The Queen’s Chronicles – Pagosa Springs
We recently spent a week in Pagosa Springs, Colorado and I wanted this sweet trip with just the two of us to have a permanent place here on the blog. Last year Keith headed to Pagosa Springs with a bunch of guys for a hunting trip and this year he asked me to tag along. It was a treat for me because he took care of all the details and I was just along for a week of relaxing and enjoying some cooler temps.
Unfortunately, two days before we were leaving, I got sick. Our drive up Saturday was a really, really, long 14 hours for me. My head hurt so bad and I really just felt miserable. By Monday I felt so much better and thankfully I had zero plans so being sick didn’t ruin the trip.
The little cabin he chose was originally constructed in 1898 and known by the Blanco Basin locals as the “halfway house.” It was the halfway point between Pagosa and the “Bench” country residents. At this location, sleighs would be swapped for wagons and a new team of horses would continue the trip into town. Over the last 120 years, many travelers have enjoyed this property! So fun to stay some where with a little history. It was such a cozy little cabin perfect for the two of us.
Keith left early each morning to hunt and I was alone for the entire first day. It snowed briefly while I was making breakfast. I’m not the best with so much solitude but tried to soak it up with a good book by the fire. I did head into town to explore a little and grabbed a latte and a snack from Root House coffee and then took a little stroll along the river and enjoyed the fall views.
One of Keith’s best friends and his wife were just down the road from us and I did head out with her for a bit of shopping in town. Totally scored a thrifted suede jacket that I’m excited to wear! Mostly we just visited and caught up as it has been years since we have been together. Once the guys were back we headed to town and ate at Kips Grill and if you visit I definitely recommend the nachos!
It was pretty much rinse and repeat each day for the entire week. So much time to just rest and relax and as the week went on I became better at it. We ventured into town each day and tried out Mountain Pizza & taproom for lunch which was so good and had a unique concept for trying beers on tap. I had never heard of it but apparently it is a chain that is also in Texas!
On Wednesday Keith finally shot a deer and he was extremely excited. It has been a long time since he has taken a deer for himself as he typically defers to others. We will have a very full freezer for awhile!
Finally, Keith was also able to sleep in and rest and relax for a few days. We headed into town on Thursday afternoon and spent a few hours at Pagosa Springs Resort & Spa sitting in the hot springs pools. This was a first for both of us and it was really relaxing but I think we were both shocked that the pools were 107 degrees!
We ended the day dining with our friends at The Lost Cajun for the best gumbo. There are apparently several of these around too and even one in Texas. I wish we had eaten here earlier in the week as it would have been a repeat!
After sleeping in on Friday, we decided to go ahead and head home to give us a little time to recoop before heading back to work. I think the most beautiful thing about this trip, besides the scenery, is the realization that we still very much love being alone together. When you are in the trenches raising kids, it’s easy to lose connection with one another. We have fought hard to push through and stay committed and it wasn’t always easy but being on this side I know it was 100% worth it. As we get closer and closer to empty nest life, I’m excited for our future.
