Durango

It was another low energy week (after taking into account doing a little extra to help Rog prep for his trip and working over time at work). Which meant the gym was often skipped. What can you do. I did make it a few times, went on a run, and go hot tubbing/swimming with our YW. 

The sauce.

Rog left for his 21-day rafting trip in the Colorado River to sample fish and be paid & fed by the government. The Dream. I was invited, but also I have a day job, so the timing is off. (For now...) Hopefully he has fun, but we won't know until he comes back. 

Gettin buff.

Which left me canning 10 gallons of apples alone. Complete with all the machinery malfunctions - the worst of which was that the machine was missing a screw. I had unfortunately already started and didn't want to take the machine apart, so I guessed, and at least one screw was correct. A few other mishaps probably could've been avoided if I had the ability to read instructions. BUT you learn by doing and there was a lot of learning. 

One of the waterfalls en route to Ice Lake.

This weekend was my planned trip to Durango - the purpose of which was to convince Roger to move there. He, unfortunately, was gone, and so Kelly, Rich, MGH, Kevin, and Courtney came down. MGH and I went to the gym and looked at areas of land I've been eyeing while the rest of the crew hit up Mesa Verde. 

Butter?

Then we had burgers, shopped downtown (MGH's real favorite part), and then had a Chuckwagon dinner with live cowboy singing entertainment with a really nice bass singer and a really funny cello player. We did miss the train ride and wagon ride, so we'll have to go earlier next time, but it was fun. The steak was pretty good and the entertainment was solid. Best line: "she looked like an English bulldog drinking lemon out a thistle" (describing his woman).

Good views.

Sunday the Chin had the scariest ride of his life and the rest of us hike part way to Ice Lake near Silverton. It was beautiful despite some chilling rain. Kev & Courtney left after the hike - to brainstorm ideas for the homestead, rethink moving to Maine, and get back home so they could work on Monday. 

Surprisingly not too scared. 

The rest of us enjoyed God's creations with Jurassic Park. Moriah said she wanted the movie to end with the dinosaurs 'living & surviving' and didn't care about the people. Her new favorite movie series right here. We hung out until we had to send dad to bed. 

Everyone caught a fish - the definition of a good trip.

In place of Roger, I agreed to lead the fishing expedition on the Animas river. Good thing I only know how to stream fish. We both caught fish and Moriah touched it, so that's a win for all. We came home hungry, ate some pancakes, and packed up to go home. (And made it).