Vacation Part 2

So from Pueblo we drove to Gunnison Colorado with a pit stop on top of Monarch pass. It's a rather sleep climb and it was nice to pull over at the top to see the gift shop and stretch our legs. While there we saw what appeared to be a tram ride up the mountain. Since we were stopping to do fun things along the way I figured a tram ride would fit the bill. So into a little blue tram we hopped and up to Monarch crest we went. The top was 11,315 feet and cold and windy but fun! The kids enjoyed it and we got some nice pictures.

We headed to Gunnison for the night, staying in a pretty decent little Comfort Inn (with it's equally decent pool I might add). Once again the kids swam while their exhausted parents tried to stay awake. That's the thing with taking vacations with little kids, there is no down time. Usually at home we put them to bed by 8 pm and then have a little time to relax and watch a movie or something. None of that going on. It was lights out by 9 pm. We all hit the hay. 

We asked the front desk lady where was the place to eat in Gunnison, Colorado and she relied "The Gunnysack!" quite enthusiastically. So off to the Gunnysack we went where we ordered the most fantastic grilled salmon salad we'd each ever had. It was wonderful and we will remember to stop there next time we go wandering through that town. 

Wednesday morning we got up and headed for our destination. This year we booked two nights at a quaint little lodge on Lake San Cristobal outside of Lake City. It was a real treat to be in such a beautiful place and it brought back a lot of memories from my youth. 

 Thursday was the fourth of July so we got decked out in our red, white and blue clothes and headed for the parade in town. It's never a disappointing parade and this year was no different. The kids officially have parades figured out, they wave and look cute and they get showered with candy. We came away with a bag full of the sweet stuff. Like they need more sugar to drive their craziness. My parents met us there from their cabin to which they had just arrived the night before.

My parents had been told there was an interesting mine tour a little ways out of town towards Engineer pass. So off we went in search of this mine. We found it but it was closed, which was a total bummer. This is what we thought of that:

Then right about that time a man comes riding up on a ATV to open up the mine. Yippie! Mine tour was back on. He told us it takes about half an hour to get it all up and running so we decided to head over to a trailhead a couple hundred feet back and go for a hike in the mean time. That turned out to be super fun and it was so nice getting the kids out of the van and expelling some of their boundless energy. 

My dad investigating an old mine with all its pilings. Oh how Wesley wanted to follow. I was so steep!

  Next post I'll write about the mine tour which was really cool and then our frightening day after the 4th adventure.