I have written before that Peggy and I go to Colorado every summer. We usually go right around our anniversary, but sometimes the calendar conspires to make us go a little earlier or a little later. Today, a memory popped up from a trip we made five years ago. That year we had to go early in July because of work obligations and because it was a very busy summer.

We have asked my brother and his wife to join us in Colorado at least twenty times over the years. One of the reasons this particular memory is meaningful is that is the year they finally took us up on the offer. And I am guessing they were pretty excited about it because they actually beat us to the condo on the day we arrived. Peggy and I walked around the corner and found them sitting outside in the sunshine and cool afternoon enjoying a beer. It was a great start to the trip.

We took them all the places we love to go when we are in Colorado. They aren’t particularly comfortable on bicycles, so Peggy and I did the downhill bike ride on the day they played golf. Since we were there earlier than usual there was a little more rain than we typically encounter, but the day they played golf was beautiful.

The two pictures we have to take every time we go to Colorado are at Sapphire Point and at the Continental Divide (we usually hit it on Loveland Pass, though sometimes the photo is at Hoosier Pass). That year we took one of my all-time favorite pictures. It is a favorite for a couple of different reasons. Here is the picture:

I laughed this morning when this memory came up, and I laugh every time I see this picture. Why? Because it looks like I was photoshopped into the photograph. It is a great picture of everyone, but it looks like I wasn’t really there. And Peggy and I have what she calls our witness protection look going since we forgot to take off our sunglasses.

The other reason I love this picture so much is the amount of snow still on the peaks. We rarely see this much snow when we make the trip, so this was a particular treat.

And on that same day Peggy and I got our obligatory Sapphire Point picture. We even had someone with us to take it — frequently you have to ask another visitor to take it for you.

It was a great trip, and seeing the pictures this morning was a great memory.

Coincidentally, we are currently in Colorado Springs and will be heading over to Keystone for a couple of days later this week, so we may get to see some snow on the peaks again. 

And I will make sure it looks like I am actually in any pictures we take…