Estes Park 2014

We had a great trip to Estes Park a couple of weeks ago. We met our good friends the Turveys there and spent five days hiking and playing in the mountains. The boys were both great hikers – we added it up and they hiked about 12 miles total. Jack especially seemed to understand the beauty of the mountains this trip. He made several comments about how beautiful Colorado and the mountains are. They both asked if we could live there.

Our cabin was right next to the Turveys and all the boys (4 total) and Josie (the only girl) enjoyed being able to run back and forth and see each other. We had s’mores on the deck one night and cookies another. One day we grilled hamburgers and had a picnic down by the river. It was close enough that we could see it from our front door.

The whole trip was just great. We were out the door by 7:30 each morning on our way to the park to hike. We’d hike all morning and then come back to the cabin for lunch and naptime. Henry slept most days and Jack even took a nap the first day. Hiking for the boys, especially Jack, Ben and Sam, involved lots and lots of climbing rocks and then jumping off of them. Henry got to do some of that, but he wasn’t quite big enough to run around as much as the bigger boys. 

After rest time, we played putt-putt golf one day. One day we rode a gondola to the top of the mountain. At the top you got out and could buy peanuts and feed them to the chipmunks. They would come right up and take them out of your fingers. Both boys said that was their favorite part of the trip. On our way home we stayed in Denver one night and flew out the next day. We went to the Natural History Museum and ate at the best hot dog place. Nathan went on a fly fishing trip on Saturday after the Turveys had gone home. That day the boys and I went to Lily Lake and hiked around it. Then we ate at a really old inn for lunch. It was a soup and salad buffet and they both discovered a great love for buffets. Jack was amazed he could keep going back up and getting food. He also really liked getting more food for Henry and I.

It couldn’t have been a better trip. It was so fun to be with good friends and have a blast enjoying the mountains. I see many more trips to Estes Park in our future.