Colorado Rocky Mountain High

A view of Mount Yale (elevation 14,196) from Buena Vista, Colorado where my brother Eric and his family live.

(file photo)

Colorado rocky mountain high...
I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky
You can talk to God and listen to the casual reply...
Rocky mountain high, Colorado... (everybody now...)
- John Denver

I finished my western tour of the United States in Colorado where my whole family has collected over the years. My Mother spends six months out of the year in Boulder, My sister and her family live in Boulder, and my Brother and his family live in Buena Vista high in the mountains. I spend a few weeks every year in Colorado - both summer and winter - and love playing in the mountains and spending time with family.

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I arrived just in time to attend my nephew John-Wesley's 7th birthday party. He chose to have it at a local pool/water park-type place this year:

John and friends:

John starts tearing into the birthday booty:

Catherine seems more interested in her soy milk...

Joy or sadness?

The Shrek birthday Cake...

Now thats what I'm talkin' about! Birthday parties are about CAKE CONSUMPTION!

Plenty of options at the pool:

Cake consumed, presents opened - time to hit the water! (John and Jacob)

John clings to the side of the "rushing river" part of the pool:

Nephews John and Jacob beached...

Lots of fun to be had!

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A trip to Coors Field to see a Colorado Rockies game was on the agenda for the next day - John gets a free ride:

The Carter-Gibbs at Coors Field - Paul, Amy, Jacob and John:

The bullpens in center field at Coors - appropriately landscaped...

Jacob in center field - glove at the ready! (he learned well from my story about getting nailed by a line drive earlier in the week...)

Amy and John enjoy some pink ballpark goodness...

Bryan, Jacob and John from our seats in the club section...

The game went 12 innings and a thunderstorm blew through to make it interesting, but the Rockies could not pull it out against the Royals. Oh well, it was still an excellent day at the park!

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The next day I drove about three hours up into the mountains to see my Brother Eric, his wife Diane, and my nieces Taylor and Hayden. They live in a small town called Buena Vista (elevation 8,000 feet) tucked between the collegiate peaks (Mount Harvard, Yale, Princeton and Oxford - all over 14,000 feet) and the Arkansas River.

Eric is a doctor in the small town and has delived most of the babies since he arrived. When you walk down the street with him he can point out all the children he has helped enter the world... Diane is on the City Council and serves as Mayor-pro-tem. Taylor and Hayden, well, they are little girls so they are VERY busy too!

First stop, the river. Just a few miles outside of town is one of the best river rafting spots in the United States. Eric is also the Medical Director for one of the largest local rafting companies - Noah's Ark - take a look at their web site and plan your visit today! http://www.noahsark.com/

The guys at Noah's took great care of us. There were no other trips scheduled that afternoon, so they set one up special for us. It was a rare treat to have the river to ourselves!

Taylor and Eric enjoy a little sun on the river. The water was COLD - 42 degrees - and we did not stay very dry...

Yours truly rafting the Brown's Canyon section with my niece Taylor, brother Eric, Matt, and a our guide... HIGH WATER this time of year...

(Courtesy Noah's Ark)

The "After" photo...we survived!

Eric and Diane grilled steaks and asparagus for dinner - followed by Diane's homemade mint chip ice cream. Here is the Buena Vista contingent of the Gibb family...

Hayden and Taylor - the belles of Buena Vista!

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Well, now it is back to DC for a few days...Next stop, Beijing...