Work was exceedingly slow last Friday, and I was feeling really spontaneous, and so I basically decided at about 2 PM that I was going to make the drive to Breckenridge after all. When I told Dawn, she was like "oh, well you should probably leave at 3 to beat traffic." But I told myself that I should stay until 5 to get work done, but at 2:30 I looked around and realized that literally everyone in my office was gone...and that I had been munching on candy from my co-worker's drawer for the past hour out of boredom. I might as well be doing something productive, such as driving to Breckenridge.
So I headed home, packed a duffel bag full of clothes for a couple of days, grabbed my dear friend the Map Lady and hopped into the Exploder. I should probably admit before I proceed that before I even got into the car I gave the Exploder a pep talk. I knew the drive was going to take a good hour and a half if not more if there was traffic, and I needed to make sure that the Exploder was up for it after his recent hospitalization. I would also be traveling out of the city of Denver into the mountains so I was a little scared that I'd be trucking along up a steep incline, flooring the gas pedal, when either 1) the car would actually explode, or 2) the pedal would break from the pressure of my foot on it and I would have to "flint stone" by way to Breckenridge. Did I want to risk it? Of course. Do you even know me at all?
After some consoling words, baby talk, and strange looks from fellow members of my apartment complex who were also lucky enough to get off work early on that Friday, I took off. The flow of traffic out of the city was incredible. It was a beautiful afternoon and it seemed like EVERYONE was leaving for the weekend with the cars laden with boats and bikes and other summer gear. After all, its late September and it's still in the 80s here.
It took me longer to get to Breckenridge than I thought. Not only was there lots of traffic, but I was driving in the right lane behind all of the massive trucks practically the entire time because the drivers here are aggressive! If I could have gone the speed limit of 70 MPR I totally would have, but at times it actually seemed like the Exploder was growling at me. Seriously though, I swear the engine was making a weird noise...or maybe I'm just paranoid. Luckily I had the sweet melody of country to soothe me, as well as the British Map Lady's lulling voice telling me "at the roundabout, turn right." The villages I passed were so quaint, sleepy, and peaceful. There were so many beautiful lakes and sparkling streams. They looked just like fairytale towns, or medieval ones like you might find in parts of Europe, although obviously not with as much history.
Breckenridge seriously looked like a town from the countryside of Germany. It must have been the architecture of the buildings and the smell of meat cooking in the air. I picked up Alex and his friends on Main St (the street were the festival would be held the next day and the biggest street in town) and we went to the Breckenridge Lodge where they have a place called "the grotto" where there is an amazing steam room and jacuzzi with a waterfall. After spending a relaxing time there we went back to his friend Pat's family's cabin, which was actually more like a lodge. Alex, Pat, and three of their other friends had flown up to Breckenridge from El Paso, Texas on Pat's family's private jet along with their 4 dogs. Yes, 4 dogs flying on a jet without carriers or anything. Two were chihuahuas, one was a Black Lab named Abby, and the other was a mutt that had recently had hip surgery and the sutures were still in place (a little gross). Pat's parents were really nice people and I even met two kids from Denver who had driven up just like me! They live in Washington Park which is like 5 minutes from Cherry Creek where I live.
It was a really fun weekend. On Saturday, despite the fact that it was frigid and downpouring, we took a gondola down the mountainside to Main Street for the Oktoberfest. We all bought the Brecktoberfest Steins and filled up on beer straight from Germany before watching some German dancing and music playing. I was really happy that a lot of the music they played I had heard 2 years prior at the real Oktoberfest in Munich! Poor, little Alejandro was sick so he joined us later after he had slept for a while. The sun even came out from time to time, which led to much cheering and much people "prosting" each other. The atmosphere was so friendly and I talked with and met so many cool Coloradans, and, like I said, from the appearance of the place I actually felt like I was back in Germany.
Although I had planned on having a relaxing weekend where I did apartment stuff, I'm actually really glad that I went to Breckenridge. Because 1) I got to see Alejandro who is literally a brother to me 2) I met his awesome friends 3) I got cultured from a German stand point and a Coloradan one 4) The Exploder made it both ways 5) I got to see Breckenridge before it became swarmed by ski and snowboarders as it will in the winter.
Work's actually getting really busy...so the next few months I'll be working hard. But I'm very excited because in a couple of weekend Caroline's coming from San Francisco to see her brother Will and I here, then the next weekend I'm most likely going to San Fran to see all my friends there, then the weekend after that my cousin Chani's most likely coming, then the weekend after that Alex deBoutray's coming! I have a lot to look forward to. If anyone else wants to visit, the more the merrier! Just make sure you visit on a weekend.
I hope everyone's having a great week :) I'll post some pictures from the Brecktoberfest weekend soon.
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