Fort Collins

Fort Collins was a lot of fun. Not only does Brother Will reside there, so does a good 'ol college buddy, Collins. They sure did show us a great time.

O'Dells was the second brewery we visited and Will almost proposed to the girl giving the tour. "I think I might ask this girl to marry me." Ha! "Not only is she hot, but her parents own a brewery." That kid cracks me up. I was so proud of him during our stay. He has really found his niche in Colorado. I'm a tiny bit jealous he gets to live in such a cool town.

We also visited the New Belgium brewery, which produces beers both Dirk and I have coveted since we met. Fat Tire, 1554, Skinny Dip, Blue Paddle. Delicious microbrews produced in a facility powered by solar and wind energy and made entirely of repurposed materials. Oh, and they have free postcards there that they will mail for you (for free.)

The altitude shortened our hike, but it was fun to frolick in the mountains above Fort Collins with my brother, my buddy, my boyfriend, and all of our dogs.

Thanks to the handy app Urban Spoon I downloaded onto my iphone (thanks to Aunt Jane), I found a great vegan/raw restaurant in Fort Collins called Tasty Harmony. With a patio so we could dine with the dogs while Will finished a job and Collins finished hanging out with cadavers. I LOVED it. And so did Dirk, surprisingly. "This is great, but can I have a big juicy hamburger for dinner?" Ha!

Collins! I love this girl. She's just one of those people you feel completely comfortable and at ease around. Great taste, intelligent conversations, silly giggly moments. She's super.

Tee hee. I just had to preface this photo with that because every time I look at it I giggle. Cach le Poudre (the river) runs through Fort Collins. And it's pronounced "pooder." As in, what my mama has always referred to passing gas as. And it's the funniest word in the word, make that universe, to me. Yes, I really do want to name my next pet Poudre just because it never ceases to make give me the fourth-grade-girl-at-a-slumber-party-all-hopped-up-on-mountain-dew-and-doritos giggles.

Thus ends our time in Fort Collins. Again, I realize I'm really behind on these vacation posts, but I started a new full-time job and it has been difficult to transition between thinking/reading/creating all day to a JOB. A wonderful job. A challenging, mentally stimulating, intimidated every day but so happy job. Anyway, I look at pictures from our vacation every day because they make me so happy.

joy,
*Libba*

Vail Village

Although a little hoity-toity (in Collins's words) it was my first time in a ski town, and it was so much fun!  All the pedestrians on the street are all decked up in their ski gear, and they all migrate towards the lift.  Vail Village itself is idyllic, with cobblestone streets, clock towers, a covered bridge (crossing Gore Creek), tons of restaurants, boutiques, and outdoor gear stores.

  

They also have a series of bronzes of famous folks like Einstein, Monet, Shakespeare, Sakajawea, etc.  We had lunch and margaritas at Los Amigos, where you can watch the skiiers come down the side of the mountain.  Fun little town!

LionsHead Village

Foot traffic is allowed to take the gondola up the mountain after two, so Collins and I went up both yesterday and today to get some photos.  

Seeing all the skiiers did not inspire me to ski, however, I might be persuaded to pick it up because it requires so much fun STUFF.  Snowpants, base layers, helmets, boots, goggles, jackets, gloves.  It all seems like so much fun!  Just the stuff, though, not the actual skiing.  Collins hit the slopes today while I was getting a massage, and we met up for lunch at the Flying Burrito at LionsHead (we also indulged in a few Fat Tires,) then I got some shots of Collins in all her gear.  She even let me try on her goggles.