Before sending our good friends the Coles on their way back to Ohio, we were able to soak in a bit more of Colorado. Including ten different types of weather.

Kris and Jen wanted to take in some nature during their visit, so we took a 4-hour round-trip drive to State Forest State Park. We didn’t have much by way of animal sightings (except a bald eagle for Jen!) but the temperature changed spectacularly along the Poudre River Canyon and the views were stunning.

A car ride like that calls for a leg stretch. We love doing escape rooms together — we tackled a diamond heist at Contraptions and beat it handily, with extra credit missions.

My good friends and neighbors Linda and Tony heartily recommended Lucile’s, a Creole brunch spot. This was the final meal we were able to fit in with the Coles before it was time for them to catch their flight. We unintentionally ordered enough food for a small army, including beignets, homemade hot chocolate, eggs Pontchartrain and too many biscuits.

In the few days they were in town, we managed to explore a sizable chunk of Northern Colorado — not to mention, eat and ungodly amount of its food. I already miss my friends immensely, but I am never eating again. Ever.