Our Big Top Life

LONG post, but worth the read.... Pics at end!

We could not have planned today's adventure if we tried. We started with a drive into Frisco and then hiked to Rainbow Lake where we ate lunch. It was the perfect hike for our family. Not too strenuous for the kids. After ice cream cones at Foote's Rest
(isn't that a cute and very appropriate name?), we decided to drive through the Boreas Pass. What started out as a beautiful, pleasant, very scenic drive at 11,000 feet above sea level, turned into a nerve wrecking, gut wrenching off road trip down the "road to nowhere."

You see, my darling husband thought he had found a "short cut" back (CO Rd 801 shouldn't even be on the map). We had already been driving on spectacular aspen lined, smooth dirt roads for 45 min and were anxious to go home. This short cut may have been legit for a 4x4 truck. After all, there was a sign at the beginning that said for trucks only. I failed to notice that sign and my hubby must have thought that a Sienna and a 4x4 truck were close to the same thing. So, off he went.

You know those commercials of the heavy duty vehicles quickly driving up the side of the most steepest, rockiest, narrowest road in the country? What does it always say at the end? Yep. "Don't ever attempt in real life." Well, we just did and we did it in a minivan (minus the steep part)!

In no time at all, we were driving over rocks that seemed like the size of miniature boulders. We kept going. We soon crossed some cute little mountain streams that weren't so cute at the time and that splashed half way up our van. We kept going. Next, came fallen logs that were like gigantic speed bumps. We kept going. All the while, we suggested a turn around, but the roads were so narrow would a safe, successful turn around even be possible? It seemed we were getting deeper and deeper into trouble the further we went. There was no one else around and our phones did not have service. It was funny and fearful at the same time if that even makes sense. We knew this had to end somewhere, but where and when?

I was thinking, "How are we all going to sleep in this van tonight. And, will a tow truck even come down here?"

Brenda was thinking, "What are we going to eat. We have Oreos, 1/4 bag of BBQ chips, a Vitamin Water, and apples."

Dad was thinking, "We are going to pop a tire. And, we will never make our dinner reservations."

Carter was thinking, "How am I going to go poop out here without a bear biting my butt?"

Ryder was trying to say, "Scared!"

Tyler was trying not to think at all by laying down in the back and covering his face with a jacket sleeve.

And, Justin was thinking, "I AM going to do this thing!"

Until....... we came to the place where a tree laid across the path (I will not call it a road anymore). Justin put the van in park and got out to see if we could go around the tree. WHAT?!

Oh, dear Lord. We better pray.

He walked back to the van highly frustrated, but very calm all things considered, and the turn around attempt began against his will I am sure. After physically moving some of those mini boulders we were on our way back to the beginning of this ATV trail (no longer worthy to be called a road or a path). I commended him on his humility to give in to our desires.

3 hours later we were on the way back to town. I can't tell you how excited we were to see pavement and to know our van was still running well. Our bottoms were sore from all the bouncing (worse than a horse back ride gone bad) and we were tired, but we were SAFE!! SIENNA'S ARE BEASTS for sure!!!

We ended the night with steaks for Carter's Birthday at the Briar Rose Chop House back in Breckenridge. It was good, but over priced. Wish we weren't so tired so we could have enjoyed it more. Carter's birthday is tomorrow. More on that later. Today lasted f-o-r-e-v-e-r but the memories we created were priceless and will keep us laughing for years to come!

****By the way, we just discovered that CO Rd 801 is also known as a Forest Service Road and a great Bike Trail. LOL! LOL! Nice to know after the fact!