Apr - Jun 2007

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APRIL 2007

Today Susan & Chris are off to Ski School...  Today is a bright sunshiny day with a little new snow.  Mike and I head up toward the top of Peak 8 on the new Gondola for the first time, while Susan & Chris, get their feet wet... sort of!  After a few runs, we start heading back toward Peak 9 and we get a phone call from Susan saying that they want to talk to us.  Mike says he knows what they want to talk about...  they are wanting to bail out of the rest of their ski lessons and want to ski with us.  We arrive at the base at Beaver Run and they are waiting.  The rest of the day we spend with them on Quicksilver and A-Lift, doing green runs.  Around 2:30 we call it quits for the day in Breckenridge.  Mike fixes some quick burgers and then we are off to Keystone for Mike & I to do some night skiing.  We take them up the Gondola to the bar at the top, where they will wait why we make a few runs...  As the sun sets we have a beautiful view of the mountains toward Dillon and Breckenridge.  It is an awesome sight, our pictures don't do it justice.  We only make one run down, the snow has turned to ice, which makes for some not so fun skiing.  Though skiing wasn't the greatest, it was the best image we have ever seen, one that will stay with us the rest of our lives!

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Just another day skiing... we make an attempt at a blue run, however, they don't feel they are ready.  Mike swears that the 3rd day will be better.  We head back to the condo a little early today, Susan will be singing tonight in the bar with the resorts regular entertainer.  Marie, the owner relations person has sent out invitations to the owners party and has listed Susan as a guest entertainer.  We had told Marie that she would be with us, but we didn't know she was going to advertise.  After an early dinner, we go to the lounge where Keith, the regular entertainment, has been playing for a while.  He says he will hand the mic over to her at 5pm.  After a shot or two of Jaeger, she joins him behind the mic, the piano is way out of tune, so Keith accompanies her.   She is a hit...  and Marie asks her if she would play again another night.  After the lounge gig...  we head to the hot tub where we meet some of Susan's adoring fans from Georgia.  The boys are in love!  An hour or so later, when the hot tub closes, Mike invites everyone up to our room, where the party continues.  Chris whips out his guitar and entertains for a while.  It has been a long day, and everyone turns in except for Susan and the rapper Steve.  Not sure what time Susan kicks him out, we were fast asleep!

Well its day 3 of their skiing...  and they are doing so much better.  Still lacking in confidence but working on their parallel skiing.  While we are on one of the blue runs, the Georgia boys call Susan, and we decide to meet them over at 10 mile station,.  However, not before Mike and I make our way up the Falcon chair lift, and at the top of Peak 10.  I have never been on this run before, it is a Blue/Black, and in some places Black, Mike says.  It was interesting at the least, and very breezy and chilly up at the top.  The view was spectacular, but then of course it would be looking down on the town of Breck.  We make it back to 10 mile station all in one place.  When I say "we" of course I am meaning me.  Susan & Chris have been joined by the Georgia boys and we take a break eating some lunch, and hearing alot of "talk" from ego infested macho men.  Mike decides to take the Georgia boys up to the top, and take them down a few of the black runs, they were so eager to show up the old man.  Well he was old to the 20 to 25 year olds that decided to take him up on his challenge, who came back to 10 mile station huffing and puffing.  They make it back in short time and we are all off again.  Susan decides that she is ok with skiing some of the harder stuff, so Chris agrees and we are on the lift to the top of Mercury.  Susan takes of with the Georgia Boys and we take Chris to other parts of the Mountain he has not seen yet.  He is in awe of the beauty...  he is having a great time.  Well its been a long day of skiing, and I think Chris is pooped, so are down the slopes and back to the condo.  Tonight we get ready for Rocky Mountain National Park.  

We depart the condo a bit earlier, 6:20AM, and its about 35 degrees.  After a great breakfast at the Homestead Restaurant in Lyons Co, we arrive in Estes Park,10AM and 45 degrees.  Elevation  7550.  As we drive through town we are on the lookout of wildlife.  The elk in Estes Park just love wandering through town, and lounging around on the Golf Course.  And as we suspected, there is a good sized herd camped out on the golf course.  Do Elk listen when you yell "FORE"?  After making a stop at the local fishing store for fishing licenses and flys for Susan & Chris, we are off to RMNP to see some more elk, to trout fish, and see the wonderful mountains.  Our first stop is at the trailhead for Bear, Dream, & Nymph Lake.  We will take a short snowshoeing hike, since Susan & Chris have never done anything like this, thought they might think this was cool.  We get to the frozen Nymph Lake, and Susan decides that walking across the lake is not such a good thing, kind of making her uneasy with us going across.  She does make it across, but she and Chris decide that they have had enough and are ready to go find some trout.  Mike and I would have loved to continue on, but we will be back again, so we head back.  Crossing the lake you see Long's Peak in the background, Mike thinks back on when he summited in September of 2003 and I wonder if I will ever make it to the top.  It is definitely on our things to do list.  It continues to get longer and longer.  We arrive back to the car, only a 1.2 mile round trip, load up, and go searching for trout.  We find a spot just outside of town, and Susan & Chris suit up.  I think it took longer to get everything ready then the time they actually spent fishing.  But it was cool watching them...  really cool, actually cold for Susan when she fell in.  We all had a good laugh, got pictures, then bundled her up, good thing we always bring so much extra "stuff".  We found enough clothes for her to get warm and dry.  After a full day of entertainment, it was time for some dinner at a little local Mexican  restaurant then back to Breckenridge.  Tomorrow is another day of skiing.  Not sure what's better, skiing or trekking out in the woods in snow?  Either way, you got funny looking things strapped to your feet! 

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We are out on the slopes again this morning...  not to bright and early, but plenty of time to get some good snow.  Mid day, Susan & Chris call it quits, going to go get some rest before their "Big Show" tonight.  They are playing at the lounge at Valdoro.  I think Chris is a bit nervous, but Susan just told him to get over it.  We arrive back to the condo, Susan is asleep, and Chris has gone shopping.  Go figure...  We fix a quick dinner and then its time to get ready to head down to the lounge.  Its a slow start, but the word gets out and its not long before there is a full house.  I would imagine it is probably the loudest and wildest time that lounge has ever seen.  It will be a long time before the folks at Valdoro forget this night.  Tonight Mike & I have our couples massage, and if you have never done this, is it pretty awesome.  We try to get one every time we are there, however you gotta book them early cause it fills up quickly for the week.  We tend to try and make it the last night we are there...  kind of a parting luxury, but this time they are booked for Friday night, so we take Thursday night instead.  It doesn't matter, its all good no matter what night it is.  After the massage we meet Susan & Chris at the hot tub.  They have gotten invited to join some new friends in their private hot tub later that night.  Mike and I call it a night, since we are hoping to get over to Arapahoe, depending on the weather, for a day of skiing there.  Don't think I remember ever hearing them come in that night, but after a day of skiing, massage, hot tub, and a couple of margaritas I was done!

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Well its a sad day...  the last day for skiing.  Its been a great trip, and today Mike and I are skiing at Arapahoe.  We left Susan & Chris back at the condo.  They said they had had enough.  They were going to just chill for today.  So that left Mike & I to ski on our own.  We have not had alot of opportunity to do that this ski season, cause we have had others with us most of the time.  So today is the first full day we have skied, just the two of us.  I know...  ahhhhhh!  I have only skied Arapahoe once before, and it was so cold and blowing, you could barely see where you were going.  This time we have a gorgeous day and we head toward the top.  It is another awesome view and we get probably one of the best pictures we have ever taken together.  We make a couple of runs, and stop in at the Black Mountain Lodge, I guess you can consider it the newest addition to Arapahoe, so a quick bite to eat.  The place is crowded, the typical mid mountain restaurant/snack bar.  We have a seat next to an older couple, probably in their late 60's.  They are the perfect cute little older couple, very classy, sharing a bowl of soup.  While she places his spoon and napkin neatly folded in front of him, he opens up the trail map of the mountain.  While they share their lunch they discuss their plans for the rest of the days skiing.  Mike & I talk about them, hoping that we will be sharing that bowl of soup on the mountain together when we are in our upper 60's...  After lunch we make another run, and then we head back to the condo.  The skiing for this season is done.  Its been a great time, and we both look forward to another next year.

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Well all good things come to an end, as they say.  It is time to pack up for home.  Instead of heading straight for home, Mike & I had decided to take Susan & Chris to Vail, to see some more sites of this beautiful state.  We arrive just before noon, and make a tour around the shops in Vail Village.  After purchasing a shirt that I have had my eye on in Breckenridge for over a year, which we found on sale in Vail, we stop at our favorite restaurant in Vail.  Of course it is the only one we ever eat at, so I am sure there are other great ones...  we just can't come to the village without eating at Pepi's Bar & Restaurant.  Its a little restaurant that has German food, great Weiner Schnitzel.  Mike can't say it but he loves to eat it!  After our lunch its time to say goodbye to our beloved Colorado...  we will be back, and very soon. 

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MAY 2007

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JUNE 2007

After finally getting permission to leave work early, I arrive home around 11:45, hitting the ground running.  We had most everything packed, but still had to put it in the suburban.  Mike is waiting for his dad to arrive to work for him the rest of the week, and I try my best to get as much done as possible so we can get on the road shortly after he arrives.  We manage to get going at 1:00pm which was actually the goal.  Pretty good timing.  It is 91 degrees as we drive out of town.  You know one of Mike's customers was picking on him, saying that it didn't make much sense to leave someplace that is hot, to go someplace that is hotter.  He has a good point.  But its a different kind of heat...  just like Colorado is a different kind of cold.  If the truth be known, we would probably both rather be heading to Colorado.  We love the beach, but we love the mountains more.

Our friends from Mississippi are joining us in Florida, actually they are on the road too, but since they don't have as far to go, we hope they will be checked in and settled by the time we arrive.  As we go through their part of the world, Jackson, the temperature gauge reads 105...  shortly after going through Jackson we are stuck in traffic from an accident.  Ok that is going to hurt to good time we have been making so far.  Good thing we have great air conditioning in this car.  It didn't look like others were quite so fortunate.  Ok here is a big change...  we are driving through the town of Lucedale at 8:15pm and the temp is 68 degrees...  Man what a difference then about 2 1/2 hours ago.  We roll into Seaspray Condo's in Fort Walton Beach at about 10:45pm, and its 79 degrees.  Mike's goal was to make before 11pm.  So we met our goals today...  What a great way to start a vacation.  After unloading the car we make our traditional first night, late night stroll on the beach.  We are going to have a good time this week/weekend.

We get started alittle late this morning, after our late night arrival last night.  So today we just spend it lounging on the beach.  We were going to go out tonight, but decide tonight we, meaning the guys, will do the cooking.  Grilled Shrimp shish kabobs...  Yummy! 

This morning we are up a lot earlier...  after breakfast the boys pack up the jetski to launch it down at Destin, while Jan and I take the rest of the stuff down to the beach and set up everything.  A couple of months ago, Mike & I bought us this large float, inflatable island type thing, and we brought it with this trip.  We are going to anchor it out in the ocean, so instead of laying out on the beach, we will be laying out on our private island.  It was a bit interesting, with the rolling waves, and if somebody move, it would almost buck you off the thing.  But we had a great time.  After we all get all "dolled up" we are off to AJ's Seafood & Oyster Bar in Destin.  We have never been there together, and its been a long time since Mike has been there.  Of course like every place in Destin on a Friday, there is a wait, but it gives us time to wander around for a bit, and Mike to rescue a s little girls shoe that got dropped in the water.  He was such a hero.  We have dinner and afterwards head up to the bar up on top of the restaurant, where a band is "suppose" to start playing at 9pm, but being typical musicians were late getting started, but once they did...  boy they were GREAT.  The bands name is Trigger Proof, and they are out of somewhere in Mississippi.  If you are looking for a wild time and are ever in Destin on the weekend, AJ's is the place to go.  Good food and a party hard atmosphere.

Today we are up and at again... got the float and jetski out.  A lot more sun.  We spent the day again, just being lazy and playing in the waves on the jetski.  Once we had enough sun, we get ready for dinner, and tonight we are going to Fudpucker's.  Most people have heard of it.  We were going to go find another place to go dancing after dinner, but we decide instead to go back to the condo, and take our last walk on the beach.  Its been a great time but as we do the mountains, it was time to say goodbye to the beach.

After waking up a bit later then we planned, we hustle around and get everything packed up to go home.  After going to Sexton's for 100lbs of Shrimp for Mike's cousin, and some more for ourselves, we head to Pensacola, to one of my most favorite restaurants.  Its called the Fish House and Mike and I have eaten there a couple of times before.  Its an upscale place, and today we will be having brunch, me with my mimosas and Mike with his Bloody Mary.  Let me tell you, EVERYTHING at this place is to die for, they have the best Key Lime pie I have ever eaten, and that is my most favorite dessert.  I am not a big dessert person, but I can not pass up that stuff.  Once again the food was fantastic, and the prices for Sunday brunch are about half of what they are for dinner.  So if you are going to be in Pensacola on Sunday, I suggest the Fish House.  Well lunch over, its time to say goodbye to our friends and head for home, as another fun adventure comes to an end...

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Tommy arrived on Tuesday and today we are taking him to Mt. Magazine State Park, for the 2007 International Butterfly Festival.  Mt. Magazine is the high point in the state of Arkansas, and Mike & I went to the top back in January of this year.  I am on my way up from work in the jeep and the guys are already there and setting up camp.  When I arrive, Tommy has already made some new friends and is riding his bike around the camp ground.  Its a packed house, so to speak, there is not an empty site anywhere.  Good thing we made these reservations back in January.  Mike is fussing cause he hasn't seen a butterfly yet, but I try and reassure him that we will see some tomorrow.  I told him they were probably already asleep after their first big day...  LOL

The guys were up and going a lot earlier then I was this morning...  I enjoy my weekends, being able to sleep in a little, after all my early mornings during the work week.  By the time I am up, Mike was cleaning up the jeep, washing and waxing etc, which needed to happen a long time ago, and Tommy, well who knows what he is up too.  After breakfast, and the dishes and the rest of the jeep is all cleaned up, we head to town for the festivities.  There is not as many folks as I had figured would be in town.  I guess since part of the festival was on the mountain and part in town, it didn't seem like as many people.  After wandering around for about an hour, we grab some of the good, bad for you, vendor food and sit for a bit listening to one of the local bands, when finished we head on over to the Butterfly Conservatory.  Basically and netted booth that you could go in, where they had but some butterflies.  There weren't very many this year because of the early frost had killed so many of them.  But we got some pictures anyway, and Mike was satisfied at seeing a butterfly or two.  Tommy is dying to go swimming so we take him to Cove Lake, which is public pay access park for camping, day use, and has a swimming hole.  We were there but maybe 30 minutes, when the storm clouds rolled in.  Of course with the freshly cleaned jeep, and no top on it, we made our way quickly out of there.  But not soon enough, we got caught in the pouring rain.  Pretty close to being soaked, we make it to the only gas station on the moment, pull in and put the bikini top on the jeep.  At least its enough to keep most of it dry...  and as one would guess, right after we got the top on it, the rain stopped.  So once back to the campground, Mike got to clean up the jeep all over again.  Practice makes perfect.  The rest of the day/evening was spent just kicking back and relaxing, dinner, then bed.  Not a really exciting end to an eventful day.

Its a beautiful morning, up eating our pancake breakfast...  the campground has been clearing out and there are very view campers left.  We reserved an extra night, so we didn't have to check out so early.  We have started doing that for most of our camping reservations, especially those at the lake.  If check out is early, you loose a whole days activities by having to pack up.  So with our extra time, we hop on our bikes and make the ride around Cameron Bluff on the north side of the mountain.  Its a little over 2 miles round trip from the camp ground, with great overlooks and photo ops.  A nice end to a good relaxing weekend...  man do we need more of them. 

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