Vacation 2008

This will hopefully be a many part entry. I am hoping that every night I will have the energy to post a blog about our travels across Colorado down to 4 corners and beyond. I am hoping I will get pictures from that day posted and blog a little about our discoveries and adventures! Here goes.....
Day 1 (Wednesday, July 23rd)
Marilynn told Carter she needed to go upstairs and pack her bag to go so Carter followed her up the stairs and pulled his Elmo suitcase out of the closet and packed it with the essentials only a two year old would need. He pack one boot from a stuffed bear (in case he loses a shoe), two empty tins (in case we find some sand), his play razor, comb, and shaving cream brush, (to looke good for the ladies!) his play cellphone (to keep in contact with papa), an airgun arrow (for self defense) and a thomas the train and shaker toy (because every two year old needs a few toys). He packed it up and zipped it up tight and brought it to the top of the steps and was ready to go...proud as a peacock! He also got into the van and into his carseat 1 hour prior to even being ready to leave. Every once in awhile he would let out a hollar to let us know he was still patiently waiting for us!
We left Colorado Springs at 9:40am. Scott had an itinerary all ready for us to follow so after getting on the road only 40 minutes late we were doing well! The plan the first day was to go to Palisade, CO and go to a winery. Grandma Marilynn and I wanted to take the scenic route so right there, that threw a kink into Scott's perfected plans.

We went along CO hwy 24 up through Independence Pass into Aspen and then into Palisade. Before we started to climb up Independence Pass, Marilynn saw 3 mountain goats, so Scott whipped a U-turn in the middle of the road so we could try and see them. We did get to see them on the way back down but by the time we made the turn around they were gone.

Independence Pass is full of switch-backing, hairpin turns on a very narrow road with no gaurdrails with a LONG way to the bottom. I wasn's sure we were going to make it when during the first steep climb Scott started breating heavily and started shaking. He is deathly afraid of heights and obviously he was a little in over his head! He got his fears under control and forged on climbing the 8,000 plus feet to the top which is 12,095 feet. Up there, we took a few pictures by the sign and then Carter woke up to join us for a few too. It was too "brr" (in Carters words) to play in the feet of snow that was still at the top of the mountain. We saw many people playing in the snow and some even sledding! It was amazing to see snow on July, 23rd! If you look really close in one of the pictures of the snow, you can actually see the people out there playing!

After leaving the sleet behind on the top of the mountain, we started the trek down into Aspen. More white knuckle driving from Scott and more hairpin curves but we made it with no U-turns to see Mountain Goats. One picture shows how narrow the road is from the passengers seat...pretty scary! Upon reaching Aspen, we saw the highlight of my day! There on the corner was a delivery car for Domino's that was smaller than the smart car, but only had one wheel in the front! For some reason that struck me as really funny and I wished I had been quick enough to get a picture! I think it struck me as funny because I could just imagine what Graham and Kevin would do if they had access to that vehicle! I guess I could have stolen it and put it in the back of the van...it would have fit! Just kidding about the stealing part! (don't get your hopes up Graham!) Once we got through Aspen it was on to Palisade on the prettiest interstate in the US. The mountains were amazing! I am just sad that we haven't gone though them before this!

We got to Palisade and to the winery, which Scott had allowed 4 hours for! After 4 tastes of wine and 10 minutes later we were back on the road to another winery. But before we could go there we had to stop at a roadside fruit stand to get Carter the peach he was promised for being a good boy in the first winery. As you will be able to tell from the pictures, he enjoyed the peaches (yes, peaches)! After our 1/2 hour stop and hosing down we were on to the next winery. There more wine was tasted and more money spent. After leaving that place we stopped at another roadside fruit stand where Carter picked out some sugar free pear butter all by himself for his Papa. We were getting ready to head for Montrose and check into the Holiday Inn when another winery along the way had its open sign still up. Scott whipped another u-turn and it felt like we were in the race of our lives to get there. Good thing we did, because there we found the best port wine that has ever been made....and so Papa (a port wine lover) got a bottle! After we left that winery Carter decided to use his play cell phone to call papa and tell him about the wine we got him. I posted a picture of him sitting on the sidewalk talking to him!

Off to Montrose, right on time, but 4 extra stops later! We checked into our hotel room and we are exhausted! I will write more tomorrow night about our ventures into Telluride and then onto Cortez! Enjoy the pictures!