Esplin Updates: Summer Catch-Up #5: Colorado

Before school started, we decided to take a nice, NOT long, easy trip to Durango. It only took us about 3-4 hours, that is a really nice drive compared to the 10-11 hours when going to Utah. Anyway, we rented a nice little condo up in Cascade Village and stayed there for two nights. We had A LOT of fun hiking, getting trapped in a really wet mine shaft, panning for gold, watching T.V., swimming, hanging out in the hot tubs, and watching it rain and rain and rain and rain. It was really rainy.

We got to Durango and went to the nearest store from Cascade Village. We got so much food. We rented a movie from red box to watch that night. We explored the hiking trails and found the hot tubs and pool and went swimming!

The next day it was raining and we decided to go explore the area, so we drove out of Durango and into another town. We were going to ride the train, but for nine people that is really expensive. Instead we went to this little place to pan for gold and go into a mine shaft. Now you must know we were panning for gold in the FREEZING cold rain, only a light jacket and preparing to go into a really wet mine shaft. Are final decision was to leave Nate and the twins with dad, and Jared, Brynn, Ellie, mom and I would go into the freezing mine.

We got into the mine car, it was of course, wet from the rain and drove into the mine which was also very wet. It turns out it was so wet and the water was so high that our mine car could not get through and died. So, we are pretty much trapped in the mine, no where to get out, but still we go on with the tour. We were really freezing but got through the tour fine. The emergency car came to pick us up. We were so cold we went home and had hot chocolate and hung out in the hot tubs.

We got to go hiking too and it was awesome! it was SO pretty and SO green...for a change! We also watched some T.V. and made cookies! IT was so fun and we cant wait to go back!