hiking – The view from the edge of our empty nest.

Montana – Not A Tourist Trap But Rather A Great Destination

The DeSmet – on Lake McDonald, in Glacier National Park

Our Montana summer has been amazing, and this is my final post about our experiences there. Altogether, our month and a half in the state warranted five blog posts, each highlighting a different experience and area of the state.

In case you missed them:

This final post is all the touristy stuff we did with our loved ones that were visiting. It was some of the best fun of our summer.

THIS is Montana – Not A Tourist Trap, But Rather A Great Destination!

Andy and I looked forward to this leg of our trip because this is when we got to share this amazing state with loved ones! We were thrilled to find out that our friend, Steve, was going to visit us in Montana! Right as his visit had to end, we then welcomed Christy and Chris, our daughter and future son-in-law (it is so cool that we can say that now! Go read my last post if you want to read those details!). THIS was going to be quite the summer!!!

The shadow box in our RV that welcomed our guests and celebrated the great stat of Montana!

Steve flew in from South Carolina and caught up with us in Anaconda, MT at Fairmont RV Park. (Side note: We don’t recommend you stay at this campground, because the owners are miserable and mean, but not to worry, the facility was decent and the views pretty. We made do without a picnic table or firepit).

The view at our “back door” at Fairmont RV Park in Anaconda, MT

One of the first orders of business upon Steve’s arrival was the need to share the secret news of the upcoming engagement with Steve. Steve is the consummate planner, so we knew that he could be helpful in scouring Glacier National Park for some great options. But first, some fun with our friend!

We went into Butte a couple of times. Our first stop was at the Granite Mountain Speculator Mine Disaster Memorial. This is where we learned about hard rock mining. We have seen signs of mining all summer, throughout Colorado and all the way north through Montana. Most notably, we have been lulled to sleep by the sound of trains and train whistles at nearly EVERY campground ALL SUMMER (I think there was ONE campground not near a train track, but I honestly cannot recall which one it might have been). We have seen signs of mining wherever we went and learned of how mining has played a role in the history of the west.

In Butte, the 1917 disaster was difficult but important to learn about. An accidental fire in the mine led to the death of 166 miners on that fateful day, and more than a century later, we had the privilege and honor to visit the site and wrap up our hearts in the beautiful memorial. It was well done and educational at the same time. If you ever find yourself in Butte, this should be your first stop.

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Our next stop was equally telling and informative – the Berkley Pit. It is a place where we learned of the tremendous and tragic environmental impact hard rock mining has on our planet. While beautiful in a unique way, this once massive copper mining area is now a giant pit that has filled with a very caustic and dangerous mine runoff. It was amazing to see how something so dangerous can also be so pretty at the same time.

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A gentleman that used to live in the area and had returned for a visit was at the site when we were there. He was a great help at explaining the history and tragedy of the place. This mining stop is worthwhile (and with a very small admission cost) even if you don’t think mining is of any interest to you.

The third and final touristy stop for us was also related to mining. We spent a few hours at the World Museum of Mining. It was an entire historic mining town recreated on the site of the former Orphan Girl Mine, which operated from 1875 to the 1950s and produced silver, lead and zinc. Historic buildings were relocated from other areas and moved here to create a realistic little mining town and an immersive education into hard rock mining. Most of the museum was established in the 1970s and is a little worn looking, but it felt as if that only added to the hardworking feel that must have been in place back when the original mining town popped up around the Orphan Girl mine. It was an easy self-guided look into the industry, but guided tours of the mine itself were also available.

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While in the area, we did manage to eat a decent meal in town and we made a quick stop at The Historic Clark Chateau Museum and Gallery, a historic home that is now open for self-guided tours (you may also like the Copper King Mansion, but we were unable to tour the site due to limited tour times). We also enjoyed a stroll down the street just to take in the beauty of some of the old homes in the area. If you are a fan of old architecture, this is a nice home, but none that we saw came close to the MUST SEE old home we wrote about previously in Sheridan, Wyoming – Why, Oh Wyoming – Casper And Sheridan We May Be Back.

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The unexpected fun of the week was a road trip to “The Yellowstone”! Yes, you read that right! Steve casually mentioned that we were within striking distance of the well known fictional “Dutton Ranch”, so it was time for a drive! We headed out through some amazing scenery on a road that was higher, and narrower and prettier than we had imagined it would be. Included was a photo shoot with our first ram sighting! What a treat!

Then it was on to lunch for what the guys agreed was the BEST. BURGERS. EVER. at Bitter Root Brewery and Restaurant. That is certainly saying something! Lunch was really amazing for me as well (Gyro), and of course we had to try a couple of the locally brewed beers.

Our next drive that day was to TV-land for a roadside peek at the fictional Dutton Ranch, but what is actually named the Chief Joseph Ranch, in Darby, Montana. The photos show the extent of the visit (you cannot go on the property unless you are a guest in one of their rental cabins), but since that time, Andy and I have been re-watching and devouring all three seasons of the show in anticipation of the November debut of season four on Paramount!

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As we wrapped up our visit with Steve, we headed over to our next and perhaps most anticipated destination so far….Glacier National Park. It was here that the guys got serious about honing in on the PERFECT proposal location for Chris and Christy!

A little shopping with Andrew, Tina ad Steve in West Glacier Village.

The West Glacier RV Park is among my most favorite campgrounds all summer for a couple of important reasons: 1. We were surrounded by mountains and a big sky that gave the state its “Big Sky” nickname, and 2. We were only a couple of minutes from the park entrance. We could not have asked for prettier views from our front door, brighter stars at night, or a campsite any closer to Glacier Park!

West Glacier Village RV Park with beautiful views on all sides

We immediately ventured into GNP for an evening spectacular, discovering the gorgeous Lake McDonald and McDonald Lodge, which would be the centerpiece of some future fun during our stay. We stopped along some roadside pullouts on the lower end of the Going To The Sun Road, and we looked all around for proposal opportunities. Andrew had his eyes set on a hike to Avalanche Lake by way of the Trail of the Cedars and Steve set up mental photo-taking opportunities at the Sacred Dancing Cascades, which would also make for a most perfect scene for a proposal. As darkness fell, we planned for a big day when Chris and Christy arrived, because we had only that one day to fully scope out the perfect location (and still help Chris keep it all a secret!).

Namaste
Just “wow”!
Andy snaps endless photos of endless beauty.
Blessed togetherness
Lodge in the distance.
Sunset at GNP
Steve finding potential engagement shots.

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Glacier International Airport is only a 30 minute drive from the park, in nearby Kalispell and it is quaint and adorable. We picked up our 2nd and 3rd guests, Christy and Chris, and headed over for a bite to eat, spontaneously selecting the Waters Edge Winery and Bistro, based on Google reviews and their menu of small plates, tapas and wine! Three of us enjoyed wine flights, and we all enjoyed the food we selected. The mid-afternoon time of day gave us the entire place to ourselves, and we laughed and smiled and enjoyed the joy and excitement that travel has on the soul.

tiny airport shopping…
…and some shadow boxing
Chris is not so sure he likes wine…
…but we had fun tasting!

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Once the kids settled in at the campground, we all agreed that in order to maximize our short time together, a drive into GNP was in order for the evening (this national park currently has ticketed entry, and without a ticket that day, we could only enter after 5 pm). Because we had Steve’s rental vehicle, we made the venture all the way up the Going To The Sun Road (our truck is not permitted to go this far due to its size) to Logan’s Pass along the Continental Divide where we saw more rams, and down the other side, out of the park and all the way back around, late at night to our campsite, sleepy but satisfied with our day. It was a beautiful evening drive on what many describe as the most beautiful road in the world. What a way to end our visit with Steve! He made his way back to South Carolina, and we look forward to our next visit with him and his family – currently scheduled for Thanksgiving in Myrtle Beach!

Road carved thru a mountain.
They were amaaaaazed….
…and we were amaaaaazzed…
….and Steve was amaaaaazed.
Parking lot fun at Logan’s Pass
Bathroom break.

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The next day was all about romance and engagements rather than being tourists, and if you haven’t already done so, check out my post about how love took root in Glacier National Park for my step-daughter and her now-fiance’!

Now that the pressure was off all of us from the engagement, we did our best to relax and prepare for an evening boat ride on Lake McDonald. Arriving a little early, we first peeked inside the historic and beautiful McDonald Lodge. Built in 1913, and constructed of massive trees that were surely harvested from the area, the decor and structure of this lodge is quite impressive. The area also includes cabins nearby, but the gem is the lodge with 82 rooms and a restaurant (closed due to Covid). Because access in the park was much more limited at the beginning of the century, the beauty of the lodge faces the lake, because most guests arrived by boat in those early years. But the entire property is still gorgeous, with overflowing window boxes and hanging baskets of flowers.

Beautiful flower boxes
The front of MacDonald Lodge
The back (lake side) of the lodge.
Carvings in the floor of the lodge

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We explored the lakeshore, shopped in the little gift shop, ordered some drinks at the take-out window, then boarded the historic vessel DeSmet, built in 1930. We settled into some open air seats at the rear of the boat and relaxed as the sun began to set. We learned about the stories that this largest lake in Glacier National Park has to tell and also enjoyed chatting with a family of newly FT RVers having an adventure in the park. It was the perfect way to relax in the moment, and savor the special days the four of us had together.

Not to sit on our laurels, our next adventure began in the morning with a red bus tour to the Going To The Sun Road! Our tour guide was phenomenal, with much knowledge of history and geology in the area. Our bus was one of 33 in the fleet, and is considered the oldest touring fleet of vehicles in the world! We had no idea the buses were old, much less historic and beautifully restored and upgraded over the years – they were exquisite. The Going To The Sun road was just as amazing this time during the middle of the day as it had been a couple days earlier in the evening, but this time there was the added benefit of a guide that could answer all of our questions as well. Our journey took a number of scenic stops along the way and ended at Logan’s Pass before turning around to see all the new views coming back down into the park again. Any worries I had about “seeing the road twice” were quickly resolved.

Will we look back at photos from 2020 and 2021 in 20 years and laugh at all of us with “mask-beards”? Mask-beards aside, these two kiddos and this red bus are all waaaaay cool!

Th wood work and details were impressive.
Chris helped remove the roof for full sky views!
We sat in the last row of seats, featuring the largest leg room and sky views!

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One of the coolest places we saw while in the area was not even in Glacier National Park at all! For many months, Andy had been reading online about the famous and very popular huckleberry bear claw pastries that visitors drive hours to get in Polebridge, Montana. Named so because of the bridge made of poles that used to be in the area, Polebridge features a mercantile, a saloon, cabins for rent and a LOT of wide open space. It is 27 miles from West Glacier, on a largely dirt road and miles of mother nature’s best work only 17 miles from the Canadian border.

Chris, Christy, Andrew and I took the drive to Polebridge with only an expectation of bear claw pastries, and we ended up in a mecca of quirky, historic, and quite a busy shopping, eating, drinking and hiking destination! It was incredible, and beautiful and a warm, sunny day. We bought lunch at the Sasquatch Grill food truck that boasted poutine (a Canadian dish of gravy fries with cheese curds) alongside delicious curry spiced rice bowls that harkened from an entirely different palette and part of the world.

The Mercantile next door has been serving area residents and tourists alike for more than 100 years and sells much more than pastries. The store was bustling and products ranged from cold beverages and baked goods, to clothing, postcards and camping supplies.

For much of the summer, Andrew had also been following news reports of a wildfire that was getting close to Polebridge and our visit there was put at risk. Thankfully for all, the fire was eventually contained and did no harm in Polebridge. There was, however, a walking trail called the Transboundary Flathead River Interpretive Trail next to the property that meandered out into an area that had suffered wildfire damage years earlier. We have been seeing the damage caused by wildfires all throughout our western travels this summer, but to walk among the damaged land and see it coming back to life was interesting.

Polebridge identifies itself as a place “where the west is still wild” and we now understand. The businesses will close down in October and won’t begin opening again until April with snow still on the distant mountains, wildlife coming back to life and Montanoans ready to enjoy yet another brief summer in Polebridge.

A saloon…
A food truck…
A nature trail…
Cabins for rent…

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These days in and around Glacier National Park wound up as the grand finale of our summer tour of the west. It has been among some of the most incredible and special moments of our lives and the states of Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho and Montana are now solidly some of our favorites! Shortly after our stay in this northwest corner of the state, we began our trip back east to take care of medical appointments, visits with our mothers and children and a bit of a more “regular life” for a while. We leave reluctantly, but immensely grateful. We have been blessed with safe travels and incredible experiences and will now be able to spend some time with our loved ones back east that we miss very much.

If there are any suggestions we would give others that often tell us that they wish they could do what we are doing or declare how lucky we are, it would be this – expect the same for your life. There are many adventures out there for all of us, in all places and at all price points. Plan well to find out what your adventure might look like. Become debt-free to make it possible. Use the many changes in our world to find employment that will support your dreams. Stick to a budget and save. Start small, but start now, because you never know what time, travels and tribulations lie ahead for you.

Safe travels and enjoy your journey!

Thank you, Mother Nature for our most fabulous summer adventure!

“Everything is so big—the sky, the mountains, the wind-swept flatlands—it sinks into you, it shapes your body and your dreams.”
Christopher Paolini

“Of all the memorable views, the best have been framed by Montana windows.”
William Hjortsberg

“I’m in love with Montana. For other states I have admiration, respect, recognition, even some affection. But with Montana, it is love. And it’s difficult to analyze love when you’re in it.”
John Steinbeck

“It seems to me Montana is a great splash of grandeur. The scale is huge but not overpowering. The land is rich with grass and color, and the mountains are the kind I would create if mountains were ever put on my agenda.”
John Steinbeck

“My favorite state has not yet been invented. It will be called Montana, and it will be perfect.”
Abraham Lincoln

Huckleberry makes Montana a very purple state, and we Ravens fans love it! This is Christy, (along with us), shopping in West Glacier Village.

Some Of The Best Experiences In Life Happen When You Just “Go With The Flow”.

John 7:38 ESV “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

The Schmidt Party of Nine – L to R – Jonathan, Ellie, Sarah, Andrew, Tina, Abby, Patrick, Christy and Ben

Several months ago as we were planning our visit to some of the western states in our RV, my husband, Andrew, talked about a couple of bucket list items of his brother’s that were in the area where we would be traveling. Included on Patrick’s list was seeing Brit Floyd (a Pink Floyd cover band) in concert at Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre in Colorado. He also wanted to attempt to climb Grays Peak, the “easiest” of the state’s “14-ers” (fourteen-ers), which is any mountain at least 14,000 feet tall.

We checked out the event schedule at Red Rocks. Lo and behold, Patrick’s bucket list band was playing this summer! Seeing it as a great opportunity to visit with his brother, Andrew asked Patrick, “Are you in”? The beginning of an unexpected lifetime adventure was suddenly evolving and we didn’t even realize it.

Patrick and his family bought concert tickets and airline tickets. We bought concert tickets and booked a campground nearby. Andrew’s three children heard about what we were doing for that leg of the trip and decided to come along as well. More plane tickets, more concert tickets!

Bucket List – A panoramic view of Red Rocks Ampitheatre, Morrison, Colorado

The phrase “going with the flow”, infers change and flexibility. Of the “Schmidt Party of Nine”, none of us except Patrick had ever seen or knew much of anything about Red Rocks or Grays Peak, but for some reason, we were all excited and ALL IN! As trip planning proceeded, we devoured videos of climbers and concert-goers. We became very excited and immediately realized that we might also be a bit unprepared! We purchased bear spray, trekking poles and began shopping for very outdoorsy backpacks that were capable of holding hydration packs. We crafted emails to the kids, helping to prepare them for what was ahead for us. We heard more and more information from Patrick and learned about things we might encounter such as altitude sickness and the legalities of marijuana. We ventured further into our excitement and completely became fans of Patrick’s bucket list items!

As our post-Covid world began to open, we were disappointed to discover that the concert date was postponed (the band was likely moving on to a larger venue for our June visit) and in that instant, Brit Floyd at Red Rocks was yanked out of reach for us. The great part about this bad news? Everyone still wanted to make the trip to Colorado! We pivoted and decided that we should still go to Red Rocks, as our research and Patrick had by now told us all that the fabulous venue had to offer – museum, a hall of fame, miles of trails, yoga, movies and more.

So this week, the idea sparked by Patrick came to be. The spark that was further fanned by his generous sharing of information and enthusiasm absolutely CHANGED THE LIVES of all nine of us, aged 19 to 54. We saw and experienced beauty and inspiration like we have never before seen and felt.

This experience of a lifetime began with Patrick’s enthusiasm for two very specific goals.

It is safe to say that we are all so grateful that we decided to go with the flow and jump on the new experiences that Patrick wanted to experience. His goals became our shared goals.

At Red Rocks Amphitheatre and Park, we hiked a challenging 1.5 mile trail that helped reality set in for what we were to experience the following day on Grays Peak. The beauty was overwhelming. The merging of natural rock formations with man-made architecture was incredible. The altitude affected our breathing. Our muscles burned in the hot Colorado sun even at only 6,500 feet. We felt first-hand how conscious hydration and calorie replacement is a real thing. We toured the museum and music hall of fame, bought souvenirs in the gift shop and every one of us vowed that we would return some day to see a concert here (and Patrick ended up seeing the replacement band at the venue the next night).

We went to bed early that night, each of us feeling some anxiety for the mountain ahead of us. We awoke at 1 am to make the drive to meet Patrick and his family at the base of the mountain parking area at 4 am. The stars shone like never before. We all could feel the nerves in our guts and the chill of the suddenly 40 degree mountain air.

4:04 am, June 11, 2021 – before dawn, adrenaline pumping in the cold air and darkness. feeling underprepared but thrilled.

As the sun was just starting to rise, we hiked the bridge over the river of melting snow and began our ascent, ready or not. The trip to the top of Grays Peak is 4.5 miles and is one of the most popular mountain hikes in the state. The youngest in our group quickly were able to pull out ahead of us, not affected as much by the thin air and having the advantage of less weight and more fitness in their bodies.

Arms outstretched, Abby strikes a pose that many of us struck over two days – an attempt to show appreciation for the overwhelming vastness of beauty we were encountering as the sun rose.

At times I had to stop and catch my breath every 10 steps. This first third of our ascent was the most difficult for me, and I grew angry at how difficult it was (I had lost 15 pounds in anticipation of the hike, but grumbled at myself for having not lost 30!). “What on earth had Patrick gotten us into!?” I thought to myself. This was where the battle was mental as much as physical.

We slowly stepped toward the approaching sunshine, step-by-painful-step.

Mercifully, after about a mile or so into the hike, as we entered the valley between two mountains, the ascent became more gradual and the views more glorious than could even be imagined. My lungs began to acclimate to the lack of oxygen and as I watched the time and distance progress on my Fitbit, I could sense my progress and my attitude improving.

Our group of nine began thinning out, and Patrick, Sarah, Andrew and I gave the kids their desired “go-ahead” to move on at their own pace and said a silent prayer that they would make good choices in what truly could be a dangerous place. After that point, we didn’t see Patrick and his wife Sarah again, who had settled into a location slightly behind us as they adjusted to perhaps more-than-expected altitude nausea and unbeknownst to us at the time, a catastrophic boot failure that forced their return to our vehicles.

Go ahead – go as far as you can go! We will do the same.

At some point, Christy, Andrew’s oldest, had decided to reverse direction and left the “youngsters” and turned back to the “old folks”, worried both about her next steps on the snow-covered and increasingly difficult trail they had encountered, and about her parents lagging behind. As we met each other, she was both surprised and pleased to see us, not really believing that we were still attempting the difficult climb. Renewed in spirit, she joined Andrew and me for the rest of our hike, and passed that spot that had caused her initial retreat, conquering fears and growing in personal strength at the same time.

Cell service had long ago disappeared before we even reached the parking lot, but as we entered the second mile of our ascent, we rose above the tree line and suddenly our phones could “see” the cell towers and began to allow all the texts and pent up phone data to come through. We received a text from one of the kids – “If you can see this – we are almost to the top!”. We were inspired to do our best and push our personal limits.

Another hour or so into our uphill battle, we saw the approaching image of Ben and Abby, Andrew’s middle and youngest children, returning down the mountain and amazed to see us. We discovered that they had not quite made it to the top. Their obstacle was a ledge of ice in what was becoming increasingly high winds that began just as the most challenging mountainside switchback section of the trail began. They made an attempt and decided that safety would be their choice this time. Patrick and Sarah’s children, Jonathan and continued on, eventually becoming the only two of our group that would complete the full ascent.

Abby and Ben returning toward us – excited about their accomplishments.

Seemingly in disbelief when they see Andrew, Christy and me – still making our ascent.

Andrew and I (along with Ben) eventually arrived at the same location where Ben and Abby had decided to turn around an hour earlier. We took our first sit-down rest of the day and watched as other hikers slowly moved across the narrow trail of ice, now melting into a sometimes more treacherous slushy snow. Grown adults, some trying to hug the wall of snow above them or crouch low to the ground to avoid slipping into the long slope below them slowly and methodically crept across the part of the path we could see before the first switchback.

The photos don’t effectively show the challenge these hikers had traversing the beginning of the switchbacks.

The slope, the ice, the snow, the loose rocks – the factors that helped us make a decision as to when our ascent was completed for the day.

We seriously contemplated whether or not we might make an attempt, but witnessed (and photographed) too much struggle with more prepared, fit and younger hikers than us. It was ultimately a very satisfying and easy decision. The mountain had not actually defeated our aging bodies. Our fear had not won out over our desire to make it to the summit. We simply decided that this was how far we should go today. We had achieved something far beyond what we had expected and were proud of all of us.

Andrew attempted a phone call to our nephew, Jonathan who we expected might be at the top by now and the call went through! He and his sister had made it to the top, all 14,278 feet, representing a victory that our entire group felt and shared with them. Jonathan is an experienced and savvy outdoorsman, and he volunteered that this trek was “hardcore” for him. At one point, he even helped in the rescue of a man that was stuck on the mountainside.

We were thrilled for Jonathan and Ellie and even more satisfied that we had made the right decision to turn back down the mountain. At this point, three miles and 11,111 steps in, perhaps at about 13,000 feet, we realized that our adventure on this mountain was only half over.

With the decision made to start our decent, we were able to savor the journey that much more. Ben was often able to “get ahead” of us, and then take a seat for a while to enjoy the views of this peaceful place until we caught up with him.

As the adrenaline finally began to ease, our muscles began to ache. The use of our muscles changed as well, and the need for agility on a downward hike became mission critical. The sun was now shining on our hard working bodies and we continued to shed our layers. We stopped more frequently to simply stand and savor the views. The three of us, Ben, Andrew and I, caught up with others – first Christy and then Abby, and not a mile from the end of our day, even Jonathan and Elie caught up with us and passed us, no doubt happy to return to their mom and dad to tell them of their incredible feat.

All smiles as we savor our accomplishment – and only halfway through our day’s adventure!

Our group once again growing, we carefully made our way back down the mountain.

Exactly 7 ½ hours from the beginning of our adventure, all nine of us were finally all together again, with smiles and cheers and hugs all around. It was just after noon. We had crammed quite a bit of adventure into our morning. Along the way, we touched lives with some amazing people. Two young boys, perhaps 8 and 10, with their dad, passed us on the way up and on the way down the mountain. Several hikers with large backpacks that included skis and poles passed us, then skied down from the summit, and when the snow ended, hiked the rest of the way, passing us once again. Young adults in the best shape of their lives zipped past us, wished us “Good Morning” and gave us words of encouragement. Dogs of all varieties were living a great dog’s life and looking incredibly happy, one even carrying his own backpack, no doubt filled with his food and water. We were even passed along our descent by an ultra-marathoner and his dog that were literally running down the mountain.

There is nothing like a little mountain hike to reconnect with siblings.

Through all of it, we learned that hikers are an incredibly supportive and positive group. They taught us that the victory isn’t necessarily at the top of the mountain, but in your own personal challenges and hard work, and your arrival at that place where you can say to yourself “I am so blessed to be able to do this and so proud of what I achieved today,” THAT is when you celebrate great victories.

We made it – no injuries – and only tears of happiness.

To say the photos don’t do the views justice would be a gross understatement. These are views that will make you cry (some of us did). These are places that if you stand quietly, you can hear God speak to you, simply because you are that much closer to heaven. These are experiences of places and people and animals and plants that will inspire you and become a part of your soul – changing your DNA while fully absorbing the experience.

Thanks so much Patrick, from all of us. I aim to go with the flow more often because I have been reminded that joining an adventure with others that I never even knew I wanted can bring inspiration, achievement and love of life into my world better than anything already on my bucket list.

Isaiah 40:3-4
A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord;
make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up,
every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged
places a plain.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bonus photos: We explored Morrison, Colorado in the afternoon of our visit to Red Rocks, where Schmidt Party of Nine enjoyed a meal together. It is also at a nearby wings shop where Christy and Ben tried “Rocky Mountain Oysters”, a unique “delicacy” of bull testicles. An acquired taste, for sure.

Boulder Beer Shake (chocolately), in Morrison, Colorado

A last minute addition to Ben and Christy’s bucket lists – check and check!

More Bonus Photos: Straight from the Denver airport, we wasted no time discovering Colorado, with a stop at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, where we spotted, Mule Deer, White Tail Deer, Prarie Dogs, Bison and one VERY large rabbit!