Vail, Dinner with Family, and Annie/Grammy's arrival

We went to Vail to experience a different side of Colorado—from old west mining towns to modern ski resorts. After breakfast, we took the shuttle into Vail Village. From there, we boarded a terrifying gondola ride up the mountain to Epic Discovery, an adventure park at the summit. The area is packed with activities—slides, coasters, trampolines, and more.

We played for about an hour before a storm rolled in over the mountains. Once lightning is spotted, everything shuts down—everything. The coasters, the slides, even the gondola. You're stuck at the top until the storm passes. That took about an hour.

Once the skies cleared, we made our way to the coaster line. Just as we were about to ride, we spotted another storm creeping over the mountain. While I was on the coaster, I heard thunder. The second we got off, I knew we had no time. We sprinted from the coaster to the gondola.

As we were boarding, I saw the staff on the phone—and I knew what was coming. The next group behind us was stopped. The gondola had shut down again. We got off the mountain with seconds to spare. As we descended, I looked up at the empty gondolas still headed up and realized: if we hadn’t run, if someone had fallen, or if we’d hesitated even slightly, our evening could have been completely derailed. I’m sure people were stuck up there for hours.

We needed to leave Vail for two reasons: first, to head to Denver to meet up with Annie and Grammy, who were flying in late that evening; and second, to catch up with my cousins—Amy, Mike, and Gus.

Gus had moved to CSU to college, and a transfer and new job gave Amy and Mike the chance to follow. It was so good to see them. We met up at the Gaylord Resort. I’ve been to the one in DC, so I knew what to expect—but the kids were blown away by the sheer size of the place, and the fact that it felt like an entire town inside one building.

After a great dinner, we headed back to the hotel to bathe, do laundry, and wait for Mommy and Grammy—so the next chapter of our epic trip could begin.

Exploring Durango and Silverton

After our hot air balloon ride, we returned to the hotel for a much-needed mid-morning nap before hitting the road for Southwest Colorado. About four hours later, we arrived in Durango—a charming town I hadn’t visited in nearly 30 years. Not much had changed. We spent the evening exploring, shopping, and grabbing dinner. We considered coming back the next day, but ultimately decided to head to Silverton instead.

To get there, we drove the “Million Dollar Highway”—a very different kind of “million dollar mile” than the one we saw in Chicago. Instead of high-end shops and luxury, this one delivered white-knuckle mountain driving along narrow cliffs and hairpin turns. The views, though, made every tense moment worth it. To set the mood, I blasted the Jurassic Park movie soundtrack. However, the mood set for the kids was mostly disgust. 😄

Silverton was worth the drive. It’s a small 1800s mining town full of character, history, quirky shops, and oddities. We ate lunch at The Lacy Rose Saloon, a historic spot famous for a bullet hole left by Bat Masterson, who was the sheriff at the time. The saloon had a restored bar and piano, and the kids and I “bellied up” to enjoy the ambiance. The piano player noticed Marley’s Toy Story boots and played “You’ve Got a Friend in Me.” He even invited Lainey up for a duet—a proud dad moment for sure.

After lunch, we headed to the Old Hundred Mine for a tour—definitely one of the highlights of the day. While we waited for the mine carts, we panned for minerals. Once our ride arrived, we were handed raincoats and hard hats and loaded into a cart that took us 1,500 feet into the mountain.

Inside, Faith quickly discovered why we were given coats—it was wet and chilly. The kids in boots were well-prepared. I, on the other hand, had underestimated the 47-degree, damp conditions and immediately regretted my clothing and footwear choices.

The tour lasted about 45 minutes. Our guide showed us tunnels, minerals, mining elevators, and equipment spanning from the 1800s to modern day. My takeaway was: “This is hard work.” Marley’s? “I want to be a miner!” 😂

As we exited the mine, he confirmed his future plans: half miner, half cowboy.

From there, we continued our journey—driving through the mountains, winding through Glenwood Canyon, and ending the day in Vail, Colorado.

After our hot air balloon ride, we returned to the hotel for a much-needed mid-morning nap before hitting the road for Southwest Colorado. About four hours later, we arrived in Durango—a charming town I hadn’t visited in nearly 30 years. Not much had changed. We spent the evening exploring, shopping, and grabbing dinner. We considered coming back the next day, but ultimately decided to head to Silverton instead.

To get there, we drove the “Million Dollar Highway”—a very different kind of “million dollar mile” than the one we saw in Chicago. Instead of high-end shops and luxury, this one delivered white-knuckle mountain driving along narrow cliffs and hairpin turns. The views, though, made every tense moment worth it. To set the mood, I blasted the Jurassic Park movie soundtrack. However, the mood set for the kids was mostly disgust. 😄

Silverton was worth the drive. It’s a small 1800s mining town full of character, history, quirky shops, and oddities. We ate lunch at The Lacy Rose Saloon, a historic spot famous for a bullet hole left by Bat Masterson, who was the sheriff at the time. The saloon had a restored bar and piano, and the kids and I “bellied up” to enjoy the ambiance. The piano player noticed Marley’s Toy Story boots and played “You’ve Got a Friend in Me.” He even invited Lainey up for a duet—a proud dad moment for sure.

After lunch, we headed to the Old Hundred Mine for a tour—definitely one of the highlights of the day. While we waited for the mine carts, we panned for minerals. Once our ride arrived, we were handed raincoats and hard hats and loaded into a cart that took us 1,500 feet into the mountain.

Inside, Faith quickly discovered why we were given coats—it was wet and chilly. The kids in boots were well-prepared. I, on the other hand, had underestimated the 47-degree, damp conditions and immediately regretted my clothing and footwear choices.

The tour lasted about 45 minutes. Our guide showed us tunnels, minerals, mining elevators, and equipment spanning from the 1800s to modern day. My takeaway was: “This is hard work.” Marley’s? “I want to be a miner!” 😂

As we exited the mine, he confirmed his future plans: half miner, half cowboy.

From there, we continued our journey—driving through the mountains, winding through Glenwood Canyon, and ending the day in Vail, Colorado.

Ballooning in Albuquerque

Our Route 66 adventure wrapped up in New Mexico, which was always part of the plan. Albuquerque, in particular, is known for hot air balloons—something I’ve always wanted to try. Still, whether we’d actually go was, well, up in the air.

The first hurdle was weather. Balloons typically won’t launch if wind speeds exceed 8–10 mph. Our weather app showed about 7 mph—just within the safe zone. The second hurdle was the kids. Balloon rides happen at sunrise. Marley was on board from the start. Faith was a definite no. That left Lainey as the deciding vote. She started with a "no," but after a little politicking, she changed her mind to a "yes."

Everything aligned, and by 5:30 a.m., we arrived at Rainbow Ryders HQ, ready for liftoff. After a short bus ride, we reached an open lot where several balloons were prepping for launch. Watching the setup was half the fun—unfolding the balloon, firing up huge fans, and igniting the flame torch. The whole process was mesmerizing.

About a dozen of us climbed into the basket. Marley was handed a little stool so he could see out. Takeoff was smooth—a bit nerve-wracking for the kids at first—but once we were in the air, it was peaceful. Quiet, except for the occasional dog bark echoing from below. The views were stunning: all of Albuquerque, the mostly-dry Rio Grande, and the surrounding mountains. At one point, Marley declared, “This is awesome… I’m ready to go down now.” 😄

Landing was its own adventure. There’s no set landing zone; instead, the pilot and the “chase crew” look for a suitable spot as the balloon descends—maybe a park, a meadow, a parking lot, or even a street. In Albuquerque, it’s apparently not uncommon to tell your boss you’re late because a balloon landed in your driveway.

Our balloon ended up touching down in the back of a church parking lot. Once safely out of the basket, we celebrated with a mimosa (or orange juice) toast and a ride back to our car. At this point, our family, family trip—and especially Marley—had become a part of the entertainment on the bus. He regaled the group with stories about our trip, his friends, his next big plans, and pretty much any thought that came to mind. In other words, a typical car ride with Marley.

By 9 a.m., we were back at the hotel, grabbing breakfast and packing up. It was time to hit the road once again.

Next stop: Colorado.

Historic Route 66

After Annie headed home, we weren’t quite sure what came next. I told the kids I didn’t even know if we were turning left or right out of the driveway. We had considered meeting Aunt Donna and Lynn in Zion, but wildfires near the Grand Canyon forced them to scrap their trip. So we pivoted—and decided to head to Arizona to get our kicks on Route 66.

Route 66 stretches from Chicago to Santa Monica, but the most iconic stretch in Arizona runs from the state line to Holbrook. From Yosemite, we drove about seven hours to Kingman, Arizona, where we found a hotel just in time to explore the downtown. There, we got a glimpse of what a bypassed boomtown looks like today (spoiler: not much going on)—but it did give us a tour of a classic Santa Fe train and a fun photo op under the Route 66 sign with our car.

The next morning, we hit the road. Enter "Bill," our GuideAlong GPS narrator. This was a clutch —without him, the drive would’ve just been scenic. But with Bill chiming in, we learned the history of Route 66, the background of each little town, and, most importantly, how to actually stay on the route (it's not one continuous road, and definitely not a straight shot—at one point, we even ended up on gravel).

We stopped at the Route 66 Museum, had milkshakes at an old-fashioned diner, and snapped photos of vintage cars and roadside oddities. As we moved further west, Route 66 becomes more fragmented—sometimes merging with I-40, and other times just dead-ending. That was fine, though; we were running short on time anyway. Still, we kept Bill going and veered off the expressway a few more times. What really stood out? The kids actually groaned every time we got back on the highway. They wanted more boomtowns, more quirky stops, more open road.

Arizona’s Route 66 is a hidden gem. At times, we were the only car in sight. The route has history, food, scenery—and soul. I want to do it again and dive even deeper. Bill recommends doing it over three days: Eastern 66, the Grand Canyon, and Western 66. I’d love to combine that with stops at the Hoover Dam, Las Vegas, local caves (yes, you can sleep underground!), and other unique spots nearby.

Until next time, Route 66.

After Annie headed home, we weren’t quite sure what came next. I told the kids I didn’t even know if we were turning left or right out of the driveway. We had considered meeting Aunt Donna and Lynn in Zion, but wildfires near the Grand Canyon forced them to scrap their trip. So we pivoted—and decided to head to Arizona to get our kicks on Route 66.

Route 66 stretches from Chicago to Santa Monica, but the most iconic stretch in Arizona runs from the state line to Holbrook. From Yosemite, we drove about seven hours to Kingman, Arizona, where we found a hotel just in time to explore the downtown. There, we got a glimpse of what a bypassed boomtown looks like today (spoiler: not much going on)—but it did give us a tour of a classic Santa Fe train and a fun photo op under the Route 66 sign with our car.

The next morning, we hit the road. Enter "Bill," our GuideAlong GPS narrator. This was a clutch —without him, the drive would’ve just been scenic. But with Bill chiming in, we learned the history of Route 66, the background of each little town, and, most importantly, how to actually stay on the route (it's not one continuous road, and definitely not a straight shot—at one point, we even ended up on gravel).

We stopped at the Route 66 Museum, had milkshakes at an old-fashioned diner, and snapped photos of vintage cars and roadside oddities. As we moved further west, Route 66 becomes more fragmented—sometimes merging with I-40, and other times just dead-ending. That was fine, though; we were running short on time anyway. Still, we kept Bill going and veered off the expressway a few more times. What really stood out? The kids actually groaned every time we got back on the highway. They wanted more boomtowns, more quirky stops, more open road.

Arizona’s Route 66 is a hidden gem. At times, we were the only car in sight. The route has history, food, scenery—and soul. I want to do it again and dive even deeper. Bill recommends doing it over three days: Eastern 66, the Grand Canyon, and Western 66. I’d love to combine that with stops at the Hoover Dam, Las Vegas, local caves (yes, you can sleep underground!), and other unique spots nearby.

Until next time, Route 66.

Yosemite Day 2

Our second day at Yosemite got off to a slightly later start, but we still made it to the park by 10 a.m. This time, the crowds were noticeably larger. A 45-minute wait at the entrance made us feel extra grateful for hitting the busier spots the day before.

Our first stop was Bridalveil Falls—honestly, kind of a letdown. Maybe it would’ve been more impressive earlier in the season with more water, or on a windier day when the mist kicks up. As it was, it was a quick, uneventful stop.

The next destination made up for it in every way: Glacier Point. Absolutely stunning. The views took our breath away. We snapped family photos, soaked in the scenery, and did some light exploring—capping off our Yosemite visit on the highest possible note.

Afterward, we headed back to the house for one last evening of relaxing, playing, and packing up.

The next morning, everyone split off in different directions: Annie, Dad, and Jean went back to San Francisco to fly home; Kevin, Sydney, and Skylar returned to L.A.; and Marley, Lainey, Faith, and I set out for our next adventure—Historic Route 66!