Ice ice, baby.

Well, Durango felt like Antarctica. Too cold. 

The temperature was in the single digits while we were there- and that was the HIGH. I’m still warming up! When we left Park City on Saturday, there were moments when we wondered if this road trip was wise.

But once we made it over the first major mountain pass, the sun came out and we settled in to our usual routine. (Read: Cholula settled in on my LAP.)

Our trip was a little bit of business, but mostly pleasure. There was a fabulous brunch with dear friends that involved mimosas, Cordell’s famous huevos rancheros with green chile, and a baby that adored John’s beard. 

There was an awesome delayed holiday/birthday celebration with my folks, complete with gift exchange and a bacon-wrapped pork loin.

There were shivering dog walks along the frozen river, after-dinner drinks at one of our old haunts (from before we knew each other!), football and multiple card games near the cozy fireplace. We spent time catching up with friends and enjoying our family. And Cholula was very spoiled by Grandma.

It wouldn’t be a trip without a story of some kind, right? Well, my sweet parents have been dealing with frozen water pipes at their home. They’ve got a system that seems to be working for them and the weather is now getting warmer, but John and I decided to camp out at a nearby motel to make things easier. We chose one close to their house, a place I’d stayed at almost 20 years ago. I remembered it being retro and cozy, with a fireplace and cool loft area and plenty of room. Plus, they were dog-friendly!

We only made it through one night there.

With temperatures around negative 10, even the roaring fireplace couldn’t keep us warm with the bunk heater in the room. There were unsuccessfully patched holes in the walls and stains on the carpet. The bedspread looked shockingly similar to the one in my memory. And when we called the front desk (three times) for extra blankets, no one answered. There was no coffee option in the room (kind of a deal-breaker), but it wasn’t until I turned on the water in the shower the next morning and brown sludge came out of the faucet that we gave up. I’m a trooper, but please. Thank you, bottle of wine.

Our new hotel was spacious and mold-free, with an extra blanket in the closet. Oh, and THIS.

As always, our time in Durango was over before it had even really begun. We were back on the road, heading home to prepare for a series of house guests and the madness of the Sundance Film Festival.

Confession: I didn’t mind a warm fuzzball on my lap for the drive.

As we drove though the desert, now covered in a blanket of snow, we daydreamed about camping trips and springtime fun.  A glowing sunset greeted us as we pulled into the driveway.

No matter how great a trip has been, there’s something wonderful about HOME when we return.

Until next time, Durango! (Preferably after the big thaw.)