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Colorado Trip 2004

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Colorado Trip Day 1—July 31, 2004

We arrived in Denver with no problems (we even were in and out of the car rental place!). We rented our backpacks and picked up some stuff at the REI store in downtown Denver (it’s the “flagship store” and a camper’s/hiker’s/outdoorsman’s/biker’s paradise). We had to get out of there before we spent the kid’s college fund.

We then ate at “Rio Grande,” a Mexican restaurant in the trendy “LODO District” of Denver.

Then we checked into the hotel and all was well!

Colorado Trip Day 2—August 1, 2004

We attended NorthPoint Church (they were seeking an associate pastor, and had talked to me at length on the phone, so I was hoping to connect personally with the pastor). However, Pastor David Perez was out of town so we did not get a chance to meet him.

From church, we traveled to the Mount Evans Road, which gets you all the way up to a 14er. We did not drive up to the very-top, favoring the view from Summit Lake at the base of the peak. From there, we were able to climb over a pass and see the "Chicago Lakes" below--what a magnificent sight!

Lightning strikes had been heavily reported, so once it started raining and we heard thunder, we drove back down.

Then things got frustrating, with a wonderful 1-hour check-in at the resort we had booked in Breckenridge. It seems that the booking agent neglected to tell the River Mountain Lodge that we were going to be staying here! We called Amber and (bless her heart!) she went all the way over to our house (it was 8:00 PM Sunday evening) to get some of the information we needed to prove that we existed and had indeed made the reservation. THANK YOU AMBER! But, even with that information, we could not prove a thing since the booking agent is closed on Sundays! So, we got a room, hoping to settle the dispute the next morning.

Colorado Trip Day 3—August 2, 2004

We got up and checked with the manager, who said that our situation unfortunately happens sometimes and assured us that we will be fine.

It struck me that I have prayed for a more patient attitude in times of stress. God often puts you into situations in which he can develop these fruit--it does not happen automatically! I was very frustrated last night, yet God kept me from blowing my top!

Linda and I drove the 8 miles south to the Quandary Peak trailhead, loaded up our fanny-packs and headed up. Linda and I agreed that the 6.25-mile roundtrip hike was pretty difficult simply because the top half of the trail was totally comprised of rocks and boulders! PHEW! Every step was a challenge.

But it is always wonderful to reach the top of a 14,000-foot mountain (this one is 14,265 feet--on a boulder at the top is the marker that you see to the right)! Wow! What a view when you are the highest thing on the earth that you can see 360-degrees around.

The hike down was difficult on the feet as we scrambled down those boulders. Once we got our vehicle, we were VERY glad to take off those boots! It rained on us as thunderstorms came in all around us.

When we arrived back at Breckenridge, I had one of the most amazing experiences of my life—a hot tub set at 104 degrees! Oh, my. Every muscle ached in this 40-year old body…and that hot tub was as close to ecstasy as one can get this side of eternity.

Colorado Trip Day 4—August 3, 2004

We went mountain biking today. What a new experience! We traveled about 4-1/2 miles up a long mountain road (half of which was a dirt road). Trying to follow the directions we were given, we missed our turn-off, went through a gate that kept motorized vehicles from entering, and kept going. After another 2 miles of continually rough road, we found ourselves in a flower-filled meadow in between two massive 13,000-foot mountains. I looked at the directions again and discovered that we had taken the harder, longer route. Whew!

We turned around and went back to where we should have turned off this road. The side road went up another mile to an old abandoned mine. From here, there is one way down: a single-track bike trail that shoots you through the forest along a narrow passage. Off we went! Hair-pin turns, narrow passage between trees, over rocks and boulders! Bob got a little too confident and ended up flipping over (he bent the rim on the front wheel of his bike!)

What an adrenaline rush!

And the biggest surprise: Linda actually loved it too! “As long as I was moving, I was having a blast! But if I had to stop, then I would psych myself out!”

The total trip lasted four hours.

On the ride back into town, Linda took pictures of some of the flowers that people grow at their homes here in Breckenridge.

Colorado Trip Day 5—August 4, 2004

We checked out of the resort and headed out toward our next destination--Grays and Torreys Peaks. On our way, we took a side-route up the Loveland Pass (a route that takes you across the Continental Divide at 11,980 feet). At the pass, we parked and hiked up a 12,915-foot mountain and (wah-lah!) There were Torreys and Grays on the other side!

We met a couple from North Dakota on top, who took our picture with Torreys and Grays behind us.

We continued toward our trip to the trailhead of Torreys and Grays. The road up was very rough. We came upon a place in the road where rains had made a huge cavern of a dip. As we watched Suburbans, Tahoes and Explorers slowly negotiate their way over it, we tried with our little Ford Escape, but it could not handle it (though if it were a 4-wheel-drive vehicle like we thought it was, we might have been able to get across it). So, we parked where below the impasse and donned our backpacks for the 2-mile hike up to the campsite. Half way up the road, it began to rain, and I was worried we would have to set up camp water-logged.

But the skies cleared (thanks to a lot of prayer, I think), and we set up camp in moderately dry weather.

We zipped up our sleeping bags together—that way I can keep Linda warm when the temperatures at this elevation dip below 50 degrees. However, Linda did not sleep at all that night (though she said it was not because she was uncomfortable or cold—just unable to sleep).

Colorado Trip Day 6—August 5, 2004

Upon my awakening (and finding out that Linda had not slept…), we ate breakfast (heating up water on our little stove and making instant oats). Then we filled our fanny-packs with layers of clothes, went to the stream and re-filled our water bottles with fresh mountain water (pumped through our miniature “First Need” water purifier), and set off toward Grays and Torreys Peaks.

The climb took a long time (an 8-mile round trip up and down). On the way up we met some mountain goats (who were quite friendly and undisturbed by our presence!).

We made it to the top of Grays with relatively little trouble (14,270 feet). On top, we could see where we were the day before, as well as the ominous sight of Torreys Peak, baiting us to try to climb her. It had us psyched-out, for its peak was much more pointed at the top, looking more craggy than Grays did.

We were already tired, and we could see the rains coming from the West. We ate our lunch (PB&J on bagels) and went down to the saddle between the two mountains.

We decided (after much debate) to climb Torreys for 15 minutes and if the weather looked bad, we’d turn back.

Well, we did MAKE IT up Torreys Peak (14,267 feet)! But we did not stay long, for the clouds were fast approaching!

On our way down the mountain, we were rained on, but not bad. Looking back up the mountain peeks, we were glad we were not up there when the lightning began to strike!

When we got down to the trailhead, Linda cooled her feet in the mountain stream--ahhhhhh!

After taking a short nap in our tent during the rain, we decided to break camp early and head back to Denver. We boiled more water and poured it over our freeze-dried dinners (mine was actually pretty good--"Tequila Chicken"!) while we folded up the tent and re-loaded our backpacks.

Colorado Trip Day 7—August 6, 2004

We got a good night's sleep at the Ramada Inn downtown, and were ready to do some sightseeing and shopping in Denver. We walked from our hotel to the Cherry Creek North district, and bought some souvenirs and gifts for friends and family.

Another rainstorm was heading into Denver, and it was beautiful to watch, as a single beam of sunlight blasted through the clouds. It rained as we ate dinner, and as quickly as the rains arrived they were gone, and the restaurant was able to set up their outside seating.

Colorado Trip Day 8—August 7, 2004

We did not have our fill of the mountains, so we drove out of Denver one last time toward Mt. Beirstadt (14,060 feet). Bob had climbed this one before on his own, and we felt assured that we could easily get up and down this with no problems.

The trailhead is only about an hour and a half from town, and it showed by the fact that the trailhead was packed with cars--it was Saturday, after all! After being two of a very few people on the other mountains we've hiked, we did not expect such a carnival atmosphere here! There were church groups, families, and a wide variety of international groups speaking other languages!

But the hike was definitely worth it--wow, the beauty of climbing another fourteener, with wild flowers all around, and the craggy "sawtooth" that introduces you to the mountain.

I love the fact that you're so high that snow remains on top of these mountains--Linda and I tried to make snow angels.

Colorado Trip Day 9—August 8, 2004

After Linda got one more run in (through Cheesman Park in downtown Denver), we left for the airport and flew back to Dayton, where our children had been staying all week with their Papa Jack and Grandma Sharon. Boy, did we miss them! Trey came to the airport with Papa, and helped us unload our bags from the baggage claim--even though the luggage was at least as big as he was!

We spent the night and then drove back to Canton on August 9th. Back home after being away for what seemed like forever!

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