Love Ouray -- it's been years so will be curious to hear what its like these days. Have a great trip!

St Elmo's B&B is really nice in Ouray as is Buen Tiempo Restaurant & Cantina.

I was at the Centennial IKEA about a month ago and it was so hot & stuffy that I found the closest shortcut and got out of there as fast as I could. Hope it is better for you tomorrow.

I'd like to hear about Blue Lake Ranch. My husband wants to do the zipline in the area www.soaringcolorado and Blue Lake looks like a nice place to stay. I'd appreciate it if you make time for the zipline so you can tell me if I'd be scared out of my wits.

Hope you have a great trip!

I hope the two snakes didn't lay eggs in your drain pipe. Did you know snakes often abandon their eggs, hence the sudden retrieval of your snake and the plumbers snake.

Safe journey

Come on out! The weather in Denver is gorgeous today-- very few clouds in a bright blue sky, no wind, no storms in the forecast today, should be high of 92 degrees.

Safe travels!

Glad to see you giving equal time to the DS's, sm.

The Great Sand Dunes near Alamosa are pretty awesome if you've never seen them - but going there would be a longer route than straight from Colo Springs to Ouray. Adds probably 2 1/2 hours to the drive... Unless you went to Ouray on your way back to Denver instead. Then you'd get to drive through Wolf Creek Pass on your way between the sand dunes and Durango. No worries about being too hot up there!

DW has sent me out to the balcony of the Mansion on Capitol Hill so my real time trip report doesn't keep her awake.

This is a nice old B&B on the corner of 12th and Pennsylvania. Nice night, a lot cooler than 92 degrees. Interesting people and neighborhood, in transition, but you're not sure which way.

Frontier airlines, Payless rental car. $50 something per day. Less than the cost of getting a snake unstuck from a sink, as Lookin-g knows.

YT, we're looking forward to Ouray, and the next dc gtg too. Lots to catch up on. Thanks Deb, your B&B recommendation in Ouray looks nice. I'm looking for a place where we can go skinny dipping in some hot springs at night, although I haven't mentioned this idea to DW yet.

DS#1's apt on the 3rd floor in CapHill has interesting angles and broken windows, in need of an extreme makeover. A sofa and rug from the hot and sweaty ikea will help.

We went to Potager, a very nice restaurant at Ogden and 11th or 12th. But really, do hand cut noodles taste any better than machine cut noodles?

www.potagerrestaurant.com/

Ggreen, amazingly, people out here in Denver are also talking about that unassisted double play. Small world.

I promise to report back on the Blue Lake Ranch, but we didn't like ziplining that much when we tried it elsewhere. Too slow. Maybe it's better in Colorado.

Here are some recommendations from Deb and Gretchen from the other thread for denver and durango. We'll save the suggestions from others for Boulder and other places for our next visit.

"Eat at Barolo Grill, Fruition. Visit the Denver Art Museum and eat at Pallettes there for a wonderful meal. Have ice cream at Little Man's up in the Highlands?"

"Here is the site for Five Green Boxes. Two shops--very unique."
http://www.5greenboxes.com/

http://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/durango-restaurant-picks-by-debitnm.cfm

Bed time.

We were in Ouray last summer--we loved hiking the area and loved the drive to Silverton. We stayed in Telluride but almost stayed at this penthouse suite in Ouray. I didn't go inside but the view from the huge deck is fabulous. I would stay here if we returned.

Check out vrbo#330308

Try this place
http://www.wiesbadenhotsprings.com/

They have their own hot spring and vapor caves.

Orvis Hot Springs is between Ouray and Ridgeway, clothing optional - check it out. We actually also have stayed in Ridgeway which was pretty undeveloped back then. Envious of u being out there - it remains miserable in DC though not quite as hot today.

Yes, we should do a DC GTG in the Fall.

santamonica, too bad the season has ended or I'd really have something to crow about! Thanks for spreading the word.

Very tiring day being excessively nice to ds#1. Rented a truck for 1/2 day to transport ikea sofa, rug, two wicker chairs, two floor lamps, and other stuff from centennial to apt. This week I've had two snakes stuck in a drain and rented two vehicles simultaneously. Who knows what tomorrow will bring?

I'm sorry, there is nothing of interest here for travelers seeking info on colorado (be warned, 25 south can get congested).

Tomorrow we go to colorado springs (25 south again)and should have interesting travel stuff to talk about. Do we do the cog railroad, garden of the gods, or both?

That removed comment must have been from an enraged traveler hoping for some useful information from me about things to see in colorado.

Lindain, the Ouray rental looks very cool, but sold out when we're there. You going back to Anna Maria Island?

Thanks for recs on hot springs. We haven't decided yet. Too much time at Ikea.

I think the cog railroad takes a good part of half the day. I'd do the Garden.

We loved Anna Maria Island. We will return but have not made any plans yet.

Probably too late, but we [SIL and myself] got very bad altitude sickness on the cog.

Garden way better idea.

Possibly do both. I think the Garden of the Gods is only okay, especially if you have been to Utah, so you could do a quick drive through and decide if you want to stay longer.

I like the Cog Train especially if you have a clear day and get to enjoy the views. I went a few years ago and went from sunny weather at the base to fog to lightning, rain and spitting snow at the summit. There was a recent trip report and the poster proclaimed that the donuts at the top were fantastic. I'm ready to go back just to try the donuts.

There is no way to predict who will or won't get altitude sickness. I'd take a couple of ibuprofen before going up just to prevent a possible headache.

The clothing optional will have to wait. We're at the Box Canyon motel in Ouray, AAA rated with it's own hot spring hot tubs, and washer and dryer so we can do a wash. Everyone we see is fully clothed.

There are many (fully clothed) bikers here in Ouray (motorcycles). Must be motorcycle week in colorado. Ouray is very pretty, surrounded by towering walls of mountains, stone and spruce, deep blue at dusk.

Yesterday we left denver and drove to manitou springs, near colorado springs, where the Two Sisters Inn is. Which is very nice but unavailable until check-in at four. So we did the cog railroad which was crowded. Pikes Peak is cold on top. I didn't get a doughnut. I had a good seat for the ride back, and the views are spectacular. If you reserve ahead you can probably get front row seats.

Then ds#1 went to a coffee shop wi-fi to signup for fantasy football and dw and I drove around Garden of the Gods which was very cool and free. Then dinner and even dancing to a cool blues band at The Keg in Manitou Springs, recommended by our innkeeper. The keg has good food. Shrimp scampi.

This morning a very nice breakfast at the inn. The two women who run the inn are very nice and the b&b is very comfortable. Then we sampled naturally carbonated spring water at three or four public springs around town, took a hike in Garden of the Gods with ds#1, then left him for our long drive to (fully clothed) Ouray where we are at this very moment (ds#1 drove his car back to denver).

We stopped along the way to Ouray at the Black Canyon National Park near Montrose which is like the Grand Canyon but more manageable and the air is clearer, and no helicopters. The visitors center has a really cool overlook walkway out into the canyon.

Tomorrow we'll do a wash and then drive to Blue Lake Ranch near mesa verde and durango. I am so tired. Bed time. Thanks for your help, fodorite friends.

I love the Box Canyon Lodge in Ouray, but never been there in the summer. I reckon their newly installed AC might come in handy this summer though, huh?

Don't miss Bien Tiempo!

I just got home last night from a fabulous week in Telluride. I am dying to hear what you think of Blue Lake Ranch. We took the Silverton to Durango train ride (a very long day) and several in my group felt after seeing Durango that they would consider a trip there again. I have considered Blue Lake for years, it does look great. Have fun!

One of these days, cmc!!

I tell you, Deb, Telluride was fantastic. We are all sold on Colorado!

We are in Durango at the cypress cafe. We did not drive off the road coming from ouray. The public pool was closed for cleaning today. That is so wrong, so unfair, as we were there this morning hoping the natural spring waters would liven up up my trip report. Now I need to talk to dw, whose phone I am using for this flash from the trip. More stuff later.

if you get back to Durango for a meal, we had an excellent late lunch/early dinner at the Palace right next to the train station. Fantastic salmon with greens for $15. Hard to beat that! Have fun.

Wasn't the drive from Ouray to Silverton spectacular? We loved that drive.

Phooey. I wrote what we did today but forgot to post it, or something, and now it's gone. I must have previewed it but not posted it. So I'll repeat myself.

Yes, the drive from Silverton to Durango was spectacular (like the drive from Harrisburg to State College, only more so). We had lunch at the Cypress Cafe, which is very LA-like, with bunches of Mercedes and patio dining. Very nice, one of Deb's recommendations.

Across from the Cypress is the Hotel Rochester which is a very cool little hotel with a garden next door where I sat and listened to the coffee shop channel of sirius music whilst DW shopped for my birthday (this thursday. time is running out). I think you would like the Hotel Rochester if you wanted to stay in Durango.

The Blue Lake Ranch is stunningly pretty. It's like being in a Monet painting, if Monet had painted in Colorado. We went swimming in the lake which is very cold. Then I drove the 20 minutes back to town to get food to fix for dinner (Pinon Suite has a little kitchen, a living room, and a bedroom). Then we ate dinner. This place is really beautiful.

I'd like to go on a half day tour of the Ute tribal area but we may have trouble arranging it with such short notice for tomorrow morning.

Here are some links for places where we've stayed and eaten (and cmc's recommendation too):

http://www.capitolhillmansion.com/

www.twosisinn.com/

boxcanyonouray.com/

http://www.bluelakeranch.com/index.htm

www.cypruscafe.com/

palacedurango.com/

Blue Lake Lodge is saved in my favorite places for a future trip.

Maybe I have to check out that drive from State College to Harrisburg. It seems like we are always on 80 when we are in Pennsylvania.

Today we had fruit, eggs, and enchiladas at the B&B and drove to Mesa Verde. You drive up and up to the top of the mesa, get tickets at the visitor's center (after warnings about narrow passages, climbing ladders, etc), and drive to the Cliff House or Balcony House, which are the sites you walk and climb around in. The tour guides are pretty interesting. It was a lot of fun, although the driving gets to be a little tiring.

We came back to the B&B, napped, swam in the lake, wondered why our kids never answer the phone, and came back to our room to fix dinner. This time left over chicken, rice-a-roni, and salad (travel writing with a shout out to foodies).

Tomorrow we visit Trimble Springs and Pool. I'm sorry, fodorites, we probably won't take the train to Silverton this trip.

I did the train ride and would say you are making a good decision. Have s great day!

In the mornings by the fountain at the front door of the Blue Lake Ranch there are many, many humming birds. I thought you should know in case you don't like humming birds.

Sounds like a great trip! And better than the train ride is driving it -- absolutely gorgeous, so much so that it is one of my favorite drives.

It has been a great trip. I'm really glad we got to this place, it's been lovely.

We left the humming birds this morning to shop for an air mattress at walmart (we bought a sofa for ds#1 instead of a sofa bed).

Then we went to Trimble Spa where DW got a pedicure (I think pedicures are very extravagant but I understand that many people think of them as something normal people do) and I floated on my back in a hot spring pool, which was quite zen like and cheaper than a pedicure.

Then off to lunch at the Palace Restaurant (per deb and cmc) which was quite good. Then to Southwest Book Trader, a used book store with piles and piles of very readable books. Then to rent bikes at 2nd street bikes, and bike on the very nice bike path along the river, watching rafts and kayaks and wading a little.

Then to a little benefit concert for the farmers market (we didn't mention shopping at walmart) in the garden next to the Rochester Hotel. Then back to the Blue Lake Ranch, a final swim in the lake (there is some algae in the lake, and it's cold, but really refreshing), and DW is fixing pesto for dinner.

Is life good or what?

Tomorrow we drive to Pagosa Springs and then up 285 to Denver. Long day of driving.

You did good!

Sounds great!

I'm sorry to top this thread which I'm sure many of you were just starting to think, thank goodness, it's finally over. But we had a day in Denver before we flew home and we spent the morning in Boulder, only a little more than half an hour from Denver. We went hiking in Chautauqua Park where there are many healthy happy looking people and wonderful trails of varying difficulty. This is an easy and fun thing to do if you have even half a day in Denver with nothing to do.

http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2996&Itemid=1035

Then we drove back to Denver, stopping at a Target along the way to buy sheer curtains and a table lamp for ds#1's apt, which now looks better than our house (and completing the big-box shopping trifecta of Ikea, Walmart and Target).

Then, back in Denver, we went for lunch to the Black Pearl Restaurant (very good), across the street from the shop Gretchen recommended, 5 Green Boxes, where I bought some stuff we didn't need.

http://www.blackpearldenver.com/

Then skeeball and beer with ds#1 at a skanky place on Colfax near the Filmore, dinner for the three of us in the apt by DW, bed, and flight home very early this morning.

Thanks very much for all your suggestions. Sorry we didn't get to the pizza place in Boulder, or the bookstore in Denver, or to many of your other good suggestions, but we had a lot of fun.

Welcome home. It was fun traveling along with you.

Thanks for reporting!

You did a lot, and got to see DS settled in. Enjoy your next visit.