10 June 2014

Colorado, a.k.a. Our "No Max, the Flint Hills are not mountains" Trip!

Every time we drive to Wichita, Max says as we go through the Flint Hills, "Look! There's the mountains!" No, no, no. We needed to expand this kiddo's point of view a bit!

Paul's friends Sid and Leane Silhan generously offered that we could use their condo in Breckenridge sometime if the desire arose, so we took them up on that offer over Memorial Day 2014.
We packed up the car with everything from shorts, to swimsuits, to winter coats - it had snowed as recently as the week before in the mountains - and we headed west!

Fair warning: these are just the pictures from my phone. I haven't even gotten to the camera yet.
Also, most pictures involve trains. That should be obvious and accepted by now. :-)

If you haven't experienced trains and Max, you just don't know Max. Ha!

The condo is right near downtown Breckenridge and about a half a block from the nearest lift.
View from the deck.


Max was super happy. Sid and Leane have two boys, Sidney and Liam, so they had some boy toys available for use! 

Add on the local map. No, we did not light up. It was super weird to see this. Just very odd. 

In the mornings, I committed to walking since I was on a break from Title. I must say, having a few mountains in the background is a great way to stay motivated.



Max's top request for Colorado, other than riding a train, was being able to shovel snow in the mountains. So yes, we brought his snow shovel and boots.

"Scenic Overlook" panorama.






Max vs. the mountain snow. 

Proof that I was there! 

Proof that I'd grown tired of shoveling, and the boys were making fun of me. 

In town, there is a little park that had some real trains! Very exciting were our first live snow trains!



Rotary plow. Super cool!






We headed up higher in our drive. But mommy is afraid of heights, so we didn't go tooooo high.
Paul and Max near the edge on a scenic turn out. 


My not liking that Max is near the edge. Near panic.

Not a bad view while waiting to get some Fatty's pizza!

We know why it's Fatty's! Half Italian and half veggie.



Storms moving in after pizza.

Storm clouds over the mountains. Nothing quite like the rumble of mountain thunder! 



Just very strange to see. And every tourist just stared and walked by. I never saw anyone actually go in. Ha! 

One of our big activities was riding the Georgetown Loop, an old mining train that helped perfect the use of switchbacks as a way of getting a train up a mountain (vs. a cog).

Enjoying lunch at Devil's Gate Station


Devil's Gate bridge, station platform, Clear Creek.


Max and the Devil's Gate bridge.

Half smile on my third try.
 Selfie action.
Bridge-in-back selfie.

Holding-a-dinosaur selfie.


Cuteness selfie.
Full steam ahead!



Max was wondering if Uncle Rob does the same thing when he's a conductor. 

From the mine at Silver Plume.


Dinosaur going on a mine tour.
The mine is actually under I-70. Weird feeling.

Thinking he's happy there are now child labor laws.







See ya later, steamer.




Some evening walk views!





On the way back to Kansas, we stopped in Golden for a trip to the Colorado Railroad Museum. If you could put Max in heaven, I think it would look something like this place. I cannot do it justice. They had everything! 







Literally, trains every way one turned. It was crazy!







Turntable with roundhouse. Cool!


My little engineer!
We got home safely on Monday. I must say, Max was a good rider for a such a long road trip. And he now knows what real mountains are!

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