Way Out West With Wilkes & Wildflowers ~ Eldest And Bestest 13Jun25 -14Jun25

Les & TAW and we set a meet up @ the Nest for an "early" WE in the mountains. They had GP duties late so Kala & I beat them over Loveland by a bit. We prepped for some keen time with some of our oldest friends (ok, they are nearly eldest too :))... you know, the kind you made right after college, and shared your personal independent lives scoring those things which you desired most... very cool these last.

We began with nice custom lemon-ginger 'tinis prepared by DRC... the ladies loved them, and great cheeses with bread & crackers. We chased that with a keen chopped salad meal of smoked salmon, cous-cous with asiago cheese, romaine, fire-roasted corn kernels, roasted pepitos, and marinated tomatoes (yeah, secret sauce). The dressing is mostly a southwestern secret... it does include tomatillo, serrano, jalapeño, cilantro, buttermilk and secret spices. Kala & I have chased a desert recipe we liked for years... we are better than that now. So good. We served '8 Years In The Desert' wine... we were longer there but yeah, you get the idea ~ that's where we all met and did that thing that new peeps do: figure each other out, then do more.

We spent time at the music workstation (were only my old bud' able to hear more of what I'm offering & feeling). We rested well for the next day's endeavors... and arose for some scrambled eggs before compiling for an effort above Mesa Cortina ~ the team was unsure of my route on less-traveled trails, but were pleased with a direct car return. Wildflowers were everywhere ~ and in the forest we saw great returns as well as tons of downs. 

Four miles reaching home, skeptics arose. Nonetheless we had Buffalo and Peak One, and made our way home.

We hit the limited Breck Distillery Restaurant and were disappointed from the K&D buildup based on prior 4* stuff. Cocktails were 'ok' but nah ~ different and lame and expensive folks lead now here... DO NOT GO. NP, we hit the spa and rested for our returns to the Front Range on Dad's Day.