Looking in the mirror back to 2024
Wasn’t that an experience?!
If you didn’t read my last post, Escape back to 2024 with me, go read it to catch up. 😉
…because we are continuing our escape back to 2024 from there.
The morning after our stressful, eventful jeep day, we set out for Independence Pass, elevation 12,095 ft.
Along the way, we drove past the Twin Lakes, where just 2 days before, we were on Hope Pass looking down on them!
It’s weird and amazing to think about that.
One of the Twin Lakes at ground level
Looking at them from above
Independence Pass is an eye-popping portion of the Continental Divide.
We’ve been up there 3 times, but so far haven’t done any hiking in the area.
However, just the drive is worth it for the amazing views and images one may procure.
On the way to Independence Pass
A cool day at the top
The view!
On the last afternoon in Leadville, we checked out the oldest saloon in Colorado, the Legendary Silver Dollar Saloon.
It showcases numerous historic artifacts, a massive wooden bar, and old warped floor boards.
Leadville’s Legendary Saloon
I snapped this shot of the Historic Delaware Hotel. It’s the premier red brick hotel in downtown Leadville, built in 1886 during the silver boom.
This Victorian-era landmark offers vintage-furnished rooms, which retain its historic charm.
It’s the only remaining grand hotel from that specific mining era in the city.
We hurried towards Loveland via Nederland and Estes Park. Hurried to see Jamesy. ♥
We all hiked at Rabbit Mountain near Loveland. It was hot, rocky, and held the terrifying possibility of seeing a rattlesnake.
Our trek was 4.3 miles, lasted 2.5 hours, and gave us sunburns…but no snakes were sighted! Whew!
One of my sweethearts
Two of my sweethearts 🙂
Look at that blue sky
It was a hot September day
Please let there be no snakes!
Peace!
A pic of me taking a pic
Splendid!
Back home…
I was invited to go on a field trip with Charlie to Nelson’s Produce Farm.
There are hay stacks and slides, animals to view and pet, awesome educational barns where children can be “farmers,” strawberries to pick, flowers, and more.
Charlie on his field trip
Photograph by Charlie 😉
He VERY tentatively “pet” the goat 😀
A bountiful harvest at Nelson’s Produce Farm
These flowers were stunning!
Escaping back to 2024 for one more trip
We had a busy fall in 2024.
Just one week after we returned from Leadville and Loveland, we journeyed to Nebraska City with Chels, Jacob, Charlie, and Liam
for a wonderfully fun Friday night and Saturday.
We stayed at the sumptuous Lied Lodge.
They boys brought their little bikes and rode in the hallway. 🙂
We took a walk and came back to this glorious sight
While there, we experienced the superbly fun Tree Adventure course, along with many other lively choices. The Treetop Village is awesome and consists of 11 treehouses across 3 acres.
A collection of huts was constructed near the tops of the trees, all connected by different netted walkways, some scary to walk through. 😯
There is also a gigantic, super-bouncy trampoline called the Wondernet that me and Charlie really liked. 🙂
Thankfully, we had beautiful weather for late September
Treasure #1
Treasure #2
This little trip was big fun!
Look what Liam’s doing… hahaha
Ready to start the Treetop Adventure
It takes 45-60 minutes to get through
A great day for all
Huts were connected by the rope bridges
You can do it!
Great design
Each rope bridge or walkway was unique
After the Treetop Village adventure, Rick and I did one of my favorite things! ♥ We toured a large historic home, the Arbor Lodge.
This 52-room stately mansion had humble beginnings.
In 1855, J. Sterling Morton built a modest (2 or) 4-room home in Nebraska City, NE, on the treeless prairie; Morton added to the house
several times during his lifetime.
Then, in 1903, his son Joy (the founder and president of Morton Salt), remodeled/enlarged it to its present size.
Lots of food, a buffalo head, and a bowling alley
For a brief photographic history of the home, click here.
Not only does it have the largest dining room table of any historic home that I’ve ever seen, it boasts a buffalo head in one room, and a full bowling alley in the basement, among many other appealing things.
Besides the salt business, the Mortons are known as founders of Arbor Day.
“Arbor Day was founded by J. (Julius) Sterling Morton, a journalist and Nebraska territorial secretary, who proposed the tree-planting holiday at a state board of agriculture meeting on January 4, 1872. The first official Arbor Day was celebrated on April 10, 1872, in Nebraska, resulting in over one million trees planted.”
Quite a gorgeous manor!
What a spectacular dining room!
This was fun to see
The bowling alley was in great shape
A stunning Tiffany skylight
“Busy” wallpaper upstairs
Fancy crown molding
Another view of the bowling alley
The many artifacts and history held my attention…
These beautiful platters were on display
Pictorial history of the Morton men
This tea set was TINY
The chamber pots matched the wall paper!
One of the beautiful bedrooms…
…and another one
The historic home (Arbor Lodge) sits on 72 acres. The many “explorables” include a log cabin, an Italian terraced garden, and a fantastic carriage house, etc.
The carriage house, which displayed many different carriages, was well-kept with its old wooden stalls and ornate ceiling!
You can see more of the house from this view
I could feel the history here
A very old phaeton carriage
Ceiling of the tack room in the carriage house
This stage coach operated from 1867-1871, from Nebraska City to Lexington, NE, and at one time was driven by Buffalo Bill Cody
That’s me on the tree-filled grounds of the Arbor Lodge State Historical Park
The stunning leaves of this Sumac blew me away! 😀
With that, we said goodbye to Nebraska City and Arbor Day Park and all their inviting delights. But…we had one bigger adventure coming.
May I introduce treasure #4, Isaac Matthew Jacobsen. ♥
Another little sweetheart 🙂
James has been good with him
Ahh, our escape back to 2024 is done, I pray you had fun.
I hope you enjoyed the catching up and the lovely joy in the travels. See you for 2025! 😉
It brought more joys in the journey…meeting Isaac in person and two excursions I’d like to share with you. So, stay tuned!
Blessings and joy,
Pam
A potpourri of color
More of the gorgeous Sumac
Author: Pam
Glad you’re here!
What a delightful review of what certainly was a family eventful year. Great memories!
Hey, Fred. Thanks for reading! 🙂
Thank you for sharing Pam! It was a fun adventure.
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Linda. Thanks for reading!