Our next stop after Colorado Springs, was Breckenridge. We had landed at Denver, watched the lightening dance on the mountaintops and, literally, drove through a hailstorm to get to Colorado Springs. Going north to Denver and then west to Breckenridge, just was not what we wanted to do. We later found out that after Florida, Colorado Springs has the next most lightening strikes. After asking the staff at The Cliff House the best way to get to Colorado Springs, we took the scenic route (US 24) that they recommended.

Driving through gold mining towns with brisk flowing brooks for rafting, parallel with the highway and through varying elevations and turns, I could not wait to see the next view with just a blink of the eye. Ski lifts were dotted here and there in the mountains and Pike National Forest. Thick with aspen and pine trees, I could not help wondering where were the trails for the skiers. Along the way, we saw buffalo, alpaca, ostrich, and goats, as well as farm animals. As we approached Wilkerson Pass, where I can imagine many pioneers passed through, there was a lone red wolf standing in the vast open space.

Before we knew it, we arrived at Breckenridge in the heart of the Colorado Rockies.

Driving into town, you could envision the days of yesteryear with the sounds of ragtime piano music overflowing into Main Street from the local saloon. When the railroad brought more people into Breckenridge from the east, the town went from a rough and tumble western town to a more social and elegant one.

It was pouring down rain as we drove into town. Our first stop was to check in at the Ski Village Lodging and Real Estate office to pick up our keys and directions to Trails End. Near the Main Street Station end of town, we stayed in a cozy studio condominium. With the mountains and Peaks 9 and 10 at our back door, there was no doubt the adventure seekers are here for skiing, hiking, snowboarding and more.

It is, also, home to Breckenridge Golf Club, named by Colorado Golfer as the "Best Mountain Course in Colorado". Although it was still raining cats and dogs, we decided to drive to the Breckenridge Golf Club to check it out. We were hoping that a few hours would make a difference so that we could play later that day at our 2 PM tee time.

When we arrived, golfers had just come in out of the rain for shelter into the 15,000 square foot clubhouse and pro shop. Golf Pro Enroll Miller assured us that when it quit raining the course would drain so that we could play as planned.

The "icing on the cake" of our experience was finding an inch of snow on the top of our car in June as we drove out of town. That was one of 250 inches of snow that Breckenridge expects to get this year. From sunrise to sunset, you can discover great memories around every corner.