Tuesday was spent with my family and friends all day and evening. And while I did take tons of pics. I am not sharing any this time around. Sorry, the one thing I am protective of is my family. My extended family especially on my blog. And my friends I grew up from my childhood. I enjoyed the time with them and I enjoyed my kids playing with my cousins kids and my best friends kids. It was such a special and private time for all of us. They also read my blog and I told/promised them I would keep our times together private and special. I'm sure you all understand. And I am just keeping my word. : ) Anyway Wednesday morning, we woke up and we checked out of La Quinta hotel about 8am. And we loaded ourselves in our white little SUV and headed to the 3-4 hour drive to Glenwood Springs.
Passed Lookout Mountain and Passed Buffalo Bill's Grave. 
High up in the mountains has always been this space age house! It's been there since I was a really little kid. For as long as I remember. Whether we went skiing or camping, I always remember seeing that house! My family and I have always called that the "Jetson's house" For obvious reasons! Ha ha ha! : ) I showed that to both boys, and said look kids, that's the "Jetson's house" And they ohhed and ahhed! Something as mundane like this, is what I wanna pass down to my kids. I want them to remember the "Jetson's house" perched up high in the Colorado Rockies! : )
The views have always blown me away! The fresh air, the nature! To be back and enjoy this with the boys was fantastic! Hubby enjoyed being back too.
Noboru used to go fishing in the mountains when we lived in Colorado. He took me once and I was bored to tears. But I went and I didn't complain. I packed a good lunch...funny the things we remember. 
Trees are starting to turn colors. Falls on the way. I could see it in the trees. Some were turning red and some were turning gold!
Loveland, the first place Noboru and I ever went skiing together as a couple. And my family and I have skied here a heap of times.
The lifts! It will be a beautiful wonderland come winter!
See the elevation? It's very high. Denver itself is called the Mile High city because it's a mile above sea level. That's high! And in the Colorado Rockies it's even a higher elevation. Some people need oxygen or get light headed, but I am used to it and have never had any problems at all.
Ahh bless you Silverthorne. See, I know that is a big outlet mall area. We stopped there on the way back.
And we made it! : )
Glenwood Springs! One of the many natural hot springs towns we have in Colorado. Japanese people/friends are always surprised when they first ask me, if I have ever been to an onsen. And I say yes in Japan of course. But I always tell them, that the state I am from, (Colorado) actually has many natural onsens/hot springs. They are always happily surprised to hear that bit of information! Ha ha ha. So yeah I usually just say..."I grew up with onsen just like you! Except in America we are not naked." LOL! : ) That always breaks the ice and gives reason for a good laugh! : )
Glenwood Springs had grown so much, they now have a Target and shopping area in Glenwood Springs. It still hasn't lost it's small town charm though! : )
Yup, Hot Springs is right! : ) The reason we went here in the first place! Noboru and I have been here together quite a few times. And I have been with my family here many many times! Perfect to go soak at say 7am. Get your body warm and then go skiing all day and then at night after dinner go back in for a soak. We have been here in the past many times, in 0 degree F., with a wind chill factor of -15. My hair so wet it turned to frozen pieces of ice type hair, yet my body was hot because of my soaking in the hot springs. Watching the snow all around us. Oh yeah! Times I will *never* ever forget! So much fun! Sure, maybe not a fancy jet setting type life, but such a fantastic simple life it is! And fun way of living! Hanging out in the mountains in a hot spring! Awesome!
It is about a full city block long, so it is a long large hot spring. And look at the view! It's breath taking! Now imagine it in winter time with snow all around! It's gorgeous though any time of year! : ) We soaked in here from 1pm to 6pm. 5 long hours of soaking.
You know the towels the kids use in Japan for swimming or whatever with the elastic and buttons? Clearly they are not invented or are around in the US yet, because as the boys walked out with their towels. So many American moms commented to the boys on their towels. I even heard one mom say, look it hangs on without holding it. She thought it was cool and asked me if I made it. Ha ha ha. I told her no, I bought it in Japan. And it was cheap/affordable. She was really impressed about the towel, lol. I didn't think about the towel at all. But yeah they got about 5 very positive comments on their towels. Interesting tid bit, I had to throw in because it's true and really happened. : )
Because the summer season was over, it was actually sorta dead, just the locals soaking in the day were there. And we enjoyed soaking with it being uncrowded and stuff.
It is split into 2 pools, one is super hot and one is medium hot. Ha ha ha. : )
104 degrees F for you Americans and 40C for the rest of you friends. Yup, it is hot! And boy does it feel good especially at night! Which we did go back at night! : ) Your muscles will feel relaxed and almost like rubber by the time you leave. And after a night of soaking you'll get the best sleep ever after this! : )
Nope not very many people at all! Bliss! : )
At 6pm we left, and we headed to get something to eat! But see, they have river rafting and bicycle rentals. A great way to see and enjoy Glenwood! Maybe when the boys get older, we can ride bikes around here someday! : )
So many flags! This is important especially if you ever get konked on the head and forgot where you were, the flags would let you know! Ha ha ha. Kidding, kidding!!! : ) I do love the sense of pride though. Not only the US flag, but also the Colorado flags that hung proudly over the main bridge! : )
Small little Andy and Mayberry town. It is growing but it's still got "it" I love this place! if I ever moved back to Colorado, I'd probably move here! : ) I love the charm and the quiet and the friendliness of people in the mountains. This was the main street! : )
Still main street! : )
Glenwood Meadows mall. This was new.
Yup, I stopped in Target at the Glenwood Springs mall to get some DVD's. They had the Boots line (from the UK), and Burt's Bee's and everything else. To be found at a Target. I didn't get any beauty products this time. : ) Didn't need anything. : )
We only stayed in Target for about 15-20 minutes. And then left to go to Dairy Queen! Both the boys had a twist cone! And I had a peanut buster parfait! Yumm! Hot fudge was so warm! : ) More comfort food! Ha ha ha. : )
Noboru meanwhile enjoyed his strawberry sundae. He smelled like an onsen but we didn't care in the least! Ha ha ha. : )
We were going to go to the Italian Underground my favorite Italian restaurant in Glenwood. Then we decided not to. Then we thought about having Chinese. Then we changed our minds yet again. Next thing you know we were driving aimlessly, heading towards a Mc D's, Wendy's and Pizza Hut! I thought Mc D's. Noboru and Noah wanted Pizza Hut yet again! We all turned to B and he voted Pizza Hut! So, no worries, I said I do not mind a bit and Pizza Hut it was! We had a large pan pepperoni pizza with mushroom, (hmm am I having deja vu here?) And a large bread sticks. The other row we ate of bread sticks, whoops sorry. We were so stuffed. We got ourselves back into the car by now it was nearly 8pm but not quite and we headed to the hot springs. It closes at 10pm. We hopped right into our cold and wet swim suits it was only a 5 min drive from the Pizza Hut. And before you know it we were soaking a full 2 hours.
The one and only picture I took of us at the hot spring at night. The weather, was 45 degree F, so it was indeed a bit crisp and chilly willy in the air. But the hot springs were steaming hot! Literally! We soaked for the 2 hours, like I said. Bellies full of pizza and bread sticks and Mountain Dew. I sat and kicked back. They even have a jet chair, and it's only a quarter/25 cents. I sat in that chair, and I was was bubbling and brewing myself silly. My eyes were closed and my hair was getting chilly, but from the neck down I was melting hot. We looked at the millions of stars over our heads and looked at the shadows of the mountains or shapes of them. And just relaxed! It was bliss, heaven it was. It was so nice. Definitely worth us going there for!!! : )
Information on the hot spring. Although it is way older obviously, but this is when it was quote unquote owned so to speak. Did you catch that year? 1900!
A pic from back in the day! I really appreciate hearing about the history of stuff like that! I find it cool! : )
General information on the spring. And yup, it smells like sulfur, sorta like a match, ha ha ha. As many hot springs do. Granted not all smell like that, but you know what I mean. But man, did my skin feel so smooth after a whole day and night soaking.
The 1 lone pic I took as we left! Kids are still a bit wet, but their little bodies were so hot from the soak, that they went back to the hotel and went straight to sleep! I gave them showers in the morning, because they were just too sleepy after the good soaking. And Noboru told me that I snored very loud that night. I said, what??? I do NOT snore! He said, yes you did that night, and he also said, I fell asleep immediately! Ha ha ha. : ) I must have, because I don't remember a single thing after going back to our hotel room. : )
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