Mountains and Coney Island Hot Dogs

A couple weeks ago, Gary bought a book of 4WD trails and we've been basically slobbering over the book since.  Last night, Gary and I decided to wake up early and go on one.  We took the long way through Blackhawk, Idaho Springs, and Breckinridge.  Gary has been talking about taking me to Blackhawk since he worked in one of the casinos the other day.  It's like a mini-Vegas, complete with the $2.99 breakfast buffet - SCORE!  Even better - they messed up our omelet order and we got our breakfast for FREE - DOUBLE SCORE!  Some pictures from the drive to Blackhawk:



 After we left Blackhawk, we had no idea where we were in relation to US 285 where the 4WD trail that we wanted to do was, so we asked some bikers who sent us on the most beautiful route through Breckinridge and it was awesome!  Summit County is probably one of the most beautiful counties that I have ever been to and I highly suggest it!  We also drove through Alma, Co who's entrance sign says "The highest incorporated town in the US" at 10,578 ft elevation and a population of 179 in 2000.  I don't think that's even big enough for a Walmart. 

It's that time of year in Colorado when the Aspens start changing and it is so cool.  Some of them are orange, some red and some are still green.  It's the craziest thing.  We're going to try to go up next weekend to Mount Evans and see if more have changed.



Aspen leaves changing along I-70




Two mountains that peak above the treeline along with some changing leaves at the base.


On the way back home, we were going to hit up the 4WD trail that we've been wanting to do for weeks and unfortunately, it was closed somewhere along it for construction and we weren't sure where and didn't have enough gas in the truck to try to find out!  It reopens on 10/2 so we'll try to get up there around then before it starts snowning.  That trail is open year round but we don't want to take any chances with it being our first 4WD trail.

We headed home and were driving along 285 when Gary saw a giant hot dog and HAD to stop.  Not kidding.


Yeah, it's a giant hot dog shaped restaurant.



We waited in line for more than an hour for these "Coney Island Boardwalk" hotdogs.  I've never been to the real Coney Island, but this ain't it.  The ice cream and onion rings we're pretty good though. 




My exact words were, "Take my picture with my ice cream but don't let me look fat.  I don't want a picture of a fat girl eating ice cream."


What was nice though was the location.  We ate lunch at a picnic table along a really pretty river.  It was really nice.  I want to picnic if we get to Mount Evans next week.

The quaint picnic table that we ate lunch at

That's all for now.  Hopefully next time I'll have pics of Mount Evans or the 4WD trail!

allison and gary.

Return to Mount Falcon

Gary agreed to wake up early on a Saturday to hike Mount Falcon with me after he saw the pictures from last time.  We hiked a couple of the trails that I didn't get to do when I was there last week.  There are 11.1 miles of trails there so we'll need to take another day to complete the couple trails that we haven't done yet.  I'm really looking forward to that!  :)

Gary overlooks Denver

We've had some really bad fires here lately.  One, although contained, has been burning since Labor Day.  Another one started in Loveland just north of the city and a third just started yesterday.

The dark cloud layer close to the ground is the smoke from the fires.

One of the trails that we did was a very strenuous 0.8 mile trail that led up to a fire lookout tower.  Past that it's more or less downhill until you reach a shelter that used to be used as a summer house for a family.  It has obviously been rebuilt, but the view is amazing!  We would love to take some lunch up there and eat overlooking the beautiful scenery.




Allison in the Eagle Eye Shelter



View from Eagle Eye Shelter

It's so crazy to see the difference in the plant life at different elevations.  It's even different from mountain to mountain!  I can't wait to find more stuff to hike!!!

We're going to come back in five years for our Christmas tree!

Cuban Night

For the last week I've been craving Spanish food - call it missing Tampa if you wish.  So, tonight, I cooked up some beans and rice, roasted yucca, and some artisian bread which is the closest you can get to Cuban bread in Colorado.

Here's a pic

Everything turned out really well and I got my Spanish food fix!  All is good in the world.

Very first entry!

I decided that I wanted to share our journey while I was hiking Green Mountain last week.  It is so beautiful here and I know that although our friends and family want to be a part of our lives it is hard to come out to Colorado.  This is the best way to share so I'll do my best to update this when we do new fun stuff.

I'll start off with some of the stuff that we've done up to this point and go from there.  Our first visitor to our new home in Fort Morgan, CO was Gary's mom.  We did a lot of things while she was here.  Coors brewery, shopping, and Estes Park.  It was beautiful weather the whole time she was here and we loved seeing her!

Mountains in Estes Park

Beautiful Lake in Estes Park that we walked around

Buffalo in Golden

At the Coors Brewery before our taste test!  YUM!  :)

The Craig parents were our next visitors.  We took them to the Coors brewery too and Estes Park.  We also took them to the burial site of Buffalo Bill, Pikes Peak Cog Railway, and Garden of the Gods Park.

It was cold and windy at the summit of Pikes Peak

Craig Parents

Craig Parents enjoy the scenery over Golden, CO

Now that we're in Lakewood near Denver instead of all the way out in Fort Morgan, it's making it much easier for us to explore Colorado.  I (Allison) have taken two hikes that were suggested by a friend of mine nearby.  Gary has been reffing football, so it's harder for him to go, but we're going to make time for him to go as well.

The cool thing about Jefferson County (where we live) is that there are all of these places called Open Spaces.  The open spaces are covered in trails and overlooks.  The first one I did is Green Mountain.  It was amazing how it is so close to the house because it still seems like the "big" mountains are so far away.  It was an easy hike and I was out there for at least two hours.  Unfortunately I forgot to put the SD card into my camera, so I don't have any picures of it.

The second hike I did was Mount Falcon.  The story behind Mount Falcon is really interesting.  Here are some pics.

Path on Mount Falcon

Cattails at 7600 foot elevation

Overlook from Mount Falcon

The remains of the Summer Home for the Presidents that Mr. Walker tried to build.

There was no interest so the cornerstone was all that was ever built.

The sign is made of Marble from Marble, Colorado

So, that is what we have discovered in Colorado up to this point.  I'll do what I can to update this as often as I can so that we can share our journey with you.  Thanks for reading!

--Allison and Gary