I Need To Hurry and Tell You About My C/C Summer

Cause one of these days summer just might be over.

I won't keep you in suspense.

That C/C stands for Colorado/Cousin summer.

My first venture into CO was to celebrate July 4th

with my bank travel club.  We went to wonderful Vail and

stayed here:

 The beautiful and historic Lodge at Vail.

My room overlooked the gondola:

And had a Keurig coffee maker!

(Single travelers get good at self portraits!)  

On my first night walking around the town I met some new friends.

These three Afghan hounds and their owner will become

very important on parade day!

Aren't they gorgeous?  Did you know I love big dogs?

Does the sun shine???
 

We went to Lion's Head on the 3rd.

At the top of the gondola:

The best fish and chips ever at The Tavern:

And beautiful flowers everywhere:

So now it's the 4th, and here's where my cousin comes in.

Sarah and her family have a home in Conifer, CO,

about two hours' drive from Vail.

They came to watch the giant 4th of July parade!!!

Fortunately they have been to some small town parades in

their lifetime.  More than I have, actually.

This parade was...well, I don't know how to express it.

Perhaps this was the high point!

And my choice for low point!  I'm not sure this Statue of Liberty

should not be charged with unlawful impersonation!

  

But...if the parade was not magnificent, our seats certainly were.

My hound friends and their owner got seats at the crack

of dawn and shared them with us!

 This is Sarah, Dick, Emily, and James

 And here are the real stars of the parade--the hounds!

Everyone who passed by stopped to admire and pet them.

They've been coming to this parade for years.

Bless their hearts.

  

After the parade we drove to a nearby park and had a 

fabulous picnic lunch, prepared by Sarah's son-in-law James!

Just look!

(Oh, Sarah will want me to tell you.  She cut up the fruit.)

This was one of the best meals I had in CO!
 

Here I am after Sarah and family left--

riding the gondola visible from my window.

Just me and my Chacos.  Yes, I'm undeniably cool.

Then we had dinner here--owned by John Elway:

Shedding a little tear now.  

Sarah sent me some great pics from her camera,

but I made her an album and included them so now I don't 

have them.

I'll just have to conclude with a couple of mine that

tickled my funny bone.

 

 But...this is just Part 1!

Stay tuned for Part 2 of my C/C summer!