Durango

We drove to Durango this weekend for fall break/mountain bike state competition. Davis did not make state this year (only 2 freshman boys from his team did), but he still wanted to support his team. We had never been to Durango so we decided to do it. We booked a really nice VRBO right downtown and headed out Thursday morning. The drive was lovely and though fall foliage is over in the Denver area, it was still really pretty near Durango. It was a long drive though- six and a half hours. We stopped in Del Norte for a picnic lunch on the way. That afternoon we checked in and Michael worked and the boys and I walked downtown to explore. We went to the train museum and looked in the shops. We bought hot chocolate and cream soda and tried to buy tour tickets for Mesa Verde, but it was sold out. Next year! That evening Michael went with us to dinner in the saloon at the Statler Hotel. Then later, we curled up in the living room with the gas fire to watch City Slickers as we had discovered it was filmed in Durango!
The next morning was rainy and cold. The boys and I got some groceries for the potluck that night and then when the rain stopped, went to Schneider Park for them to enjoy the skate park. We went home for lunch and then out to the fairgrounds to meet up with Donavan and his family and their friend Alex who came with them. Alex had hurt himself on his bike, so we doctored him up and drove over the Ewing Mesa for the pre-ride. All team members got to ride on the pre-ride and so Davis really enjoyed it though it was windy up there and I wished I had brought a jacket. After the ride, we rushed back to the condo to clean up and grab dinner and Michael and drive over to the Coach's fancy VRBO house for a potluck dinner with out mountain bike family. It was really fun. We tried to then leave and get to the downtown area for a balloon glow, but the wind had cancelled it. That was a good thing, because it took a while to get out as it was crowded and a crazy cat lady from the down the street was yelling at all of us to get off her drive, lol. We eventually left and met with Davis's friends and their families at our VRBO. We walked up and down main street with them and ended getting everyone a hot chocolate at Rocky Mountain Chocolate.
The next morning was the race for freshman and JV. We got up early and drove up to the Mesa to cheer on Donavan and Peter and the freshman girls. It was a great and beautiful weather though the morning was cold! Sam and Reese's little brother Bryce played hot wheels on the mesa and Michael and I chatted with parents, especially Reese's and Donavan's and cheered on the kids while Davis hung with his team. Around lunchtime we went back to the condo and then met Donavan's family at the Schneider park where the kids rode bikes and scooters and we relaxed in the air lounjs in the sunshine and enjoyed chatting for hours. Late afternoon, Donavan's family left and we drove over to the train station to meet Reese's family. We explored the train station and then said goodbye to the them as well. We came home and cleaned up and went out to dinner at Ken and Sue's which is a lovely family run restaurant. We had a table on the heated patio and had such a good time, just the four of us laughing and talking. We went back to the VRBO and Davis did homework downstairs while Sam and Michael and I piled on our bed and watched the Karate kid. It was all pretty great.
We woke up the next morning and loaded up to drive home. We stopped in Salida at Sweetie's sandwich shop again and continued our drive. It was cold and windy and there was snow on the drive this time! Weather had come in over the weekend. We got home in time to watch the Saint's game and relax. It was such a good weekend and a wonderful fall break!