There’s a number of views in Colorado that I have committed to memory and I believe will remain firmly planted there even given my ever-failing mother-of-four-children brain. One of them is looking up in every direction from Telluride Town Park and seeing blazing orange in the foreground and, beyond that, mountains so close you could touch them, the rising and setting sun casting a sheen in them making them look like a phony backdrop that could fall over if you breathed too hard.

• We stayed: Telluride Town Park Campgrounds (five stars!), Lizard Head Pass (not to overdo it but also five stars)
• We explored: San Juan National Forest, Uncompahgre National Forest, the free gondolas
• We hiked: Ridge Trail (betwixt gondolas), Telluride River Trail, Bear Creek Trail (a solo mon walk/run), Bridal Veil Falls (family highlight), and daily walks from close-in campground to town
• We fished: San Miguel River
• We biked (and got bold enough to try out the new skateboard): yet another local pump track and skate park
• We enjoyed: The Butcher and the Baker, Brown Dog Pizza, Smugglers Union beer, Baked in Telluride
• We listened to: The Mother by Brandi Carlile and Dance the Night Away by Van Halen (RIP)
• We read: In Search of Deep Faith (weaving together themes of pilgrimage and homeschool)