from the midwest: Pearl Street Mall

Wow. It's been well over 2 months since my last posting. I can't believe 2009 is just about half the way done. So much I wanted to add to the blog over the last weeks. Su's horse-back riding. Easter. Yikes. Easter? Okay, enough about past events that I never discussed. Time to talk about the current good stuff... VACATION!

I'm not proud of the fact that it's been about 7 years since our last true vacation. I'm not talking about the "extended weekend" breaks, like a trip to Madison, WI. Nope, a real vacation. The last time we were on a plane was 2003 -- when it all started with Su. So fast-forward almost 6 years from that time and Su finally gets to board a plane again!

We decided to take a trip out to Boulder, Colorado this past week. Boulder has been a location on our radar for some time now. Beautiful locale. Much to see and do. Enough activities for the little gal. And also enough adult things to do that can also be done with a young'un. So off we went last Thursday.

Flying is certainly not my thing. In fact, with advancing age, my anxieties seem to increase in intensity. But Su loved it. Shrieks of delight followed every little bump or turbulent encounter. But I think she received a huge dose of reality when it comes to flying... the day is just agonizingly LONG. Adding up the car ride to the airport, the "lead time" required to be at the airport, the in-air time, the shuttle time (to the rental car) and the drive from Denver to Boulder, it was about 8 hours of total travel time, putting us in our hotel room by around 8:00 p.m. mountain time. Wow. So we quickly checked in, dropped off our things, and walked about 2 blocks down the street to a Mexican restaurant for a quick bite to eat. Not much closer to the hotel at that hour. It was decent. We were hungry.

Friday: I went for a run in the mountain foothills. Between the added elevation (running at 5,000+ feet) and the incline, it was one intense workout heading up. Now heading back was a blast. All downhill! Then it was off to breakfast, into the car, and a trip north to Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park!!

What a beautiful drive that was. Highways filled with scenic beauty, hundreds upon hundreds of cyclists out there charging up through the hills. And the slow, steady climb to the city of Estes Park, and then the continued climb through the mountains until we reached our destination for the day -- Bear Lake, elevation about 9,500 feet.

It was about 65 degrees, yet we also were walking through snow. A gorgeous day, surrounded by more mountain views, snow capped peaks, beautiful lakes, and even elk!! After taking a shuttle from the car up to the lake, we then spent some time hiking around the lake, as well as adding some other passable trails. But short on snacks, water, and (later) energy, it was time to shuttle it on back to the car and make our way down the mountain. Next time, we'll pack better, go higher, and see if we can't get near the highest travel point -- about 12,000+ feet. THAT will be mighty cold, too.

We spent some time touring Estes Park, then headed back down to Boulder. Su and I went to the hotel pool for a little while and Su actually made the leap from hanging on the poolside to actually SWIMMING! What a treat that was to see. Suddenly, she looked like a little fish splashing through the shallow end of the pool. Anita and I were both very proud of what she accomplished. She had a blast.

Then it was off to downtown Boulder, to the Pearl Street Mall -- the several block long, outdoor mall with shops, restaurants, and outdoor entertainment. A huge tourist attraction and actually a lot of fun. So much to see.

With food in our bellies and much more walking taking place, it was time to head back to the hotel and much-needed rest.

Saturday: Another fun run in the mountain foothills started off my day, this time advancing further and pushing it to about 8.5 miles. The breathing seemed a bit easier this time around. Breakfast was then next on the agenda, followed by a day of parks, hiking, shopping, and more food. Plus some more swimming. A great day.

Sunday: This time, my run along the Boulder Creek Path went in the other direction, as I decided to take the path east to discover more of Boulder. A great path that follows along Boulder Creek, with a great mix of sun and shade, as well as bridges and the sound of rushing water. After breakfast, we went for an extended hike this time, with a lot of actual trail work and rock climbing. Su just LOVED this part of it. While tentative at times, the thought of being a "rock climber" was just so exciting for her. She held up well and we also brought the needed amount of water and snacks.

After reaching the bottom again, it was at this time that we saw the posted sign on a nearby info area that said "You are in rattlesnake country." Great. Fortunately, they are supposed to be Prairie rattlers and not aggressive. Still, it would have been nice to have seen this before the walk. Or maybe not.

In the latter part of the morning, we took a trip down south to Golden, Colorado -- the home of the Coors Brewery! We went for the free tour, which was actually pretty cool. Su was a bit bored by the tour, but Anita and I enjoyed it. And the free sampling of beers was worth the trip. Nothing like a cold Killian's Red to cap a tour. And, because of Father's Day, they were handing out free cake to the dads. So, of course, I took a couple of bites and the rest went to Su. Probably the highlight of her tour experience.

A return to the hotel for some cool air conditioning and then another trip to the pool for Su and I. By now, Su has advanced to attempting some side-stroking and even a backstroke effort! She's certainly showing quite a lot of confidence in the water now -- something she didn't possess at all just a couple of days ago.

Monday: Sort of a melancholy day. By now, the full realization was upon us that the trip was near over. We were to check out by noon and head on back to Denver to board the plane. I went out for one last run and then we all had a good breakfast, knowing that the food needed to sustain us for a while. It would be some time before we'd be back in Illinois and in search of late dinner.

Su kept wishing we could stay, as did I. In fact, Su is already planning for College at the University of Colorado. Hmmm... Maybe mom and dad would have to "retire" to Boulder when Su ventures off to college out there. It's a plan, right?

And as I type this, having taken a couple of extra days off from work, I stare at the clock, realizing that this post now needs to end, sleep awaits, and then it's back to the daily grind.

Depressing? Yes. Work is just no fun these days (maybe another post on this...). But we're just really glad that we were able to enjoy this trip together. And plans for next year are already underway.