Few Firsts

This weekend we decided to take a drive up to Rocky Mountain National Park since it was the last weekend for "Free admittance to National Parks week" (April 21-29).  It's a pretty drive up there (pretty much everywhere up here is a pretty drive!), and didn't take too long, either. We took Hwy 9 to Ute Pass Rd., thru Hot Sulphur Springs, to Granby, and then Grand Lake and up to the Entrance of the Park. We stopped at the visitor's center to get a map of the park, when they told us the road was closed only 15 miles ahead due to 6'-8' snow drifts. No big deal....we were there to check it out anyways! :)

Right inside the "gate", there were some moose. And cars pulled over to take pics. We're supposed to stay in our vehicles, but everyone was out to get a better look (but keeping a good distance). We drove up a little ways, and pulled off to Coyote Trail to walk a path. Then we headed up the rest of the way, turned around and headed back down. We stopped at the Colorado River Trailhead for a picnic lunch, then drove the rest of the way down and out of the Park. Right outside of the "gate" were the moose again....a mom and her baby. We were happy to see them again, and got better pictures with the zoom lens. We drove another road right outside of the park and looked at some houses, and saw the daddy moose. (First time we've seen any moose...AND they were CLOSE!!!)

We then headed home....past Grand Lake and Lake Granby (side by side)....the area is absolutely breathtakingly beautiful to say the least. We took a different route home, going through Granby, Winter Park, and driving to the Henderson Mine where Matt goes to work sometimes, then heading past Empire and to I-70 and back home. 

Once home, we bbq'd some steak we had gotten at the Kremmling Meat Market, along with some garlic (YUM!), sticky rice, and baked beans (for a quick side). 

Then, since it was still daylight (7pm), we headed over to Lake Dillon to fish for a little while. (All the fishing gear was in the Rango already.) Within about 15 minutes, Ashlyn was watching Matt's pole while he untangled her line, and she caught a little trout! (Her first trout.) All by herself! Mom grabbed it so dad could get it free, and once we saw how small it was, we decided to put it back. No one else snagged any fish, and it got cold(er) fast, so we headed back home for the night. 

Today, Sunday, Matt and Ashlyn went to the shooting range (outdoor) to shoot his new .54 caliber Muzzle-loader.  He loaded it "light" a couple of times for her to try if she wanted, but she decided not to. (Maybe if we get a small .22, that would be better for next time.) When they returned, we all went fishing in a different spot at Lake Dillon. Turned out to be not the greatest spot, as the kept getting snagged and broke a couple lines. (And it was cold with that wind again....)

 But it was an AMAZING weekend outdoors again, spending great quality family time together, and making wondering memories together. We're so excited to have many more!