Breckenridge Colorado

 Back before the whole Covid crap started...  I put in lots of places for our timeshare exchange. 

 Breckenridge Colorado was one of them. 

We knew NOTHING about Breckenridge before we went... but we sure had an awesome time exploring it!!

We left on Saturday July 11th @ 11 PM.

(Kenna REALLY wanted to be able to go to her good friends wedding reception that night so we drove the 8 hours through the night.)

The Breckenridge Grand Timber Lodge was our resort. It was a super nice, with plenty of space for us all to spread out.

After a much needed "nap" upon arrival...

We explored the resort and then headed out on our first hike.

We spent a GOOD deal of our time hiking and enjoying nature.

The town of Breckenridge is 10,000 ft elevation.

Some of our hikes took us to 13,000 feet.

I claim my sucking air on those hikes was because of the high elevation.

Not the fact that I don't normally hike much...

These pics are on a bunch of hikes from different days and different places around Breckenridge.

We had fun feeding chipmunks...

then the next day Lisa sent us a headline that a squirrel in Colorado tested positive for the bubonic plague.

She didn't like our picture...

and we didn't feed any other Colorado rodents after that.

 

Lydia is my favorite wildflower picker. 

 

 

We were on a hike when Jadyn spotted a fox...

running right towards us.

And it didn't stop or seem scared AT ALL.

It was a little creepy.

We didn't know that fox were so common near Breckenridge, nor that they were so friendly and looking for food.

Later we saw one running through the town, one running through our resort 3 different times... and signs saying not to feed them.  So we weren't the only ones who saw a fox in Breckenridge. ;)

We also saw a cow and baby moose.

The temperatures were great in my opinion.

While Logan was dealing with high 90's.

Breckenridge was in the low to mid 70's.

We also had good practice wearing our masks.

We had a blast at the Country Boy Gold Mine Tour.

We took the tour, and spent time mining for gold.

Then off for another hike.

That ended up being our longest.

A wrong turn and our 4 mile hike turned into more like 8 miles.

Thanks for being good sports girls!

We drove an hour south to Frisco Colorado for Rafting on the Arkansas River.

What an adventure!!

We had a great time.

Jadyn was terrified but she survived.

It was all fun and games until it started raining.

HARD

and then hailing and sleeting.

It was FREEZING!

Like I haven't been that cold in a very long time.

Here's some perspective... the water was super cold like around 53 degrees, but when it was hailing... the splashing water was welcome... because it was warmer.

So I'm saying it COULD have been more fun for me.

But most of the rest of us would disagree.

Even if some of the pictures don't look like their enjoying it. hahahaha

Thanks to our guide Starky for a great, safe time!

We swam pretty much everyday.

And watched two movies at the resort movie theater room.

We ate yummy food in town.

And did quite a bit of shopping.

This is our worst picture yet.  We look exhasted and admittedly we probably were... like I said we hiked a LOT.  But we're all sporting our new Breckenridge gear so I'm including it. :)

Saige was leaving the next morning so we had to go see the Wooden Troll first.

In the pitch black... Lydia and Jadyn were petrified since there was a "wolf warning" sign before heading into it. haha

Thursday morning we drove two hours to Denver to take Saige to the airport.

She had bought a flight to go home to attend a wedding reception of Keaton's best friend.

He picked her up and the airport and I don't think she missed us at all. ;)

... the things one does for love.

And since we love her... we drove her at 6 am...

The plan was that we would tour the Denver Mint after dropping her off.

Supposedly there is a big line each morning so Jadyn and I got dropped off to wait in said line.

Except apparently the mint is closed to tours...

coronavirus and all.

Big bummer.

(But also just thinking that since there is a "coin shortage" everywhere.  The mint should get busy!!)

Anyway we quickly called and they came back to get us.

So after dropping Saige off we didn't really have any other plans.

Denver wasn't bursting with site seeing adventures.

They did have a VooDoo Donuts though...

We thought about touring the Unsinkable Molly Brown House.

Kenna and I wish we would have... but they weren't open yet so we headed to the Capital.

The Capital.

WOW!  I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes!

See the wood in the windows... that's because they are all broken... all the way around.

Soooo much vandalism from the George Floyd riots back at the end of May.

Vandalism EVERYWHERE... boarded up windows on stores, graffiti everywhere, tents surrounding schools and parks for blocks and blocks and blocks.

The riots were six weeks previously.

Since the Mint was a block from the Capital.

I think they were closed down for tours for more than just coronavirus reasons.

We hadn't noticed all of the vandalism around it the first time.

I was anxious to get out of that city!!

(PS I just googled riots in Denver and apparently there were more the next night after we were there.)

We talked to the police at the Capital.

They said this was after weeks of cleanup.

It will cost taxpayers more than a million dollars.

It was disturbing to say the least.

So that was the full extent of our Denver experience.

I wasn't a fan.

Denver is not on my "bucket-list".

I appreciated our time in the mountains even more that day.

We had lots of good times in the pool.

More hiking the next day.

 

 More fox sightings.

Our last meal in Breckenridge.

And Saturday morning we were off on our eight hour drive home.

Timeshare resorts annoying... and frustrating at times.

But they've taken us to places that we would never have gone to together as a family without.

Breckenridge Colorado is one of them.

Honestly I'd suggest Breckenridge to anyone.

What a great week!!