Colorado Ski Trip

It's only three days, right?  

How could I possibly need this much stuff for three days!?

The struggle of packing for a ski trip is real

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So I booked a last minute trip to ski for a few days in Colorado.

"Last minute" as in I booked it on Wednesday and flew out on Friday.

See those two bags I'm carrying below? 

Spoiler alert:  Neither one of them made it to Vail on Friday like they were supposed to. 

 Because THIS plane was delayed leaving KC.

Isn't it beautiful?       LATE -- but still beautiful. 

 I actually didn't make it on the flight from Denver to Vail either.  (Along with my bags...I just didn't know it at the time).

Thankfully, Shann and Ryan were still in Denver - waiting to pick up Brooke - so I grabbed dinner for all of us...

(JAMBA for dinner!)

...and hopped in the rental car with them.  A 3 hour road trip with your best friends is way better than an hour flight and being stuck at the airport with no bags anyways, right?

Shannon and I got up early the next morning and drove to the Eagle County Airport to get my bags, only to be told that they hadn't made the flight the night before either.

So I filled out a lost baggage claim and went on my way back to Beaver Creek.

Called United's 800 number on the way to find out about reimbursement, and 1.  Found out I could get a new ski out fit that day an they would pay for it.  And 2.  My bags actually WERE at the Eagle County airport.  The guy helping me was just looking in the wrong system!

Frustrating, to say the least.  But the nice family who let me crash their family vacation had a clothing drive for me and took donations.  Between three of them that are roughly my size, I got a sweet outfit to wear for the day. 

And to top it off, the guy working at the ski rental shop found skis to match my bright pants and jacket!

#WINNING

So we hit the slopes in Beaver Creek.  Day 1 of 3 skiing.

It was a gorgeous, blue bird day.  

After skiing pretty hard all morning (hard in my world, anyways), we took a quick break at a lodge for some lunch.  

I've said it before and I'll say it again... It is so SO hard to get going again after stopping for lunch!

Full belly, warm, comfy...  The last thing I wanted to do was get back on those skis.  (See pic below...)

And to top it off, the cruisy green and blue runs of the day were done.  

They made me ski the backside Birds of Prey:

I am NO expert, I'll tell you that.  That slope was out of my league.

I mean, it was fun -- once it was over.  But I basically side slipped and screamed the whole way down.

Saw this banana and went in for a bite.  The guy turned around right after that and thankfully he was a good sport about my shenanigans. :)

Speaking of shenanigans...Ryan came dangerously close to clicking me out of my ski boots as we got off this chairlift...  

I would have been so mad at him...  And so embarrassed.  Haha!

The whole gang together:

That night Shann and Ryan and I drove to the village in Vail to check it out...and shop!  

I still had to get my new ski clothes, courtesy of United Airlines!

There was an awards ceremony going on and then a concert following.

Too bad I was WAY too tired after our late dinner to go back for that...  Shocking, I know.

The next morning (after a delicious breakfast of Captain Crunch French Fried Toast), we hit the slopes on Vail Mountain for Day 2.

Our outfits.  Just...wow.  

Purple.  Head to toe.  All layers.

I never like when I get to the top of a mountain and see sign like this:

Alllll blacks.      Where's my easy blue at??

I can't complain about a black run or two when you get views like this though:

Lunch with a view.  Not bad.

After lunch, the EpicMix photographer talked me in to this pose.  I was supposed to be like a witch riding her broomstick, but I"m not sure that came across right, haha!

Most of the gang...in the back side bowls.

Skiing really take it out of you.  I was so done that afternoon. 

Thank goodness everyone else was, too, and we got to order in Italian food for the night and just take it easy.  

Day 3:  Back at Beaver Creek for the day.

Check out that red nose.  I was burnt to a crisp.  And I even had sunblock on!!

I skied those runs over there :)

Not many pictures from Day 3.  I only skied a half day, then checked out the village at Beaver Creek (found my Christmas tree ornament for the trip!) and then went back to the condo to shower and pack up.

The drive back to Denver that evening wasn't bad at all.  Maybe because I slept the whole way... ?

And once again, my flight was delayed.  Seems to be the norm these days.

So that means another airport "I'm bored" selfie...complete with a super sore and sunburn nose.

And that delayed flight means another super late night of getting home.

Story of my life... ;)