After a string of frigid cold days, switched Tuesday hike day to Wednesday on the premise of warmer temps. Rolled the dice/took a chance. Happy to report 9NEWS’ Amelia Earhart landed this one!
Early to rise, easy highway drive, sunny skies south to Colorado Springs. By the time I hit Castle Rock (30 minutes south of Denver), day temps soared over 20, most snow gone/completely disappeared. Appears the Springs must have missed our Christmas Eve wallop. Trailhead parked before 9am. Backpack-ready, rockin’ winter layers – destination: Manitou Incline. Next mile straight UP – 2,000ft elevation gain over a single mile. You want to kick off a Resolution, this is the place to go 🙂
UP UP UP. Last trekked the Incline in December 2014. That day caught the sunrise with a group of local runners. Enough impression to make this year’s post-Christmas checklist.
Beautiful sunshiny day. Went thru 2 bottles of water before reaching the Incline’s Christmas tree summit. From there it’s an easy 3 mile trek down Barr Trail. LOVE LOVE this country ❤
Home before 2 or….grab lunch inside a 1953 Boeing KC-97 tanker. No brainer, right?
Built in 1953, this magnificent airplane refueled aircraft throughout the world. Forty-two passengers can actually eat in the plane of the 275-seat restaurant. …displaying 100’s of pictures, memorabilia and rare artifacts, Solo’s offers a flight through aviation history.
Burgers/fries – menu nothing special – but the experience itself, well worth the visit.
Day half over. Evening plans? Heck yeah. Forest mushroom soup is back at Cracovia (our area’s Polish restaurant). Not sure where they pick local mushrooms in December, but luckily Ash’s Tom caught the social media alert. Restaurant still dressed in holiday spirit, enjoyed Cracovia’s last 2 bowls of mushroom soup. FAAANNNNTASTIC!
Entrée choice? Go with the bratwurst. Personally don’t eat pork but envied Tom’s brat sizzling tableside.
Nite ended with dessert – all good diets wait ‘til after the holidays, right? 🙂
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- warm weather Wednesday
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- post-Christmas EXTREME
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- rockin’ winter layers
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- UP UP UP
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- Christmas tree summit
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- 2,000ft elevation gain
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- 1953 Boeing KC-97 tanker
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- Forest Mushroom Soup is back!
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- sizzlin’ bratwurst
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- all good diets wait ‘til after the holidays, right? 🙂
Manitou Incline ’17
Third year running, celebrated Christmas Day at Ash & Tom’s Westminster home. Our Colorado tradition. Their FIRST as Mr. & Mrs.
Outside temps warmed to single digits after last night’s Arctic blast. Day-started with hot chocolate & sticky buns, gifted with the Connecticut crew, then afternoon feasted. Ham & all the fixin’s – another tradition – nothing like food & FAMILY ❤
Blast from the past? game of Life. Journalism degree with 3 kids, yep dead last. LOL>
Merry Christmas from snowy Colorado.
Wishing ALL good health, much laughter & more adventure in 2018 🙂
“The closest thing to heaven on this planet anywhere, is a quiet Christmas morning in the Colorado snow.”
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- 6 pounds 10 ounces
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- grandpup Marty
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- biggest LIFE event of 2017
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- Christmas Ro
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- FaceTime gifting
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- afternoon PLAY day
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- the game of Life
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- bad case of the giggles, just couldn’t stop laughing 🙂
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- Tuesday post-Christmas cleanup, no day-hike ’til tomorrow
The winter solstice, also known as midwinter, is an astronomical phenomenon marking the day with the shortest period of daylight and the longest night of the year.
Also called: Midwinter, Yule, the Longest Night, Jól
Solstice, beginning of my favourite season!
Week of Christmas movies, Dave’s Big Disney Reveal, then SNOW – wouldn’t be winter without the magic of snow ❄️
Last work week of 2017 (crazy busy time) so been fitting in my fave Christmas Classics whenever/wherever I can this year. Southwest flight from Phoenix, Netflix at dinner, in bed on my laptop, family nite at Ash’s – even once on the treadmill: literally watched “White Christmas” on my Thursday morning run. Work/life/Christmas Classics balance. LOL>
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- flapjack flippin’
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- ‘White Christmas’ treadmill run
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- ‘Elf’ family nite
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- ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ w/ Ro
Wednesday Dec 20th – Celebrated Dave’s Birthday over FaceTime. BIGGER than cake, a card & birthday gifts? How ‘bout doubling-the-date as David’s Disney Reveal moment? Disney in 38 days! Coordinated the trip with Michaela over a month ago. Dave’s absolute/most favorite world, DisneyWorld. 38 days to anticipate & dream – enjoy little Man. Happy life moment ❤
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- FaceTime celebration
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- David’s Disney Reveal
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- lanyard & Disney trading pins
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- 38 days to Disney! Making a list, checking it twice. Thanks M for the calendar ❤️
Thursday Dec 21st – Christmas wreath from Sis. Perfect timing! Arrived hours before the onslaught of Colorado’s White Christmas. LOVE the gift, LOVE my Sis. Snow today/Friday then the DEEP FREEZE from Canada. Single digit highs, sub-zero lows next 10 days. Yikes! May/may not be snow-hiking high above Colorado Springs Christmas week. Details later 🙂
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- Colorado White Christmas
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- XMas wreath from Sis
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- single digit highs, sub-zero lows
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- our Flatirons in SNOW
White Christmas 2017
