Month: December 2011

We Did It For the T-shirt and Fish Taco

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2011 was a great year.  A year full of surprises and many changes.  So, exactly what is the best way to end such an eventful year?…By running my first 5k!  The New Year’s Eve Resolution 5K (presented by Wahoo’s Fish Taco) in Denver was a great way to wind up our year.

www.resolution5k.com

The event was crowded with several hundred people even though temps were in the cool 30s.  At the start line we were surrounded by racers, families, kids, strollers, friends….there was no shortage of runners for this race.  As this was a spur of the moment decision, I had not trained at all for this event…and the last time I had even ran anywhere near 3 miles was over 10 years ago!  But I knew I had J – the great motivator – with me. 🙂  J also reminded me that the fastest finishers would have the freshest tacos.

Slow and steady wins the race…or at least finishes the race.  I ran the entire course, except for a quick 1 minute shoe tie break.  J stayed close by and serenaded me with USMC cadences whenever my motivation started lagging.  After 39.35 minutes, we reached the finish line!  Victory is so sweet.  Now, where is my taco?!

I predict that more 5ks are in store for us in 2012!

Steamboat Springs

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“Well, when I was your age, I walked 4 miles…uphill…in the snow, just to get an elk loin steak….”

As most people do, the majority of our Christmas was spent eating…a lot of eating.  So, it was time to head out to Steamboat Springs and burn off a few of those festive calories.  Steamboat is a hip western ski town that has plenty of entertainment for the entire family.  Skiing, shopping, and relaxing in the hot springs are just a few activities that the town has to offer.

Just outside of Steamboat, there are lots of cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling trails.  Snow levels in many parts of Colorado are currently about 30% lower than normal.  However, the Steamboat area has more snow than many of the neighboring ski towns, so it was a good choice for our day of snowshoeing.  We decided to spend our afternoon at the dog friendly trail, Fox Curve Loop.  It is just a few short miles from town on Rabbit Ears Pass/Buffalo Creek.  Fox Curve Loop is a 4 mile trail that provides some variable terrain…downhill, through the meadow, over the creek, up the mountain and through the woods.  There is no shortage of beautiful snowy scenery.  It was a fun and exhilarating hike, but at the finish line Furry B was ready to warm up from the breezy 28F temps.

At the hotel, the clerk was kind enough to provide a recommendation for dinner….Ore House at the Pine Grove.  We were the first diners in the door and ready to eat.  The Ore House is located in a 100 year old barn that was renovated in the 1970s and is full of western pictures and artifacts.  It is the oldest restaurant in town…and I’m guessing one of the busiest too.  In true western fashion, J ordered the peppercorn Elk Loin and I chose the Steak Bits.  All entrees include the salad bar, bread and cinnamon rolls (yes, cinnamon rolls!), and choice of potato – their specialty is the House Potato, which is shredded red potato rolled into a ball and fried, and then covered in a warm cheese sauce.  Trust me, order it!  This was one of the best dining experiences since arriving in Colorado.  The dinner was delicious…fresh salad, tender and flavorful steak, and the sides were divine.

However, the true test of restaurant greatness is of course dessert. At many restaurants desserts often look great, but the taste rarely lives up to their gourmet look.  So here it goes…Brownie Fudge Sundae please.  And then it arrives at the table…an extra large warm brownie (corner piece) covered in fudge sauce with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream, and whipped cream garnishing this delicious ensemble.  Heaven on a plate and angels dancing on my tongue!

If you are ever in Steamboat Springs, Ore House at the Pine Grove is a must eat!!

Before saying our goodbyes to Steamboat, we drove downtown to visit F.M. Light & Sons clothing store.  Walking into the store, one takes a step back in time.  This historic store opened in 1905 and still uses many of the same display cases from when it originally opened.  Western clothing, boots, and Stetson hats fill the store.  Take a few minutes and read the fascinating story of this store’s humble beginnings: History of F.M. Light & Sons.

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Snowshoeing & Muttluking on a Bluebird Day

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Winter is upon us…and Furry B has been dying to try out his new Muttluks.  Since we have already been skiing and ice-skating; it was time to try the fastest growing winter sport in the world – snowshoeing (and of course muttluking).  We chose a hiking trail next door to Nederland, CO for our first snowshoe adventure.  West Magnolia Trailhead is just off the Peak to Peak Highway and offers easy access to several trails.  We strapped on our snowshoes (and muttluks) and had a quick practice walk at the trailhead, before heading up the trail.  We hiked up to a lookout, where we could see Eldora Mountain Resort.  Furry B, “The Abominable Snowman,” goes insane when he is in the snow.  We had a hard time keeping up with him.  It was an outstanding day to enjoy the outdoors… with blue skies, sunshine and snow.

A Little Snowshoe History— Even though snowshoeing is mostly now just a recreational sport, it actually began out of a need for survival over 6,000 years ago in Asia.  In cold climates, snowshoes allowed people to travel and hunt in deep snow without sinking into the snow.  Snowshoes are designed to cover a large surface area so that your feet will “float” on the snow.  Snowshoes have definitely advanced since 6,000 years ago.  The first snowshoes were made from wood and rawhide; and now they are typically made from plastic, aluminum and synthetic materials.

We worked up an appetite while snowshoeing, so we were glad that Nederland was close by so we could enjoy a late lunch.  Nederland is a unique mountain town, with friendly people and a laid back lifestyle.  While Furry B napped, we ate at the Wild Mountain Smokehouse and Brewery.  It was busy; apparently a popular hangout for skiers since the Eldora ski area is close by.  After lunch and a brew, we went in a few of the downtown shops and the local Mountain People’s Co-op….very small, but full of unique items and reasonably priced.  Mostly all organic groceries, and a large selection of bulk staples and exotic spices.  It is one of the only two grocery stores in town.

Our visit would not have been complete without a visit to the train car sitting in town.  Curiosity got the best of us, so we had to drop in Buffalo Bill’s Coffee and Confections.  It is a coffee shop inside of an early 1900’s train car.  Very neat atmosphere with good coffee and even better homemade mini doughnuts!  It was a great end to our Nederland visit.

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Pizza on Ice

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We love the mountains….but this weekend we decided to enjoy the Christmas lights and winter festivities of the city.  Downtown Denver was calling our name.  We enjoyed an evening of twinkling lights, awesome pizza and ice-skating.

The 16th Street Mall was our destination and first stop was Mellow Mushroom for the Mellowteranean pizza – loaded with chicken, roasted red peppers, mozarella, feta and tzatziki sauce for dipping.  Mellow Mushroom is a national chain with a local feel. Their pizza story began on Spring Street in Atlanta, GA over 30 years ago. With now over 100 locations nationwide — if you are craving a good pizza in a unique atmosphere….look them up, I bet there is one near you.

After a great dinner, we were ready to brave the cool night air and try out the skating rink just around the corner.  The Southwest Rink at Skyline Park is definitely a popular Denver attraction and free to the public.  Under the Christmas lights and enjoying the music from the live band, we skated the night away….