Breckenridge

Last Sunday, we flew from Atlanta to Denver to continue our cross country, unemployment escape from reality. Upon arriving in Denver, we rented a car and headed for The Grand Timer Lodge in Breckenridge.

When I went to pickup our rental car, I told the kind attendant that I was the proud owner of a giant, white Kia minivan that I affectionately call "Big Whitey." I told her that it looks like a hospital van, gets 16-20 MPG depending on how much lunch I've had, and that I sorely missed it since it was sitting in airport parking in Atlanta.

She listened carefully to my story and agreed to rent me a vehicle which would keep the spirit of Big Whitey alive -- a 2010 Mercury Grand Marquis. All white.

The Grand Marquis was covered in dust in the rental lot, having been passed over in favor of SUVs, sports cars, and virtually anything else that rolled, but I took it anyway. It looks like a police cruiser, and people immediately assume I'm 95 when I come up on their bumper. The first tank of gas almost made it the two hours out to Breckenridge, but the kids like it because they can pass a football back and forth between their car seats.

Breckenridge is a great place to vacation, even in summer. The air is crisp and cool since it's in the higher elevations, and there is tons of stuff to see and do in the central Rockies. We've made a point this week not to do much, but some highlights have been:

-- The Country Boy Mine, where we got to go inside a gold mine AND pan for gold in a small pit where the mule's were peeing.

-- Vail, where we got to shop and watch other people spend money that we don't have. Plus we got to eat at the Vail McDonald's, which was disturbingly difficult to find.

-- Keystone, where we rode the gondola up to the top of the mountains. (Grant was the only person in our gondola not actively praying throughout the 15 minute ascent.)

-- Toy Story 3, which provided me further evidence that I hope this 3D craze ends soon. I enjoyed the movie, but by the end, I felt like I had stared into the sun for two hours. My eyes can't take it...

-- The Two Below Zero summer chuck wagon show, where Grant learned how to rope a steer, Grace learned how to play corn hole, and Daddy learned that even if the horse is only pulling you in a cart 1/4 mile from the parking lot to the show site, it can still scare him to death.

We've had a great time, and we're planning to spend a couple of days in metro Denver before we leave. I'll post some info on places we've eaten later...Erin informed me that I had turned our vacation into a list of restaurants, but it is what it is!