The Lemonade Trip

Sometimes life just doesn't go as planned for whatever reason. And sometimes, it's really crappy when things don't go as planned. Really, really crappy. And while it's cliche, when life hands you lemons, you can either be all bitter and crabby, or you can make lemonade. And while the lemonade doesn't change or make the crappiness go away completely, it leaves a much better taste in your mouth than staying home and being bitter and crabby.

So with that, here are pictures from "The Lemonade Trip" to Aspen this weekend.

A little schoolhouse outside of Leadville

Heading up Independence Pass

It was not long after this shot was taken that it was deemed unsafe to try and get licorice out of the bag while driving at anytime the guardrail is nonexistent.

At the top of Independence Pass

Is it just me or does it look like they carved out the top of the sign so that people would know they're at the top of the pass?

Headed down into Aspen - some of the only blue sky we'd see the whole trip

Natasha and I at the Maroon Bells

The Maroon Bells

A pretty little church on the road to Aspen Highlands

The show poster at BellyUp Aspen the night we were in town

Even in Aspen, an ice cold PBR following an adventuresome day is delightful

The Hotel Jerome

This is where we stayed. It opened in 1889. The halls are decorated with framed newspapers from years past. The woodwork throughout the hotel is amazing. The staff, some of the friendliest ever. Our spacious room faced Ajax Mountain. Who doesn't love an upgraded room, right?

The J Bar at Hotel Jerome

We caught the end of the Nuggets heartbreaking loss to the Lakers here while enjoying the bar's specialty "Aspen Crud" (milk, bourbon and ice cream, blended up to make a delicious bourbon milkshake) and truffled fries (AMAZING)!!!

Sunday we took our time getting going since it was rainy and overcast, again. Then it was off to checkout the neighboring areas. First stop...Snowmass Village

The flowers in the picture are tulips. We were amazed momentarily that they had hung on for so long. Then we remembered that the mountains are a month or so behind us as far as the seasons go - so they're right on time, and absolutely gorgeous!

Woody Creek Tavern

Then it was time for lunch. After a morning of looking at multi-million dollar homes that made our heads spin, we found this little out of the way hot spot for lunch. We left the highway and followed a smaller road along the river, through a little trailer park area and then came upon the Woody Creek Tavern. The walls are covered in pictures and bumper stickers and the tables were packed. It appeared that most of the patrons had arrived on bicycle.

Colorado River

The river was hauling through Glenwood Canyon, the amount of whitewater was amazing! We drove by the hot springs in Glenwood, but it was rainy, and cold - so the the thought of swimming wasn't so appealing at the time. Not so for the probably 300 or so people who we saw swimming when we went past.

Empire, CO

The last stop on the trip was in Empire - home of the chocolate covered bacon and the most amazing Mountainberry Pie!

Norm didn't go on the trip, but he was happy demonstrate exactly how tired I felt by the time we got home.