(Read my full story on the You Must Be Trippin’ blog)
My younger brother moved to Denver, Colorado a few years ago now. I hadn’t been to visit him since he moved, but that all changed this summer when Edgar and I made the trip to visit him and this adventurous city. I’m sharing our experience in my latest article for the Best Western blog You Must Be Trippin.’ Please click the link to read the full story.
It took me three years to make it to Denver to visit my brother and the first thought to cross my mind after boarding my return flight back to Houston was, “why did it take me so long?”
Besides having an incredible time just reconnecting with my kid brother – he’s two years my junior and the youngest man in the family – the city of Denver did kind of charm me and my son Edgar into wanting to visit again soon.
This was our first solo trip as father and son, and it was definitely a memorable one.
I have decided, this year, that I want us to take regular father and son trips – before he graduates from high school. My parents couldn’t afford to fly me places when I was his age, and I must admit that once I was able to travel at a later age it did broaden my perspective and view of the world. If I can do that for him at an early age I think that’s an investment worth making. And hey, it’s a fun adventure for both of us too. Next on my list is taking him back to Mexico to reconnect with his culture. I selfishly also want to explore new parts of Mexico I have never visited or experienced myself. The last thing on my worry list when planning a travel adventure is where to stay. Almost anywhere we go there is always a Best Western Hotels & Resorts location nearby. We opt for Best Western anytime we can because of the quality accommodations, the modern amenities and the free breakfast in the morning.
On this trip, however, it was all about nature. From driving up the often-gut-wrenching road to the peak of Mount Evans, which is the highest paved road in North America; to hiking for seven miles up and then back down the Rocky Mountains; Denver was more beautiful than we could have ever imagined.
At close to 2,000 feet above sea level, during our hike, we started taking more frequent breaks just to sit down and catch our breath. The four extra bottles of water I stuffed into my backpack started to weigh on my shoulders. The half peanut butter and jelly sandwiches we had with a side of walnuts and more water made us feel like we had eaten a loaded baked potato instead. Somebody asked the question, “should we just turn around and hike back down now?” Being among the least experienced hikers in the group I did contemplate the idea for a moment, but my desire to make it up all the way to see the waterfall we had been promised inspired me to motivate everyone else to persevere.
Continue reading my full story on the You Must Be Trippin’blog.