(continued)
“Are you sure?” Joe asked.
“Let’s just say that I don’t want to have to take you to the hospital,” Ben said honestly.
The local mountain bike guides have also constructed a series of ramps right at the bottom of the mountain, and we messed around on those for a few minutes. We didn’t really want to leave, but we had a lunch appointment with some of the local pro riders (Winter Park hosts a series of downhill bike races during the summer). The two hours we spent on the mountain were thrilling, a pure adrenaline rush. Joe and I kept looking at each other and saying something to the effect of Man, that was awesome.
Flying through whitewater rapids and catching big air on a mountainside. Two great moments during an extreme weekend that won’t soon be forgotten--the natural beauty of the area as well as the wild rides we took reminded me of why I love the Rocky Mountains. They are hard to beat, and during this adventure journey, they provided the landscape that adrenaline requires to get going. For Joe and I, it was another great trip, and a chance to catch up and reminisce about times past. What lies ahead for our next adventure? I’m sure it will be something strange or outside-the-box, but I’m also hopeful it will provide a surge of adrenaline like the ones we experienced here in Winter Park, Colorado.
OUT OF THE HANDBOOK
HOW TO GET THERE:
Whitewater Rafting--Idaho Springs just an hour’s drive from Denver International, off of I-70. The outfitter is called Adventures in Whitewater, and their office is in Winter Park. See their website: www.adventuresinwhitewater.com, or call them: 1-877-321-RAFT. Mountain Biking--the Winter Park Resort is located West of the Continental Divide (Berthoud Pass) on Route 40.
WHAT TO DO: Winter Park resort has the longest Alpine Slide in the country, as well as some fun activities during the summertime. Everything is centrally located, and there are plenty of fun things for younger kids to do, such as mini golf, bungee trampoline, climbing walls, a human maze, and Frisbee (disc) golf on the top of the mountain, not to mention a bunch of coffee shops and restaurants and equipment stores. You can rent downhill mountain bikes at the resort, take them up the ski lift, and look for the signs for Long Trail or Downhill. Enjoy a meal at SUNSET, a mountain-top restaurant. The trails are well-marked, and it’s hard to lose your bearings when the object is to get down the hill. During my stay in Winter Park, I ran in a 5K at the Snow Mountain Ranch, which is about a 10 minute drive from Winter Park. They also do a trail-run half-marathon at 8500 ft. elevation.
WHERE TO STAY: Winter Park Mountain Lodge. From their literature: “Winter Park Mountain Lodges is the perfect lodging choice for winter or summer Colorado vacations. With 110 brand new rooms, and 52 newly renovated rooms, Winter Park Mountain Lodge is the perfect home base for your winter, or summer, mountain adventures. [It] is located directly across from the Winter Park Ski Resort and features a blend of comfortable hotel rooms and spacious mountain suites- with fireplaces, kitchen facilities and Jacuzzi tubs.” Website: www.winterparkhotel.com. This is where I stayed, and it’s a nice place. There are PLENTY of other accommodations to choose from, and Winter Park is a bit far from the heart of the little town, so you’ll probably have to rent a car.
WHERE TO EAT: I ate at the following restaurants: Hernando’s (a nice Italian Pizza place), Mountain Rose (great breakfasts!!), and Untamed Steak House (every steak under the sun), but the town of Winter Park has lots of little small restaurants.
