Vacation, Part IV: Jeepin'

To Jeep or not to Jeep? That was the question. When the subject originally came up in conversation, Ty said he would really like for us to rent one for a day and go on an off-roading adventure. The prices were reasonable, but as we looked into the details, we realized there was a mess of insurance to sort through, too. Additionally, we began to wonder, "Where would be go?"

These two uncertainties led us to book a guided, scenic "Jeep" tour with Switzerland of America, Inc. through Yankee Boy Basin. My parents joined us, too, and we four had a splendid time learning about the history of Ouray while traveling its terrain.

We had the most incredible tour guide/driver! A retired policeman, he also served as the Ouray sheriff for five years. His brother currently owns the haunted Beaumont I told you about. It was obvious he loved Ouray, and he couldn't help but tell us all about it!

At the site of an old mine owned by Thomas Walsh at the turn of the 20th century. He had top-of-the-line equipment, the best housing (with heat!), and a European chef on site. He reduced hours voluntarily, raised pay, and prohibited alcohol for safety reasons. Sounded like an awesome business man, who knew happy employees work better and harder! His was one of the richest and most productive mining sites of its time.

One of the old mining sites we drove though housed 3,000 people! The mountain water contains traces of arsenic, so daily water had to be brought through the mountains in wagons for the crews. Can you imagine?!

Chilly in the mountains!

Check out those crazy cyclists! Our vehicle had a hard time with those inclines!

Abandoned structure

Twin Falls, as pictured on the 1978 Coors Light logo

Government owned and still active!

Up at 11,000 feet! We were about 1.5 miles from the top of Mt. Sneffels at our highest point.

We all agreed this was a great experience, and one that we could not have created on our own! I was leery of doing anything "too touristy," but I confess that this was the perfect amount of tourism to add to our trip. The tour lasted four hours and provided a great overview of old Ouray and the Mt. Sneffels mountain range. The weather was perfect, and the sights were all postcard-worthy. We saw many ATV vehicles, four-wheelers, Jeeps, a dirt bike or two, and several cars/SUVs that had no business on those roads. I, for one, was glad not to be the couple with the car stuck four miles into the mountains. (Note: it's not enough to have an AWD vehicle; clearance matters a lot!) Now that we have an idea of the terrain and available roads trails, we would feel more comfortable renting a proper vehicle and creating our own adventure next time.

*Photos taken with Nikon D40, GoPro Hero3+, and iPhone 5S*

Need to catch up on Parts I, II, and III?

Vacation, Part III: Small Town Treasures

(See our trips to Albuquerque and Colorado Springs!)

Let me introduce you to the neighboring cities of Ridgway and Ouray. These two little cities, with a combined population under 2,000 people, have captured my heart!

We arrived at our B&B around 5PM on Tuesday evening. Our trip from Colorado Springs took longer than expected, due to winding mountain roads and construction. The drive was stunning, though!

Our home in Ridgway!

Brooklyn loved having a huge yard! We loved letting her off-leash to burn some energy!

Screened patio with a view! We also took advantage of that great hot tub more than once!

"You guys coming?!"

The weather was beautiful! Mornings and evenings were chilly and the afternoons were warm. 

Morning snuggles!

Our host, Lysa, made us a delicious breakfast each morning, complete with coffee, tea, juice, yogurt, fruit, cereal, omelettes, and muffins (gf)! Such a wonderful change from boiled eggs and bananas! Breakfast is my love language, by the way.

Breakfast with a view! (Are you catching on? Everything in Ridgway comes with a view!)

Our first morning in Ridgway, we rose early for our staple fishing/running date. I had one last run to fit in before the marathon. What better place to do it than Ridgway State Park? Did I mention it was a half mile from our B&B?

Helloooooo, Mt. Sneffels!

We had the park all to ourselves!

Nothing beats a mountain sunrise!

Training complete, and all ready for the Mt. Sneffels Marathon!

My fisherman and our very "helpful" Weimaraner.

Downtown Ridgway was located about two miles the other direction from our B&B.

It was like an old western town!

Downtown shopping and dining

Taco del Gnar! Ty and I loved this place so much that we took my parents there when they arrived! Everything was so fresh and flavorful! If you're ever in Ridgway, go get yourself some Yard Bird tacos and a housemade margarita. You're welcome.

Take one!

Take two!

Basically, we dined our way through downtown Ridgway. We tried 520 Burger, Kate's Place, and Eatery 66. All my meals were delicious and safely prepared to be gluten-free! Traveling can be so tough with dietary needs, but I was incredibly impressed by this small town's knowledge and care in cooking gluten free! Even the local grocery store, Ridgway Mountain Market, had a great selection of GF items.

Gluten-free pizza and salad for the win! Yay for crispy crust!

Eatery 66 - A stationary food truck and patio!

Ty and I shared the Housemade Organic Potato Chips and Dip, he had a local IPA, and I had the most delicious Revive Smoothie (berries, kale, beets, ginger, and honey).

We also did some shopping in Ridgway! I bought my new favorite earrings from Lupita's Bizarre Bazaar, which has been in Ridgway for close to forty years, and Mom found a neat candle shop (her love language). Ty and I also hit up the local art festival on the weekend. We were so impressed! The festival had unique treasures, live music, and incredible community support!

Does that give you a feel for Ridgway? Let's travel 13 miles over to Ouray ("yoo-ray"), and I'll give you a feel for Ridgeway's sister city.

County Courthouse, as seen in True Grit!

The haunted Beaumont Hotel -- our Jeep tour guide enjoyed telling us ghost stories about this place!

Main Street in downtown Ouray. Shopping with a view!

Ouray definitely had a larger selection of shops and restaurants, as it was clearly more of a tourist destination. All the hotels read, "No Vacancy," the RV park was full, and the hot springs was packed every time we drove by! The novelty shops were squeezed between tourist rental centers for Jeeps, ATVs, and fishing/boating.

We loved eating at Roast and Toast! I had a BLA on GF toasted bread and a most delicious hazelnut mocha (with housemade syrup).

Backstreet Bistro had a great dog-friendly patio on 7th Ave! We packed our leftovers for lunch this day, so I didn't try any house specialities. The boys liked their smoothies and coffee, though, and my parents hung out here with Brookies during our races.

I took this next photo for my SIL, Kelly, who loves glass art. I spoke with one of the artists, and she said all the glass is made on site in the back. It was stunning! And no, there's no filter on this photo.

(Taken with permission)

Some people like to try the local brews. I do, too, just the non-alcoholic type. Both were so tasty!

After picking up our race packets in Ouray (more on that later!), we had dinner at Cavallo's, a Louisiana-style cajun restaurant. The menu items were so unique! I was thrilled to hear the waiter say they use absolutely no MSG and make all their seasonings in-house. Ty and I both ordered the Creole Jambalaya, which had chicken, duck, and pork sausage. It had the perfect amount of kick, and a large portion of rice for pre-race carb-loading. Mom and Dad went with the Filet and the Jambalaya-Stuffed Pork Chop.

On our last night out, we went to The Outlaw, an old-style Western restaurant with live piano bar music. It was Ty's turn to order the Filet, and I had a delicious Greek Salad. Another fresh, flavorful meal! The housemade citrus vinaigrette was a table favorite!

Thanks, Mom and Dad!

Outside The Outlaw: post-race and last night in Ouray!

As you can see, there's no shortage of great sights, shops, snacks, and stops in both Ridgway and Ouray! I haven't even mentioned the main attractions yet, so stay tuned! Don't fall asleep on me!

Post-meal napping at the B&B