Colorado! The magnificent! And golden!! One thousand years~ of color~

And if you don't get THAT bad spinoff then you need to watch The Road to El Dorado again.

Oh, wow. So, I have three days I feel the need to spume about. Buckle up, kids!

The day before yesterday, we went to the nature and science museum in Denver, which was awesome. We saw Imax shows in the planetarium, and one about the Titanic. I also saw an exhibit about the Titanic- all sorts of authentic artifacts and junk. The one in Branson was better. We all got passports (totally stole that gimic), only, no one died. Everyone they passed out lived. Boring I say!! Boring!! And their gift shop only had one version of the Heart of the Ocean. Go figure.

Also that day, we explored Denver downtown. They had part of sixteenth street permanently closed off to display one of the coolest open air strip malls that I have ever seen. Ever. They had second and third levels to it, too. We had dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe, which is vaguely overrated, but still cool. I got a shirt.

Now, for yesterday. By far the coolest day. We drove through the MOUNTAINS. We got up to 12000 feet!! Got out and walked, saw elk and a marmot and I climbed rocks!!! I really can't explain how awesome the view was from that high up. Really exiliherating. I loved the terrain, the tundra, that high up. Sixty degrees, sparse foliage, and lots of rocks sticking up out of the ground at various hieghts and angles!! Some of them looked like giant mushrooms. Those mountains took an entire day to go through, which was an entire day of sitting in the car, granted. But SO cool.

Today, we also went through the mountains. Except we did it on horseback! Two hours through the mountains. I loved it. The high atmosphere hasn't gotten to me yet- all I am is a little drowsy. The horses were amazing. I had a white and brown apolusa (sp?) named Freckles. Nicole had a mean little pony who walked like he was drunk named Blackie (tried to kick Freckles, and when we were going up and down the rocks? Winced everytime he put his feet down. Ankles bent, and I had to remember that he had three other feet to catch himself). And Erin had a pony named Mexico that needed many potty breaks. Mom and Dad's horses were less interesting- but watching Dad get off his horse was painful and funny at the same time!! He really needs to get his back looked at by a specialist, poor guy. ^.^;; He's out in the pool now.

After that, we found one of the little touristy, mountain towns that all look suspiciously like Eureka Springs and shopped around. You know, looking in all the cutesy little shops, getting christmas presents for relatives, and other junk. There were a couple cute little art galleries too. They were fun!! And then...

There was the bike shop.

Now, I need to explain a few things. First of all, in Colorado? EVERYONE BIKES. EVERYONE. NOT JOKING. You can glance up out the window from any given place, and you will see someone biking. A small child, a woman in a skirt, and a BUNCH of serious bikers in full biker attire with seriously expensive racing bikes. They have their own lane on most of the roads around here. It's really awe inspiring. So, when I say bike shop, I say this shop will put any and all bike shops in and around Joplin to SHAME.

So, we stopped in. They had some seriously competitive prices on some really good bikes, according to Dad. It was fun. So, we browsed around in this shop twelve hours from home...

... and I came out with a new bike.

It wasn't planned!! We're twelve hours from home, have a ton of luggage, and now we also have a SERIOUSLY COOL mountain bike to lug home as well. Talk about bad planning!! But I have been needing a new bike... Sir Boa is getting too small for me. ^.^;;; I have christened my new bike Sebastian. He's a duke.

So, that was the highlight of my day. o.O I was as little overwhelmed, walking around this little, cute, downtown area, crowded with tourists, walking next to my bike. I wasn't as out of place as you might think... others were riding their bikes, too. ^.^;;

I had considered telling you all that I had broken my leg on the horse trail through the mountains, but the bike bought twelve hours from home blew it out of the water. I am feeling sufficiently spoiled. :D

Tomorrow, bright and early, we're heading for home. And we're losing an hour coming back, and then I swear I will be getting the latest HP book or SOMEONE WILL DIE. I've seen it around town at least five times. They were selling it for forty five dollars at Target. Wow!!

Okay, enough spume. Ivy, out!