Swensons' Adventures: June is Ethan Time

We couldn't wait any longer...so off to Denver we went! Gail Tuscany and Caitlin Codding joined us and we all met at the Denver airport (they flew in from Boston and we came from Providence). We got into a rental car and headed for downtown Denver to see Ethan...and of course Jess and PJ.

On Tuesday and Thursday during the summer there is a food truck gathering in the park in front of the Capital Building.

So although the weather was a little dodgy we had a picnic of hand-foods in the city park.

Then it was on to Jess and PJ's house to relax and spend more time with Ethan...

Yay!

Friday morning we headed out to Ft. Collins north of Denver to visit the New Belgium Brewery. This is a very socially conscious company (think Ben & Jerry's) and they have a great tour...a significant amount of solar power, their own waste water treatment, and arrangements with a local pig farmer to use the waste grain as feed.

The company has reached a point where it is now completely employee owned and it is obvious that the employees take great pride in being a part of the organization.

As a part of the tour they taught us how to make a proper pour...

And after the tour we did sample a little more of the wares.

That evening we picked up some steaks and had nice dinner at home...

Then it was time for some card playing into the late evening...

Saturday morning we headed out to Boulder and the world headquarters (and the only manufacturing location for Celestial Seasons tea. They don't allow photography in the work areas so you will have to trust us that this is a wonderful tour...

Boulder is a great little city and we found a nice restaurant for lunch. Jess and PJ have been there before, but it was the first time for Ethan and the rest of us.

After getting back in the afternoon (and taking some naps) a sitter came by and the adults headed out for an adult beverage and then to dinner at the Vesta Dipping Grill...

Sunday's adventure was a day long event with us heading south to Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs. There we boarded the longest cog railroad in the U.S. (just over 8 miles long) and headed for the top of Pike's Peak. The base camp is just above 6,500 feet (higher than the top of Mt. Washington) and we were going to climb almost another 8,000 feet.

We started out with weather in the 70's (low 20's for our friends in Oz)...the windows were open and we began the steep climb (the line in the photo is the window and gives a sense of the angle of climb)..,

As we got into the Alpine fields the windows went up, but we still had beautiful views...

And then it started to snow...but Ethan didn't care.

Once we reached the top we spent some time in the summit house commemorating Ethan's 14,000 footer...

Cheri and I tried a "selfie" at the summit sign...

Then we took some group photos...

Before boarding the train and heading back down the mountain...

After reaching the base at Manitou Springs we picked up some sandwiches and had lunch in the Garden of Gods Park...

On our way back to Aurora we drove through the Air Force Academy grounds...not as old as USNA (Annapolis) or West Point, but an impressive complex.

It was a quiet night back at Jess and PJ's with a little more Ethan time...