Colorado Adventures
Category Archives: Colorado Adventures
The Week with Nana and Poppy
September 22, 2008 – 10:05 am
Last week I felt like I was running from one even to the other – didn’t even have time to blog like I normally do. I covered some of our activities…here’s the rest of the week…
Gymnastics
Camber loves this and Nana got to go with her and see her strut her stuff.
Opening Up The New Climbing Wall
We have a climbing wall in your student room. Cool, huh? It’s not so cool if you never use it. So we got that running this week. That’s Cooper being my lab rat. The man got to the top.
Flying W Ranch
If you’ve never been to the Flying W Ranch, you ought to go at least once. It’s not cheap but the food is great, it’s all you can eat and the entertainment is incredible. It’s a place you can take all the kids and they’ll have a blast running around the Cowboy town they’ve got set up there.
Plus, the sell $1 ice cream cones. Can’t beat that.
Crazy Fun Week
September 3, 2008 – 7:31 am
Monday – Labor Day cook out with our Life Group. We played cornhole, ladder golf, Wii, and saved the universe. Busy day, huh?
The world’s 4th cutest baby ever.
Last night – Rockies game (free tickets – thanks to Ray for driving, Rowland and Randy for the tickets) with Cooper. Rockies won in 12 innings. BUT the coolest thing that happened was this…
Cal Ripken, Jr. was at the game last night. I have no idea why but he was just milling around in the stands behind home plate before the first pitch. Cooper and I get to our seats and Linda and Randy are there! They go to our church and I love talking with them.
Randy pulls out this duffel bag – it’s full of baseball boxes – and tosses me one of the boxes. I open it up and it is a brand new baseball that has just been signed by Cal Ripken, Jr.
I’m impressed. Cal is probably my favorite player of all time. After oohing and ahhing over the ball, I hand it back to Randy and he says..”No, no, no…that one is yours.”
CAN YOU FREAKIN’ BELIEVE THAT??? I now am the owner of a Cal Ripken, Jr. autographed baseball.
We rode down to the game with The Schwartz Boys – Ray, David, and Michael (two of the three sons). the ride down was hilarious. We cut up and laughed all the way down and back.
Tonight – Student Parking and our first meal served.
Thursday night – Amy starts a new Beth Moore study. I think this is an awesome idea. Not so much the Beth Moore study but the idea that it is on Thursday nights. All real men will understand why.
Friday night – Cayden’s birthday night. Thank the Lord Jesus that she wants to go to Red Robin this year instead of Casa Bonita.
Saturday – Coop’s football game, Fantasy draft for my 3rd league. (Don’t go there, please.)
The First Tremor
August 26, 2008 – 9:39 am
One of the perks of having a season pass – a subscription to SKI magazine. It’s a beautiful reminder that ski season starts November 8th this year at Breckenridge.
The 3 C’s at REI
August 18, 2008 – 10:09 am
Friday was a free day.
Kids were free from school.
I was free from work.
We had free tickets to Elitches…but it poured down rain all day long.
We had free zoo passes…but it poured down rain all day long.
What to do?
We joined REI this year. $20 for a lifetime membership. Get a minimal discount on their high priced gear BUT it’s free rock climbing. One trip rock climbing would have cost us $50 so it’s more than paid for itself. REI in downtown Denver has The Pinnacle – 47 feet of sheer climbing bliss or terror depending on your perspective.
Camber tackled the backside of the rock and made it to the top.
Cooper has tackled the rock climbing thing a couple of times now. The first time he went, we learned that he’s scared of heights. I’ve seen a lot of people just punt the whole thing after that. They tried it, it scared the life out of them, it’s over.
Not Coop. He keeps putting on the harness, getting tied in, and attempting to climb. Today – he had his best climb ever. Here he is just an arm’s length from the top. When I showed him this picture, he said – “Is that really how close I was?” Yep. “I can definitely get it next time.” Gotta love that.
Cayden needs to grow about 3 more inches before they turn her loose on the Pinnacle in downtown. She had a great time playing on the playplace and running up and down the ramps. It’s the little things, right?
Afterwards, we had a kids eat free at Jason’s Deli. We love this place. We first discovered in Little Rock and it was a fam favorite. We’d probably eat there once a week. Of course, we can’t eat out as often now but when we do – we still love Jason’s Deli.
A rainy day salvaged.
20 Year Reunion, Part 2
August 3, 2008 – 5:21 pm
We finished up the weekend with dinner at the Denver Aquarium and then a picnic today at a park.
I have to be brutally honest here – I actually enjoyed the weekend. No… I loved it. I wasn’t really sure what to expect or even if there would be anyone there to talk to. Instead, it was one great conversation after another.
The committee is actually contemplating doing a 25 year reunion on a cruise. If that happens, I’d have to go. This weekend has been that good of an experience. Amy and I now have some local friends to catch up with over the next few months.
So many names and faces that I reconnected with this weekend. Lots of laughter and memories.
Couple of highlights for me.
Senior Skip Day. Karen Willet actually reminded me of this day. We went downtown, goofed off (Paul and I were masters of this) then I got my Ford Tempo buried in mud in an off limits section of Fitzsimmons Army Medical Center.
Paul and I got out of the mud to push us out and we both sank up to our waists. My girlfriend at the time was NOT a happy camper as we had to call her dad to come pull us out with a 4 wheel drive. Of course, Paul’s dad got in on the act as every time I saw him after this day – he never failed to mention what a dork I was.
They had a slide show last night and about 3/4 way through it, I leaned over to Amy and said “Looks like I escaped.”
I spoke WAY to soon.
One of the last pictures was a close up of me and Margaret Bryan (we were dating) and I had the Richard Marks look going on – long, curly, permed hair in the back. On top of that I had the big, round, ‘lawyer’ glasses going on. The reaction from the class was brutal. And honestly, throwing down that look – I deserved it.
Today at the park, one of my classmates commented that Rangeview had drastically changed once our class left the building. I imagine every class feels that way but he what he went on to say actually made sense.
“We were the first 4 year class at that school, all of us lived in the neighborhood, almost all of our parents were blue-collar, no frills people. Yeah, we had our little groups but for a class our size, almost everybody liked everybody else.”
He’s right. I’m not sure why it all played out that way in high school. But for me to move into Rangeview the close to the middle of my junior year and to have as many friends as I did speaks volume of my classmates. Most of them had grown up with each other, through elementary and middle school. Yet, I never felt like an outsider.
Great weekend. So glad I went.
The 20 Year Reunion, Part 1
August 2, 2008 – 1:58 pm
I drug Amy to my 20 year high school reunion mixer last night. We met at Jackson’s Bar right across from Coors Field. Tonight we’ll eat dinner at the Aquarium.
Confession 1: I was nervous and a bit anxious about going. In fact, a couple of times I thought about looking at Amy and saying – ‘Hey, let’s go rob a bank instead.”
But we had already paid for the weekend. So we were going.
Confession 2: I graduated with over 550 people in my class. 20 years ago. I hadn’t seen any of them since. Would any of us recognize each other?
Reality 1: There will be people at any reunion that either have super-photographic memories OR they’ve spent the last 3 weeks scouring over the yearbook. I am not one of those people. I had a few people holler my name, hug my neck and I had no idea who they were.
That of course led to the awkward moment of when I had to say – “You know…I gotta tell you, I’m not sure if I know who you are.”
Reality 2: Some of us never grow up – it’s a good thing. Lots of laughs, lots of ‘remember the time’ stories. I think the greatest compliment I got was – “You look exactly the way you did in high school.” The second greatest compliment was upon hearing that I was now a youth pastor. “Oh my gosh!!! That is so YOUUUU.”
Reality 3: Some of us never grow up – it’s a bad thing. There was one guy at the reunion that was really having a good time. Still being barely able to talk coherently after more than a few brews. He’s still funny. He still makes you laugh but in the back of my mind I wonder – is this the highlight for him? There’s got to be more there, right?
Reality 4: You’ll connect with someone at a reunion that you never connected with at high school. And it will be awesome. Met a guy that lives in Parker, loves Jesus now and in high school we might have said two words to each other. It was great. Another gal – actually his sister-in-law – that both of our families hit it off.
Reality 5: There are some friends that you can pick up right where you left off. Mike Greenwood, Paul Velakaneye, and I hung out all time. Mike and Paul roomed together at college while I left the state entirely. (I think Paul never forgave me for that.) Talking with Mike was awesome, still easy-going yet speak what’s on my mind kind of guy.
I’m very glad I went. I’m looking forward to tonight.
Greatest Verbal Exchange of the Evening:
“Grant, didn’t you move into Rangeview in the middle of your junior year?”
“Yeah…but sitting the bench on the basketball team, I actually made a lot of friends.”
“Did you play on the state championship team your senior year?”
“No. I got cut. Then half the team got ineligible. But that time I was doing the ‘thespian’ thing.”
[Long Pause]
“That must have been very rewarding for you.”
I don’t think we stopped laughing for five minutes.
Saturday Hike: Roxborough
July 27, 2008 – 12:33 am
Steve “Purk” (of July 4th hike fame) is training for climbing Mt. Bierstadt this August. It’s one of Colorado’s famed “14′ers.” In fact, we are going to try to bag 2 in one day – Bierstadt and Evans. They are two of the more “friendlier” 14′ers plus we’ll have a guy who has done it before with us. Mainly I’m going to hold Steve’s hand as he is afraid of heights and I’m afraid of bears. We make a great team.
Today, he picked me up at 6 AM and we were the first ones in the park. This big boy was waiting on us. You think of deer and images of Bambi race in. A bounding, graceful, gentle deer. I don’t think this one was one of those deers. I kepy thinking – if he turns and decides he’s tired of us, ther, not a lot I could do. He’s less than 13 feet away from me.
My lungs reminded me that I had hiked pretty hard the day before. It took longer to catch my breath but once I did – time to roll. Beautiful venues (red rock formations, hogsbacks) spread out before us. Amazing to think that this ridge runs from Denver to Garden of the Gods (Colorado Springs.)
This was the view I had of Steve most of the day. Matt and I made sure we goofed off when Nature called Steve.
We got to the summit at 8.45 am, first ones there this morning. Great view and we had avoided the heat. We’ll do this one again.
Friday Hike: Hidden Mesa Open Space
July 27, 2008 – 12:12 am
With Cayden in half-day Kindergarten and me off – Amy and I headed to Hidden Mesa Open Space. We’re pretty fortunate. We have the best metro hiking venues within minutes of the house. We headed to the top, a little over 3 mile hike roundtrip.
4th of July Hike and Fireworks
July 5, 2008 – 7:07 am
We may have stumbled on a new family tradition.
The Purkapiles (okay – it was Steve. There was no way Camille was going to spearhead this…) were heading to Eldorado Canyon State Park. There was a moderately difficult trail to an old hotel site in early 1900′s.
Cayden made it…with a little help. We made a little mistake in the hike. When we hiked Devil’s Head, we had lunch and shade. The lunch gave energy, the shade made the hike bearable. We had neither on this day.
We had it – but not on the trail, in the truck. Fortunately, Steve had packed a feast!!! Here some pics of us raiding his backpack, Cayden giving her “I climbed the mountain pose.” Brianna was a huge help on the way down.
The kids and wives turned around at the rest stop – Steve and I pressed on to the Continental Divide view and railroad tracks. These are the tracks of the Ski Train from Denver to Winter Park. Found some railroad spikes up there.
Then we headed to our Life Group’s dinner and fireworks show. We had a great view of the city and all the fireworks, plus our own in the driveway. Great day and we loved spending it this way.
Summer At Breckenridge
June 14, 2008 – 8:39 am
We spent a couple of days up in Breckenridge at Row’s cabin. Mimi and Big Tom were in town and I think they played the Wii more than the kids did. At least now we know what to get them for their 50th wedding anniversary.
This is right across the street from the cabin. It’s the Blue River but there are beaver ponds EVERYWHERE so it’s created this little Beaver Pond Valley. It’s gorgeous.
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Amy had a hard time holding on to the camera. I’m guessing she dropped it like 80 times or something. This was the look I was giving…Amy took the picture to prove that the camera still worked.
Great time…took Mimi on her first (and only) ‘hike.’ She’s convinced I was trying to killing her.
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