A Week with my Sister

Nicholas Sparks is my favorite author, and last year I read his book Three Weeks with My Brother. He gave me the wonderful idea that I needed to take a trip with my sister. Well, last year the timing did not work out, so we planned the trip for this summer. She is joining the Peace Corps in August and will be gone for 27 months, so our vacation couldn't have come at a better time. Bethany and I chose to spend our week together in beautiful Colorado.

On Sunday, we left Nashville and flew to Denver. We rented a car and headed for our first destination: Golden. Our Aunt Marcella and cousin Emily were there for a softball tournament, and we decided to spend some time catching up with them since we rarely see them. It was a great visit!

On Monday, we drove to Colorado Springs to tour the Olympic Training Facility. I am a HUGE fan of the Olympics, and this increased my excitement for the upcoming games. We had planned to visit Pikes Peak and Garden of the Gods, but those tourist attractions were closed due to the wild fire. The fire was unbelievable and such a sad thing to see. We shopped in Old Colorado City and relaxed at the hotel the rest of the night.

On Tuesday, we drove to Granby and stayed in a condo (thanks to Seth and Ashley) for the rest of the week. We hiked in Rocky Mountain National Park each day. Our hikes included: Shadow Mountain trail, East Inlet trail (Adams Falls & Mt. Craig), Green Mountain trail, and Colorado River trail (Grand Ditch). One day we drove along Trail Ridge Road, which offered breathtaking views of the mountains. Another highlight was attending the Granby  Rodeo on Friday night.

I am so thankful for the week I was able to spend with my sister. The views were spectacular and the company was delightful. Thanks Sissy for taking a week off to travel with me!

(A post with pictures to follow.)