The Next Day

The day after rafting we went to Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, elevation 8,400 feet. We saw a lot of petrified stumps. There were a lot of Fleabane Daisies and Blue Flax (click the images to see them better). Later that day, we went up the Manitou and Pike's Peak Cog Railway. Your average traintrack can only go up grade of 8% or less. The cog railway had up to 26% grades! Upon reaching the summit of Pikes Peak, the passengers on our ABT system train hussled out, the supreme cold calling them into the Summit House. We, however, stayed outside to brave the cold at 14,110 feet.

Who, What, When, Where and Why?

Who: My family

What: Rafting

When: Today

Where: The Arkansas River

Why: Because it sounded fun

We went rafting all day. It was the third time I've been rafting in a month and a half! We went down the Arkansas River, which is the most heavily commercially rafted river in the US - 53 companies in that particular area alone.

Yesterday

We drove from Telluride to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. We stopped at the Visitor's Center where we watched a short video on the history of the park. We drove a little bit more to take a short walk. Right outside of our car was a four foot long snake! We walked on the trail, came back and then we drove some more to Crested Butte. Pizza at the Brick Oven was our dinner. After yet more driving, we checked into the hotel in Buena Vista.

Telluride

This morning, we woke up early to go on a Jeep tour up a mountain. We learned a lot. Then, we went hiking and ate.

Yesterday, on the way to Telluride

Yesterday, we got up drove, then checked in at the Fairmont in Telluride. It was almost dinnertime, so we went outside and got in line for the free gondola from Mountain Village (where the Fairmont is) to Telluride, the main city. We ate at a Mexican restaurant, which a guy that was in line behind us recommended; he was the Seahawks head coach's brother.

2 Days ago, Drive to Glenwood Springs

We went for a long drive to Aspen, where we pretty much just hung out and went on a nature trail. Then, we took a short drive to Glenwood Springs, where we checked in then went to the pool. It was really warm!

3 Days Ago, Keystone

We went up the gondola, hiked 11-7, and then came down. We went back to the condo and watched TV for a little bit, until Dad got back from his meetings. Then, my sister and dad went biking. By the time that they had gotten back, it had started raining. We played cards and watched TV until Dad's friends got to our condo. We went to an AOSSM party with them. We watched a lot of kids play Guitar Hero.

Keystone (AGAIN)

I'm blogging about 3 days ago. I haven't had time to get on the computer recently. Not until now, that is. Well, that morning, we walked around the lake outside the condo to the playground. We took a bunch of weird pictures. Then, we played bocce ball on the volleyball court with the cousins. Afterwards, the cousins left. Then, once my daddy got back from his meetings, we went paddle-boating. For dinner, we went to the Snake River Saloon, which had a good fettuccine Alfredo.

Keystone

This morning, my family woke up and walked over to a cafe across the lake. Then, after a wonderful toasted bagel, I went and got on the shuttle to the main town, River Run, with my mother and siblings. There, we went around looking at shops. Eventually, we made our way to Starbucks for a hot drink, and then mini golf. We got back on the shuttle to our hotel, to eat some leftover pizza. Then I went paddle boating on the lake just outside the condo. We scared a lot of geese and ducks!!! After our time on the boats was up, my father was back from his meetings, so we went up the River Run Gondola to the top of the mountain for a hike. The path we went on was "11-7". For dinner, we went across the lake from our condo to the reception for my father's meetings. Then, we came back to the condo and ate cake for my brother's birthday and then I wrote this!!!

Drive to Keystone

Yesterday morning, we woke up, got in the car and drove to Coffee On the Rocks. There, we met cousins. Then, we drove through the Rock Mountain National Park. We looked at a few overlooks. The first hike we took was the Tundra Communities trail, a very windy and very cold 1 mile long trail. The next trail was .5 mile long Alpine Ridge Trail, located next to the Alpine Visitors Center. Then we ate lunch at Beaver Ponds. There, we saw a moose and its baby in the ponds. There were no beavers, though. Coyote Valley Trailhead was next on the list. It was only a mile long an ran next to the Colorado River. Soon after, we went out of the park for a drive next to Grand Lake, then back into it for a short .6 mile long walk to Adams Falls. Then, we left the park and drove to Winter Park. We got on a short gondola ride into the town, where we went to Starbucks and got IZZEs. Then, we got back on the gondola and drove to Keystone. We ordered pizza from a place called Pizza 101.

Estes Park Day 2

This morning, we immediately set out for the Rocky Mountain National Park. We went to the Bear Lake Trailhead, from which we hiked to Nymph Lake. Then, we continued on to Dream Lake, and finally to spectacular Emerald Lake. Then, we turned around and hiked back to the trailhead, having hiked a little over four miles. We went back to our car and ate lunch, then went back to the trailhead. From there, we went on the Bierstadt Lake trail. After lots of uphill and some intense downhill, we reached the end of the trail. We took a shuttle back to the Bear Lake Trailhead parking lot. We then went to the Beaver Meadows Visitors Center, located just outside of the National Park. There, we watched a short video about the RMNP with some of my cousins. Afterwards, we went to Mama Rose's Italian restaurant for dinner. After some tasty fettuccine Alfredo, we drove over to our cousins' campsite for s'mores. Then, I came back to the hotel and started blogging!

Estes Park

Today, we woke up at four in the morning to catch a plane to Denver. Around 10:00, Mountain Time, we got to the Denver International Airport, where we rented a car and started driving. A bit later, we arrived in Estes Park. We ate brunch at a restaurant called the Egg and I. Then, we set out for the aerial tramway. Once it got us up on Prospect Peak, we went for a rather short walk to the top. Eventually, we got back on the tram and to our hotel, the Alpine Trail Ridge Inn. Once we got all of our bags in the hotel room, we left for a short 1.8 mile long trail to Alberta Falls in the Rocky Mountain National Park. We had almost reached the Falls when it started raining really hard. We got to Alberta Falls, took a few pictures, and ran back to the car, where we left for dinner at the Grumpy Gringo with some cousins. Then, I came back to the hotel room and started typing this very post! I might add pictures later.

HAPPY...

HAPPY 2 DAYS AFTER CANADA DAY, CANADIANS!!!

AND, HAPPY DAY BEFORE INDEPENDENCE DAY, AMERICANS!!!

July is also...

National Recreation & Parks Month
National Grilling Month
Women's Motorcycle Month
(part of) Air-Conditioning Appreciation Days

and much more!!!

Some weird days in July are...

Zip Code Day (1)
I Forgot Day (2)
Compliment Your Mirror Day (3)
Chocolate Day (7)
World Population Day (11)
Pecan Pie Day (12)
Embrace Your Geekness Day (13)
International Town Criers Day (14)
Gummi Worms Day (15)
National Hot Dog Day (18)
National Ice Cream Day (19)
National Hug Your Kid Day (20)
Cousins Day (24)
Cow Appreciation Day (25)
Take Your Houseplant for a Walk Day (27)
National Milk Chocolate Day (28) NOTE: NOT CHOCOLATE MILK, BUT MILK CHOCOLATE!
Cheesecake Day (30)