We were like two little kids on the first day of school. Full of anticipation, eager to know what the future held, and extremely nervous about what we were leaving behind. It was July 31st and Lana was spending her last day at work while I spent the final hours prepping The Grizzly for travel. Lana and I were both on emotional roller coasters. We were leaving behind our two daughters and our only granddaughter, our lifetime friends with whom we had shared so many memories, and the city we had called home the past twenty-eight years.
Wait just a second, did I say we were leaving our granddaughter behind…NO WE ARE NOT!!! Thats right, we talked her mommy into allowing Grammy and PaPa to take her with us for an entire month with the pure intention of totally spoiling her and ease our separation anxiety.
Thirty years ago, Lana and I honeymooned in Colorado Springs so it was a clear choice we would start our full-time life together there. After saying our goodbyes, we picked up our granddaughter and began the nomadic lifestyle we had dreamed about.
Our first destination stop was the Garden of the Gods RV Resort. See our review of the resort here. Once we arrived and got set up, we headed over to the Garden of the Gods. Garden of the Gods is filled with several 300′ tall red sandstone rocks towering above the valley and encompassing over 15 miles of hiking trails. There is everything to do from bike riding, rock climbing, horseback riding, and Jeep/Segway tours.
Having a 16-month old with us inhibited some of our recreational activities and we contemplated purchasing a child carrier but we still found a way to maneuver her stroller along the trails and over the rocks to visit the Siamese Twins and Balancing Rock.
The second day we visited one of our favorite small towns, Manitou Springs. Manitou Springs downtown is full of fun, small eclectic shops, restaurants, and pubs. We had a wonderful time taking a stroll downtown window shopping and stopping into the Colorado Custard Company for a quick snack.
Downtown is extremely busy during the summer time as thousands of tourist flock to the areas nearby attractions ( Manitou Cliff Dwellings, Manitou Incline, and America’s Highway….Pikes Peak) so we would suggest arriving early to acquire a parking spot.
We spent our third day at the RV resort installing a UV-LED water purfication system called ACUVA. I had watched two YouTube videos, one by the RVGeeks and the second by Less Junk More Journey, about this installation of this product and both channels received a $100 discount code through ACUVA. Lana and I had always been concerned about drinking water at campgrounds, RV resorts, and through our fresh water tank and this seemed to be a great fit for us. The installation was a breeze and I can attest the water is the best I have ever drank!! We highly recommend this product and the customer service is quite outstanding. Here are a couple photos of the install.
The package includes all of the mounting hardware, the UV-LED purification system, water filter, and a beautiful chrome water dispenser.
Our fourth and final day was spent at the RV resort relaxing in the heated swimming pool and swinging at the playground. We had a nice steak and potato dinner on the grille and then took a long walk around the RV park. One thing we immediately noticed staying at a RV park, no one is a stranger and everyone is eager to meet new people no matter what type of pull-behind, fifth wheel, or motorhome you are driving. We think we are going to like this lifestyle….
