Part of the Trip Includes Maggie Time

Sitting on an airplane is working out well for getting out a blog update.  Our three full days in Denver had been so busy that I didn’t do much more than download some pictures each day and saved the second installment writing for now.

The creek and path run below street level so it is nice to be able to  just walk along.  Quite a few bikers and runners were out taking advantage of the beautiful fall weather so we needed to keep Maggie on her leash the whole time. Once those chores were done (and is it really a chore when you enjoy doing it?) we took a little soduku time and on-line time before heading out to explore some more.

Our second day meant a little sleeping in…while for some, but most of you know I was still up fairly early…that just gave me some time to do the last post.  Once Cheri was up and had a little breakfast we took a little Maggie time (since we’d be leaving her alone for much of the day).  There is a nice pedestrian/bicycle path along Cherry Creek which is just outside of Jess’ complex.  So we put Maggie on a leash and headed out. But once we got back to Jess’ complex—the Marquis on Parkway—we took Maggie to their greenway area and we were able to let her run a bit.  Between the three mile round trip along the creek and some greenway time Maggie was pretty tired out.

I had read on TripAdvisor—an online site that has very good travel information submitted by other travelers—that the Forney Museum of Transportation was worth a visit.  Although it seemed a bit out of the way it is a fun and interesting museum.

There are several train cars inside the building and one of the big—both figuratively and literally—items is a “Big Boy” locomotive and tender.  The combined locomotive and tender is 137 feet long, the wheels are 5 feet six inches tall, and it weighs over 600 tons—pretty impressive.



There was also  large display of cars and motorcycles that the Forney family had collected over many years…also on loan from a separate collection were operating models of all the Ford Thunderbirds…overhead they displayed various reproductions of Burma-Shave signs.




We also took advantage of the one vehicle—a Model T—that was available to sit in and take some photos…I feel like a chauffer in the photo with Jess in the back seat.






…and then Cheri took the best picture of the day…







What better way to end up the first foray of the day but to drive over to the Wynkoop Brewery and Restaurant for lunch…and since we were already there we decided to participate in one of Cheri’s favorite activities—a beer and ale tasting.

We picked up our tickets, glasses and a list of the Wynkoop brews available for tasting and enjoyed the experience…no they did not fill the cups up at every stop (although some servers were more heavy pourers than others)…and no we did not drink all of the tickets amount (it was much more than we wanted or needed).

But they had football on all around the tasting area and it was fun (you can check separately with Cheri for her impressions).

Our travels then took us back to Jess’ place for a little more Maggie time and to get ready for the evening event.


Previously Jess had picked up—through her new employee programs at Presbyterian / St Luke’s Medical Center—tickets to the Avalanche and Dallas Stars hockey game.  We had great seats and watched the Avalanche win 5 – 0.





We walked to and from the game, so by the time we got back to Jess’ we had a little time for Wii Mario Karts—Jess was talking trash about how she would win…and I showed her otherwise…even a blind squirrel finds an acorn once in awhile.


Sunday morning our plans centered around seeing the Patriots game and getting a little shopping completed.  PJ and I decided we would do the Patriots piece while Jess and Cheri did the shopping piece—we guys went to the Blake Street Sports Tavern and the girls headed off to the Cherry Creek Mall. 


Other than the Patriots losing, this worked out really well.  The room was set up with the Pat’s game on the big screen at one end and four other large flat screens along the walls that let us see other key games.  PJ’s brother-in-law’s brother Sean joined us part way through the first game and it was an enjoyable way to watch a less than enjoyable showing by the Patriots.  Toward the end of the game we were also treated to some fisticuffs caused by a fairly large and well lubricated Patriots fan taking exception to a Browns fan standing up and cheering for his team…we thanked our waitress for the floorshow… .

Following the game we picked up some items to go with dinner and the ladies picked us up to head back to Jess’ place.  PJ and Jess put together a wonderful salad and apple upside-down cake while I took Maggie out.  Then I worked on some mushroom risotto while Cheri tried her hand at a little Mario Karts.

We had a wonderful meal, watched a little TV, enjoyed a late dessert and then off to bed…our morning flight—the one we are on while I am typing—was at 7:05 am.  So the Denver portion of our trip ended with sidewalk hugs as Jess and PJ dropped us off at the airport…they were heading out to go skiing…another adventure of their own and the end of this one for us.