Our hotel was conveniently located minutes from the major attractions of Colorado Springs, including Garden of the Gods. We started our tour with a movie called “How did Those Red Rocks Get There?” It was not terribly entertaining, but it was educational, and as this is supposed to be a school trip, I insisted. We went from there to a guided tour of the inner loop of the park, breaking our tradition of going it alone. About half way through the tour, we were reminded why we usually forgo tours: the pace was too slow, it was hard to hear, and it wasn’t that exciting for a group of boys who just wanted to climb rocks. We quietly excused ourselves and found a quiet place to enjoy an early picnic lunch.
Along the picnic trail, the boys found an outcropping of rocks that was just perfect for climbing. It was steep enough to make them feel like they were Edmund Hillary, but small enough that mom and dad felt it was safe. When they reached the top, they claimed the rock for America and gave it a name, convinced that it was the first time anyone had ever reached the top. We spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon exploring the various outcroppings of the park, scrambling around the rocks, and generally getting dirty.
On a whim, spurred on by needing Baby Morgan to take a nap and hoping driving would facilitate, we drove into Florrisant, CO. The fossil beds in Florrisant were something I had read about in the book 500 Places to Take Your Kids Before They Grow Up, a book I read like some people read trashy beach novels.
When we arrived, they were hosting a free event to help kids earn their Junior Ranger badge. Earning the badge involved a variety of fun and educational scavenger hunt activities that took us through all the important parts of the park. The boys jumped into the activities with gusto, meaning they rolled their eyes, drug their feet, and muttered under their breath as their mother forced them to learn something. A true sense of accomplishment appeared, though, when they were all asked to raise their right hand and were presented with their badge. Florissant was an unexpected, but pleasant departure from our itinerary, and the baby had a nap which alone was worth the trip.
