Family travel | Life Elevated Mom

The day I thought we were going to die–Part I

January 12, 2012 by Amber

Last summer, I braved a solo trip with the kids from Denver to Salt Lake City to Boise, Idaho to Sandpoint, ID to Calgary, Canada. Jamie flew to Canada and we later drove back to Denver via Waterton and Glacier National Park, a total of almost 50 hours in the car.

When we made the last-minute decision to drive to Calgary for Christmas, I knew what that entailed: often-dangerous winter driving. But as I checked road conditions, the weather was clear. Knowing I couldn’t drive 19 hours straight alone with both kids, I opted to overnight in Billings, MT. I even found a great hotel, Big Horn Resort, that had the largest indoor waterpark in Montana.

I even willingly swam. That’s really saying something for me.

My intrepid travelers and I made the trip in record time—8 hours from Denver to Billings and exactly 9 hours from Billings to Calgary. Jamie flew up right before Christmas and we planned to drive back together before New Year’s. One would think the return trip would be even smoother. You know–family togetherness and all?

Only it wasn’t. My Facebook updates tell the story:

Day 1

Dear U.S. Immigration: Maybe try to use your resources to tackle your colossal illegal immigrant problem vs. detaining AND fingerprinting a legal U.S. Resident at the border.

And then a few minutes later:

On another note, we’re driving through Boonieville Montana and it’s swarming with Federal Agents and tanks. Either they’re 1) doing a huge raid/top-secret security 2) filming a movie or 3) onto me.

Day 2

Federal agents, border detention, that’s one thing (OK, actually 2). But nothing could have prepared us for The Sheridan Incident.

Shortly after we left Billings at 6:30 a.m., we encountered snow and slick roads. It was dark and I was driving—a bad combination. Though slippery, I managed to slowly navigate for the next 2.5 hours as Jamie promised he’d take over as driver once we reach Sheridan, WY.

But it didn’t happen:

I-90 CLOSED in Sheridan. Prospect of spending New Year’s Eve holed up in a seedy WY hotel is pretty much on par with the rest of our 2011.

I’ve been on numerous road trips but have never encountered an entire freeway closure without a detour. It had snowed overnight and that, coupled with extreme wind, make for white-out and icy conditions from Sheridan to Buffalo, WY. After an hour of waiting, Jamie found on alternate route. And then the games began.

Tune in tomorrow to read about our Shortcut of Death.

Filed Under: Family travel

Snowmamas SnowFun in Park City

December 28, 2011 by Amber

To say these last weeks have been crazed would be an understatement.

There was the Snowmamas Summit early-December at Park City Mountain Resort. To see the fun article I wrote about how I would spend 72 hours in Park City, be sure to go here.

We cowboy karaoked at Cisero’s wherein it was confirmed if you do not sing, dance or at least drink you have NO BUSINESS performing. Fortunately my talents lie elsewhere like careening down Gorgoza Park’s suicidal tubing hill.

We also race down the alpine coaster and were among the first to try Park City Mountain Resort’s brand spankin’ new Flying Eagle Zip line. I’m really excited about this addition because it’s a great starter zipline for my kids to try in March (there is a 42″ minimum height requirement).

Maggie and I were the first of the Snowmamas to test it out and the ending is a bit startling (and loud), hence our expressions.
In case you were wondering: startling + me = a bad mix.

I skied the first day with the group but it was my first time on skis since my knee surgery and I woke up sore the next day. I opted to skip out and explore Park City, starting on Main Street and then hiking up Daly Canyon as I passed numerous historic mining sites. When the plowed road turned to deeper snow, I thought, “This could end badly.”
That is not the first time I’ve ever harbored that sentiment.

Fortunately, it was a glorious hike and great to have some much-needed alone time at a haunt only known to the locals.

Jamie called me during my hike.

Him: How’s it going?
Me: Good. Knee was a bit sore so I opted out of skiing today.
Him: That’s good. So, what are you doing?
Me: Going snow hiking.
Him: It is just me or does that not make any sense?
Me: It’s just you. So, what are you doing?
Him: It’s been snowing non-stop in Denver so the kids and I were going to go sledding.
Me: You mean that kid with the busted arm?
Him: (Ignoring me): It took me about a half hour to bundle them up in their ski clothes. I then had to climb up into the rafters in the garage to grab the sled. Bode was down below and told me to drop it down so he could catch it.
Him: You mean that kid with the busted arm?
Him: (Ignoring me): So I dropped it down, he grabbed it, hurt his arm even more so we didn’t go sledding after all.

It’s kind of worrisome when I (the one hiking with the sore knee)am the only one making sense in this family.

Filed Under: Family travel, Humor, Jamie, Utah

Copper Mountain and My Ride of Death

October 4, 2011 by Amber

Missed yesterday’s post? Be sure to read Part I.

Admittedly, my reason for wanting to go to Copper Mountain in the off-season is because I have been dying to bike the portion of the Ten Mile Recreational Pathway that runs from Copper Mountain down to Frisco (about 13 miles round-trip.)

This extensive network of trails in Summit County is among my favorite in Colorado. A few years back, I biked with the kids from Frisco along the reservoir to Lake Dillon (one of my favorite days ever). Another time, I biked from Dillon up to Keystone and also we did Frisco to Breckenridge.

All that remains are for me to do Copper Mountain to Frisco and then Copper Mountain up Vail Pass, the latter of which is a 1,000-foot climb.

It’s no wonder I saved the best (or rather, worst) for last.

But on Saturday, I was determined to bike to Frisco and so I woke up at 6 a.m. It was still pitch-black outside.

I dozed until 6:30 a.m. It was barely starting to light up.

I fell back asleep hard, awaking at 7 a.m. I tried to talk myself out of going and stay snuggled up to Jamie but I had come on this trip for the express purpose of biking the trail. All other portions have been glorious and why should this one be any different?

Turns out, it was. Different, that is. As in bad-different.

It wasn’t the actual trail that was bad. In fact, a beautiful smattering of lemon-lime trees lined the path and the moderate decline to Frisco should have been a breeze.

But it was awful for two reasons: the weather and my bike.

Daytime temperatures were 60 degrees but nighttime hovered around freezing and that’s what it was when I started out. I had only worn a light fleece and Capri biking shorts and cannot ever remember being so cold on a bike path.

But I wouldn’t, I couldn’t turn back. For me, the only thing worse than quitting is having unfinished business and so I pressed onward, slowly.

The sluggish pace was due to a problem I am admitting publicly for the first time: I have an aversion to pumping tires. I’ve always felt this way and if you factor in my bike’s presta valve (that requires an adapter to pump), I avoid it at all costs.

That morning when I started out, my tires weren’t firm but still rideable. By the end, they were nearly flat.

Have you ever biked 13 miles in freezing temperatures with near-flat tires? It wasn’t pretty.I couldn’t even fake a smile here.

But I did it and now the only portion that remains is climbing from Copper Mountain to the top of Vail Pass.

Lesson learned: Wear winter clothes…and fully pumped tires.

Filed Under: biking, Colorado, Family travel, Humor

Copper Mountain’s Solace

October 3, 2011 by Amber

After our doozy-of-a-week in the hospital, our overnight trip to Copper Mountain on Friday could not have come at a more perfect time. I asked Jamie if he wanted to cancel but we have been trying to schedule this getaway for months (our lodging was a trade agreement with one of his clients).

And so we went with the understanding Jamie would need to lie low.

If there’s a perfect place to do that, it’s Colorado’s mountains in the fall and we nailed the colors perfectly.

Located 75 miles west of Denver right off I-70, Copper Mountain is the last of the major ski resorts I had yet to visit. Unlike many other resorts in Colorado, there is a ski village built around the area but no real town. This means the shoulder seasons (fall and spring) are like a ghost town. The solace was glorious.

On Friday night while Jamie rested at the condo, Hadley, Bode and I hot tubbed and then explored the area, starting with Copper Mountain Golf.

(Shhhhh, don’t tell the golfers we were on contraband bikes).

We also checked out The Woodward at Copper, a year-round snowboard and ski training camp (the first of its kind) with 19,400 feet of terrain park and pipe progression.
Basically, it’s teen/tween heaven and the staffer was gracious to show us around and even let the kids jump off the ramp into one of the many foam pits.

I declined for fear I’d be unable to climb out.

And yes, I speak from old-woman experience.

Tune in tomorrow (read the story here) for the sordid details of my ride of death. OK, maybe I didn’t exactly die but find out why I kind of wanted to. And yes, I still know I’m in need of posting pumpkin updates. It’s on my (very long) list.

Filed Under: biking, Colorado, Family travel, travel

The reality behind Colorado mountain scenery

October 2, 2011 by Amber

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.
~Albert Camus

That’s as poetic as you’re going to get from me.

At the very moment I took this picture at a pit stop en route to Copper Mountain, Bode was peeing on a nearby bush and Hadley was puking on another.

Just keeping it real, people.

Filed Under: Bode, Colorado, Family travel, Hadley, Humor

How to spend the perfect Colorado day

August 27, 2011 by Amber

As a family travel writer I am often asked by visitors, “If you were new to Denver and had just one day to see the nearby back- country, what would you do?”

Today, we did IT:

Namely, hiked to St. Mary’s Glacier and indulged in one of BeauJos Pizza’s famous mountain pies in nearby Idaho Springs, Colo.

St. Mary’s Glacier is one of the top tourist destinations in the area and for good reason: it’s located 45 minutes from Denver just 9 miles off I-70. I’ve done this hike every year since I moved to Denver.

Well, with the exception of when we arrived at the trailhead a couple of years ago and Jamie ran over Hadley’s foot with the car.

Gracious parents that we are, we let her forgo our annual adventure.

This is the second year in a row our kids have hiked to St. Mary’s Glacier by themselves. I wouldn’t call this a particularly easy hike (it’s really steep and rocky without adequate signage) but it is relatively short (just 3/4 mile to the base of the glacier).

There is also a big change this year. The lack of parking has been problematic and we were usually forced to perch on the shoulder of the road overlooking a steep cliff. Remember when Jamie ran over Haddie’s foot? That occurred whilst precariously parking. This year, they have a designated overflow lot that’ll cost you $5.

Well worth it to avoid trips to the hospital.

The steep, rocky hike:

Overlooking St. Mary’s Glacier and lake.

The 1.5-mile round-trip hike to the base of the glacier is only the start of the adventures. Every year, Hadley begs to go higher and higher. By next year, she’ll be capable enough to summit the darn thing along with the kamikaze skiers and snowboarders. This year, we held Adventure Girl back as much as we could.

It’s only a matter of time ’til she’s hauling her skis up there.

And dragging her poor mother down with her.

(Topping off a perfect day with BeauJo’s BBQ Chicken Mountain Pie in Idaho Springs)

Getting There: Take I-70 West from Denver, past Idaho Springs’ three exits. Take the next exit marked “Fall River Road.” Just past the bottom of the ramp, take a right (north) on Fall River Road. Follow this road up approximately 9 miles to one of two parking areas for the clearly marked trailhead to St. Mary’s Glacier.

Filed Under: Colorado, Family travel, Favorite Posts, hiking, Humor, outdoors Tagged With: Denver

The reality of my favorite place on earth

August 18, 2011 by Amber

I’ve traveled the world but if I had a favorite place on earth, Waterton Lakes National Park is it. Located in the southwest corner of Alberta, Canada, Waterton forms the world’s first international peace park with its better-known neighbor Glacier National Park in Montana.

Waterton does not have time to waste on nonsensical foothills. From the wind-swept prairies, the narrowest point in the Rocky Mountains does a dramatic upthrust to form staggeringly beautiful peaks in this intimate national park that measures just 200 square miles.

It has been 10 years since I was in Waterton and I have long dreamed of taking my family there. I had the whole thing mapped out in my mind. As we approached the valley, we would stop at the stately Princes of Wales Hotel. Built in 1927, this hotel is perched on a bluff overlooking Waterton Lake and has some of the best views.

We would browse the Canadian souvenirs in the hotel’s gift shop.

Tour the hotel.

And then we’d go out to the lawn where we’d pose for pictures.

Looks like a cut of The Sound of Music?

Think again. We made a tactical error in doping Haddie up on Dramamine to combat her carsickness. The drive from Calgary to Waterton is three hours and usually she conks out just a few minutes after taking the medication. She didn’t this time.

By the time we arrived in Waterton, she had reverted to the Terrible 3s and was out of her gourd with fatigue and crankiness.

You know, during the moment I’ve dreamed about for the last 10 years.

Just keeping it real, people, keeping it real.

Filed Under: Canada, Family travel, Humor

Heritage Park’s Glimpse at the Past

August 10, 2011 by Amber

This is quite possibly one of my favorite pictures that I took at Heritage Park Historical Village.

Both sets of grandparents were farmers so I was raised with a birds-eye view of the olden days and life on the farm.

My kiddos are finally old enough to really start appreciating our modern conveniences and they loved going back in time at Heritage Park. We explored some of the 180 historical exhibits, Gasoline Alley’s extensive antique car collection, a gallimaufry of artifacts, rode on numerous old-fashioned carnival rides, chugged along on an authentic stream train as well as cruised on Calgary’s only paddlewheeler on the Glenmore Reservoir.

Then we returned to Grandma and Grandpa’s comfortable and cushy home.

I like to call our day the best of both worlds.

Filed Under: Canada, Family travel

The Calgary Zoo’s Exotic Pink Bears & More

August 8, 2011 by Amber

Confession: I’m not a big fan of the zoo. I haven’t always felt this way. As a kid, I have pictures of my friends and me bundled up like abominable snowmen as we wandered around the zoo for my birthday.

Which is in February.

In Canada.

Why didn’t those parents of mine talk some sense into me?

Somewhere along my journey, I lost my luster for zoos (perhaps in sub-zero temperatures) but out of obligation for my animal-loving kids, I usually make a semi-annual pilgrimage to the Denver Zoo.

So, let’s just say I wasn’t overly enthusiastic when my Aunt Sue suggested we go to the Calgary Zoo. I mean, it’s a zoo. With animals that mope around all day. How exciting could it be?

As it turns out: plenty. Rated as the top outdoor site in Canada, the Calgary Zoo features more than 1,100 animals. My dinosaur-loving kids LOVED the prehistoric park’s life-sized dinosaurs, verdant foliage and bursting waterfalls.
Note: I don’t think the fake dinosaurs were included in the official count.

I don’t remember taking this shot of my mom’s pink hat juxtaposed against one of the waterfalls.
But for artistic purposes, let’s just say I framed it marvelously.

I fell in love with the Canadian Wilds section where the pathway snaked through natural habitats with native Canadian plants and trees. At times I swore I was hiking through the Canadian Rockies as we got up close and personal with a grizzly bear, moose, wood bison, wolves and more.

The kids particularly loved the interactive bear exhibit.

Though a few days later, Bode asked me what kind of bear “the pink one” was.

The Canadian “Care Bear,” Son.

Normally we skip out on the carousel at the zoo but I made the exception this time because it hosts 30 figures representing endangered animals from all seven continents including a condor, elephant, otter, cassowary, swift fox, gorilla and more.

Given all of those exotic choices, what did The Boy choose?

He tracked down the one and only HORSE on the entire Carousel.

Best to stick with the pink bear next time.

Filed Under: Canada, Family travel, Humor

The Great Canadian Everything

August 2, 2011 by Amber

Despite the fact I grew up in Calgary, there are still some unfamiliar things when I return home.

The Money

Canadian money is always an adjustment. I prefer our colorful bills to American green drabness (sorry, George Washington) but still cannot wrap my head around the Canadian Loonie, a gold-coloured (yep, correct spelling), bronze-plated, $1 coin introduced in 1987. If that didn’t weigh down my wallet enough, the government introduced the Toonie in 1996, a bi-metallic $2 coin.

Jamie and I had a run-in with the Loonie when we went grocery shopping at the Real Canadian Superstore (as opposed to the fake one), which was located next to Canadian Tire.

Just in case we’d forgotten we were in Canada.

In order to release the shopping carts, you need to insert a Loonie,which is returned to you after shopping. Problem is, Jamie and I spend a good five minutes trying…and failing to insert our money. Finally, a woman walked up to return her cart so I waved my Loonie like a madwoman proclaiming, “We’ll give you our Loonie for your cart.”

She denied us because she had a reusable cart coin that cost her $2 in place of the $1 Loonie every time she shops.

Anyone else as confused as we were?

Long story short, we finally got a cart (after losing face with my fellow Canucks) but went crazy at the grocery store. While the U.S. ethnic sections are preomindantly Mexican food, Canadian store aisles, delis and produce sections are stocked to the hilt with my favorites: Indian, Thai and Chinese foods. In the deli, we were got some sliced tandoori chicken for sandwiches. In the Thai section we got mango and also coconut/pineapple juice. In the bulk bins, we scored Canadian blue whales and wine gums.

Canadians have a few tasty tricks up their sleeves as well.

The People

During our long drive, a rock jumped up and chipped my windshield. I’ve been intending to get it filled and was thrilled when we pulled up to the Real Canadian Superstore and saw a small small canopy advertising rock-chip repairs while you shop.

What’re the odds of finding that? Being in Canada is like having your own genie.

We handed over our car before going to wrestle our shopping cart Loonie. Upon our return, our exceedingly enthusiastic repair guy pointed out his impeccable work, triumphantly claiming the round-shaped chips were his favorite.

As we were driving away, I commented, “I’ve never seen a rock-chip repair guy so passionate about what he does.”
“Of course he is,” Jamie retorted. “He’s chipper.”

The Differences Between Canada and the U.S.

My kids have been shuttled back and forth between Canada and the United States since they were born. Such exposure gives them unique insights into cultural idiosyncrasies between the two countries.

Take Hadley, for example. As we were wandering through a darling gift shop replete with Canadian goodies such as Mountie costumes and maple fudge at Heritage Park, my Aunt Sue told me Hadley was recently expounding upon the difference between the two countries.

I awaited profundities. Perhaps she would reference the flags, the anthems, Canada’s shining rivers, cool summers, friendly folks, democrats, Green Party and the Liberals.

Her observation?

“Canada doesn’t have Target!”

I’ve taught her well.

=========

P.S. Target recently announced 105 locationsthat will be opening in Canada. Hadley will soon be proven wrong.

Filed Under: Canada, Family travel, Hadley, Humor, Jamie, travel