June 8: Durango
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Today is a non-travel day. We end up doing “stay-cation” kind of things – in other words, stuff we didn’t have to drive 1000 miles to do, like going swimming, climbing the rock wall at the recreation center, seeing a movie, playing mini-golf, and eating barbeque. Frankly, that last one should only be done in Kansas City, but I might be slightly biased. :) |
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Swimming:I’m sure the reason I could only do 4 laps in the swimming pool is because of the higher altitude in Colorado. By the way, I am painfully aware of my lack of health consciousness when I can’t decide if I should be more embarrassed by my farmer’s tan or my middle-aged protruding gut. |
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The Rock-Climbing Wall: The recreation center where we go swimming also features a rock-climbing wall. |
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| Movie: See if you remember this movie: Keith is the unpopular boy befriended by Watts, the unpopular girl. Watts is in love with Keith, but he’s clueless because he’s smitten with Amanda, the popular girl. In a twisted fantasy, Watts helps Keith plan the dream date for Amanda; at least she gets to be in on it somehow that way. Complicating matters is Hardy, the popular boy who has been dating Amanda. He’s a jerk and bullies Keith, but Amanda likes running with the “it” crowd and can’t imagine being alone. Of course, Keith does go on the perfect date with Amanda, properly impresses her, and even gets to put the bully in his place. In the end, however, Amanda announces that she needs to stand on her own and Keith finally realizes it is Watts with whom he is meant to be. Those versed in John Hughes’ teen films of the ‘80s will identify this as 1987’s Some Kind of Wonderful. However, change the characters’ names and make them all dogs and, strangely enough, this is the romantic plot line for 2010’s Marmaduke. |
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| Mini-Golf: When playing mini-golf with a 5YO, the rules aren’t quite the same as they are for Tiger Woods playing in the Masters. For one, you don’t keep score. Two, you don’t fret over things like waiting for the ball to stop rolling before you hit it again. Three – “scooting” the ball into the hole instead of putting is perfectly acceptable. Oh, and when you putt the ball uphill and it rolls right back where it started, you get to hit it again. And yes, the 7YO will cry “no fair” even when he benefits from these rules as well. |
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| Barbeque: We ate at Serious Texas Barbeque tonight on the recommendation of a woman at the visitor’s center. According to her, the restaurant’s pulled pork with cherry chipotle salsa won a contest for the nation’s best sandwich. While the combo is a good one, it is obvious there were no entries from KC area barbeque restaurants.
I was amused by the sign outside the restaurant that warned to “Watch for Falling Ice and Snow.” Uh, not exactly a problem in near-three-digit temps.
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| The Differences in Kids: One of the major differences between my children’s personalities has come into sharp focus on this vacation. Ask Evan if he wants to go horseback riding or climb the rock wall or scale a mountain or ride a tractor and he responds with an immediate and enthusiastic “Yes!” Ask Levi the same questions, and he’ll respond with a “no” or a very tentative “yes” – and then it is generally after he’s already observed Evan and feels like maybe he’ll survive the experience unscathed. |
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