The Denver trip was a success – I know because I have a bad case of the “I wish I was still on vacation” blues!
On Friday we drove to Estes Park and into Rocky Mountain National Park. We saw some elk up close, which I thought was pretty exciting! Their antlers are HUGE!!!
The Elk at Rocky Mountain National Park
I was amazed by the beauty of the park. I would love to go back when it is a bit warmer and do some hiking or camping there.
We started skiing on Saturday at Keystone. Steven and I took a one-day beginner’s course while our friends, Eric and Abbie, skied on their own. We learned the basics, like how to put our equipment on and take it off (good to know!), how to form the “wedge,” how to walk uphill, and how to turn. I thought the course was VERY helpful and necessary, but I was feeling a bit anxious to get out on my own. I was disappointed that I wasn’t all sweaty and sore that night when we got back!
Yes, I realize I look like a dork! I was afraid we were going to slide down the hill backwards so I grabbed onto Steven!
On Sunday, we started out by warming up on the very mild practice slopes. Eric and Abbie were SUPER patient with us and stuck by the whole day! They gave us very helpful advice that we didn’t cover in class. It was like we had our own personal ski instructors! I was very thankful that Abbie taught me how to get up when I fell over, and that Eric taught me how to form a big enough wedge that I could stand at the top of a large decline and not immediately start sliding down.
A super cute photo of our free personal instructors friends Eric and Abbie.
One of the mild slopes we warmed up on.
We did A LOT of crashing on Sunday. Maybe one of us a bit more than the other… no, not me, for once! Steven had epic wipe outs – tumbling and turning, skis and poles in all directions – a few times I thought he seriously injured himself! He has huge bruises on his legs from his wipe outs. I only have tiny little bruises, so I guess I wasn’t crashing hard enough!
After we went down this hill, Steven said, “Turn around and take a photo of how steep that slope is!” Can you tell?
We spent our day on the green (easy) slopes. Even though the Saturday class was necessary, I had so much more fun on Sunday, actually spending time going down the slopes. The view of the mountains and forest is just spectacular. And it is constantly changing as you make your way down the slope. Every view feels unique and different.
Even riding the chair lift was fun… if not a bit scary.
A view of Breckenridge.
Us inside of a gondola, riding to the North Peak.
It took me a bit of time to get into the hang of things on Sunday. But once I did, I was hooked. I am a bit of a reckless/fearless/”adrenaline rush seeking” person, so I think that helped a bit. You can’t really let the slopes intimidate you, or you’ll be thinking more about that and not be able to let your body do its thing. On Saturday, I realized I was over thinking what the instructors were teaching us during class, and that was limiting me. But when I got out there, and just followed the instinct of my body, it went a lot smoother.
I wish we could have had ONE more day on the slopes. I would have liked to try a more challenging (!) slope or even just take longer runs. We did a lot of skiing and stopping on the green slopes, which I definitely think we needed, but once I started going, my body wanted to keep going. Except for my quads, which were burning like nothing I’ve ever felt before. I definitely got the workout in that I was missing on Saturday – I can still feel the burn in my calves, quads and hips a bit today!
I hope this becomes an annual trip. We had such a wonderful time skiing and sight-seeing (aka, gawking at the local beauty that is Colorado), but also hanging out with Eric and Abbie and Eric’s parents. I felt like staying with Eric’s parents was staying at a five-star hotel. Steven and I had our own little guest house over the garage (complete with welcome sign!). Every night, Eric’s parents cooked wonderful meals for us, and had snacks out waiting for us when we got home from skiing (they hand-dipped strawberries in chocolate for us on Valentine’s Day!). They were just incredibly accommodating and made me feel so welcome! I feel as comfortable around Eric’s parents as I do around my own (enough that his mom jokingly said, “I don’t remember Kim being such a smart aleck!”). We had wonderful conversations with them. Eric’s family is into health and fitness, and Eric and Abbie just signed up for the Disney Half Marathon, so I was able to blab and blab about our running without feeling stupid (of course, as I ate enough food for 10 people… oops). I can’t wait to see them all again.
Interesting story – on our way to economy parking at O’Hare today, I kept seeing a police helicopter hovering over the lot. I was trying to figure out what was going on, and then, as we drove out, Steven said, “Is Obama here this weekend?” Right after he said that, I looked out the car window and saw Air Force One! We saw the plane sitting on the runway, then take off. After that, we noticed all the security and police vehicles on our way out. Apparently he was on his way to Denver. We just missed him!
Please bear with me this week as I get back into the swing of things with blogging, blog-reading, and emails. That will be me, leaving comments on your day old posts, because I’ve been away from the internet since Thursday!
Some beautiful views there. Glad you had fun!
claire – The view were breathtaking! If I wasn’t skiing, I would have fun just standing up there! 🙂
I should really visit Colorado. The photos are gorgeous!
Wow, what an awesome trip you had!!!! So cool that you got to ski, I’m jealous!
Question, if you know: In the pic of you and Steve on the mountain (where you are desperately clutching his pants ;)..) what is the tunnel-y thing to the right?
Estes Park and the Rocky Mountains National Park are 2 of our most favorite places to go! It’s been afew years and we really miss it. Thanks for the awesome pics. Helps with my mountain withdrawal. 🙂
Oh, you and Steven look great (like expert ski people). Love the mountains, Love the mountains, Love the mountains thanks for sharing them with us.love Mom
Wow. Incredible photos. I’ve never been skiing in Denver, but have been there and it’s a pretty cool city. Glad you and Steven had fun there.
The photos are so awesome. I have not made it to CO yet but hope to make it out there one day.
I am not sure if I will try to Ski though.
Wow!! The pictures are great! It sounds like the best long weekend getaway ever! I’ve never been skiing and I desperately want to try it now after seeing and reading about all your fun. Only catch, I want to go and stay with your friend’s parents – they sound like they really know how to entertain a group!
I owe you an email or two and will get to that at some point today! : )
you took great pictures and it looks like you and Steven had a blast!!! I am so glad- that’s awesome!!!! YAY for skiing being a success and fun (with no “major” injuries, lol)!!! your friends parent sound like so much fun and the welcome sign was so cute!!!
=^..^=
I’m so glad you loved it – knew you would! It looks absolutely beautiful there and it sounds like I want to go stay with these people next time! Do they take reservations for friends of friends???? 🙂
such gorgeous views!! that sounds so fun. i’ve only been skiing once before, and mainly what i remember is how much i hurt the next day 🙂
Totally makes me want to go skiing. And I don’t ski.
I am finally back to blogging. All the boxes are unpacked after our big move. It looks like you had a spectacular vacation. The photos are great. I would love to see elk. I use to ski when I was a kid but I think skiing with a cane is probably not recommended. Hopefully you will get another vacation soon.
sizzle – You should! I imagine it is this beautiful all year long. I personally can’t wait to go back.
Bethany – Hee hee. That tunnel-y thing is kind of like a conveyor belt for getting the snowboarders and skiers up that small hill. Because the hill is so small, they use that instead of a lift! You just get inside, onto the belt, and it pulls you up! 🙂
Denise – I didn’t know you had been there! I should have asked you for tips. When are you going back? 🙂
mom – Expert amateurs? 😛 When are YOU AND ME going to the mountains together?!
martymankins – Some of the people there kept saying how awesome Utah is as well. I’ll have to get there someday!
Christina – You are going to try snowboarding instead? 😉
Gina (Mannyed) – I am sure they wouldn’t mind if we came next year and brought extra friends – they’re that cool 😉 You should try skiing. A fellow adrenaline junkie like yourself would love it!
CourtneyInControl – Wasn’t that sign cute?!?! I just die for stuff like that. I love it when people are welcoming and cute and silly. All at the same time. Ha ha.
Beth – They told us to stop by whenever! We’ll just have to let them know we are coming so they can have the strawberries ready. Just kidding. Ha ha! I kept suggesting we go snow tubing all weekend. We never did, but I thought of you and the girls every time I suggested it!
Alice – Like your calves were so sore you thought they had swollen to twice their size? Or your quads felt like giant bricks? Or you couldn’t turn without hurting your hip? I can’t relate at all… 😉
Nat – Don’t as in “won’t ever again,” or as in “haven’t yet”? It’s hard to resist the landscape, isn’t it?!
joanharvest – Yay! I wondered how the unpacking was going 🙂 You could always take one of the snowcat tours! There is so much to do on the mountain!
Wow! The pics are amazing- you are a lot of things, but a dork is not one of them my dear! You both look so cool in your ski gear!
Who YOU? “reckless/fearless/”adrenaline rush seeking” person” – – I’m skerd to see where you both will turn up next, Fear Factor? Is that show even on anymore? Would you eat the bugs? Would ya? That’s the million dollar question…..
Whoah, got off track there. So nice you had a great time, and even better coming home to finding the bad neighbors OUT-OUT-OUT! Life is good!
That looks beautiful! Sounds like a really fun time!
JavaQueen – Unfortunately, I wouldn’t be able to eat bugs or any of the other gross animal products. But I would be up for trying other things! Ha! And thanks for pretending I am not a dork! Hee hee!
tori – It was! I can’t wait for another vacation… ha ha.