To start off our Friday in Colorado, we went to breakfast at one of my favorite places from college (still yummy) and then went to the New Belgium Brewery. The brewery is wind powered, employee owned and the tastings are complimentary but we did spend some money on t-shirts.
Kerry decided Colorado beer is acceptable (while texting friends in DC that he was having beer and they were at work).
On the way to our new hotel that was near the wedding location- we drove through Estes Park. We stopped at the Stanley Hotel to see the great views and I learned that Kerry has never seen The Shining. The gift shop sold the movie, redrum coffee mugs and there were other tributes to Jack Nicholson and the ghosts. Our friend Kelley claims the place is completely haunted but in the middle of the day it is really pretty and peaceful.
We arrived at our new hotel and after two days of non-stop activity- we crashed before 9pm. Some of you may feel that is absolutely pathetic but we were quite all right with it.
We left DC early on Thursday morning for Colorado and everything went well. Flight was on time, security line was short, Hadley was perfect on the airplane, luggage arrived with us, stroller and car seat survived, sunny outside (but only 52 degrees) and then we got to the rental car place. It seems that everyone at the airport was renting their car at the same place. The lot was practically empty and by the time we got to the front of the line, we were told the only car available was a H3 Hummer. We were stuck with the white monstrosity but unlike others in line, we actually had a vehicle (thanks to my ‘preferred’ status). We loaded up all the stuff and headed to Fort Collins. I had not been back to my college town since 1997 and it sure has changed. Campus looked great and some of my favorite places were still around but the town has boomed. There were new buildings, houses, restaurants, hotels and shopping everywhere. We even found my first college apartment. It really has not changed.
all three of us 