The HENDRICKSON Family: Colorado ~ Summer 2023

We drove out to Colorado on July 1st and stayed until July 7th. We had a great time with my family all there together. Matt even flew in from California to be with us all. We did a lot of fun things each day. Below is a day by day summary and pictures of the fun we had.

Day One ~ Saturday, July 1st

We left early Saturday morning and headed to Woodland Park, Colorado to our family's cabin.

We arrived early that evening, unloaded our vehicles and got settled in. While we were unloading the vehicles we all noticed a beautiful little rainbow in the sky. I think Mom was smiling and showing us she was there, in our hearts, in Colorado with us.

Day Two ~ Sunday, July 2nd

Sunday we did a little hiking around the cabin, visiting, and drove into Manitou Springs to try some fresh spring water, look in a few shops, and play some games at the "Penny Arcade".

Eric and Silas both tried the punching bag arcade game to see how hard they can punch.

Lindsee, Matt, and Eric collected fresh spring water to bring back to the cabin for us all to try.

When we left Manitou, the Erics took all the kids with them on to the cabin, while Lindsee, Matt, Dad, and I went to get some groceries before meeting them back at the cabin. When we arrived back at the cabin, the Erics had "MADE FIRE!" and were ready for a hot dog roast and smores for dessert.

The moon was nearly full as it rose up above the trees and mountains that clear night.

The winners of the "MOST MESSY SMORES EATERS" contest went to Phoebe and Popee. What a hilarious mess! Nothing like digging right in! Popee even had it on his shirt and glasses.

Lindsee and Sarah were on dishes duty that night.

Day Three ~ Monday, July 3rd

The next day we went to Eleven Mile Canyon. There we enjoyed the beauty of the canyon, the water, fishing, a picnic, and some swimming. Unfortunately, Sarah started to feel bad that morning and didn't feel like eating much or swimming. She had a headache and very sore throat.

Eric and Silas fished for Trout for a good portion of the day. It was a slow start for them but then they really got into them in a good spot in the canyon. They stayed there longer that day than the rest of us, and caught their limits in Rainbow Trout.

The water was a little cold, but Lindsee, Will, EP, Silas, and Phoebe all enjoyed swimming and floating.

Dad and I liked watching from the bridge. We could see them having fun in the water and we could see Trout swimming in the water below.

On our drive back to the cabin in the late afternoon, some of us saw this big herd of Elk along the cabin road. There were a couple with big antlers and at least ten babies.

Back at the cabin the kids and Popee played some games before dinner.

Will and Popee worked on cleaning and sprucing up the outhouse. Uncle EP and Aunt Lindsee came through with some surprise ice cream for Sarah who was still not feeling well.

That night for dinner we all made our own foil dinners. Foil dinners are kind of a traditional cabin meal for our family. There are LOTS of vegetables cut up, hamburger, seasonings, and Trout (this time), that can be added into each individual's foil wrap. Each person adds what they want into their foil and then they are cooked in the oven or in the fire pit on the hot coals.

That night, the kids wanted to watch a movie together. Later I went up into the loft to check on them, and found all but one asleep. Below, tired, sleeping cousins.

Day Four ~ Tuesday, July 4th

Happy 4th of July!

Sarah was still feeling rotten today, so our group split up and went two different directions, before meeting back up in Cripple Creek later that afternoon. The Erics, Phoebe, Will, Silas, and I went to Paradise Cove/Falls near Guffy, Colorado. It is known for its beauty. It was a short (maybe half mile to a mile), sometimes steep, hike to the falls. The falls are a place for swimming and some cliff diving. As we hiked in, we passed a Park Ranger who was monitoring, from a distance, the diving. We stopped to talk with him for a few minutes. The pool that these tourists dive and jump into is not super big or deep. Miscalculations and human stupidity have led to many broken ankles and some fatalities here. The park ranger shared stories with us about some of the divers. One of which was a "Cliff Diver" and had successfully completed several dives here, one from up to ninety feet up! He was an exception, whereas most of the people diving and jumping here have no knowledge or experience jumping from these high places into fairly shallow waters. They do not know how to disperse their body weight upon impact with the water for the safest landing in the shallow waters. We stood and watched a lot of jumpers and crazy people doing crazy things from edges of the rocks for awhile. Each time someone jumped it made me cringe. A few times I even told the kids "don't look". From what we observed, Eric and I both felt like this was a place for high school and college kids to hang out, drink alcohol, and then try to one up each other off of the rock cliffs. (Scary!) All a bad combination and obviously why there have been so many injuries and deaths here.

Below, you can see the rocks and ledges that some of the people try jumping and diving from. In the picture to the right, if you look closely, you can see a person in the air who had just jumped as I snapped the picture.

It was a nice little hike and a beautiful area to see. Phoebe, Silas, and Will all liked getting in the water in a place farther down from the falls, where there were less people.

Dad, Lindsee, Matt, and Sarah, went to a couple little shops, then drove to the Museum and Visitor's Center in Cripple Creek. We met them there later. Then we went to the park in Cripple Creek for a picnic lunch before walking up and down the main street in Cripple Creek.

A few of the Cripple Creek donkeys were pinned up downtown for visitors to see, pet, and feed.

Dad and I went into a casino and played a few slot machines. The kids watched from outside the window.

We enjoyed a family dinner at "The Creek" restaurant in Cripple Creek that evening before walking back down to the park and waiting for the fireworks to begin.

Day Five ~ Wednesday, July 5th

Dad taught Phoebe how to use a slingshot. She was pretty good at hitting the targets. Then they had a little slingshot shooting contest.

Today we had a morning reservation for a tour of the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center. It is located about thirty-forty five minutes from our cabin. Our tour was led by a very knowledgeable guide. We learned all about wolves and the 19 wolves, foxes, and two Singing Dogs that they have living there at the sanctuary. At the end of our tour we were all taught to howl like a wolf, on our tour guide's count, we all began to howl. Then, in response to us, the wolves stared to howl. As we quieted, the wolves kept howling beautifully for us to hear. Amazing!

EP's mom, Patti, joined us today for some family fun.

Eric, Silas, Phoebe, and Will spent some time fishing at the pond by our cabin. Eric cleared out some Cattails so that it was easier to fish from the bank. They caught a few small fish.

There was a lot of Frisbee throwing and games that were played.

We ate a sandwich lunch back at the cabin.

It was a little chilly that afternoon. Dad wore a blanket for a little bit to warm up. A deer came up close to the cabin a few times. Eric and I took the kids on a little "Adventure Hike" in the Pike National Forest behind the cabin. We found a couple weird things... a dead dog someone had buried under some rocks, and a white rope hanging from a tree like a noose. (A little eerie.)

That night our family drove into Woodland Park for the "Concert Under the Stars" which is held every July 5th on the football field at the school. A band played, then the symphony orchestra played, and then there was a patriotic drone show. It was a cold evening, with great music, and a fantastic drone show. A memory that I want to always have - Before the symphony began to play, a sponsor was handing out red, white, and blue glow sticks. We each got a couple. Silas had made a couple into a hat, and two more he was holding. As it got dark and the music continued, during a livelier patriotic song that the symphony was performing, I looked over at Silas. He was into it! He was waving two glow sticks (one in each hand), like a crazy symphony conductor. He kept it going until the song ended. He wasn't doing it to be funny, or because he thought people were watching him. He truly was into the song and was conducting every instrument and beat from his lawn chair out on the football field. You really had to be there to get the full effect of seeing him, but it is something that when I remember it, it will always make me smile and giggle.

Day Six ~ Thursday, July 6th

Today was spent around the cabin, relaxing, playing games, and hiking.

We divided into three teams that afternoon for a little contest. Each team threw from the porch down toward some empty bottle targets.

Below, Dad and Sarah showing their sad and happy faces during our Frisbee contest.

The third place team - Patti, Will, Sarah, and Paul.

The second place team - Lindsee, Matt, and Silas.

The first place team - Eric, Stacee, EP, and Phoebe.

I was beyond excited to find these Deer antlers near the cabin! I have always wanted to find some antlers, and I did it! Eric and I were up hill from them, and as I looked down into a little treed area, I saw what looked like white curvy sticks. I told him I thought it was antlers, he thought it was sticks. So, we went to investigate... and, I was right! A pair, about 5-6 feet from each other! Yay me!

Later that afternoon/early evening Eric, Sarah, Phoebe, Will, Silas, Lindsee, and I decided to go on a hike in the Pike National Forest, back to some Beaver ponds and beyond. We took some new trails, took some pictures, saw some beautiful flowers and Pikes' Peak, crossed a couple creeks, and found some great white quartz rocks. Then we each carried some back to the cabin. We were a long way from the cabin off the main trail, in an area we'd never been, all trying to carry some seriously heavy rocks back to the cabin. Silas and Will even had some in their pockets and had to keep stopping to pull their pants back up. We took several breaks, but tried to walk fast as we were running out of daylight. Finally, we all made it back to the cabin, rocks and all. What a fun adventure, with some beautiful souvenirs.