Day 20! Tonight will mark the official halfway point.
The morning started with Kimpton coffee. Always a good start to a day. We felt like we had two choices today. Option one was a smart choice. Complete a small hike on Mount Aspen to continue getting acclimated to the air way up here. (We’re climbing our first ever 14er tomorrow.) Option two was the fun choice. Spend the only day we have in Aspen exploring the darling town, window shopping at the high end shop, frolicking in the John Denver Park, and sampling some of Aspen’s fine cuisine. We went with option two.
I feel like last night is actually a good set up for today, so I’ll start the story there. We shared some plates in the lounge at the Kimpton, 39 Degrees. Ellie enjoyed a lavender lemonade and Zoe sipped on a muddled cucumber ginger beer concoction. The grilled Caesar salad was to die for. As the evening was coming to a close we realized we didn’t want to miss out on swimming under the stars in the mountains. We threw on swimsuits and played in the pool and rested in the hot tub as the stars shone brightly overhead. The bonfires on the pool deck warmed us up as we got out of the pool. We laughed, we played, and we splashed and giggled. Zak threw the girls high in the air and we all hollered as they came splashing down. It was perfect.
So that was the set up to our time in Aspen. We spent the morning wandering the streets of the town. Amazing shopping can be done here. We found our way to the John Denver Sanctuary, a garden and park with the most amazing flowering landscape and a rumbling stream. I can’t call myself a John Denver fan and only know the annoying Christmas songs he sang with the Muppets, but Aspen did an amazing job creating a beautiful tribute to him.
Recommendation after recommendation led us to Over Easy for brunch. Everyone was right. The food was out of this world. I devoured the florentine benedict and could not pass up the Bloody Molly, just like a Mary only with bacon infused vodka. Delish! We were also seated next to the most delightful family and received lots of dining tips of the area and shared Chicago tips with the two recent college grads who are moving to the city next week. I love meeting people like them on this trip, definitely a highlight for me.
After final showers we packed up the Kimpton room and checked out. But not before a full on meltdown on my part. Oh my, I don’t know how my family has put up with me for this long. You see we are camping tonight and it will be cold, unlike our desert camping. It never dawned on me to pack warm pajamas. I lost it. Broke down sobbing, convinced I will freeze to death, before being chomped by bears. It was ugly. I was pouty as we left Aspen and headed to Leadville. Thankfully, Zak, who seems to remain levelheaded when I am most unstable, suggested we stop at store to buy warm pajamas.
So, we head out into the mountains to camp tonight. I hope we’re warm, I hope the bears stay away, I hope we sleep well enough to be able to conquer the mountain tomorrow, and I hope the laughter of last night’s swim joins us in camp.
