The Explore All 50 States Project
Let's Go!
Mesa Verde National Park, (Mesa Verde being Spanish for green table), offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people, the Anasazi, who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to 1300. Today, the park protects nearly 5,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States. Be prepared to hike … [Read more...]
Who can say no to free samples of chocolate?? Not I! While Russell Stover is not my favorite chocolate, it was fun to see and sample some factory seconds. Misshapen candy can be pretty hilarious, and it’s still something my kids and I laugh about to this day. … [Read more...]
There's nothing like the fresh air in the Rocky Mountains to stir up a hearty appetite and you'll find no better place satisfy that hunger and fuel the rest of your day than Starvin' Arvin's in Montrose Colorado. Out on the road this place was a godsend serving up hearty fare to satisfy everyone's cravings. In fact, eating at Starvin' Arvin's was one of our most memorable breakfasts of all time. The eggs were … [Read more...]
I am so glad we took the time to visit the Ute Indian Museum because I had never heard of the Ute Indians before. We learned all about their history, their arts and folklore, and their daily life. As we took our time wandering around, we were mesmerized by the beautiful examples of the fine bead work on a variety of items that Utes used in their daily life. We saw and amazing feather headdress worn by the chief … [Read more...]
After a thrill a minute lunch at Chili's in Pueblo where Joel had a complete meltdown, we let the kids blow off a little steam at the Rock Canyon Waterslide near the Reservoir. It was a little tough to find-scratch that, it was really hard to find, but once we did, everyone had a great time. Lilia, Maya, Joel and daredevil Shari each roared down the slide numerous times having a complete blast. Once everyone had … [Read more...]
I'd always been a little nervous about white water rafting but after our adventure on Trip #3 but I was game to try it once again. If you are fearful like I was, I strongly encourage you to give it a try on a mellow ride and make sure you go out with a professional outfit. Once you conquer your fear, you will enjoy an incredibly amazing experience and might even be tempted to up the ante and try a run with larger … [Read more...]
Silverton is just a picture perfect old western mining town high up in the Rocky Mountains. With adorable shops and restaurants there's lots to explore from old time saloons, candy shops and tons of other stuff to check out that feels like a real trip back in history, when the West was the new frontier. We stopped for lunch at Handlebars Food and Saloon and were greeted up our arrival by an a guy dressed in late … [Read more...]
When Isaac heard we were going on the Old Hundred Gold Mine Tour it's all he could talk about-he was determined to find some nuggets. We drove a little up into the mountains to get to the mine and the scenery was incredible, in fact the road followed a real "babbling brook" that flowed down to the river below. After checking in we Got dressed up in our gear-which consisted of a hard hat and a yellow "lab coat" type … [Read more...]
Trinidad is a historic town on the Santa Fe trail nestled against the foothills of the Rocky Mountains halfway between Santa Fe and Denver. We stopped here for the night and before heading out on the road the next morning, hopped on the Trinidad trolley to take a quick guided tour. Trinidad retains its Old West character and the vitality of its pioneering days. The Trolley takes you past many historic buildings … [Read more...]
Montana is simply put one of the most beautiful states in the entire country. We were lucky enough to explore the southern and western regions following some of Lewis and Clark's trail and learned so much about Montana's incredible history. Shaped by four types of people as depicted in the State Capitol Building in Helena-the Native American, the explorer and fur trader, the miner and the cowboy, each has left an … [Read more...]
