Accommodation:
We booked this three bedroom AirBnB located on the Eagle river in Avon for ten weeks. We booked directly with the owner rather than through AirBnB so that we could save some money. While it was a bit dated, the house was quite spacious and comfortable with superb views of the river. Two of the bedrooms had king beds and the third was in a loft with a queen and twin bed. The living room/dining area on the main floor was perfect for entertaining. And while there was no AC, it was quite cool with the windows open and fans going. We had an outside patio with table and chairs, grill and hot tub.
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| Living room in AirBnB |
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| Our bedroom in AirBnB |
Keith and Shawna:
In between guests, we had a bit of our own time and while we used that time to relax and catch up on things, we also managed to get out an enjoy the area.
Activities:
Lionshead Rock via Cougar Ridge Trail - This was our first hike in the area just the two of us and we loved it. It was 7 miles, 2K elevation and took a little over three hours to complete (3.5 with break at the top). Great views and mostly shaded.
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| Lionshead Rock via Cougar Ridge Trail |
Buck Creek Trail - Not our favorite hike - 4.5 miles, 1.6K elevation and took a little over two hours. While it had some nice views of mountains in the distance on the way down, there were no epic views, was quite buggy and the trail was a bit overgrown.
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| Buck Creek Trail |
Ritz Carlton Spa Day - To celebrate our 24th Anniversary and to relax after having non-stop visitors for three weeks, we treated ourselves to a spa day at the Ritz in Beaver Creek. We got there around 9 and worked out for a couple of hours. We then sat by the pool for a couple of hours and had lunch at the pool with a glass of rose. We ended our time with a 90 minute massage while also enjoying some of the spa facilities such as the sauna and hot tub.
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| Spa Day at Ritz Beaver Creek |
Surprise Lake Hike - We met up with Betsy who was in town for a couple of weeks to do this hike. It was a very nice, gentle hike with pretty scenery. The hike was 5.5 miles, 700 feet elevation and took us 3.5 hours. We took our time and stopped to enjoy the views and then when we got to the lake (which we almost missed), we stopped to enjoy that as well. The highlight of the hike was seeing a mama moose with her baby eating along the stream - so cute!!
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| Surprise Lake Hike with Betsy |
Gore Lake Overnight Hike - We wanted to take out all of our camping equipment to test it out before we took it to South America so we decided to do an overnight hike. This was the first time we did a hike like this, carrying our own stuff in about 25 years. The hike was 14 miles (7 each way) and 2900 feet in elevation gain and it was very hard getting to the lake as Shawna was carrying 28 pounds and Keith was carrying 40. It took us five hours and then when we got to the lake another three hours to set up, cook, freshen up our water, clean off and get to bed! We clearly were out of practice. The lake itself is stunning - it was so beautiful to sit there while eating dinner and breakfast. We unfortunately did not sleep the best - while the temp was comfortable, our fleece as pillows was not the best. Plus Shawna though the hiking boots in the vestibule were stinky! We woke up the next morning, packed up, walked around the whole lake and then headed back - this time only taking 3.5 hours to get back as it was much easier hiking down. Overall, it was a stunning but very hard hike. We learned that we needed to add a few more things to our camping packing list!
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| Gore Lake Hike |
Wine Dinner Vail - As part of the wine festival, we attended this five course wine dinner at Manor Vail Lodge with Cara and Chad. The food was very good as was the wine.
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| Vail Wine Dinner |
Keith Cooked Dinner - After being on the list for over two years, Keith finally cooked Shawna dinner. When we retired, Shawna had requested that he do this for her. We started with cheese and crackers for an appetizer and then had a very yummy grilled lamb with asparagus and Spanish rice for our entree. Let's hope it's not another two years before this happens again!
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| Keith's dinner that he cooked for Shawna |
Restaurants:
WYLD - We celebrated our 24th Anniversary dinner here after a day at the spa. We shared a hamachi appetizer and then the duck tortillas for two for our entree. The duck was quite tasty. We shared a chocolate dessert which they gave to us for free! Overall, the food was good but not exceptional. And so expensive it is hard to justify the cost.
Rocky Mountain Taco - Located in Minturn, we stopped here for lunch at our hike with Betsy. We each got a bowl - pretty tasty.
The Pullman - Located in Glenwood Springs, we met up with Eric (former Cigna colleague) and his wife, Jennifer, for dinner - they were in the area on vacation. The food was very good - we shared kababs and hamachi for the table and then we shared the trout for our entree.
Fattoria - Located in Avon, we had dinner here with Ryan (former Livcor colleague) and Miranda who were in town for a race. This restaurant was our favorite in Avon and so we went several times with guests.
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| Dinner with Ryan and Miranda at Fattoria |
Ginger and Michael:
Our first visitors were Ginger and Michael who stayed with us for five nights. They flew into Eagle / Vail where we picked them up and brought them back to our place to get settled.
Activities:
Nottingham Park - We walked around the Nottingham lake in Avon. The lake has a beach and a pavilion where there are concerts and you can rent paddle boards and kayaks.
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| Walk around Nottingham Lake in Avon |
Eagle/Vail Hike - We hiked this trail for two hours round trip. We did not make it to the end as we had to turn around to get to another activity. Trail is easy with undulating hills - great walk through Aspens with a few nice views.
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| Eagle/Vail Hike |
Vail Beer Festival - We went to this festival along with Sarah. There were about 30 breweries and we tasted most of them. We were surprised that there were not more people at the event. While the beer was good, there were only two food trucks - we got brats from one of them.
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| Vail Beer Festival |
Eagle River Walk - We walked along the river towards Edwards for about two hours round trip. The path is nice - can walk, run or bike on it.
Rafting/Whisky Tour - We went rafting on the Upper Colorado River near Gypsum with Timberline Tours - it was a gentle float with a few class two rapids. Michael and Shawna also went into the river for a brief swim. The scenery was beautiful and our guide was great. After rafting, they took us to 10th Mountain Distillery to do a tour of the facility and to taste some whiskey. The woman who gave us the tour was quite interesting/edgy! Michael really liked it as he is a whiskey fan and he trained and was stationed with the 10th Mountain Division.
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| Rafting on Upper Colorado |
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| Whisky Tasting at 10th Mountain |
Bike - We rented e-bikes from Cripple Creek rentals in Avon and rode to Vail and back. The ride there was mostly uphill but with the power of the e-bike, it was not too hard and of course it was downhill most of the way back. While in Vail, we had lunch.
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| Biking to Vail |
Kayak Tour - We did a two hour kayak tour with Adventure Paddle Tours on Lake Dillon, leaving out of Frisco harbor. The tour was a lot of fun - we kayaked around some of the islands in the lake and saw osprey, herons and a moose (which Shawna spotted through the bushes)!
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| Kayaking on Lake Dillon |
Cooking at Home and Hot Tub - A few nights we just cooked at home and enjoyed the hot tub. One night Shawna and Michael grilled steaks and made baked potatoes with corn on the cob. Another night Ginger made pasta-laya which was super tasty!
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| Dinner at the house |
Restaurants:
Ein Prosit - We had lunch and lots of beer at this German brewery in Avon. The place is great - beer is quite good and they had a wide selection of sausages. We sat outside and enjoyed the great weather.
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| Lunch at Ein Prosit |
Sabor Mazatlan - We had dinner at this Mexican restaurant in Avon. We split the carne asada - food was pretty good.
Craftsman Brew Co - We had dinner at this restaurant in Edwards. They have fantastic sandwiches and a nice patio. Sarah stopped by to say hi and have a beer with us.
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| Dinner at Crafstman |
Tavern on the Square - We had a few beers at this place in Vail, sitting outside on the Adirondacks with a view to the slopes.
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| Drinks at Tavern on the Square |
Garfinkel's - We had lunch here in Vail, sitting outside. We each got a salad which was pretty good.
Outer Range Brewing Company - Located in Frisco, we had lunch and a few beers while sitting on the upper deck. There is a restaurant located in the brewery called Bird Craft which makes dishes focused on chicken. We had a chicken bowl and pork belly fried rice. Food was pretty good and beer was awesome!
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| Lunch at Outer Range Brewing |
Beaver Creek Chophouse - We had drinks out on the deck before dinner. Nice views and good cocktails.
Grouss Mountain Grill - Located in Beaver Creek, we treated Ginger and Michael to a final dinner here. The restaurant was a bit too fancy for us but the food was very good. We shared a lobster appetizer and the pork chop for entree.
Kerstin and Margaret:
Kerstin came to visit for two weeks and Margaret came for a long weekend while Kerstin was there so she could do some hiking with us.
While we stayed most of the time at our house in Avon, we did spend a couple of nights in Colorado Springs to show Kerstin the sights in that area. We rented a two bedroom AirBnB which was just OK. The beds were comfy but the place was small and not in the best neighborhood.
Activities:
Pikes Peak Cog Railway - We took the train up Pikes Peak (which we had done before). The views were great and the info on the train was informative. At the top, we got a hot chocolate and the obligatory donuts (which are very tasty) and then walked around outside for a few minutes before we had to board the train to return back down.
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| View from the top of Pikes Peak |
Garden of the Gods - It was quite hot so we only walked around the main loop for about an hour, seeing the beautiful red rock formations.
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| Garden of the Gods |
Wash Park - We met Ali for a couple of laps around the park.
REI - Kerstin wanted to get a few things here and we needed to take care of a few things as well so we stopped at the store in Denver for about an hour of shopping. We also went to the REI in Dillon as Shawna needed to trade in shoes so we did a bit more shopping.
Piney Lake - This place is beautiful with a lake where you can canoe/SUP, hike and have lunch. The drive up is on a bumpy dirt road and takes about 45 minutes but it's worth it. We hiked the Upper Piney River Falls Trail - 6 miles, 700 feet elevation with nice views of the mountains and valley. We then went back to the lake and canoed around for an hour.
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| Piney Lake |
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| Canoeing on the Lake and Taking a 'Fika' Break |
Maroon Bells and Buckskin Pass Hike - What a stunning location and hike - probably our favorite in CO. We drove out to Aspen and caught the shuttle bus to the trailhead. The hike was 9.5 miles, 2.9K elevation and took 6 hours (5 hours of moving time). We made it almost to the top but had to turn around to make sure we got our shuttle back. Amazing views! We stopped along the lake at the end to eat a snack and take it all in.
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| Maroon Bells and Buckskin Pass Hike |
Mayflower Gulch Hike - We needed a shorter hike so we did this one near Copper Mountain. Part of the hike is up a dirt road in the trees and then opens up to a valley surrounded by mountains with an old mine. You can then hike above the mine in two directions. We hiked for 6.5 miles and gained 1.7k in elevation with a total time of 3.5 hours. Turns out we had done this hike back in 2000 with Keith's family when we went out to Keystone for a wedding planning weekend.
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| Mayflower Gulch Hike |
Bravo Vail Concert in Avon - We attended one of the free concerts at the Avon Pavilion. It was a symphony playing Spanish music. It was nice to be outside listening to music with views of the lake and mountains.
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| Bravo Vail Concert at Avon Pavilion |
Beaver Lake Hike - We hiked up to Beaver Lake in Beaver Creek and then tried to hike across the Village to Village trail to get to the Ritz at Bachelor Gulch but part of the trail was closed so we needed up walking down the road and fantasizing about the houses. The hike was 9 miles, 2k elevation and took a little over four hours.
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| Beaver Lake |
Berrypicker Hike and Top of Vail Mountain - We hiked up this trail on Vail mountain, checked out the facilities at the top of Eagle Bahn Gondola (great views) and then walked across on Fireweed trail to Gondola One which we took down the mountain. We then walked around Vail village for a bit. The hike was 5.5 miles, 2.4k elevation and took a little under three hours.
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| Atop Vail Mountain after Berrypicker Hike |
Mt Elbert 14er - We hiked up the highest peak in Colorado, Mt Elbert. We left the house at 4am and got to the trail by 5:15 and was hiking by 5:30. The hike was very hard, largely due to the altitude - it was 10.5 miles and 4500 feet in elevation gain - it took us 9 hours, slow going up due to altitude and slow going down as Margaret had IT band issues. The trail was very well maintained with some steep parts but not too crazy and the scenery was stunning. At about 12K feet, Shawna started to fill a little ill but we stopped and ate something and then she was fine the rest of the way. Great hike!!
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| Mt Elbert Hike |
Walk along the river - On Margaret's last morning, we walked along the river to Eagle to have lunch.
Betty Ford Alpine Garden - Located in Vail, we walked around the gardens for about an hour and even signed up to become members. The gardens are very well done, showcasing the alpine trees and flowers of the area.
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| Betty Ford Alpine Garden |
Steamboat - We spent the day in Steamboat with Ralph and Kelly. When we arrived, we hiked the Uranium Mine Trail - 3 miles, 600 ft elevation and 1.5 hours. We then biked along the river, stopping for lunch along the way. We wrapped up our multi-sport day with tubing where Shawna flipped her tube at the end trying to get out of the river! We had an early dinner and then drove back to Avon.
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| Steamboat Tubing |
Booth Lake Hike - Our last big hike before the Raleigh gang showed up and it did not disappoint - truly stunning and probably our favorite so far in Vail valley. The hike was 10 miles, 3K ft elevation and took us 6.5 hours with a bit of time at the lake to rest and have a picnic lunch. There is an amazing waterfall about half way and the lake itself at the end is beautiful. This hike requires taking a shuttle from Vail transportation center.
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| Booth Lake Hike |
Bravo Vail - We saw the Dallas Symphony Orchestra playing 80s music at the arena in Vail. Ali and a friend of hers joined us. We sat out on the lawn and brought cheese and crackers for dinner. The venue is great and the concert was a lot of fun!
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| Bravo Vail at Vail Amphitheater |
Cooking at home - Shawna cooked a few times making spinach salad with salmon, pasta, lentil tostados and fish tacos, and salmon with farro. Keith made homemade chocolate chip cookies and steam pudding for desserts. Kerstin also cooked, making Swedish meatballs with mashed potatoes.
Restaurants:
Cava - Located near the airport, we stopped here after we picked up Kerstin for a quick bite.
Hell's Kitchen Pizza - Located in Manitou Sprints, we popped in quickly to grab a few slices to go as the parking was atrocious. The pizza was not as good as we had remembered.
Por Favor Tacos and Tragos - Located in Colorado Springs, we went to dinner here and met up with Erin and her hubby, Richard. The food was really good - we shared guacamole for the table and then each got a taco which are quite large.
Bonnie Brae Ice Cream - Located in Denver, we got ice cream here after our walk around Wash Park with Ali. Yum!
The Pasty Republic - Located in Denver, we went here for a second time to grab a quick lunch. Pasties were good but not as good as the first time.
Fattoria - Located in Avon, we had dinner here with Nancy and Larry who were passing through. They also stopped by the house first for drinks. The food was really good. The manager was an interesting character.
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| Dinner at Fattoria with Nancy, Larry and Kerstin |
Ajax Tavern - Located at the Little Nell in Aspen, we stopped here for a beer after our hike and sat on the patio.
Jimoto Ramen - Located in Aspen, we had an early dinner here after our hike before driving back to Avon. We each got a ramen and shared dumplings - the ramen was very good.
Fireside Bar at The Ritz Beaver Creek - We had a drink on the patio with Margaret and Kerstin. Great location and cocktails were tasty.
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| Drinks at Fireside Bar |
Mid-Vail Grill - We had a beer at the top of Gondola One after our hike with Margaret and Kerstin. Nice views.
Pizza One Avon - We ordered pizza from here and picked it up after our 14er hike. Pizza was very good.
Craftsmen Brew Co - Located in Edwards, we had lunch here with Margaret and Kerstin after walking there from Avon along the river. We shared a sandwich and salad.
Freshie's - Located in Steamboat, we had lunch here while on our bike ride. We had some yummy salads.
Brass Kitchen and Bar - Located in Steamboat, we had an early dinner here with Kerstin, Ralph, Kelly, Cameron (former Aimco colleague) and Bill, his husband. The food was very good.
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| Dinner at Brass Kitchen and Bar |
RDU Gang (and Kerstin):
John/JoAnna, Kim/Jonathan and Phil/Joyce came to visit us for a long weekend (four nights) over July 4th. Kerstin was still visiting and since our house was full, we got her another place to stay just a few miles from the house. The RDU gang rented their own car so they drove to our place, arriving mid-day.
Activities:
Walk along the river - One morning, a few of us walked along the Eagle river for 1.5 hours.
Avon July 3rd Festivities - We were able to see the fireworks from the road at our house - it was quite a long show!
Beaver Creek 4th of July Festivities - We went up to Beaver Creek to enjoy the festivities there. Elizabeth and Joe also joined us for the day. We took the shuttle there and back, had lunch from one of the food trucks, had a few beers and listened to music. A few people walked up the trail to get some views of the village.
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| Beaver Creek July 4th Festival |
e-Biking - We rented e-bikes and rode to Vail and back. Unfortunately, Phil's bike had some troubles so he had to peddle quite rapidly to get speed.
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| e-Biking to Vail |
Vail Gondola - After riding our e-bikes to Vail, we took the Eagle Bahn gondola to the top, took some photos at the top, hiked across to Gondola One, had lunch and then took that gondola back down to the village where we then took the bus back to Lionshead to pick up our bikes.
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| View from on top of Eagle Bahn Gondola in Vail |
Sapphire Point Overlook - Before our boat ride on Lake Dillon, we drove up to this point and briefly walked to the lookout area where there are great views of the lake and the mountains in the area.
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| Sapphire Point Overlook |
Pontoon Boat on Lake Dillon - We rented a 10 passenger pontoon boat from the Frisco marina for two hours and drover around the lake. It was a beautiful day and a great way to see the scenery around the lake.
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| Pontoon Boat on Lake Dillon |
Cooking at the House / Hot Tub - We took full advantage of having a hot tub - enjoying it on many of the evenings. One night we made hummus with pita and veggies, chicken kabobs, couscous, tomato salad and semolina cake. Another night, we grilled burgers and sausages and made corn and potato salad - on this night, Sarah/Jonathan and Shawn/Jorge/Milo (Shawn and family were in town for vacation) joined us as well.
Restaurants:
Ein Prosit - Since this was a hit with Ginger and Michael, we decided to go here again for lunch with this crew. We got multiple sausages to sample along with pretzels and chips and of course had some beer!
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| Ein Prosit |
Pizza One Avon - We ordered pizza again from this place for dinner one night - very good.
Outer Range Brewery - Located in Frisco, we had lunch at Bird Craft (inside the brewery) and had a beer before doing our boat ride on Lake Dillon. We sat outside again on the deck with views of the mountains.
Mid Vail Grill - We had lunch at this restaurant which is at the top of Gondola One in Vail. We each got a German sausage which was tasty.
Vin48 - Our last night together, we had dinner at this place in Avon - it's a really nice restaurant with great food. We shared a few of the small plates - lamb meatballs, a pasta dish and the mussels (Shawna was not a fan of the mussels).
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| Vin48 |
Dodds Family:
The entire Dodds clan came to visit us - Jean and Dick stayed with us for a week while Margaret and Graham and their kids each stayed for four or five days. Since we could not fit everyone in our house, we did have to rent a spillover AirBnB for three of the nights.
Activities:
Leadville Railroad - We did this 2.5 hour tour by train out of Leadville with Jean and Dick. We sat in the lounge car which was quite comfortable. The scenery was really pretty but the food was not great (we only got a cup of Wolf brand chili and a pretzel - both prepackaged).
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| Leadville Railroad |
SUP on Nottingham Lake - After Margaret, Lily, Owen and Josie arrived, we went over to Nottingham Lake in Avon and rented stand up paddle boards for an hour. While the lake is not huge, it's very pretty so everyone enjoyed it. The crew liked it so much that they did it again another morning - this time with Boone.
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| SUP on Nottingham Lake |
Rafting - Keith, Margaret, Owen, Lily and Josie did a two hour rafting on the Arkansas River, doing the Pine Creek and The Numbers section which were Class IV/V+ rapids. Shawna sat this one out as she had sprained her toe earlier in the week. Everyone loved it and best of all no one swam!
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| Rafting on Arkansas River |
Betty Ford Alpine Garden - While the rest of the gang was rafting, Jean, Dick and Shawna went to the alpine gardens in Vail. Jean and Dick went again with Lily and Boone while some of us did the 14er hike.
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| Betty Ford Alpine Garden |
Sapphire Point Overlook - Located by Lake Dillon, we drove over here again to show the views of the lake before our pontoon boat.
Pontoon Boat on Lake Dillon - We enjoyed this with the RDU gang so decided to do it with the family. We picked up the boat in Frisco after waiting out a lightning delay and rode around the lake. The kids all took turning driving the boat.
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| Pontoon Boat on Lake Dillon |
e-Bike to Vail / Berry Picker Hike in Vail - We rode e-bikes to Vail - Sarah joined us as well. Was nice that this group took it faster than other groups! Once we got to Vail, we had lunch and then some of us (Margaret, Josie, Owen, Keith and Shawna) quickly hiked up Berry Picker trail, taking a little over two hours to get to the top. We took the gondola down and then rode our bikes back. Lily had gone back to the house with Graham so he drove her back so she could ride back and picked up Boone who had hiked with us.
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| On top of Vail Mountain |
Ziplining - Everyone except Shawna went ziplining while Jean and Dick watched. Shawna opted for a relaxing day. There were six different zippiness - each of them very long that would cross a canyon = everyone really enjoyed it.
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| Ziplining |
Mt Sherman 14er Hike - Margaret, Josie, Owen, Keith and Shawna did this hike - we had to leave at 3:30 since it was a two hour drive to get there. It's one of the easier 14ers to do with 5 miles and 2K elevation gain - that said it was hard because it was very windy when we did it. At times, we were concerned we would be blown off the mountain! We did it in just under 4.5 hours. The views from the top were nice but not as majestic as Mt Elbert.
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| Mt Sherman |
Cooking at Home:
- One evening, Shawna made Indian - butter salmon, chicken tikka, basmati rice, lentil curry and raita.
- Another evening, the kids cooked for us and we rated them on their skills, collaboration and attitude - it was hilarious to listen to them as they cooked. Owen made the appetizer, shrimp toast, which was pretty good except he overdosed on the cajun seasoning, not realizing the difference between a tsp and a cup! Lily and Boone partnered to make the main course of baked chicken, rice, asparagus and carrots - all came out good except the carrots could have been cooked longer. They also miscalculated the number of plates when they plated so they had to scramble to re-plate some so the kids could eat. The last course was made by Josie - baked Alaska. It was very impressive and probably would have won overall but we docked her on attitude since she was not accepting of any adult tips along the way!! All in all, it was great fun, we had a nice dinner and the kids enjoyed it and learned a few things as well!
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| The kids plating our entree |
- For the final evening that everyone was there, Graham grilled steaks and we had corn on the cob and smashed parmesan baby potatoes. He also made a cucumber salad and finally the right batch of chocolate chip cookies (Keith had tried to make these a few times and had failed). Keith made steam pudding so we had a variety of desserts. Everything was delicious!
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| Last supper together |
Restaurants:
Mirabelle - For the first night that Jean and Dick arrived, we had dinner at this restaurant at the base of Beaver Creek. It's a very cute place - a house with many rooms to dine in. We shared a salad for an appetizer and then each got the elk with a side of French fries and roasted Brussel sprouts. The food was very good.
Beano's Cabin - We treated Jean and Dick to this restaurant in Beaver Creek as a belated birthday gift for Jean. The beautiful cabin is located up the mountain where we took a shuttle to get to it. We had a five course menu with choice of salad, appetizer, main and dessert - we each got a soup to start. Shawna got the trout and Keith got the lamb for our entree and we shared a bit of each. The food was good but not as good as we had remembered. Still a nice place to go.
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| Dinner at Beano's Cabin |
Crafstman Brew Co - Went here again for lunch with Jean and Dick - this time we shared the fish tacos and Brussel sprouts.
I Scream Gelato - Located in Frisco, we got ice cream here before our boat ride around the lake. Pretty tasty.
5th Avenue Grill - Located in Frisco, we had dinner here after our boat ride around the lake. Place was a bit noisy and not very big and food was OK.
Alpenrose Vail - Located in Vail, we had lunch here when we biked into Vail. Keith's parents met us, Graham and Boone joined from their drive from NM and Sarah joined us as well. We sat on the front porch - we got fondue for the table and Shawna shared the goulash and schnitzel with Sarah - very tasty.
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| Alpenrose |
Pizza One Avon - We ordered in from this place again - good solid pizzas.
Luigi's Pizza - Located in Breckenridge, we stopped here for a slice of pizza after our 14er hike. Very good NY style pizza.
Vin48 - We had dinner here again - this time with Jean and Dick on their last night and Jean's friend Sharon who lives in Steamboat. We shared the lobster pasta and the meatballs - both tasty.
Kim and Tom and the Girls:
Kim and Kaley arrived on Friday and Tom and Riley arrived on Saturday. The girls stayed until Wednesday and Kim and Tom stayed until the following Saturday.
Activities:
Rafting - Everyone, except Shawna, went rafting on the Arkansas river, doing the Pine Creek and Numbers section (same one that Keith did with his family). Chris also joined this activity.
Missouri Mountain 14er Hike - We did this 14er hike with the whole family plus Chris and his friend Nick. The hike was 11 miles, 4500 feet in elevation gain and took 8.5 hours. It was a stunning hike - the first part was steep and then we walked through an amazing valley surrounded by mountains and then the last mile was also very steep with some tough scramble parts. Tom made it to the last mile but then was filling dizzy so he turned around. Shawna and Kaley made it to the saddle before the scramble part and Riley made it to the last bump before the final scramble. We were very tired at the end but all enjoyed it.
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| Missouri Mountain 14er Hike |
e-Bike to Vail / Berry Picker Hike in Vail - We rented bikes again and rode to Vail. Our regular bike shop was sold out so this time we got the bikes from the sport rental place at the Westin - the bikes were not nearly as good and more expensive. We hiked up Berry Picker (3.5 miles, 2.2K elevation), taking a bit over two hours and then walked across to Gondola One to take that one down.
Willow Lakes Hike - We did this hike near Silverthorne with Kim's friend Deborah and her husband Steve who were in town for a couple of weeks (they have a condo on the ridge on Lake Dillon near Keystone). The hike goes to several lakes, the last one is beautiful with quite aggressive mountain goats! The hike was 12.5 miles, 2.8K elevation and took us 6 hours and 45 minutes. It started to hail on the way down which was quite interesting - it lasted about 20 minutes and was painful!!
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| Willow Lakes Hike |
Piney Lake - We were supposed to do a more aggressive hike this day but since we had done one the day before and would do another one the next day, we decided to take it a bit easier this day. We hiked the Upper Piney Lake Falls hike - 6 miles, 700 feet elevation and a bit over two hours. We were going to also canoe/SUP on the lake but it started to rain. We had lunch at the lake at the restaurant there - food was just OK but it was nice to sit outside with views of the lake. We ended up breaking one of their umbrellas - we had it open since it was drizzling but then a gust of wind snapped it!
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| Lunch at Piney Lake |
Maroon Bells / Buckskin Pass Hike - We had to do this one again, this time making it to the top of the ridge - stunning hike and probably our favorite in CO. We got an earlier shuttle so that we would have enough time. The hike is 10 miles, 3K elevation and took us 6 hours.
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| Maroon Bells / Buckskin Pass |
Cooking at home - One evening we grilled, steak and chicken and served with corn, smashed parmesan potatoes and steam pudding. Sarah joined us for this dinner as did Chris and Athena who also brought appetizers. Another evening, Shawna made lentil tostadas.
Activities They Did Without Us - Rock climbing with Chris and Athena, Horse Back Riding
Restaurants:
E Town - Located in Edwards, we met up with Kim, Kaley, Athena and Chris for a drink.
Zino - Located in Edwards, we had dinner here with Kim, Kaley, Athena and Chris. We shared a salad and pasty - pretty good.
Craftsmen Brew Co - Yep, went here again. Great sandwich place in Edwards. This time we got burgers - very good.
Il Mago - Italian place in Edwards - we ordered pizzas fro her after our 14er hike. They were good but small.
Sundae - Ice cream place in Vail - we stopped here after a hike. Very good ice cream!
Fattoria - Italian restaurant in Avon - we had our last dinner here while the girls were still with us. Food is very good. We shared a few small plates.
Minturn Saloon - Located in Minturn, we had a beer here on the deck while waiting for our table for dinner.
Thai Kitchen - Located in Minturn, we had dinner here - the food is awesome and the portions are very generous!
Ajax Tavern - Located at The Little Nell in Aspen, we had a couple of beers on the deck after our hike.
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| Drinks at Ajax Tavern |
Kenichi Aspen - We had dinner at this Japanese restaurant in Aspen after our hike. The food was very good. We had sashimi, pork bao buns and a roll.
Keith and Kate and the Girls:
Keith, Kate, Phoebe and Ruby came out to stay with us for a week. They arrived very late on the Friday night (after midnight) - Kim and Tom stayed that night as well, sleeping on our blow up mattress so that they could see them in the morning.
Activities:
Berry Picker Hike / Vail - We hiked up this trail again so that they could see the views from the top of Vail. We had lunch at the top and then walked across to Gondola One to take that down to main Vail village for ice cream.
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| Berry Picker Hike |
Kayaking Lake Dillon - We rented kayaks for two hours on our way into Denver - this time we did it without a guide. We enjoyed kayaking out to the islands where we saw some osprey and herons.
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| Kayaking Lake Dillon |
Meow Wolf - We needed something to do before the concert so we went here and spent about two hours. We had been to one before in Santa Fe - this one had a different theme. While we had fun exploring, we did not crack the code so had to look up the backstory online!
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| Meow Wolf |
Beck Concert at Red Rocks - Keith treated us to tickets to this great concert. Beck was performing with the Colorado Symphony - such great sound and of course you can't beat the venue. The opening act was a woman named Molly Lewis who is a whistler - quite interesting!
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| Beck at Red Rocks |
Pitkin Lake Hike - We did this beautiful hike that is one valley over from Booth Lake. We did 10.5 miles, 3K elevation and it took us 7 hours. We hung out at the lake for a bit, having lunch and relaxing while enjoying the scenery. We were bummed there were no goats but it was still a gorgeous hike.
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| Pitkin Lake Hike |
Rafting - We rafted the Arkansas, this time just doing the Numbers which is class IV. We all had a great time - there are seven rapids in total which were quite fun and at one point, Keith, Kate and the girls jumped out the boat and floated down some Class II rapids. Ruby and Kate also took a try at sliding down the Swiss cheese rock and popping out under the water.
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| Rafting the Arkansas River |
Quandary Peak 14er Hike - Since this was the first 14er that they did, we picked one that was not too long. We had done this one over 20 years prior but didn't really remember it so it was like new to us as well. It's a great hike with stunning views and nice flowers along the way. The last mile is quite grueling as you gain quite a bit of altitude in that last mile. While hard, everyone was glad they did it! The hike is 7.4 miles, 3.4K elevation and it took us 7.5 hours (5.5 hours moving time). Ruby and Phoebe made our fabulous sign!
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| Quandary Peak |
Cooking at Home:
- One evening, we grilled steak and chicken with corn and smashed potatoes - Keith made steamed pudding for dessert. Shezelle (former collegue of Keith's from Aimco) was in town so she also joined us for dinner.
- Keith and Kate made veggie burgers with sweet potato fries along with chips and guacamole for an appetizer. We had Keith's chocolate chip cookies for dessert.
- Phoebe and Ruby made us dinner - fresh bread and meditteranean bowls.
- Shawna made Indian one night - raita, lentil curry, butter chicken and basmati rice.
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| Shezelle Joined Us for Dinner |
Activities They Did Without Us - Shrine Ridge Hike, Lunch and Bookstore in Edwards
Restaurants:
Talon's Grill - Located at the top of Eagle Bahn gondola in Vail, we had lunch here after our hike. We shared a sandwich - food pretty good with nice views.
Sundae - Had to stop here again for ice cream in Vail - yummy!
Tony Rigatoni's - Located in Morrison, we had dinner here before the concert. The food was very good - we shared a caesar salad and bolognese pasta.
Leadville Grill and Cantina - Located in Leadville, we stopped here for lunch after rafting. The food is mainly Mexican and quite tasty. The bar is also historic. The owner stopped by our table to greet us which was nice.
Luigi's Pizzeria - Located in Breckenridge, we stopped here after the 14er for some pizza slices.
Thai Kitchen - Located in Minturn, we ordered food from here to take home to eat for dinner after the 14er - we ordered several dishes that we shared - all yummy!
Jordan:
Jordan came out for a long weekend, arriving late on Thursday night (and overlapping with Keith and Kate and the girls for their last night) and leaving on Monday. She took the shuttle to Vail Transportation Center so Keith had to get her at 11:30 at night.
Activities:
Shrine Ridge Hike - We got a later start to our day so that we could have breakfast with Keith and Kate and the girls before they left. So we did this hike which is beautiful considering it's a moderate and short hike. It was 4.3 miles, 1K feet in elevation and took about 2 hours.
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| Shrine Ridge Hike |
Vail Village - We walked around the village to show her the cute buildings.
Kayaking Lake Dillon - We did the kayak tour again, this time we saw the right side of the lake so was nice to see a different part. Jordan was paired up with Shawna while Keith did a solo kayak.
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| Kayaking Lake Dillon |
Bluegrass and Beer Festival in Keystone - The festival far exceeded our expectations - great food and beer options and a few stages with bluegrass bands. We had unlimited beer tastings and each had 6 food tastings which we struggled to get through as we got quite full.
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| Bluegrass and Beer Festival - Keystone |
Grousse Creek Loop Hike - We were going to do one of the lake hikes but Jordan decided she wanted a shorter hike so we did this one located in Minturn which has some nice views. The hike was 6 miles, 1.2K feet in elevation and took 2.5 hours.
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| Grousse Creek Loop Hike |
Ziplining - Keith and Jordan went to do this activity - they both had a great time.
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| Ziplining |
Standup Paddle Boarding - We had a little time in the morning before Jordan left for the airport so we did an hour of paddling on Nottingham Lake in Avon.
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| Paddling on Nottingham Lake |
Restaurants:
Sundae - Located in Vail, we stopped here again for an ice cream - so good.
Tavern on the Square - Located in Lionshead, we stopped here for a beer and nachos. Nice views on the patio of the ski slope.
Sweet Basil - Located in Vail, we had dinner here and Ali joined us. We shared a crude, bread with feta and gnocchi for appetizer and then shared a fish and pork entree. It had been a long time that we had eaten here and it was still very good.
Rocky Mountain Taco - Located in Minturn, we stopped here for lunch again after our hike. Good taco/bowl/burrito options.
Tavernetta - Located in Vail, we had our final dinner here - everything was very good. We shared the focaccia and burrata as well as a salad for appetizers and then the lamb ragu pasta and pork for entrees. We wrapped it up with donut balls for dessert. So yummy!
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| Dinner at Tavernetta |
Craftsman - A tradition for us to take guests here - we stopped by for lunch before Jordan had to leave. This time we shared the green chili Philly sandwich and the kale salad.
Martin and Michelle:
Martin and Michelle came out for the weekend, arriving late afternoon on Friday and leaving mid-day on Sunday.
Activities:
Cooking at Home - We made a grilled caesar salad and ragu pasta on Friday night and also had Sarah and Jonathan to join us.
Piney Lake - We drove out to Piney Lake to do some stand up paddle boarding. Unfortunately, all of our boards were a bit wobbly so we paddled around the lake mostly on knees/sitting. Keith stood on his most of the time. The scenery was beautiful.
Vail Wine Festival - We attended this event on Saturday along with Cara and Chad. It was a really nice event with wines from mostly California and a few from South America and Europe. There were also bites to eat.
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| Vail Wine Festival |
Kayaking on Lake Dillon - On Sunday, we rented kayaks and paddled for 1.5 hours on the lake - another stunning day.
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| Kayaking on Lake Dillon |
Restaurants:
Crafstman - We had lunch here before the wine festival. Had our usual kale salad and green chilly Philly.
Mountain Standard - Located in Vail, we joined Cara and Chad for dinner after the wine festival. We didn't really drink much that evening but enjoyed the food!
Cielo Oaxaca - Located in Frisco, we had lunch here after our kayaking - great traditional Mexican food.
Eva and Stacie and Hubbies:
Eva, Brian, Stacie and Lucas joined us for our last weekend in the mountains. They arrived on Thursday later afternoon and stayed until Sunday mid-morning.
Activities:
Cooking at Home - We made chicken kabobs with couscous and tomato salad for the first night when they arrived.
eBike / Vail Day - We rented e-bikes and biked to Vail, took the gondola up to the top and walked across to the second gondola which we took down into Vail village and walked back to our bikes. We also grabbed a bite to eat at the top and had ice cream at the bottom.
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| On top of Vail mountain |
Kayaking Lake Dillon - We rented kayaks and toured around the lake for two hours. It sprinkled a little.
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| Kayaking on Lake Dillon |
Keystone Mountain Town Food Festival - We went to this festival and tasted the food (some of which was good) and had a couple of drinks. It poured rain for a part so we had to take cover. Overall, the festival was not our favorite.
Restaurants:
Mid Vail Grill - Located at the top of Gondola One in Vail, we had lunch here, sharing a brat sandwich.
Sundae - We had ice cream here twice - once after coming down the gondola and another time after dinner.
Matsuhisa - Located in Vail, we had dinner here sharing a bunch of dishes for the table. Everything was delicious.
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| Dinner at Matsuhisa |
Fattoria - Located in Avon, we had our final dinner here - we shared several apps and pastas for the table - all great!
