Welcome to Colorful Colorado!

Who doesn't love a vacation? Especially after just about reaching my one year anniversary in WI. And what better place to vacation to then the place I really I wish I lived? COLORADO :)

My flight left bright and early Thursday morning where everyone's favorite airport security personal put yours truely through the full body scanner. The line took FOR-FREAKING-EVER. I do suppose if they want to see what I look like nudy pants at 4:30am, then who am I to stop them. I should be flattered, right? I think of my semi-nakie body scan as a special treat to them as, according to brand new data, (F as in Fat, 2011) "Wisconsin was named the 25th most obese state in the country" and "Wisconsin's adult obesity rate is 27.4 percent." And while I have my 'fat days' (c'mon girls, you know what I mean) I'm banking on the fact that I'm at least more attractive naked that about a third of the population of the state. (It's ok- you do not need to comment about this portion of my blog to verify or discount my beliefs)

Beautiful sky in Milwaukee before take off

My first day in CO was spent exploring downtown Fort Collins and shopping with the most wonderful gal I know, my mama. We went for an authentic Fort Collins bike ride (hello wheezing lungs, this is high altitude speaking) and finished the evening having dinner with some of my mom's friends who happened to be from New Zealand and Hungary so I got to become increasingly jealous hearing about all their travels, but gained a bit of info on my up and coming NZ vaca in November.

Friday morning I went to work in the morning with mom to see what she does and keep her company! That was just a tiny precurser to the rest of the days activities though.... when we finally got to bail on work, we drove up to Tip Top Ranch to go horseback riding! We got placed on the 2 most obese horses they have (Hey now, are they implying something here since I'm in from WI?!) and off we went! Of course being on the fat horses, they kept trying to stop to eat or fart. At least it was funny! And the scenery was beautiful. Pedicures followed our saddle burned butts!

Me and my fat horse, Fancy

I brought up the rear of our parade - so I got to the the bowel movements of each horse in front of me. Yum.

Our cute toes for all your blog followers with a foot fetish.

Friday night I drove down to Longmont, CO to meet with the wonderful Allison Sterk who I graduated GVSU echo with! I hadn't seen her since graduation and it was a lot of fun catching up (even though I'm wildly jealous of her as she now lives in Denver!!!)Alli and Me!

The weekend was where the most fun was at! Saturday bright and early we went white water rafting in the FREEZING COLD 38degreee snowmelt Poudre River. Sure we had wet suits on, but when that water hits you, if you weren't awake before, you are now! Thankfully, we were all pros and not a single one on our boat fell off (Thank God! Hypothermic shock does not sound like a great vacation adventure) I opted not to buy any photos of the event as I'm hard pressed to want to buy $75 worth of photos where I freezing and have an oh-so-attractive contorted 'this is my paddleing hard and trying not to fall out' face. Trust me, you aren't missing anything.

At the entrance of Mountain Whitewater Descents

Goofing off before the trip

Geared up (in a stinky wetsuit) and ready to go

The afternoon was spent at the very popular, book it 2 months in advance, New Belgium Brewery tour! It was a blast - or maybe that's just the 6 beers talking. Any brewery tour that ends in a twisty slide is ok in my book. I only wish I worked there as there was a climbing wall for employees and after a year of employment, you get a free bike!!! Children's Hospital of WI...you're slacking on the employee perks here!

Working off the beer before she even drank it

On the Fat Tire bike

Our post-rafting drunk faces.

I think this was #5....

The grade finale- the twisty slide!

Sunday we drove through the ever beautiful Estes Park and went hiking up Lily Mountain. It wasn't a crazy long hike - 4 miles total - but between the 1000 ft altitude gain and the nearly 10,000 ft summit, it winded you climbing up. But the view from the summit was breathtaking and absolutely worth the sore legs I had the next day. My photos don't do it justice. It was raining and thundering by the time we made it to the top so we weren't too keen on staying up there, which was a bummer, but at least the weather held out enough to make it up.
The rest of Sunday was spent exploring Boulder (and by exploring I mean shopping :P)

At the trailhead - before my legs started hurting

See me? I climbed way up on that rock to get some better pictures

Excuse the hat/rain hair. And believe me - the view was soooo much better than this!

Did I mention that after this hike, I have a love affair with my Vibrams? Well I do. They are fabulous.

Pretty! (The Mountains- not sweaty,bad hair me)

Monday I went to Swetsville Zoo with my mama! Swetsville Zoo is a collection of different creatures that the owner made from old scraps and farm equipment. I first went to Swetsville Zoo on my Colorado 2008 roadtrip with Nick. It was fun to go back and take a stroll down memory lane!

Mom at the zoo entrance

Here I was in 2008...

and now 2011!

2008...

2011!

We also visited Horsetooth Reservoir (Very pretty), but it was just too damn hot to get out and hike...so we just drove around and hopped out to take the occasional photo or two!

This sign was surprisingly hard to climb.

My time in Fort Collins was wrapped up in a very Fort Collins way, on a bicycle! It was a great ride complete with prairie dogs, a fox, and a bicycle crash (oops! I am my mother's daughter...and down I went!)

Prairie Dog (one of many!)

Foxy!

Oops! My scuff on John's expensive bike seat after my fall!

All in all - the trip was successful (minus the screaming babies on the flights, but hey, what can you do?)! I wish I could post pictures of how beautiful it actually is out there, but the camera just can't capture it. So if you haven't gone, I highly recommend it! I know I'm already planning my next trip!

See you all again after my move in August!

(On a side note.... it's always nice to come home after a week long vacation to clean up diarrhea cause the damn cat decided to eat 2 raw chicken breasts. I'll spare you this time..no pictures)