We have now been in Breckenridge, CO for a month. It has been a very fun experience and one to learn from as well. Having only stayed in the RV in the cold for 1 week during our stay in Tahoe, this was all new. BUT we have done pretty well! We researched a lot about how to prepare for this and I can say we have been pretty comfortable.
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| (When we arrived) |
Our trip into Breckenridge was pretty uneventful. We picked up our rental gear in Denver and made it through Loveland Pass at 10,000 feet to arrive in Breckenridge a day early!! One problem arose after the pass: we got a "low coolant" alert on the truck.
The truck issue is ongoing at this point. We took it into the Silverthorne Chevy dealership who kept it awhile trying to locate the leak (which was apparent on the RV site pad). A couple weeks later and $125 we had our truck back. The leak does appear to be less, however, there is STILL a leak and now they have our truck AGAIN. Needless to say, we are getting very familiar with Summit County and Breckenridge's FREE bus system. It's been great to get us to the grocery store and the mountain any time we need it.
So, of course, our big reason for coming to Breckenridge during the winter is the skiing and snowboarding. Christmas week aside, we have been on the mountain about three days per week. The kids were enrolled in a team called the Breck Bombers for the month of December. Each Saturday they would have full-day lessons with the team. The team begins competition in January and continues into early March. Unfortunately, since we would not be here until March, they could not continue with the team.
Here is a video from their very first runs this season:
(Jordan is on the left and Jacob on the right)
The kids are doing great and have improved so much! Jordan is a great little snowboarder. She loves doing 360s on her board and you will catch her straight-lining down the slope. She is still not a huge fan of getting off the lift at normal speed (even though she can) and riding toe-side (even though she can).
(Even more than the skill she has learned, I love the encouragement I can hear from her brother!)
I took lessons, as well and I am skiing soooo much better. I feel much more comfortable on my skis and am beginning to really enjoy it. I've just gotta catch up with Jacob!!
Greg is, of course, doing well. His bad knee is holding him back a little but he has definitely explored more of the mountain than we have.
Here's a video of Greg and the kids mid December:
So far, we have skiied Breckenridge Peak 8 and 9 as well as one run at Keystone.
Keystone has the longest green run in North America and it is called Schoolmarm. It was 3.5 miles of pure torture for the kids and I. Being early in the season and not having had much snowfall, it meant that EVERYONE was on this same run. Crowded slopes are no fun for beginners. The skiers and boarders that should be on blue and black runs are on the same slope with you and are just flying down the mountain. Additionally, the run had some flat areas that made it very difficult for our beginner snowboarders. They were uncomfortable at gaining enough speed so they would get stuck and have to unbuckle their boards to get through these areas. Jordan was very upset and wanted me close to her. That made it very difficult for me, as skiers and snowboards just don't descend a hill the same way. We have yet to go back to Keystone because of this traumatic experience! Haha. At some point, we may try again.
The Dew Tour competition was held in December and we were able to get up close and watch a couple of the events. The competitors are sooo good and many are Olympic hopefuls. Greg even spotted Shaun White!
(Just watching the cameramen fly alongside the competitors is pretty impressive!)
Breckenridge has a FANTASTIC library. They have separate rooms for preschool age, elementary and teens. The two younger rooms have slides in them! They also have meeting rooms for the teens specifically, as well as other rooms to use. I am soooo impressed!
They also have a very nice Recreation Center, that is similar to a YMCA with many different youth programs. Unfortunately, we are here at the wrong time to sign the kids up for the many classes they offer. They all ended a few days into December and don't start again until early to mid-January.
We haven't done many educational outings, except for visiting the Edwin Carter Museum. This was the FIRST museum in Colorado. Edwin Carter was a successful miner but later discovered what effects the hydraulic mining was having on the wildlife. He became a naturalist and began collecting wildlife specimens to display in his museum. He was a taxidermist and had 3,300 specimens on display!! I admit that I don't fully understand the concept of killing the animals you feel need to be saved but that is what he did. I do believe, though that each specimen was unique.
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| (Jordan trying her hand at being a taxidermist) |
Most of those specimens were sold to the Smithsonian and other museums while he was alive. Many still remain at the Smithsonian and other are now at this restored museum as well as the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.
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| (Least Weasel-the world's smallest carnivore) |
At Christmas, we headed to Denver to spend a few days with family. Greg's Aunt and two cousins along with their families live there. They are a really fun group and we had a great time. Greg's Mom and Dad also flew in for the special family gathering. We played games, made gingerbread houses and had a homemade gift exchange (Mostly. There were a few who didn't follow this guideline). My phone was not cooperating when trying to get pics (They were blurry, but you can see the excitement). But here they are anyway along with a few pics of the gifts we made:
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| (Playing Pictionary and Greg is being the marker board stand) |
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| (The entry into the Gingerbread house contest by Jordan's team. Really cute and Jordan came up with several of the ideas including the sleigh on top) |
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| (The collage Jacob and I made for cousin Trevor) |
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| (The Barbie bed Jacob made for Jordan) |
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| (The tree decoration I made for cousin Cherie-although in this pic the bottom strings had not been tied off yet) |
We have one more month left in Breck and are ready to explore the mountain more after the Christmas Break group leaves!
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| (The snowfall while we were gone for Christmas. Shoveling snow is no fun!) |
