Scenic Drive in Boulder

Flagstaff Road, Boulder Colorado

Do you often wonder how the heck do I get up the mountain by those houses or just want a nice drive into the Rockies?

Will here is a simple drive right in our own backyard.

Just past Chautauqua park, this little drive had me quite amazed with all the spectacular views of Boulder and its Flatirons.

Taking Highway 36W into Boulder, simply take a left on Baseline Road and follow it all the way up the mountains.

There are numerous stops along the road to have a picnic or to just take in those amazing views just a mile or so up the hill.

If you are really feeling adventurous, keep going up the mountain, there's the famous Flagstaff House, an acclaimed restaurant also with great views of Boulder.

I was feeling quite the curious George and decided to keep driving, about 30 minutes in I found another scenic area that had some amazing views of Longs Peak.

This was a great afternoon trip for the nature lover and adventurer.

Please mind the bicyclist and the twisty roads; these roads don't leave much room for error and its a long way down. Take your time and enjoy the sights.

Out on the town --Denver's Acorn

Lately we've find ourselves falling in with the foodies crowd.

First stop, Acorn, located within the Source, 3350 Brighton Blvd, Denver, CO 80216, a reclaimed 1880's foundry, we love the vibe here. There's a unique marketplace with cocktail bars, butcher shop, pub, cafe, cheese shop, high end liquor store, and of course our favorite Acorn.

Great mixed cocktails and high end food with moderate pries. You want an ole fashion or a spin off of that, then your're in the right place.

I highly recommend small appetizers so you can get a taste of all the delicious food coming out of the kitchen such as the bone marrow, shrimp and grits, or the meatballs.

And of course, you can't leave without getting that amazing wood-fired grilled chicken for just $27; it's a steal--trust me! And make sure you get mashed potatoes; it will blow your mind away!

One last thing--make a reservation and I highly suggest sitting at the chef's counter so you can watch the masters at work; it's one heck of an experience.

www.denveracorn.com

Colorado Wildfires

Colorado Wildfires
Oh my poor Colorado. Several wildfires across the state-Boulder, Estes Park, and Colorado Springs--more then 8 wildfires across the state. Please note open fires are banned. I know 4th of July is around the corner but please be careful with the fireworks; this is the hottest and driest season I've seen in a long time.

Also if you are traveling along I-25 in Colorado Springs, remember to give yourself extra time for traveling. The wildfire has reach I-25 and all traffic is being deverted east along Academy BLVD.

River tubing in Lyons, Colorado

Amazing! My brother has been telling me for years about this spot up in the mountains and we finally went. First the park area is amazing; there's an open field for Fido to play in, a baseball field, playground, couple of bbq pits, bathrooms, volleyball court, picnic areas, and rv parking. And to top all that off the river runs all the way around the park for a good half mile. People were dropping in their inner tubes and riding the river to the other side of the park and then walking across the park to do it again. If you don't want to tube then there's a little swimming area and a deep enough place to jump off the rocks. The only downside is it is June and the water is still cold; my brother said he came in August and the water was a lot warmer. I plan on making this trip again it was a lot of fun. How to get there: Take I-36 west (go thru Boulder) to I-60W, in Lyons the road will fork (right fork to Estes Park) go left, just after the light there will be a dirt road on the right, take the right and you're there. Parking is 5 dollars or you can try to find a spot on the street and walk. Best tube drop in point is to the right after the baseball fields. Have fun! And remember don't stand in the river; swim to the sides. 

Back in Colorado

Finally home. Sad to see all the wildfires that are happening in Colorado Springs and Estes Park. Pray for some rain.

Traveling back thru Munich

So if your flying to the United States just keep in mind you need to eat and buy your soverniors prior to going thru the U.S. check point. I found a ton of great soverniors-german chocolate, shot glasses that look like beer steins. My favorite was a cloth hanging that showed all the cities of Germany-my brothers and I were born in Germany and they loved this gift. Another favorite when we were kids are the Kindereggs; its a hollow chocolate egg with a toy in the middle; I always make sure to grab some of these when I'm in Germany-a family favorite.

Last second trip to Siena

At the last minute our group decided to drive to Siena and I'm glad they did. The drive there was very scenic passing lots of villas and castles on the way. Little did I know, there is a lot of history in Siena like the various proviences make up the town and back in the day instead of going to war the proviences would have a chariot race around the center. Siena also had great food and shops as well as plenty of older structures (Cathedral built in the 1300s). I also loved how the towns folk dress up and wave their provience flags and beat on their drums. Great last minute trip.