[su_heading size=”18″]A Family Trip Around Colorado[/su_heading]

We rode our horses through the fields, the sweet scent of Sage and Pinion Pine infiltrating the crisp Colorado air and a feeling came over me that I had never felt before, complete elation.

This is it, our counselor announced helping to steer our horses into the secluded spot he had found. Quietly we waited, giggling with anticipation while keeping on the alert for the signal. Hearing the voices and the clip clopping of hooves from afar, we held our breath. His arm came down and we were off. Maneuvering our horses like cowboys we galloped from our hiding place and whooped over to the surprised group, surrounding them and taking them as our hostages.

My Best Family Vacation:

I was ten, in heaven, and never leaving the C Lazy U Dude Ranch that my parents, exceptional travelers that they were, had taken us on for our summer vacation.

Every day my sisters and I woke up to a delicious cowboy breakfast, retrieved our horses out of the barn and saddled up for long, adventurous days of galloping through fields and exploring trails. In the afternoons we were trained in Western Horsemanship and entered Shodeos. At the end of the day we groomed and bonded with our horses and then groomed ourselves for line dancing and cute boys. This Massachusetts girl was hooked and determined to one day move to Colorado. I still have my chap stick with a scent captured of a time and place in my life where I was introduced to cowboys and the notion that I might one day find one of my own. So what if Wade is allergic to horses, he is from Colorado after all.

Twenty something years later, ahemmm, Im going back with my boys, and Preston, Brevitts best friend of whom I affectionately call my good kid.

The invitation by C Lazy U to return provided me with the impetus to formulate my biggest travel writing gig yet, Hip Hopping into the West. The trip begins today where we will drive to downtown Denver to stay at The Brown Palace, Denver’s only Forbes Four-Star and AAA Four-Diamond hotel. Tomorrow we may dive into Water World and in the evening attend the Colorado Hip Hop Festival Showcase, and hopefully get some dynamic street interviews of rising stars.

Next on the itinerary is my trip down memory lane to experience 5-Spur Service at The C Lazy U Guest Ranch & Resort, where kids stay free if you plan it right. Our final stop will be The Broadmoor, winner of the Five-Star Award for 50 consecutive years. The last time I visited Colorado Springs, I was the Production Manager on a Harley Davidson shoot. We lived in The Garden of the Gods from sunrise to sunset. I will be taking the boys back to my favorite jaunts but thanks to the incredibly efficient Concierge at the resort, I have found that there is so much more to be seen in that area and we will try our best to fit it all in.

And so…the trip begins and I can only hope that all will go smoothly. Call me crazy and knock on wood but I have a feeling that this week is going to be a good week!!