Denver, Day 3

I woke up around 8. Then 9. Then 10.
I waited until 10:15, then hearing nothing, I went upstairs to see what C was up to.
He was up to.....sleeping.
So, I did what any good house guest would do, I jumped on him.
"Get up! Get up! Get up! Entertain me!"
He tried to throw me off, but this was not happening.

"What are we doing today?!?!"
"GF had an idea - she said we should go see the Stanley Hotel. You know, the haunted one, from The Shining."
"Yes! We should!  Is she coming with us?"
"Nooooo. She's still messed up about screwing up with you last night, and she's going to need all day to gear up to see you again later at the BBQ."

We decided to go to this hot dog joint - Uber Sausage for breakfast.  I had my first ever bison dog - it was amazing.  C had some sort of bratwurst thing.  They had homemade chips with 12 different seasoning salts you can top them with.  So delicious.

Headed up to Estes Park.  It was a lovely drive the whole way, and we did some more catching up.  I got a classy farmer's tan on my right arm.  Up up up we go, and we're there!!
Big spooky hotel.
With a haunted tour that starts in 5 minutes.
We hustle off to buy our tickets and join the group.  Our tour guide was a nerd, but a cute one, and we were excited.
"C! Let's play Ghost Hunters!"
"The whole tour?"
"YES!"
"YES!"
It was a 90 minute tour that started out a little more history than scary.  Then things changed.
On the landing of the grand staircase, I felt a creepy chill across the back of my neck and right shoulder.  A moment later the guide stated that there is no air conditioning in any common areas of the hotel.  Aaaaaand it was hot and muggy that day.  I didn't mention it to C.

On the fourth floor (the most haunted floor), we stopped as a group by a door. The guide asked for a volunteer to stand against the door.  Once in a while, when someone does that, there will be a knocking from the other side of the door.  He opened the door to show us that there was a wall behind the door that went almost to the floor - not enough room for someone to be standing on the other side to knock.  Whatever.  We rolled our eyes.  The group moved on, and I told C to stand against the door....
"bang bang bang!" and C was flying off the door.  I, of course, decided he was b.s.ing me, that he had knocked on the door.  He swore up and down that he didn't.  I still did not believe him.
A little later on the tour, we were in a long hallway and all of the sudden, C whips his head around to look behind him.  He almost spins around in a circle.  He investigates the bottom of his shirt.  I ignore him.  Not a minute later, the guide tells the story how the hallway is known for the ghosts of children running around and tugging on people's pants and shirts.  C swears this happened too.
I don't know whether or not to believe him, but it was fun either way.
After the tour we were wandering around outside, and C found a statue of a bear, laying on it's back.  This is when C straddled the bear and said "Take my picture!"  I did.  Ahhh, C, the same as always.
We mortified a couple of people with this, so we decided it was time to go.  On the way back to the car, we spotted an eagle.  I looooove birds of prey of all kinds, so I just kinda stood there, watching this gigantic thing soaring around. 

Headed back to Denver, to go to a BBQ at one of C's friend's houses.  GF is there waiting for us.  To her credit, she was (mostly) sober, and seemingly contrite.  We ended up having a blast there.  We watched the eclipse, saw some cobag staple band fliers to his head.  I counted rainbow hair colors and tattoos.  I stood next to an incredibly tall marijuana plant.  Turns out all of the people at the BBQ were in bands.  I was surprised at how well they all got along.  Not something I think I'd see here at home.  I was handed a sticker with the greatest witty band name I've ever heard on it - The Cattle Axe (say it out loud, I'll wait) - which is going on my car.
We decided to go back to C's house to have some drinks.  GF was also coming. 
Back when C called to tell me he was getting divorced, I had sent him a flask filled with the best Scotch I own - Jura single malt 16 year.  He had saved it for when we could drink it together.  He brought out that flask, a bottle of Colorado Whiskey, and some beers.  C, GF and I sat around eating really bad Denver pizza, drinking and chatting.  It was the perfect evening, actually.  Also found out that evening that GF is looking for a job, and hopes to go out of state, likely NC or ME.  NOW I think she is ok! If this "relationship" has an end date, I can deal with it a while longer.......