Colorado Vacation Day Five

We began this morning with cinnamon rolls, captain crunch cereal, and breakfast burritos. Amy, Jerad, and Bryson took their two hour trail ride this morning so we just hung out around the resort. We took the kids down to the horse barn where they tried to lasso a longhorn and then we made a stop at the small animal farm where we got an up close look at chickens, pigs, miniature horse and donkey, calves, piglets (or porklets as some call them Gabe tells me), rabbits, goats, and lambs.

Barrett roping himself a steer.

Yes. Got it.

Gabe....not so much.

Barrett wanted all the animals to lick him apparently.

The boys saying hello to Gabe's old trail horse, Shiloh.

He sure did like her.

The dusty mountain trail riders finally back to the corral.

I think it's safe to say Bryson thoroughly enjoyed the trail ride.

When the riders got back we packed up a lunch for the road and drove to Kremmling, CO. It was only about a thirty minute drive but seemed like a whole different world. It was hot and desert like, and the trees were more like what we’re used to at home…no pretty evergreens or aspens. Our goal was a little state park spot where the guys could fish. 

It doesn't look like it, but the train is 

basically riding along a vertical mountain wall.

When we arrived we all piled out for lunch. We noticed the mosquitos right away. I got out the bug spray and doused everyone in it. It didn’t matter. They were so thick. Gross thick. We wrapped up lunch and then the kids headed for the kid fishing pond while the big people walked further down to the river to wade and fish. Ellie and I went down with lawn chairs to hopefully enjoy a peaceful afternoon watching fishing. Not so much. The mosquitos were even thicker! I finally decided I couldn’t handle it anymore and I didn’t want Ellie completely eaten up so we went back to the van. In the van they didn’t bother us. It was such a relief. I’ve never been so bothered by mosquitos in my life.

Dad casting a fly rod and line.

Charlie and Kaci there on the right looking for a spot to fish without mosquitos.

Impossible, in case you were wondering.

Ellie enjoying the ride, not the skeeters though.

Casey joining Dad in the river.

He's such a handsome fisherman. 

I love him.

Not long after, everyone came back to the parked vehicles. They were apparently done with the mosquitos and not catching any fish either. Barrett let himself into the van and shut his door. I walked around to buckle him while Casey changed out of his waders. When I opened the door I hear this, “Daddgummitt, Mommy…you’re letting all the mosquitos in the van!” I just had to laugh. Daddgummitt is a daddy word and I was doing all the complaining about the mosquitos and he picked right up on that.

The river was pretty.

Ellie keeping herself busy while simultaneously hiding from mosquitos. 

Barrett was the only person that hooked a fish and mom knocked it off the line before they could get it reeled in. Go figure. Following the only caught fish and subsequent accidental release, “Darn it.” Grami. “Darn it!” Barrett. So, the fishing and picnic enjoying was a complete bust, but the scenic drive was beautiful and made the trip out worth it.

We drove back to the resort mid afternoon to hook up the kayak trailer and drive back to Grand Lake for a little kayaking. 

Kaci’s family loaned us some kayaks so several of us could go out at once. Casey and I decided to make this kayaking trip a family affair. It would be the first time for Casey, Ellie and I. Gabe and Barrett had been out with mom before. So we put all three kids in life jackets and they all got on a kayak. Ellie rode with Uncle Charlie because I was way green at kayaking. Barrett rode with Mom while Casey got used to his kayak. 

Everything was going well and we paddled through a small canal into a larger lake area and snapped some photos. What you can’t see in the photos is that my eyes started burning uncontrollably. I was basically kayaking blind or half blind the rest of the time. Ellie switched over to mom’s kayak because Charlie was hoping to get some fishing in. We were all just kind of floating and drifting around about 20 yards off shore. 

Sitting in the middle of Grand Lake.

Those mountains are part of Rocky Mountain National Park.

It was so pretty.

Uncle Charlie pulling Gabe and giving Ellie a ride in his kayak.

Aunt Kaci, the twins, Ellie, and Uncle Charlie.

While admiring the beautiful lake houses a nice lady came out to greet us. She asked where we were from and was amazed when Charlie said Topeka. She grew up a Topekan. Her husband owned a real estate firm in Topeka for years. It was about this time I paddled down a house to where Mom was sitting in the shade with Ellie. I was sitting there trying to recover from the burning when we heard Barrett start screaming. I didn’t assume much because screaming is a common theme in his life. Charlie says I better come see and I’m all….why? Don’t you know I’m basically boating blind? I paddle over anyway to see Casey standing in the water lifting a soaked Barrett up to the nice Topeka lady.

What the what? Casey’s kayak had taken on water and started to sink. When he realized what was happening he got as close to shore as he could and then just tried to keep Barrett from going in all the way. Barrett was soaked up to his armpits. We don’t really understand how it happened, but Casey’s kayak had two cracks in it and apparently water was just coming in to the body of the kayak causing it to sink. 

Meris set Barrett up in a chair on her lovely dock, we handed off Ellie, Casey stayed behind and then the rest of us hightailed it back to the loading area to trailer up all our kayaks. Well…I use the term rest of us lightly. Some of us (me) hightailed it, the others enjoyed their paddle back leisurely. Charlie and Jerad loaded the kayaks, we got the seats and life jackets put away and then drove to Grand Lake Ln, a lovely dead end drive with wall to wall lake houses, to pick up the rest of our family.

When I walked around the back, Meris and her husband, Ben, had poured themselves a drink and were just sitting around enjoying conversation with Casey and the kids. Meris had already taken Barrett’s clothes and ran them through her dryer, made lemonade for him, and was feeding the kids chocolate graham crackers. Barrett was in adoring grandma heaven. Meris was just the sweetest lady. So hospitable. She had waters for everyone and took graham crackers out to Gabe since I told him he had to stay in the van. What are the odds we would sink a kayak our first time out and that it would happen that close to shore, in the backyard of a former Topekan? Amazing. Quite the adventure. 

We were all pooped from our crazy day, so for supper it was leftovers for us and cereal for the kids. Then off to bed because the next day we planned to go in to Rocky Mountain National Park and drive Trail Ridge Road.