santamonica

Real time sounds a little puffed up doesn't it?

We're at National Airport, headed to Denver to visit DS#1. I got lots of good suggestions on another thread about colorado which I'm going to copy here for the benefit of future generations who are going to colorado. More suggestions are welcome!

We'll spend tonight and friday in denver at Mansion on Capitol Hill, a b&b, then go to Colorado springs with ds#1 for a night at the Two Sisters Inn, another b&b. Then he goes back to denver and we drive towards durango, maybe staying overnight at Ouray. No reservations. Then Blue Lake Ranch outside of Durango for three nights, another b&b. Then back to denver for two nights, staying at DS#1's apt, not a b&b.

I gotta go to Ikea in Centnnial tomorrow to buy a sofa bed so we have a place to sleep next week. This was a good thread from the nyt frugal traveler on stuff to see in colorado:

http://frugaltraveler.blogs.nytimes....o-in-colorado/

yestravel

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

DebitNM

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

wtm003

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!

Lookin_Glass

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

PeaceOut

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!

ggreen

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!

santamonica

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/unit...by-debitnm.cfm

Bed time.

LindainOhio

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

DebitNM

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

They have their own hot spring and vapor caves.

yestravel

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.

ggreen

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

santamonica

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?

santamonica

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.

Gretchen

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

LindainOhio

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

DebitNM

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

Garden way better idea.

wtm003

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.

santamonica

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.

Melnq8

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!