Back from Vail

We spent last week at our timeshare in Vail, CO with Niki's parents, Lisa, and Lisa's long time boyfriend Pete. Don't ask about why we would go to Vail in early October... it's a long story.
The weather was very mild and I was able to wear shorts and a t-shirt most of the time. There was no snow on the ground yet and none fell while we were there. We did get plenty of snow on the way back through Utah. It was falling so thick at times that I could barely see the lines in the road immediately in front of the car.
We made a couple excursions outside of Vail during the week since we had plenty of time to kill. First, we went to Denver to tour the U.S. Mint. The tour wasn't all that great but it gave me the opportunity to add to my small Proof Set collection. We also visited the home of Pete's father Gary on the rural outskirts of Denver. He has an enormous three story home with three fireplaces and heated floors on three acres of rolling grassland. I'd tell you what he paid for it but that information is likely to make any homeowner in CA or Vegas vomit. We stopped for lunch at a historic restaurant in Denver called The Buckhorn Exchange. You may have seen it featured on No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain. The food was amazing and the prices quite reasonable. I highly recommend it if you are ever passing through Denver.
Our other trip was to Breckenridge, home of Breckenridge Brewery. We tried to get a tour of the brewery but the Brewmaster was out so we just had some beer. I tried the Oatmeal Stout first because stouts are my favorite. Unfortunately, it tasted like they mixed black coffee with Corona. Then I tried Avalanche (American Ale style) which Pete and Lisa recommended. It was pretty good so I had a few more pints. For the record, they have some kick ass Irish Nachos too.
Aside from our side trips and a few walks along Gore Creek (which borders the timeshare and cuts through Vail Valley) we mostly just watched Prison Break DVDs and enjoyed the jacuzzi. Much relaxation was achieved and good times were had by all.