Thanksgiving 2006

This year, the kids and I did our usual pilgrimage to Breckenridge Colorado to snowboard and ski for Thanksgiving. Overall, the trip was uneventful, which is just fine with me. Everyone had a great time and behavior was at its all time best.

We left home around 4 am on Wednesday morning. I struggle to stay awake even after downing a huge cup of coffee and two Red Bull’s, but we kept on moving (with frequent potty breaks). We ate snacks out of the car and made great time, getting thru Denver before rush hour and hitting the mountain pass while it was still light out. We stopped in Idaho Springs and had world famous Beau Jo’s Pizza for dinner. Then we proceeded on to Dillon and got our ski gear and then up to Breckenridge.



Once in Breckenridge, we went to the local grocery store to get some supplies. The place was a mad house. Breckenridge keeps growing and growing and it is loosing some of its charm. Everyone was out doing last minute shopping for Thanksgiving. We elbowed our way thru the crowd and manage to get some sandwich fixings and breakfast food. Malcolm joyfully found a jug of Eggnog……..yuck!

Thursday morning we hit the slopes and somehow, to our surprise, we all got more skilled over the summer. We went straight for the blue runs, skipping the easier green runs all together (Malcolm has historically favored the green runs). On this first outing, we had neglected to wear our helmets thinking it was going to be warm up runs………that was a mistake! Zoe and I sported our matching outfits……….yea………we’re dorks.



At lunch time we went back to the room, grabbed some grub and put on the helmets. We then headed back up to find some fast blue runs. We tore up and down the mountain for the next few hours. Zoe and I put on our I-pods. I decided that I needed a couple of new play lists. One for riding the lift up, something dreamy and light, like Coldplay Clocks; and one for riding the board down, something aggressive, like Nine Inch Nails or Nirvana. Around 4 when it starts to get cold and icy, we got off the slopes and into the hot tubs. Now, this is normally a wonderful treat after a day of freezing your butt off and working your muscles hard. However, the weather had been very warm (50 degrees) all day and no one had any crashes to speak of and the hot tub was just not so wonderful. We did however; get to chat with some nice and interesting people. I think that may be the best thing about hot tubs………great social situation.

For dinner, we walked down to Main St. and went to Eric’s. This is one of the only places we have found that is open, reasonably priced and serves a GREAT Thanksgiving meal, complete with a huge hunk of pumpkin pie for desert. (They just have to put that in a “to go” box.) I broke my no drinking rule and ordered Breckenridge Avalanche Ale…..one of my all time favorites. I got to thinking it would be great to be an accountant for a brewery………..but I digress.

Friday morning, we were heading to the lifts when Malcolm realized one of his bindings on his board was broken. Zoe and I said “too bad dude…..we have to do a few runs right now……..we’ll be back”. Around 11 we made our way back to the ski shop and got his gear fixed and then we went up to Keystone. It was the first time the kids had been anywhere but Breckenridge. I amazed them by riding up on the Gondola.



Keystone’s snow was not as nice as Breck’s and the runs are narrower. I ended up crashing on an icy patch and bruised my derrière BIG TIME………..ouch……..ouch! Around 4, we went down to the village and had dinner on the patio of some random Mexican restaurant. We really just wanted to sit outside where it was still unseasonably warm and take in the party atmosphere. There is a courtyard type arrangement where people were jumping on a trampoline ride/attraction and a DJ spinning some music, people milling all about. I broke my no drinking rule and had a, mediocre at best, margarita.

Saturday we did some morning runs at Breckenridge. Malcolm did his first Blue-Black run ever. He was so proud and thrilled, we did it twice. Then, when the crowd started to pick up, we got off the mountain, cleaned up and headed down to Main St. to do some shopping and have lunch. We ate lunch at a French Patisserie (bakery). The people that own it/ run it are genuine Frenchies speaking French to each other and broken English to us. We had a couple of sandwiches on a real Baguette (love the real French bread!). Then, for desert, we each had a $5 pastry tart. They were worth every penny!!

On to the souvenir shopping; Malcolm ended up getting a fancy pocket knife and Zoë settled for about four little tiny stuffed animals. I managed to find another jacket I had to have (white, fuzzy North Face brand) as well as some stickers and a couple of cool stocking hats and necklaces (which you just can’t get around Columbia).

Around dark, we donned our ski gear again and drove over to Keystone and do some night skiing. Due to the icy conditions, the skiing was not the best, but the kids had to try it just so they could say they did it. We then returned our gear to the ski shop and headed back to Breckenridge. For dinner, we dined on Rasta Pasta (a Breckenridge must) then we packed for the drive home.

Sunday morning we left in the dark and as we were driving on the mountain pass, just past the tunnel, we saw something white in the road. As we got closer, the animal looked at us and then moved off the road quickly and quietly. It was, as best I can tell, an Artic Wolf! How cool is that?

The kids told me time and time again that this was the best trip ever. I am not sure what made it so good, but my guess is, they are finally past the learning stage on their boards/ skis and also they are just older and can appreciate the whole experience a little more.