Trip of a Lifetime - Part 3

Here we go down the final stretch.  I think I left off last on Wednesday evening (oh, yeah, date night!).  I did forget to add that on Wed morning, there was an all camp event - hiking up a mountain.  We were supposed to be able to hike the Continental Divide, but too much snow.  Then plan B, too much bear sign.  Nice.  Plan C worked great.  It was a hike for sure, but beautiful and lots of fun.

View from lookout on hike

Thursday morning gave us another all camp event.  We all caravaned over to Frontier Ranch, one of Young Life's many youth camps.  There they have this great big pool with this great big water slide.  Not to mention game room, snack bar, gift shop, etc.  The great thing about this pool is that it is heated by the local hot springs.  It felt so good!  Yes, we all went down the slide.  Promise.

Thursday afternoon gave us a reprieve.  And Friday morning was also open.   Sort of.  We weren't assigned any more activities, but at this point you were able to do things again if there was an opening.   In that span of time, the Pritchards, in some amount of family members, tackled the ropes course again, arena ride, pony ride, horseback ride.  Whew, I think that's it.

Thursday night was a culmination of the week.  There was this running dialog/drama with our lively hosts, Mike and Merle Mustang.  It is too much to describe in detail so ask me about it sometime.  Anyway, that night the work crew put on this show and then we had this big barbeque in the Aspen Grove.  Lest we are too full from all the grub, immediately following was a big square dance.  Huge fun, and then an impromptu dance session, with a few more current dancing styles for the younger set.  Definitely worked off that supper.  

The infamous Mike and Merle Mustang

Friday afternoon we had the chance to take a jeep ride through the mountains to an old ghost town.  That was very cool, esp the chipmunks.  There is this huge chipmunk colony (i guess that is what it is called) where the chipmunks will come eat out of your hand and climb on you to get the feed.   Scenery was just beautiful!!

After packing up Friday night, we were waiting for the kids to come back to get them in bed and they arrived in tears.  Obviously we were alarmed, but never fear.  No major injuries or incidents.  Just the fact that we had to leave.  They had such a wonderful time and met such fun friends.  Jake met a few buddies, two of which happened to be twins.  They were the three musketeers for sure.  They also had a friend there, Aaron. The dads from both of those families were crazy nice enough to invite Jake to eat at their table for several meals.  It was a table of all boys and well, you know, guy stuff.  They had a ball.  Of course this fun can't last forever and it was heartbreaking for Jake to leave.

Jake and his buds

We hit the road first thing Saturday morning.  As we left we were blessed with a view of a herd of mule deer and more tears.  The drive back couldn't have gone better.  Esp on Sunday.  We drove 10 hours with only one stop.  Miracle!

Well, that's it, and more.  Can't begin to describe in detail how wonderful this week was for us.   It is one of those we will never forget and long to return.  (contented sigh).