River Rafting, Mountain Biking and 'Oh My God' Driving in Colorado

I've asked you to submit your vacation photos, readers, so it's only fair I post my own.

We did a road trip to Denver, Colorado, then made a circle by driving west on Highway 70 to Breckenridge (the "Runaway Trucks" exits and the side-of-the-road dropoffs made me a bit nervous), then continuing southeast to Colorado Springs on Highways 9 and 24. You have to negotiate some twisting roads that circle around mountains and through mountain passes, but it's not bad by Colorado standards. 

At Breckenridge Resort, there was still some snow lying on the ground in late July--we walked on it to make sure it was real. In winter, this is a premier ski resort, but in summertime, you can take a gondola lift and then a chair lift up the mountain and then mountain bike down. If you're new to mountain biking, it's kind of challenging and it takes a little while to get the hang of it. Kids about 11 and up can swing it, though.

After Breckenridge, we visited Garden of the Gods, an area of stunning red rock formations near Colorado Springs, as well as the quaint historic shopping district of Manitou Springs, but took a pass on Pikes Peak. A cousin who lives in the area said the trip to the top sometimes gives tourists a bad headache. For the daring, though, you can either drive or take the cog railway.

We don't have any photos of the most exciting part of our trip--whitewater river rafting--because we didn't have a waterproof camera. We went to Royal Gorge Rafting near Canon City, Colo., and did a half-day trip through Class III rapids on the Arkansas River. I managed not to fall off the inflatable raft, which held eight people. It was a lot of fun! The company provides flotation vests, helmets and water booties, as well as safety training and instruction in how to paddle a raft. It's pleasant to float down the peaceful stretches of the river, and exciting to tackle the rapids.

From there it was back to Denver, where sights include the Denver Mint, a nice pedestrian mall downtown, Invesco Stadium and the Denver Art Museum, and home. We kept costs down by driving there, using our AAA card to get discounts and sometimes getting food from groceries instead of restaurants--and it turned out to be a fairly reasonable trip. 

It was a great time, with beautiful scenery and a wonderful experience of nature. I'm a new Colorado fan!