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It was an adventure getting to Steamboat with high winds on the East Coast and a blinding snow storm in CO to delay each leg of the trip, but after leaving C'ville 1:00pm Friday, we finally arrived around 2:00pm Saturday.
Dear Boulder friends Mary Kathryn and Henry met us with their three after a day on the mountain, just in time for the second half of yet another epic Duke-UNC game. MK went to every single home game as a Carolina undergrad, so it was fun to watch together.
Dear Boulder friends Mary Kathryn and Henry met us with their three after a day on the mountain, just in time for the second half of yet another epic Duke-UNC game. MK went to every single home game as a Carolina undergrad, so it was fun to watch together.
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| Our first purchase annually, all thanks to Henry himself! |
But we were only getting started on our catching up when we headed downtown for the end of the annual Winter Carnival.
We watched from across the street so couldn't see the men up close, but they were racing down the hill on fire, jumping through hoops....you name it. And then this happened....incredible fireworks show culminating in....
Skiers on fire
...a Guinness World Record being set. This is the highest firework ever to launch successfully. Attempted last year, it did not explode. But goodness, gracious, did it explode this year!
The 2,800 lb firework launched 2,200' before lighting up the entire sky red.
The 2,800 lb firework launched 2,200' before lighting up the entire sky red.
It's worth watching the video and reading the shot article here....truly amazing...and how often does one get to see a record set, or even attempted?? Guinness World Record Firework.
Sunday, we watched some of the kids' races downtown - some of these little guys go amazingly fast. Pulled by one of the fastest horses, this brave 6-yr-old was just holding on for dear life, not able to catch any of her cones.
Then we hit Howelson Hill's ski-free Sundays. North American's oldest hill, it was designed as a ski jumping training facility. But it has some perfect turns, green-black to warm up little rusty legs. The awkward poma lift is not the boys' favorite, but Margaret rocked it.
And wouldn't you know we ran into old friends! Alex Adler, Michael's lax buddy and apartment-mate from college that has lived in Europe since Harvard Business School, has a sister in Denver that we actually took with us to SB 14-15 years ago. About to load the lift, there was Katie Brown and her sweet family.
It's awfully difficult to capture ski jumping on video, but these guys were clearing 70 meters!
Monday was ski-school day and date-day. We dropped the kids off and heading up the slopes ourselves on foot for our exercise - SO much more fun than the gym or running at 5:30am with a headlamp!
Want to get your heart-rate up? Walk up some CO blue and black slopes! Less than 45 minutes up (with poles for grip), we were sufficiently winded and happy.
Starting altitude
A decent grade for being on foot (without snowshoes this year)
Half-way!
All the way up...
and still smiling...
...until then THE call came...."your child is sick and needs to be picked up.".
Super.
Awesome.
Margaret had been doing great, they reported, but 30 minutes into her lesson lost her breakfast and that was the end of our well-planned date-day.
Want to get your heart-rate up? Walk up some CO blue and black slopes! Less than 45 minutes up (with poles for grip), we were sufficiently winded and happy.
Starting altitude
...until then THE call came...."your child is sick and needs to be picked up.".
Super.
Awesome.
Margaret had been doing great, they reported, but 30 minutes into her lesson lost her breakfast and that was the end of our well-planned date-day.
So we did all of the laundry, she slept a few hours, and we headed back out to use the lift ticket that you, of course, also have to buy with ski school. Feeling fine, she did a few runs on her own before meeting up with the boys at 3:00 after ski-school.
M and M can't get enough of the 'Lil Rodeo Terrain Park. Just wait until Friday - they'll be jumping off all of the elements you can't see here and screaming like wild animals:-) So amazing that we can send them up by themselves now!
M and M can't get enough of the 'Lil Rodeo Terrain Park. Just wait until Friday - they'll be jumping off all of the elements you can't see here and screaming like wild animals:-) So amazing that we can send them up by themselves now!
A
few mountain coaster rides (thank you, Grandma!) and we called it
day...back to the room for down-time, steam room, sauna, hot tub, dinner
and a movie. Not a bad evening:-)
Tuesday: Family Ski Day #1
And so excited that -6 didn't phase a soul.
Stuck together in the morning. Margaret and Matthew doing well on blues and some blacks, but we split up in the afternoon to indulge Andrew.
It was an absolutely STUNNING bluebird day in the mountains:-)
Morningside behind us....little did they know, they'd conquer the region shortly!
My, how far he's come!
Hockey stops!
It was an absolutely STUNNING bluebird day in the mountains:-)
Morningside behind us....little did they know, they'd conquer the region shortly!
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| Andrew bombing the easy-stuff after all of that in the background. |
My, how far he's come!
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| The shade masks the moguls, but they traverse the terrain like it's nothing! |
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| Photo of the year?? |
The Rock!
Round 1
Steadier Round 2
We divided the afternoon with Andrew and hit every black we could find to suit his fancy. Meg and Tay-Tay said they wanted to cruise on easy stuff and jump the "cut-offs" on Why Not---but we kept missing lift goals, did all blues, Tay-Tay really wanted to do Frying Pan, so we found ourselves outback on Morningside.
AGK had a great afternoon. We did anything and everything. Were on a mission for Hot Cakes but that only leads to Morningside Lift and by the time we got there, it was closed. Headed down blues but mostly blacks. He did great and had a blast. Nothing better for a parent to experience.
Wednesday was our off-day. We hit the road early for the tubing hill at Saddle Back Ranch. They LOVE that place!
Curly
Everyone's tall enough to do "Black" Larry now - Tay-Tay was giddy with excitement.
Family tubing attempt...
With only one day off this year, we had to hit Strawberry Park Hot Springs straight from there.
We learned that the various pools range from 103-108 degrees, except the freezing one we always swim across to the boiling "dribble". Not exaggerating, we learned that it is indeed river water, so basically snow melt. That'll get your heart pumping!
Andrew increased the challenge this year to three swims across and back! I stuck with one and even took the short-cut, but hey. I'm old.
They should be proud Dad and I did it at all, right?!?
Swimming back from their third trip across!
We learned that the various pools range from 103-108 degrees, except the freezing one we always swim across to the boiling "dribble". Not exaggerating, we learned that it is indeed river water, so basically snow melt. That'll get your heart pumping!
Andrew increased the challenge this year to three swims across and back! I stuck with one and even took the short-cut, but hey. I'm old.
They should be proud Dad and I did it at all, right?!?
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| They made it to the other side of the snow melt to the boiling little waterfall behind them. |
Swimming back from their third trip across!
Thursday: Family Ski Day #2
Headed straight for Morningside on the backside only to find ourselves caught in an unexpected snow storm unlike any other Michael and I had ever experienced.
Excited that it was 16 degrees today, up from -4 - +9 yesterday, the wind was outrageous and the visibility was awful. With 10" of fresh powder overnight, the snow was perhaps the very best either of us had ever skied, but the conditions were miserable. So we had to break at a lodge for the first time ever. Quick hot chocolate break and we were back out, but to the front side lower half of the mountain only.
Excited that it was 16 degrees today, up from -4 - +9 yesterday, the wind was outrageous and the visibility was awful. With 10" of fresh powder overnight, the snow was perhaps the very best either of us had ever skied, but the conditions were miserable. So we had to break at a lodge for the first time ever. Quick hot chocolate break and we were back out, but to the front side lower half of the mountain only.
Early lunch, we headed back for a divide and conquer session. Margaret and Matthew headed to Christie Express runs and Terrain Park rides while Mom and Dad headed back with Andrew for whatever he wanted.
We explored the Pony Express area and he loved every single blue/black and bumpy black we explored. Unafraid to push himself and make his legs burn, he enjoys the high from accomplishing a run he wasn't sure he could. Such a fun "place" to be with him as parent. Andrew is consciously working on his parallel skiing, realizing that the more he can fine tune his skills, the more of the mountain will open up to him.
And then THIS happened.
A late "loser" he has waited patiently for SO very long!
Only 1 more front tooth to go in this family...we'll see how it "goes".
Between Margaret and Matthew, their front tooth ejections are 100% due to their siblings.
Surprised?? Not in the least!
Friday: Family Ski Day #3
Beautiful morning. Expected to be much warmer, but still a single-digit morning. Nothing but blue skies and sun. Explored blue/blacks and blacks on Morningside, Pony Express, and Andrew's beloved Hot Cakes. Great morning together, successful skiing, loads of tree-skiing, but finally lines (Friday of a holiday weekend after 10" fresh).
After a quick lunch, we were back out for our last runs when parents and Andrew realized that our legs were toast. Having been working harder than the other two, we all realized we just needed to coast to the end of the day. Feels good to have your muscles so exhausted.
Easy end to the week, coasting through the half-pipe.
After returning skis, we enjoyed our new happy hour tradition (pizza appetizer) and headed back to the base at 6:00 for their Valentine's Festivities. A concert, 6 hot air balloons on display "dancing" with the music, ski instructors skiing down the mountain light up, and grand finale fireworks show---the kids loved that our time in Steamboat was bookended with fireworks "for us":-)
Saturday, we were gone by 8:00.
Always tough to leave, but at least a beautiful drive.
Drove by the old houses...
25 S. Pennsylvania St.
8703 E. Saratoga Pl.
...on the way to DU for the Duke lax game at 12:00. Dropped the boys off for a beautiful, sunny game while Margaret and I met Emily at her house. Day 2 on the market and it was like a parade of showings. She had four offers by week-end and was under contract Monday for $26k over asking. Great news since she closed the day before on her new townhome in Vail.
We swung by church to see the final renovation. Andrew commented that Wellshire seemed "very well organized. Lots of great signs everywhere.".
It is an amazing building, no doubt. Saw that they are also reading, Lent in Plain Sight - A Devotion through Ten Objects, authored but current co-worker Rev. Jill Duffield. Jill is at Olivet for 6 months and leading us through her book during Lent. How awesome to see it at Wellshire, too!
Spot On, even 10 years later!
Even the Choir Room is impressive....had to share with my friends Craig and Jean (who are apparently fast friends themselves now!).
(We had to try out every piano we found in the Sanctuary....
perhaps the drums, too!)
Off to the Lattas for a now annual evening. The McLains came over after a long day on the slopes and we, yet again, enjoyed a terrific evening of friendship as if no time had passed at all...too busy chit chatting to even document.
Buck and Cammie are some pretty special people that we are extremely lucky to call friends.
As I type on our Sunday flight, I am grateful for so much:
We explored the Pony Express area and he loved every single blue/black and bumpy black we explored. Unafraid to push himself and make his legs burn, he enjoys the high from accomplishing a run he wasn't sure he could. Such a fun "place" to be with him as parent. Andrew is consciously working on his parallel skiing, realizing that the more he can fine tune his skills, the more of the mountain will open up to him.
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| Andrew's goal next year - Mom and Dad conquered the double black EX back in the day, but it's been a LONG time! |
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| Rolex is a tough end…long, steep, all moguls. |
And then THIS happened.
A late "loser" he has waited patiently for SO very long!
Only 1 more front tooth to go in this family...we'll see how it "goes".
Between Margaret and Matthew, their front tooth ejections are 100% due to their siblings.
Surprised?? Not in the least!
Friday: Family Ski Day #3
Beautiful morning. Expected to be much warmer, but still a single-digit morning. Nothing but blue skies and sun. Explored blue/blacks and blacks on Morningside, Pony Express, and Andrew's beloved Hot Cakes. Great morning together, successful skiing, loads of tree-skiing, but finally lines (Friday of a holiday weekend after 10" fresh).
After a quick lunch, we were back out for our last runs when parents and Andrew realized that our legs were toast. Having been working harder than the other two, we all realized we just needed to coast to the end of the day. Feels good to have your muscles so exhausted.
Easy end to the week, coasting through the half-pipe.
After returning skis, we enjoyed our new happy hour tradition (pizza appetizer) and headed back to the base at 6:00 for their Valentine's Festivities. A concert, 6 hot air balloons on display "dancing" with the music, ski instructors skiing down the mountain light up, and grand finale fireworks show---the kids loved that our time in Steamboat was bookended with fireworks "for us":-)
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| Being at the base of the Mountain Coaster, they could not resist, again! Not sure if they even saw the fireworks since they were underneath them. |
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| Here come the ski instructors... |
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| And just like that---our week was over (but not without one last trip to the huge hot tub region). |
Saturday, we were gone by 8:00.
Always tough to leave, but at least a beautiful drive.
Drove by the old houses...
25 S. Pennsylvania St.
8703 E. Saratoga Pl.
...on the way to DU for the Duke lax game at 12:00. Dropped the boys off for a beautiful, sunny game while Margaret and I met Emily at her house. Day 2 on the market and it was like a parade of showings. She had four offers by week-end and was under contract Monday for $26k over asking. Great news since she closed the day before on her new townhome in Vail.
We swung by church to see the final renovation. Andrew commented that Wellshire seemed "very well organized. Lots of great signs everywhere.".
It is an amazing building, no doubt. Saw that they are also reading, Lent in Plain Sight - A Devotion through Ten Objects, authored but current co-worker Rev. Jill Duffield. Jill is at Olivet for 6 months and leading us through her book during Lent. How awesome to see it at Wellshire, too!
Spot On, even 10 years later!
Even the Choir Room is impressive....had to share with my friends Craig and Jean (who are apparently fast friends themselves now!).
(We had to try out every piano we found in the Sanctuary....
perhaps the drums, too!)
Off to the Lattas for a now annual evening. The McLains came over after a long day on the slopes and we, yet again, enjoyed a terrific evening of friendship as if no time had passed at all...too busy chit chatting to even document.
Buck and Cammie are some pretty special people that we are extremely lucky to call friends.
As I type on our Sunday flight, I am grateful for so much:
- Bill and Donna's generosity
- Friends that are like family
- Kids that enjoy skiing
- Kids that are great little skiers:-)
- Family time and a break from work
- House/dog sitters that made this possible
- Two little girls at home to greet us with nothing but "smiles"
