Life's Short! Go RVing!: Estes Park Colorado

Taken at Bear Lake in RMNP

Our drive to Estes Park was eventful to say the least. Joe noticed a bubble in one of our trailer tires Sunday morning on our way to Estes Park. We needed some supplies too, so we stopped off at Walmart to get those and a new tire. I got what we needed, minus the tire in under 2 hours, and unloaded into the RV. I even had to go back into the store for an item I forgot to purchase the first time. I tell you this, because after all that, we were still waiting for Walmart to mount our tire. Joe went to check on the status and was told, "It will take awhile." It was then that I got the bright idea for Joe to put the spare on the trailer, so when we got the tire from Walmart all we'd have to do would be to throw it in the back of the truck.

Well after another hour of waiting and being told, "It's still going to be awhile." we just collect our rim and cross our fingers that we make it to Estes Park on the spare. We made it 70 miles.....and it blew. Strange, since it appeared to be in great condition. So Joe changes his second tire that day when he put "the bubble tire" back on.

Back on the road again....but this time with no spare. Joe wants to stop over night in Fort Collins so we can get a new tire in the morning before driving into Estes Park. I start calling around to find a place for us to stay and learn that they are all outragiously priced ($80 nightly RV parks, and $180 nightly hotels). No thank you! So I convence Joe to just drive up the canyon, through remote National Forest, at night for an hour to get us to Estes Park! We were both sweating bullets and looking for places we could pull off the road the whole time. But, WE MADE IT!!!

Manor RV Park was a nice place and we had a spot on the river for most of our stay there ($52 a night for river).

It's late when we arrive, so we settle in and go to sleep.

Estes Park is where I was born and I have returned there often in my life time. My parents lived there for 8 years in the late 70's and early 80's and consequently, my sister and I were born there. I have very few memories of my early time there, as we moved to Texas when I was just 5 years old. And yet, the town calls me to come visit. It's a beautiful town, set in the Rocky Mountains, with The Rocky Mountain National Park surrounding it on 3 sides. And because of my parents history there, we actually knew some people!

Sadly, this is the best photo we got of Ron and his wife and was taken by my 4 year old who was running around the restaurant with my phone instead of eating her dinner.

In addition to just being in Estes Park, our good friends, Hilary and Phil, met up with us for our last two nights there and stayed with us in the RV. It was so nice to have some friends come and visit us! We love you guys!!!!

Estes was a lazy place for us. I knew it well and had already done much of the touristy stuff there in past visits and we were just getting off of going full force in Yellowstone, so here we took it easy.

Although, easy for us, doesn't mean we didn't do anything! Here is what we did...

I took the girls to the park one afternoon while Joe worked. We had fun and the girls made some 20 min friends while we were there.

A couple of nights, we went out with some old friends of my partents, Ron and Hydie. They were great, and one of those nights, invited us over to their house, where the girls were able to run around in their gorgeously landscaped yard and play with their dogs!

I'd say they liked being at the house!

One day, when I especially needed to get away, Hilary and I went shopping down Estes Park's main drag. Tons of cute stores!!! And what was the last place I took my pregnate friend.....A Bar, of course! But not just any bar, The Wheel Bar. The oldest and bestest bar in Estes Park! And a place my parents frequented when they lived there. Funny story, I'm up at the bar ordering a drink and this guys next to me says something. I smille, and he says, "You know you are in the old-timer bar of Estes." I say, "As a matter of fact, I do. My parents lived here in the 70's and 80's." He askes what their names were and then jumps back from there bar when I tell him. Then he tells me he's, Kent Summers. I've heard that name so many times when I parents tell old stories of their friends and times in CO. I couldn't beleive it!!! Small world, and a very cool half hour!

Kent and his wife at The Wheel Bar

While I shopped and bar hopped, Joe and Phil took the kids to Fun City to ride Go Carts and have FUN!

Even Bean got to ride the go-carts!

Allenspark is a little town about 30 mins up the mountian from Estes Park, and was the actual town we lived in when I was born. Besides just coming to the town to for memory sake, I crave the omletes from a little cafe in Allenspark. My only regrete, is that I did not eat here EVERY morning!!!

Meadow Mountain Cafe

Rocky Mountain PLEASE!!!

In Allenspark, you can also find Crystal Springs, a free flowing spring where you can collect water. My parents didn't have running water for much of there time here, so this was a well visited spot.

We spent two days visiting Rocky Mountain National Park. Really, we could have spent the whole week here, but we were a little National Parked OUT at this point. We didn't even make it to a ranger program! (I know....shameful.) But it was beautiful and we enjoyed our time there.