It'll Be Fun!

Its been our first trip in quite a while.  Colorado bound and leaving on a Thursday was perfect.  We spent the first night in the Quad Cities Casino and didn't lose any money.  In my opinion, we were winners.  Then it was up early to start our trek West to visit the Colorado kids arriving late Friday night so as to have the weekend to visit while the grandkids were off from school.  Perfect.  It was a great visit.  Never in a million years did I think I would be that close to a bear.  Even though the sightings around here occurred in Poplar Grove, just a few miles from my home, I never saw it and always felt safe in the fenced in pool area and the confines of my four walls.  Let me explain.

Saturday morning started with a great breakfast after a much needed, wonderful night's sleep in a suite at the Steamboat Grand, thanks to our daughter-in-law!  Then it was, "Let's go to our house.  It'll be fun!"  Sure, one of the main reasons for the trip was to see their new house in Oak Creek, just outside of Steamboat.  The over-100-year-old historical cabin is the perfect dream home for this family.  It was also the perfect time for Papa Gary to give our grandson his Grandpa's .22 shotgun.

 Our adventure began on the front porch with setting up cans and plastic bottles on the fence posts to see just what this shotgun could do. There were a few "hits" and of course Lil Miss Annie Oakley wanted a turn too, along with Dad, then it was time to go explore.

"It will just be a hike around the property." They said, "It's only uphill a little ways then levels out." Sometimes we think they're trying to kill us. Length and slope are usually our main concerns when they want to take us hiking, however, this day turned into another, different kind of major concern. As we line up single file to get through the trails with our little "Ranger Erick" leading the way, we hear the description of the land.  Mushrooms abundant, beautiful trees, wildflowers, haven't seen any snakes (another major concern of Papa Gary) and the big, huge pond.  Bigger than the one right behind the house.  "Cool!" we say. We stop at a log bridge for a cute pic with the grandkids.

It was then we heard "the rest of the story". We were not only hiking to see the property, we were on a bear hunt. It was just days before a bear was sighted swimming in the big pond! Not only swimming, but it crawled out of the pond, shook itself off, and proceeded to do cartwheels! Little did I know this might be the last picture, nor did I understand why everyone else was EXCITED to see this bear! Being too late to turn around, besides I would have been all alone, we plodded onward towards the big pond which should be named "The Bear Pool", where the white bark of an Aspen was marred with claw marks.

It was about this time I realized we interrupted the creature's afternoon swim. A huffing, stomping noise was heard coming from the woods just to our right and incidentally, the bear pool was to our left, which sent me on a brisk walk to the other side of the pond.  I did not want to stand in the way of a bear wanting to swim and this was the quickest escape I could muster. "Let's just hide here and watch." They said, "It'll be really something to see!" OMG! I'm not as adventurous as these kids. I'm not as fast as these kids. I'm not able to outrun anyone in these woods, especially a bear.  That's it.  I'm the snack after his swim.

As you can see, I survived as well as everyone else. We made it back to the safety of the 100-year-old cabin and only saw the deposit the bear made on the trail. In my warped mind I'd like to think we scared the poop out of HIM. Anyway, we finished the day with a delicious elk burger dinner and watched deer gracefully walk through the yard to eat apples. Now that's the wildlife in which I don't mind sharing space. Back to the suite to see what Sunday would have in store for us.

Waking to the scenic ski runs with the background of a beautiful Colorado sky started the next day.
We met the kids in downtown Steamboat to be total tourists.  We had lunch at a great Sushi restaurant on a creek and spent the day taking in all the shops and visiting the smelly sulfur hot springs.

The kids couldn't resist a dip in the hotel's pool, where there are no bears allowed, so following a gelato break, we headed back. "Let's go to our house" they said. We brought pizza and passed on another hike! It actually got cool enough to try out the 100-year-old fireplace which provided a great fire warming us while we ate delicious apple pie and listened to our 3rd grader's very entertaining mad libs. After bedtime we enjoyed the company of the adult kids as time flew by quickly and it was time to say goodnight and goodbye. One final "business breakfast" Monday morning and we were hitting the road to Lake of the Ozarks!