Road Trip Part 3: Estes Park, Colorado & The Baldpate Inn

Below are a few pictures I forgot to include they are from Wyoming. When we went and visited my Great Great Aunt's accident site we had to go down a gravel road or 2. It was probably the best part of the trip because you can see the countryside. What I loved the most was the fact that they still open range their cattle. As you drive down a gravel road the cattle just wander on the road and all around you it's a neat neat thing. They also have cattle guards everywhere. As you get off on exits from the interstate you cross a cattle guard or 2. It's just pretty cool they still live like they did in the past. 

The picture was taken right from the road. No fence in miles :)

Nice herd of Hereford Cattle 

A cool windmill. 

Here's one cattle guard. Neat huh? 

After we had our visit with Carol in Chugwater we made the trek south to Colorado our destination Estes Park. 

YAY!!! Colorado!!

We can start to see the mountains and boy were we excited!

This is called devils backbone. It was a cool string of small mountains.

This cool totem pole

We stopped at the Dam store. 

This is the Stanley Hotel. It was beautiful. It's the hotel that the Shining is based on. 

After driving outside of Estes park a few miles around this winding and terrifying road! (Off to one side it dropped about a gazillion miles down. Not good if your afraid of heights!) We made it to the bed and breakfast we were staying at The Baldpate inn. It is this beautiful rustic lodged looking building sitting on the side of a mountain. 

These are pictures of our room. It was so cute! It had 2 twin beds and was so warm and inviting and comfortable. You can see the windows above. They opened up and didn't have a screen on them and the cool mountain air was amazing and so cool. We had our windows open most of the time we were there. 

The second we got in our room I opened the window next to my bed and was taking in the air. I look out and see an elk not 100 yards from our window! I was so excited. It was about the only wildlife we saw on our trip. 

I do have to say I got a little altitude sickness. As we were driving through the mountains on our way to Estes Park I started to get a really bad head ache and feel a little sick. Then when we were taking our luggage in we had to walk up a small hill and then 2 flights of stairs. It about killed me! My heart was racing and I had to sit in the lobby for a few min so I didn't die!!! LOL I felt better the next day though. 

One of the coolest things about the Baldpate Inn was that in one room they have the worlds largest key collection with over 30,000 keys. They had keys from all over the country and the world and keys of all shapes and sizes. 

This is a replica key from the Vatican 

The giant gray key is from a key in St. Joseph Missouri which is really close to where I'm from.

Another cool key from Missouri.

They were all over the walls and the Ceiling. 

This key was stolen by a little kid and 60 years later he returned it. 

In Inn it had a restaurant that was open to the guests and public for lunch and supper and then open to just the guests for breakfast. The night we got there we had supper there. They serve 2 kinds of soup different kinds every day, and then a salad and then homemade pie. I had white chili and this chocolate silk pie. It was the best pie I've ever eaten! It was so amazing and rich. I couldn't even eat it all. 

Part of the dining room was in this sun porch that had windows all around and the picture below is a picture of the view. Pretty beautiful. 

This was my dinner. White Chili with coffee. I know I'm an old lady :)

MY PIE!!! Best part is I bought this book with the history of the place and it has this pies recipe in it! So I will be making some day and sharing :)

As soon as I walked into the building I fell in love. You walk up a flight of stairs outside to get to the main level of the building. There is a huge porch out front with rocking chairs and a porch swing that over looks the mountain.

They also had a library with a beautiful fireplace in the middle of the room. It was the only room in the building with a TV which wasn't ever on while we were there. We sat in there before breakfast and checked out the books.

 

As soon as you walked in the front door and too the right you are greeted by this beautiful fire place. The night we were there they lit a fire in it and we sat down there for a good hour or so it was just so peaceful and relaxing. They even had homemade cookies and punch for a bedtime snack.

As for wildlife they had about a dozen or so hummingbird feeders all over the place and there were always at least 3 birds at each feeder it was really neat to see so many in one place. They also had chipmunks running all over the porch and drive. They were not afraid of the people at all. 

Below are some pictures I took of the morning sunrise. It was absolutely beautiful out with 45 degree weather. 

 Since it was a bed and Breakfast we had nice and quiet breakfast with the other 6 or so guests. They really pull out the stops for the breakfast. It was a 3 course meal!! The first course we had a dish of fresh strawberries and a homemade blueberry muffin!

Notice all the extra silverware! Not something this hick from Missouri is use to ;)

For the 2nd course they had a hash-brown pepperoni quiche. It was delcious. 

Another view from our table!

For the final course our waitress came out and said we had to wait a few minutes because they had just pulled the cinnamon rolls out of the oven and were just icing them. Boy were we drooling after she said that!! Boy was it worth the wait it was warm and gooey and oh so tasty. 

As sad as I was we had to leave :( :( :( :( :( :( :( I'm still sad :( It was such a beautiful, charming, cozy, warm, happy, rustic, amazing place to stay and I will most defiantly be going back. Everyone in their lifetime should stay there it will be worth every penny! 

After we left we spent the morning shopping in Estes Park. It was OK but a little touristy and very expensive! We walked in to this antique store and I pulled an old book off the shelf and checked the price. BOY was I shocked. 250 dollars for this little book! My friend started looking at this case of stuff and things in there had prices of around 7500!! We immediately turned right around and left not the place for us. 

Here are some pictures of the mountains around Estes park and the drive back out to Loveland, Colorado. 

These sodas were just a few of the WEIRDEST flavors known to man. We weren't brave enough to try any of them. The one next to the Peanut butter was sweet corn too. 

Luckily the only Mountain lion that i saw :) (I'm terrified of them) It was a statue in Estes Park. 

Only one more post with the rest of our trip to come! I will try my best to get it posted soon too. I hope you all  have enjoyed these. I just love telling about my trip because it was such an amazing time. I could write a book! 

Until next time :)