Glenwood Springs, CO

Glenwood Springs in western Colorado is known for it's famous hot springs. People have been swimming here for centuries, and the Hot Springs Pool has been around for at least one of those. This is the side of the canyon where Glenwood sits. Upon our arrival I was lucky enough to see these hang-gliders slowly falling through the canyon - everyone else was inside checking us into the hotel.

After checking in we headed over to the pool, there was just enough time for a few hours of swimming before dinner!

Dinner always has to be at the Italian Underground. Usually the wait is long, but it's worth it. The snug sitting is in the basement of an old brick building. TripAdvisor visitors give it 4 out of 5 stars. If you're ever in Glenwood, check it out!

As we waited for our turn to eat I wandered up the walkway to find some interesting metal art...

My niece could not resist hiding behind one!

All throughout Colorado, smoking in restaurants is prohibited. Frequently, you'll see people standing about on the sidewalks having a quick smoke before dinner or between drinks at the bar. This sign is a good indicator that some of those smokers have no respect for the gardens surrounding Grand Avenue.

 Day 2 was full of swimming - all day - until this set in...

Guess it's time for a drive home :(

On the drive to and from Glenwood Springs from Denver via I-70 you will pass through a mile long tunnel build through the middle of a mountain. As kids we always tried to hold breath through the whole drive and dad would slow down the closer we got to the exit of the tunnel! 

The tunnel portion on the left is the Eisenhower Tunnel, built in 1973. In 1979, the Johnson Tunnel was opened to allow more traffic to pass through the area.

Driving through the tunnel - hold your breath!!!

One last stop on the way home for some grub. Beau Jo's is the maker of mountain pies, "Colorado Style Pizza." They're made with thick, wheat-honey crust that is perfect for dipping in honey at the end!

Pueblo, CO - Days 1 & 2

Okay, so I'll admit, when the school announced that this year's professional development was to take place in Pueblo, Colorado I was not too excited. I decided to make the best of it and take along my camera and Pepe to tell the story of our trip.

We came into town on Monday night and settled into the hotel room. Pepe didn't mess around:

We had this huge room to ourselves - one bed for Pepe, one for me:

Tuesday was spent in training all day with a short dinner at Ruby Tuesday - ha - that was totally coincidence! Many of my co-workers had driven down that morning and were ready to "hit the hay" for the evening so I wrapped up my night early. I did manage to catch a glimpse out my window to see my view:

Yeah, not really the best view, but I did find out that one of my co-worker's uncle owns the liquor store - Loco!

Pepe and I settled in and watched a bit of TV before wrapping up the evening:

Wednesday was, again, full of training. I tried to snap a picture of Pepe working hard, but the camera was acting up. He was fully engaged - take my word.

The evening was full of a paid dinner and $1 drinks at a local bar. Pepe took a peek over the railing into the Pueblo river walk and said river:

We walked down the street to the bar and it was cool! The place was called Phil's Radiator and looked exactly like an auto shop. Seems like a great concept for a place - although the owner sometimes has clueless people wander in with car parts, set them on the bar, and ask if he can repair it! Hilarious! "No, but here's an ice cold beer"

I decided to leave the bar early - 9ish - before the "crazy" comes out of everyone. I'm thinking that co-workers and $1 drinks are not a great idea. So far our trip has been fun and we learned a little bit about Pueblo. Tomorrow is our last day, so we'll see what kind of adventure comes our way!

Southeast Colorado

A few months ago I took a business trip down to southeast Colorado. I've never really been out that way, so I decided to take some pictures to share my journey.

This is a railroad bridge on the way to La Junta. I think it's very simple and "old skool" so I couldn't resist taking a pic.

 Corn fields are always amazing to see right before they're cut down.

I think this house looks very much like an old plantation. I was driving past so I didn't get the best shot, but you get the idea.

Rocky Ford has a great announcement to their township. I've never seen anything like this!

Rocky Ford grows all kinds of fruits and veggies - I regret not stopping on my way out of town.

This was my destination - La Junta, Colorado - although not super exciting it was something different.

On my way back home I stopped and met up with my in-laws for dinner. They took my a this BBQ place on the side of I-25. Not too bad for a highway joint.

As you approach Pueblo from the south you see this lone windmill on the side of the road.

It was a warm trip - I had the AC on - but I thoroughly enjoyed seeing new sites!