Carson and I got adventurous this morning as we boarded our new (used) Polaris ATVs and left our cabin at 10,000 feet in Breckenridge and proceeded up an old jeep trail toward Como, Colorado.  It took us about 1/2 hour from the cabin to get to the trail head…then we headed UP, UP, UP.  I guess we did another 1000 feet at least and the came out into some beautiful pastures with the Blue River’s snow fed waters feeding beaver ponds.  All around were 13K and 14K snowcapped peaks.  We had an awesome time.  We were stopped by snow covering the trail a few hundred more yards further and had to turn back.  We’ll try again next month after some more snow melt.

I still find it hard to believe I live in country like this!  It makes you feel small and helps keep life in perspective…..

Carson in a meadow at 11,000 feet

  The Old Man

Well, they say if you don’t like the weather in the mountains of Colorado, just wait 24 hours. That is certainly true this morning. Yesterday, Kitty and I were walking next to the Blue River, 70 degrees, sunny, absolutely perfect weather. Last night, I went fishing at sunset in short sleeves. This morning, I put on my clothes to go move some trees around 5:30am and went out on the porch expecting a brisk 50 degrees to start the day and found this:

….you guessed it…….snow……3 inches and still falling!

Ok, let me preface this whole entry by saying how awesome I think my wife is. I love her to death and she makes me laugh….especially this week while in Breckenridge at our cabin. We got up here and there was a cold front coming thru, which means it was sleeting/snowing a little, yes, even in June. We’ve been up here quite a bit and we all know that it can be colder than Denver most of the time.

We’re going out to dinner last night and she makes a comment about wishing she had a different pair of shoes…..I go upstairs and she that she brought SEVEN pairs!….for 4 days! And to top it all off, she forgot to bring a coat….so my “poor” wife had to go to dinner in “not so cute” shoes and freeze because she didn’t bring a coat to the mountains. My guess is that we’re making a trek to the outlet mall in Silverthorne today for, yes, you guessed it, shoes and a coat…………..You gotta love her!

Well, I hit 46 today.  This morning I was thinking back to when I was 10-12 and how I thought my dad, in his mid-30s, was SOOOOO old.  Well, it’s all relative.  Now my kids think I’m old, but I still think I’m 20….sometimes…..except when lifting heavy objects….or running……etc…..

One thing I have learned is that life gets better the older you are.  I had heard that from some friends of my dad, but never believed it.  I wouldn’t trade this decade with the previous one and I hope I feel the same about the next.

Today was awesome!  Woke up at our cabin in Breckenridge alone with my wife.  Worked around the cabin outside until it started snowing….yes, snowing on June 5th!  Then, while my awesome wife got ready for our trip to Vail for lunch and to Home Depot, I walked down the road to our resident beaver pond and caught a couple of Brook Trout real quick…..how cool!  Spent the day with my wife, ate lunch at a craft brewery and then napped until now.  We’re off for a birthday dinner at Dillon Dam Brewery, an award winning craft brewery about 15 miles away in Dillon, CO.  It sits next to the dam on Dillon Reservoir (just so you didn’t think I was just cussing).

When I was young, I wanted loud birthdays with lots of people and lots of hoopla….now, I think today was perfect…..quiet and relaxing!

Today, Grant and I visited a Beer Making store. We’ve been talking and joking about having a brewery called “Pastor’s Brew” where each brew has a faith-oriented name….ie. Baptism Ale, Pastor Pale Ale, etc….you get the idea. Well, I got us a kit and we’re going to try! I’m now starting a list of probable names for our Pastor’s Brewery beers. If you have an idea, let us know.

Yes, my wife is laughing because this is added to the list of over 100 hobbies since we’ve been married.

OK, I’ve gotten alot of flack about not posting on my blog……It’s been months and I’ve decided to try and turn over a new leaf.

We were lucky to find a great log cabin a few months ago outside of Breckenridge. It’s in the town of Blue River about 2 miles outside of Breck. Today, Toby Armstrong and I rebuilt the steps to the front porch. We took a break around 5:00 and went fishing at a beaver pond right across the road from our cabin. What a beautiful place! There was a beaver swimming in the pond while trout were breaking the water all around us. I caught a gorgeous Brook trout. He had a fire red belly and bright spots all over him….the sign of a wild trout.

I can’t believe we have this cabin! It’s in the middle of trout heaven and surrounded by tall snow capped peaks. It’s going to make years of memories for our kids and family.

Cabin

Beaver Pond by the Cabin