicular tunnel in the world, located at an elevation of 11,013 feet at the East Portal and 11,158 feet at the West Portal. The Tunnel traverses through the Continental Divide at an average elevation of 11,112 feet." And the higher we climbed, the more snow we saw. 
We stopped in Vail to have lunch 
Look at the size of that onion ring! MMMMM! 
We landed in Glenwood Springs and grabbed our swimsuits to go to the natural hot springs. You can read about the history of the hot springs here. 
After relaxing in the pool, we decided to (yup, you guessed it) eat again. This time dinner was at Juicy Lucy's. In the morning, we loaded the truck again and made our way east to Estes Park. It was snowing quite alot and we had to stop to refill the window washing fluid to keep the windshield clean enough to drive. 
We checked in to the Wildwood Inn (I highly recommend this place). At Wildwood, we stayed in the owner's apt. which had a huge living room, a huge kitchen, 2 bedrooms and 2 baths. Across the back was a long deck with a brand new hot tub on it and a fantastic view of the Rocky Mountains. 
This is the life! 
We cooked a great dinner this night and the Freeman's taught us to play Sequence. We taught them the game of Hand and Foot. I wish we'd had more time to stay here!! But alas, we were on a short schedule...so packed the truck next morning to go into Rocky Mountain National Park.
Lots of Elk grazing in the park...
We were only able to drive a short distance into the park. The road was closed due to snow. A side note here: the snow pack is at 124% of normal which means a very significant change to our Lake Powell trip this year. For five years the Castle Rock Cut has been dry due to the drought. This year, we will have passage through the cut! Yay! this trims 12 miles off our trip up the Lake! The map shows (the yellow dotted line) how we have had to travel around Antelope Island for the past 5 years. This year we will follow the red dotted line. 
Back to Colorado....This picture is taken with Longs Peak in the background, one of Colorado's 14 er's. 
We also went into Estes to window shop and (of course) eat, then to the Stanley Hotel. This where the filming took place for "The Shining" (the TV mini-series, not the movie). It is a wonderful, unique hotel. It's where Jul and Barry honeymooned in 2003. 
We got back into Denver where we'd made plans to have dinner with Phil and Liz Shanks. The evening passed so quickly, trying to catch up. All too soon, we found ourselves on the road again back to Colorado Springs. It snowed all the way home. 
The next day was Easter. We went to church with the Freeman's, then back to the house for an excellent brunch with Craig's parents, Jim and Marilyn, Jul and Barry, Didi (Craig and Shel's 2nd daughter), and some good friends. Then Paul and I packed our bags to catch our flight out. It was a whirlwind trip, but so much fun! 
Good times! Friends for many years!
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