For the 2nd year in a row, I got to fly to Colorado from Virginia. And for the 2nd year in a row, Dave was unable to join me. :-( Someone had to stay home and go to work, take care of the pets, water the plants and flowers -- and it just wasn't affordable to get him a ticket. He was missed by everyone -- not just me. But in spite of his absence, we still had a wonderful time!
This is the view from Beaver Lake in Marble, CO. On top of the mountain lies the Yule Marble Quarry -- the quarry responsible for the marble in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Lincoln Memorial. Beaver Lake has been a favorite of my family for years. We arrive at the lake around dusk and start fishing with either worms or Power Bait and our trusty bobbers. We'll keep fishing until we can't see the water anymore. One year, my dad tried to get clever and bought a "lighted bobber". We'll do anything to get just a couple more casts in!
Home sweet home! No, it doesn't look like much but it keeps you dry and up off the ground. Until I was 10 or so, my family of 4 slept in a tent but our trips to Colorado were less than a week long. After we bought the trailer, the trips to Colorado lengthened to being 10 or more days. It is cozy and now with 2 grown girls, it can be tight quarters, but we consider it to be a luxury.
The Dining Room. This is campsite #9 at Bogan Flats Campground. We are very selective about what campsite we stay in and #9 has been the site for the majority of the 28 years. It is large and shady and very comfortably holds a tent and trailer. My Aunt Weezie and Uncle Joe have recently decided to forgo "camping" and stay in a rented cabin while in the Valley. But they spend all day with us in the campsite.
The Shower. In this picture, the enclosure is rather deflated as it had a leak in the top section but this is the solar shower. We fill a 5 gallon solar bag with water, lay it on a rock in the sun and wait until the afternoon for the water to heat up. It may not look like much but after 2 or 3 days of dirt and grime, you feel like a million bucks when you're done showering. And amazingly enough, 4 people don't even use all 5 gallons of water -- try doing that at home!! The only problem is when the wind comes up and you're standing in the enclosure -- wet -- and the vinyl sticks to your body. Tons of fun!
Our time in Colorado is not completely devoid of civilization! At least once every trip, every one showers and gets dressed up (ie clean clothes that don't smell of campfire) and we head into Aspen. The Aspen Music School holds a summer festival and they have open dress rehearsals every Sunday morning. The location is beautiful, the music is stunning, and the company is terrific! This year we heard:
Copland's Billy the Kid Suite
Tchaikovsky's Symphony #1: Winter Dreams
Pizzolla's 4 Seasons of Buenas Aires
After the rehearsal, we left Aspen and went to Carbondale where we had lunch at the Village Smithy (a family favorite). My family is a family of traditions and this is true even in Colorado. While in Colorado, we must: go to the dress rehearsal in Aspen, have breakfast or lunch at the Village Smithy, walk Redstone, buy ice cream at the Redstone General Store, get a slurpee from the 711 in Carbondale, visit the City Market Grocery Store, visit Beaver Lake, drive through Marble, eat Olathe Sweet Corn (the best corn EVER!), eat Grumph, see Judy, etc.
After 28 years -- the traditions (both old and new) continue!
1 comment:
You said it, Jessica. You certainly are a family of wonderful traditions. Super cute picture of you, Jessica and your Dad decked out in your gear. But as a fish lover I must ask.. what's the use of fishing if you don't even eat it?
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