Beaver Creek or Bust

Goodbye San Diego...

  So, let's talk, or rather let me talk to you. I was born and raised in California. I am a California girl through and through. I went snowboarding a couple of times in high school and college, wasn't for me. I am NOT a snow bunny. So for the last 5 or 6 years my hubs takes a boys trip to Colorado for some real snowboarding. This year, for his birthday he wanted me to come. I reluctantly complied not knowing what I was getting into. We went with our good friends Brett & Cara. We flew into Denver on January 6 and headed for Edwards in Vail Valley. The boys did quite the packing job with our little Chevy HHR. Bobby's Uncle Hunt lives in Edwards with his lovely wife Vicki and we were excited to spend a couple of days with them.
Friday we were up early and ready for the slopes. The boys went on the first run with us and tried to teach Cara and I to "carve" with little success. We then told them to head out and Cara and I stuck to the bunny slopes, aka "Little Buckaroo." In the afternoon Cara and I met the boys at the Ritz for some apres snow drinks. It was so much fun!

Ready for the slopes!

 Saturday, Brett's brother Ben hooked us up with snowmobiling! I was a little nervous but it ended up being a blast. They first had us get used to the snow mobiles and then let us run wild in a field of snow. After that we headed deeper into the Colorado wilderness back to a ranch where our guide had hot chocolate waiting for us.

On my own, watch out!

Gotta love that view.

I borrowed their pants. Our guide said he was going for length, not girth.

We were on their tail.

Sunday it was snowing, but the boys were ready for it. Cara and I decided to spend our morning watching the snow with hot cups of coffee. We then ventured out into the 20 degree weather for some shopping. By 2 o'clock the boys were done and Ben once again hooked us up with spa treatments at Allegria Spa. I forget what it was called and I couldn't find it on the website, but basically you go through 4 "aqua" treatments. After being sufficiently relaxed we got ready for our dinner at 8100. We walked in and were seated at the Chef's table by the restaurant manager, a friend of Brett & Ben. We then had the best meal of our lives!! Starting with champagne, appetizers, wine, filet mignon, more wine, sides, more wine, desserts, wine, and espresso martinis to end it all. We then waddled back to our room at the Park Hyatt.

Beaver Creek Village

The Chef's table!!

Just for funsies

On Monday our vacation came to an end. Thank goodness!! It was a blast but also -2 degrees as we were leaving, I was ready for balmy 68 degrees in California. So I will definitely never live in Colorado by choice, but after a trip like that, I could get used to visiting every year!

We'll be back!!