Colorado Trip (Part 1)

Our year of travels has not come to an end just yet.  After a fun-filled trip to Disney World in January, then a long weekend in Concan with friends, we hopped on a plane to Denver, Colorado to spend a few days with Mark's aunt, uncle, and grandmother.  The weather was absolutely perfect, although the first day we were in Denver, there was a slight haze over the city due to the recent wildfires in the state. 

Mark's Aunt Luci picked us up at the airport, and we all went to a park near her house to have a picnic lunch.  It was 1:00 in the afternoon on a summer day, and we were sitting OUTSIDE, having a picnic lunch, and it was PLEASANT!  That's how they roll in Colorado, apparently.  In Houston, if you aren't finished with your outside activities by about 9:30 in the morning, it's too hot to continue-- unless you're at the pool. 

 Ryan with his great-grandmother

 Funny faces and strange poses was the norm on this trip.

 Rachael with Aunt Luci

 Climbing trees

 Not sure if this is a funny face on purpose or if it's a reaction to his fizzy water.

Playing baseball using a stick and an acorn.

The next morning after breakfast we got in the car and drove to Gunnison.  The drive south from Denver was beautiful, and we stopped at lunchtime for a picnic at the Kenosha Campground in the Pike National Forest.  We ate and then hiked a little trail until it started to rain on us.



 Not Rachael's most brilliant look, but in her defense, that sun was bright.

 Why walk on the trail when you can balance on fallen branches?

The first of many spectacular views on this trip.

 We drove through the South Park basin, which is about 10,000 ft in elevation.

Stopping in Fairplay for gas... and taking pics on a dinosaur.

Eventually we came to Gunnison.  Mark's aunt and uncle had reserved two cabins at Lost Canyon Resort on the Gunnison River.  We stayed there for 3 nights, and it was WONDERFUL.  The temps were warm during the day and cool at night.  I'll continue with more pictures from Gunnison in a later post.  It's night-night time for now.