Hey Dudes!
We decided to spend the weekend doing something different while in Colorado. After considerable research, we focused on a dude ranch; definitely a change. The research showed that the best reviews were received by the North Fork Ranch in Shawnee, about an hour's drive from Stapleton in Denver.
We arrived just after 3pm on Friday, after an easy drive from Denver. The appearance of the ranch was an eye-opener. It was exactly as we would have imagined a ranch to look like, but the magnificent setting on the banks of the river looking at a mountain covered with trees and rocks was unexpected. The wooden buildings were immaculate.
We were greeted by a cowgirl, who turned out to be the daughter of the owners, Dean and Karen. We immediately felt the warmth and personal attention that was to become one of the highlights of the too short time we spent with them on their ranch. She gave us the tour, showing us their office/residence, our spacious, comfortable room in the main lodge, the open kitchen, the honor store and the rest of the facility. There were some others sitting on the porch overlooking the grass lawns leading to the river. We sat there enjoying a welcome cool drink, while waiting for our daughter and her husband to arrive from Denver. A sense of peace settled over us as we left the hustle of the city behind, even though we were only sixty miles away.
Once the rest of our family had arrived and settled in, with the usual tour, we took a gentle stroll around the ranch, getting to feed some of the horses in the paddock. We sat down for an early 6.30pm dinner. There were three tables set in the lodge. We were joined at the dinner tables by one of the ranch hands who acted as a very gracious host. Stephen answered all the questions we had about our stay with a sense of humor. We discussed our families, feeling very at home. The meal was delicious, being a "Thanksgiving Dinner" with turkey and all the usual trimmings. Dean joined us before dessert to explain all the activities over the next few days. he was relaxed and treated us all as if we were his honored guests.
The, lo and behold, out came the chef Stephanie, with a delicious birthday cake for Ingrid's birthday. What fun! It was a very pleasant surprise, making us feel even more welcome. Thanks dudes!
After dinner, we sat on the porch while the sun set, listening to the river rushing along, while drinking a hot drink. When darkness had set in, we returned to the lodge for a friendly board game before retiring for the night.
This is going to be a wonderful vacation!!
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