Friends and Family Tour: Colorado

8/21/24 – Shortly after we left Brady, NE, we stopped in North Platte, Nebraska, to see the world’s largest train classification yard. 

A picture of the world's largest rail car classification yard

Union Pacific had built a visitor’s center and observation tower so we could see: 1) where trains entered from east or west, 2) where each car gets unhooked on top of the “hump”, 3) how each car rolls by gravity into the appropriate lane, and 4) how a new train is formed with cars going to the next destination.

Our route (to Pat’s brother’s in Wellington, Colorado) took us through Cheyenne, in the very SE corner of Wyoming.  We got to cross off another state capitol building 😊.

WY's capitol had reopened in 2019 after a 4-year / $350 million dollar renovation that uncovered beautiful paintings and woodwork that had been covered up since it was built in the early 1900s

After setting up our rig at Jeff and Trina’s (full hookups!), we had a great dinner with them and her son, Blake (who was heading off for 2 years in the Peace Corp soon). 

Jeff and Trina have 1 dog, 2 horses, 2 goats, 1 mini-donkey, 4 ducks, and several chickens

Pat and Jeff stayed up late catching up.

8/22/24 – Pat and Jeff golfed.  Trina and I went up into the Poudre River Canyon for lunch at a restaurant by the river and then we shopped the cute Fort Collins Old Town stores. 

Trina also gave me a tour of the local humane society where she volunteers

Josh (Jeff’s son) and Venicia (his wife) came over for dinner.

Jeff, Trina, Venicia, Josh, Blake

8/23/24 – A morning on the farm...

With Hansie and Benjamin

...and the afternoon at the nearby lake to hang out with friends of Jeff and Trina’s.

Jeff shared his massive bottle of wine with the group

Pat with Cowboy

8/24/24 – After hitting the road towards my dad and Sandy’s in Frisco, Colorado, we stopped in Boulder.  I’d heard about this college town and wanted to see it.  We had a great lunch, walked through the pedestrian-only shopping area, and walked to the “Mork and Mindy” house (we couldn’t go in). 

Pearl Street Mall in Boulder, CO

Then we went to the Celestial Seasonings factory for a tour. 

The tour wasn’t great because the equipment wasn’t running (it was Saturday) but we enjoyed the free samples!

Pat did a great job driving through the Rockies to our RV resort between Frisco and Breckinridge.  After setting up the RV and a quick dinner, we drove down the hill to Dad and Sandy’s place. 

We toured their recently purchased and renovated condo…it was beautiful inside and out (with sounds of a burbling creek and views of several mountains). 

We had a fun time catching up over cocktails. 

8/25/24 – I met Sandy at the condo and we rode our bikes around Lake Dillon, observing a sailboat race along the way. 

I love Colorado’s amazing system of paved recreation trails, meandering through woods and between the towns!

Dad and Sandy came up to see the RV.  We had fun chit-chatting over Bloody Mary’s. 

Pat demonstrating his violin through headphones

Afterwards, we met at the condo for charcuterie, cocktails, and conversation.

8/26/24 – After lunch, I rode the bike trail down the hill to meet Sandy.  Pat drove down with his bike (so we could food shop afterwards) and the three of us enjoyed biking on single track through the trees and along the water…easy enough for me and interesting enough for Pat to have fun too. 

We biked the “Perimeter Trail” around a peninsula that juts into Lake Dillon

In the evening, we had another great evening at the condo with Sandy’s awesome cooking and fun stories from my dad. 

Pat and I had been exposed to COVID so we had practice our distancing skills!