January 24, 2017January 24, 2017 gnewhall

The Stanley Hotel (Aka The Shining Hotel) July 2016

OMG…we can’t seem to get out of the state of Colorado, we enjoy it so much. We took a ride to Estes Park where The Stanley Hotel, a 420-room Colonial Revival hotel is located. Approximately five miles from the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park, the Stanley offers panoramic views of Lake Estes, the Rockies and especially Long’s Peak. It was built by Freelan Oscar Stanley of Stanley Steamer fame and opened on July 4, 1909, catering to the American upper class at the turn of the century. The hotel and its surrounding structures are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Stanley Hotel also hosted the horror novelist Stephen King, serving as inspiration for the Overlook Hotel in his 1977 bestseller The Shining and location for the 1997 miniseries. Today, it includes a restaurant, spa, and bed-and-breakfast and provides guided tours which feature the history and alleged paranormal activity of the site. (From Wikipedia). The story of the Stanley brothers is one worth reading. The hotel has a number of rooms open to the public to stay and for business and wedding functions. I’d love to stay there but probably wouldn’t get much sleep.

Front lobby.

Conference room.

Room 217 where the most notorious paranormal activity took place. This is also the room that was the inspiration for Stephen Kings novel “The Shining”. It’s also the room Jim Carey stayed in while filming “Dumb and Dumber. He stayed about two hours before running out of the hotel like a crazy person. He moved to another hotel.

I took this selfie and nothing appeared in the mirror except me.

Eileen took this selfie and she is NOT in the picture and there appears to be a wedding dress in the hallway. Same mirror. Spooky! The hotel guide requested it to be forwarded to her.

Basement where the staff worked. The guests never saw the staff. They traveled back and forth in these tunnels.

January 22, 2017January 22, 2017 gnewhall

Hike to Horsetooth Falls and white water rafting on the Poudre River July 2016

A 4th of July hike located in Horsetooth Mountain Park west of Fort Collins. The hike to the falls is a pleasant hike through meadows and a rocky canyon to a diminutive but high cascade.

Horsetooth Falls tumble through a steep, narrow rock chute separating the Horsetooth Falls and Spring Creektrails. While the falls are subjectively impressive, families and runners will enjoy mild grades, open space and active wildlife on the short trip: look for deer, fox, coyote, snakes and rabbit in tall grass and along the forest fringe.

It was more up than down. Both ways! How can that be?!

Horsetooth Falls! Wasn’t really much of a falls, just a trickle of water due to drought conditions.

Looking out to the reservoir and marina.

Mark and Eileen went white water rafting for the day. Stopped for lunch at a restaurant located on the river. Can’t wait to do it again this year.

2016 “Cache La Poudre” River – “Stash The Powder” – Rafting class 3+4 rapids…epic adventure! @rockymountainadventures Great guides, entertainment on the shuttle and on the river….class A act they are…those guides really love what they do and you can see/feel it! What a perfect day!

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January 16, 2017 gnewhall

Michael comes to Ft. Collins – Greeley Stampede Rodeo June 2016

Talk about a delay! We are delayed about 6 months on our whereabouts, through our own fault. Every time we talk about putting something up we get distracted and find something else to do or some place to go . Anyone that asks “won’t you be bored in retirement” has no idea how time is flying by even when you don’t set alarms anymore.

We are now enjoying this so much that the kids have suggested they come and visit us wherever we are. Only the exciting spots though. To continue our blog about Colorado, we were here for two months staying near Mark when Michael called and wanted to visit. The kids are so geographically separated that we try and travel to visit each during the year but it’s nice when they suggest visiting us. We’re usually in a spot they would not get to with active things to do so this was a treat, plus he could stay with Mark. So, out comes Michael for some great times. Lots of hiking, Snow in June (with a smack of an altitude headache)…and yummy food. He loved it so much that he’s going back to stay with Mark in February.

Hike to Horsetooth Reservoir One of our favorite places!

Someone was hungry. Got soup?

The Mayor of Old Town is one of the many local breweries in Old Town and had 100 beers on tap. No Shock Top though. When I asked for Shock Top the waitress told me they only serve local beers. Shock Top was born and raised in Fort Collins. Nice bar we had a good time here.

Looking down from the road that climbs up to the Trail Ridge Road.

Eileen and Michael playing the xylophone along Estes Park River Walk.

Another geocache. Eileen’s found this in a roundabout near our campground.

The Greeley Stampede. Can’t remember the last time I’d been to a rodeo.

Hooter’s yes we were there for the food!

August 30, 2016August 30, 2016 gnewhall

Colorado Part Deux! Hiking with Steve & Debbie in Dillon

While in Ft. Collins we got a message from Debbie and Steve McCormick that they were in Southern CO and how great it would be if we could connect for a weekend. Well, we made it happen. We went to the Peak One Campground on Dillon Reservoir for three days, and had a great time hiking and kayaking and eating and drinking. We had two great dinners at our rigs while catching up on how our lives fulltiming are going and our families. It’s such a thrill when this connection happens with our 2014 Dreamer class. I love it. It’s so important to keep in touch no matter how far away because opportunities like this will crop up. I have to say, I am lax in this department. I love seeing and reading about all our friends but my follow up skills are deplorable in this department. I promise to be more dilligent. So…if you’re in Florida for the winter…reach out!

Our rig and Steve and Debbie’s 5ver at Peak One campground. I think we are at just over 9,000 feet here.

We were camped in Peak One in the White River National Forest.

Eileen and Max made a new friend-Hurley!

Hurley and Max got along great! Actually they just ignored each other.

I think we were headed to around 11,000 feet.

Half way up the trail – a wedding complete with bagpipes!

White River National Forest was devastated by the Spruce Beetle.

Rocky Mountain Oysters, oh yum! They were on the menu we HAD to try them.

Three of us had the best drink, and Steve had a flight of beer.

Oh, Oh, and more beer! This bar in Breckinridge was dogfriendly. So much so that most of the dogs were off leash…except Max, he was in my lap. Great place. As you can see food was limited but you can buy a bag of popcorn and microwave it.

And, again…as you can see, Hurley is having a great time looking for fish and trying to wave to Max. See below! Max is over it.

Max is wearing his personal floatation device, aka lifejacket (PFD.)

While paddling there was an air show going on in the mountains in front of us.

Doesn’t get any better than this. I’m finding myself saying this a lot.

Then a 20 mile paddle back to civilization…against the wind …uphill…both ways…and a nap or was it more beer flights?!

	Aden Conrad on Estes Park, Colorado
	FirstGrady on Estes Park, Colorado
	gnewhall on Start Of Our Fourth Year …
	jrzygrl64 on Start Of Our Fourth Year …
	jrzygrl64 on Winnebago Grand National Rally…

Newhallin – Dragging Our Bed Around

Modern Day Nomads

hiking

The Stanley Hotel (Aka The Shining Hotel) July 2016

Hike to Horsetooth Falls and white water rafting on the Poudre River July 2016

Michael comes to Ft. Collins – Greeley Stampede Rodeo June 2016

Colorado Part Deux! Hiking with Steve & Debbie in Dillon