Durango, CO...just can't stay away!

2 summers ago, when Tanner and I started dating, we decided to take a real road trip together before we headed our separate ways for the school year.  I am a by the books kind of person, I always have a plan, I always know where I am going, and I USED to think it had to be that way.  Then, I met Tan.  He has shown me that life doesn't have to have a plan always, you just have to go with it sometimes!  So, we left one August night and headed in the Colorado direction.  All night driving and many stops along the way with no agenda.  WONDERFUL!  We hit Santa Fe, Durango, Telluride, Ourray...and many places in between.  In three days we covered close to 3,000 miles!  That little story was background info for this past weekend.

Our first road trip out west to Colorado!

 On Friday, after Tan got home from work, we loaded up my car with a snowboard, snacks, and lots of warm wear!  We headed for our second trip to Durango, CO!  Yep, we fell so in love with it in the summer that we knew that is where we wanted to take our first mini vacation.  The trip started out great.  We entered Durango into the GPS and took off!  Sadly, I fell asleep before 10...But I rallied later.  It was all going so smoothly until--the Panhandle of Oklahoma in the middle of the night.  All the sudden, there were no cars, no towns, and not much gas in the tank!  Unfortunately at that same time, we hit icy roads, heavy wind, AND Tan had a passenger in desperate need of a bathroom.  Nope, not an option.  So, I did what any girl would do.  I had Tan pull over on the side of the road.  Usually, this quick bathroom stop on the roadside is a technique I have mastered.  Not tonight.  The moment I squatted...the wind slammed the door completely shut on my hand!  Luckily, I was able to open it without passing out.  But after I was free, I wilted in the car.  Not a pretty moment.  Needless to say, Tan packed my now "elephant hand" an ice bag of snow and we trucked on.  With that being the only mishap, we pulled into Durango around 9:30 AM.

When the GPS took us through the Panhandle...We bought an Atlas.

Nearly there!

Made it to Durango!

How could anyone not want to see this?

Ahhhh.  Durango, Colorado.  If you haven't experienced it, DO!  It is the ideal place for the outdoor lover.  Summers of hiking, Winters of skiing/boarding and snow capped mountains, Falls full of golden Aspen trees, and Springs full of rafting and waterfalls.   Yep, pretty close to heaven on earth.  People worry about what hiking boots to get, not what high heels to buy.    I have a pretty strong feeling we will end up there several times a year, and eventually we hope to have rental property nearby!  Seriously, it is that great!

Durango from a mountain top we climbed.

The nature trail 300 feet up right in town!

Snowfall one night in downtown.

Prettiest sidewalk I've ever seen.

Now, the actual trip.  We played around downtown on Saturday, just taking it all in and walking around before we could get in our hotel.  By now, Tan hadn't slept since Thursday night (I had several naps in the car!)  So when we got to the hotel late afternoon....he, deservingly, crashed hardcore.  Sunday, we woke up early to hit the Durango Diner for a hearty breakfast and then HIT THE SLOPES!  We drove up to Purgatory Mountain for Tan to board and I skied.  We decided Green slopes were for us.  Tan tried one Blue and when he got to the bottom of the mountain, I noticed quite a bit of snow in his jacket.  He had once again "crashed hardcore"  in the snow this time.  After a day of the slopes, we headed back to Durango for a night out at an Irish Pub.  Monday, we spent the day in Durango.  We hiked 300 ft straight up a snow covered trail that overlooks the town, had lunch at a local brewery Carvers, spent some time at my favorite coffee shop The Steaming Bean, and then had our last dinner at another very happening local brewery Steamworks.  Love the local places in town.  Tuesday morning, we woke up early and hit the Steaming Bean once more for some coffee to get us going.  Man oh man, that was a wonderfully perfect fast few days with my husband.

We walked out of our hotel to this every day.

Downtown Durango

Here comes more snow!

It was FREEZING up on the slopes!

And...There was crazy snow the entire time we were up on the mountain.

 We drove straight back, hardly stopping, trying to get home to our puppies.  I don't think an hour went by when we didn't wonder what they were doing.  Luckily they were left in good hands with Mom, Erin, & Scott.  We made it back last night around 9:30.  13 and a half hours from the breath-taking mountains to Cave Springs.  Along the way we saw elk, antelope, and mule deer, different wildlife is always interesting to us.  212 pictures and many memories later, we ran in to love on Digo and Faye before we even unpacked.  Love those dogs and they seemed to miss us as well!  : )   We truly love Durango, but we agree that HOME is pretty nice too.  Guess you can't complain when you have it all--happily married, road trips, puppies, and a husband I love traveling, laughing, and making memories with.  As always...Blessed.   

Mountains around Durango

The Continental Divide...Headed home out of the snow.  No worries Durango, we will return soon!