After Girls Camp Duane, Aaron and I headed out to Colorado to take Aaron back to the Air Force Academy in the "real man's car." We spent the evening of the 4th of July in Hays, Kansas:
Hays Kansas is the largest city in Northwest Kansas at the crossroads of Interstate 70 and US Highway 183. This city, which has approximately 20,000 residents, was incorporated in 1885. Hays is a growing city with excellent opportunities. http://www.haysusa.com/html/history___trivia.html (just in case you pass through!)
Hays had the BEST fireworks show! Okay, not quite the National Mall or Disney World, but still it was pretty darn AWESOME! When we drove into town that evening there were firecracker going off all over the place. As soon as twilight hit the bigger fireworks started. Then the city fireworks show started and as soon as it was over the city resident continued on with their own shows! Duane was in heaven!! While waiting for the city fireworks to start we got a good laugh at the people lighting off some fireworks not to far from us. "Only in the Midwest!" Duane gleefully stated! When we went to breakfast the next morning one of the hotel residents said to Duane as they were getting cereal, "You look like one of those people that was keeping us up all night with your fireworks." Aaron busted out laughing! Total strangers could see the excitement in Duane's whole being at the proximity and plethora of fireworks!
We made it to Colorado in good time and had a couple of days to hang out with my brother before we handed Aaron back over to the Air Force Academy. We decided to go for a bike ride. Bad choice on my part! Bad choice for all of us to listen to Curtis (my brother) describe the trail choices! This is a man who did a 70 mile mountain trail ride the day we arrived at his home. So this trail was a piece of cake for him! We totally should have gone for the open meadow trail! Instead we went over to the Academy and tried the Falcon trail. This trail goes around the Academy. Beautiful ride but way to long and hard for this flat lander who was still on drugs for a sinus infection. I made it for 2 miles. Was seriously trying to suck in some oxygen and headed back to the car. Thank heavens for a blanket and my Kindle! They kept me company while I waited for the guys to get back.
That's my brother, Curtis, in the middle
Huffin' and puffin'!
Yes, I am walking the bike up a hill. Just wish that I could have sucked some energy out of my camelback too!
After they were done Duane said that it was a pretty tough ride for him too. Aaron made it trough the whole ride like it was nothin'. Guess it was all that practice on a bike the last 2 years of his life.
The next day we took Aaron over to the Academy. We stuck around for a bit to see him get settled in. Well actually we needed his "real man car" so we could go places. We were able to see him get sworn back in which was pretty cool!
6 of these returning cadet (including Aaron) are coming back from missions. All LDS except for the Korean cadet. He left on a church service mission to Korea. Of the two cadets standing by Aaron one was in the same mission as one of my nieces and the other cadet was in the same mission as a former member of our stake, Lillian Gertz. Small world!
After Aaron didn't need his "real man's car" to get him around the Academy grounds anymore we headed over to take the Cog Railway Train up to the top of Pike's Peak. http://www.cograilway.com/
Views from the train windows
Freezin' and barely breathin'!
The area around Colorado Springs is so beautiful! We certainly did not have enough time to do more of the things that we wanted to do! Guess it's a good thing we are headed back out that way in September for Parent's Weekend!
1 comment:
I don't think I would have even tried that bike ride! Yikes!
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