march: burgers, beer and backyard camping

March roared in like a lion in terms of workload, so our getaway for the month was a date day followed by an overnight campout…in the backyard. It’s easy to plan a staycation here with so many things to do, see, eat and drink.

We started the day touring a nearby camping spot, Elk Creek Campground, that our good friends purchased and have been renovating. This is a beautiful spot in New Castle, Colorado, that’s about 20 minutes from home and, now that we’ve seen it, is bound to be on our list for the year. It’s located in a beautiful, wooded valley right on Elk Creek. The new owners have cleaned things up and invested in lots of infrastructure upgrades—including full hookups at every site. There are sites in all sizes, including a couple for big rigs, and multiple cabin options. A new laundry area and rec room are in the works now and should be finished by the May 1 opening day.

Jan 10

travel tuesday: wine + winter = winner

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Barrel Cave at Colterris Winery in Palisade, Colorado

The first getaway of 2023 is a wrap! Just like in 2022, it was to Palisade, Colorado. This up-and-coming wine region is less than an hour from our house and it’s quickly becoming a favorite destination. It’s a straight shot on I70, no passes to worry about. I’m ready to go back now!

Our original plan included multiple stops to sample the local food and drink, but we had to whittle that down when they moved the KC Chiefs game to Saturday. It ended up being very relaxing, which was nice after the busy holiday season at our store.

Jan 06

here’s looking at you, 2023

travel tuesday: keystone wine and jazz

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The Keystone Wine and Jazz Festival is quickly becoming one of our favorite new traditions. There are the Colorado Rocky Mountains, cooler temps, beautiful flowers, hiking trails and lots of yummy food. Oh, and wine and jazz. We took the kids in 2019, it was cancelled in 2020, Scott and I went last year, and this year we brought our daughter and son-in-law along to celebrate their upcoming birthdays. Fun was had by all.

*Family fun at the 2022 Keystone Wine and Jazz Festival. You can tell I’m ready with my food pass lanyard, wine glass necklace, wine shirt and a bottle of water in my pocket!*

Jul 07

travel thursday: take the back roads

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I’ve missed a couple of travel Tuesday posts, but I’m back this week…two days late. Such is the life of a short-staffed retail business owner who also has a public relations business. As usual, the Fourth of July holiday weekend was crazy at our store, which is a blessing and also exhausting.

Jun 07

travel tuesday: hanging out at rifle mountain park

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Did you know that Rifle Mountain Park offers some of the best limestone climbing in the world? You do now! It’s a quick drive from our house, so we took the Jeep there when we had some free time over the weekend.

On the way to the park, you’ll pass Rifle Gap State Park, which boasts a 350-acre reservoir that’s popular for fishing, paddle boarding and boating. Plus, the Gap is where artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s Valley Curtain was briefly hung in 1972. Past that, it’s a beautiful drive up to Rifle Falls State Park, which features beautiful caves and a breathtaking, cascading triple waterfall. Next up, the Rifle Falls Fish Hatchery that’s linked to the park via hiking trails.

May 24

travel tuesday: 5 months, 6 states, 7 getaways

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map of 2022 tales from the empty nest travels

We are crushing my goal of at least one getaway each month in 2022! So far, we have visited six states on seven getaways. Here’s a quick recap.

RELATED: Vacation planning for 2022

January: We kicked the year off with a mini-staycation in Palisade and Grand Junction that included visits to a brewery and winery and some incredible food. Soon after, a Colorado road trip took us to Denver for the RV Show and on to Colorado Springs for a relaxing weekend with our best friends.

May 12

travel thursday: the tattered cover

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I missed Travel Tuesday and have decided that Travel Thursday is just as catchy. It’s the new big thing. Tell your friends.

I was in Denver this week for a media reception at the new Rally Hotel, which is spectacular. If you’re planning to catch a Rockies game, you should stay there and save some time to explore McGregor Square.

May 05

desert vibes for march camping

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Spring fever and camping fever arrive at the same time at our house each year. This year was no exception. In fact, it might have been heightened by the fact that I redecorated our camper with a beach theme after our trip to Anna Maria Island in March!

We always spend one night in the camper in our back yard before heading anywhere, just to make sure everything is working properly. Always good advice. More good advice: Unplug the camper if you’ve had it plugged in all winter. We learned that the hard way this year.

May 03

travel tuesday: hummingbird wars

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The hummingbirds are back! I am lucky enough to see them from my office for a few months every year, but remote camping in the high country brings even more of the hungry little hummers to the feeder. One year, I relaxed in a chair nearby with my good camera and captured some great shots of these flying jewels.