Wednesday - July 24 - Colorado Springs to Idaho Springs, CO

Sorry -- no internet available last night -- I was sad and grumpy.  Can't travel without my techy toys.  SAD!

Woke up to cool drizzly weather - morning temp was 63 degrees. Started the morning with a trip to Focus on the Family Campus! We were very impressed.  The 84-acre campus is definitely worth a visit.  We began at the Bookstore, then took a tour of the Administration building. 

For our children & other Adventures in Odyssey fans, the bookstore and children's area is a definite must-see area...

Here is the downstairs children's room...and Mr. Dave as Whit of Whit's End.

Joyce is checking things out in the Narnia room - Is Aslan licking her head?

 

They even had puppets - I think this is supposed to be Eugene...

Cassie will appreciate this sign...

The coolest thing -- to me -- on our tour was that at the end of the tour they asked if anyone would like to share how Focus on the Family has played a role in their lives. I volunteered and we got special permission to sit in the Focus broadcast studio where the shows are taped!  Check us out...

I am sitting in Jim Daly's chair (he is the successor to Dr. Dobson!) They even recorded us on the mikes in that room.  As Joyce and I shared our memories, we were surprised at how much Focus had really played in the way we raised our family.  (And yes, I did tell them that we always have to have "Aloha, Oy" on our travels!

We also had a chance to see the plane used in the Last Chance Detectives video series and even ate in the Focus on the Family Cafeteria -- check out the sign...

From there we went on to the Simpich Showcase Theatre in Old Town Colorado Springs.  Joyce suffered a bout of Altitude Sickness, so she didn't have much to enjoy. We saw his performance of Beauty and the Beast - very different from the Disney version.  Sadly, no photos allowed. I have some postcards. Mom and I got to take a backstage look at his puppet theatre.  My, he works in close quarters.  But his marionettes are exquisitely built and performed.  Plus, his show shared a wonderful Christian message.

From the Simpich Showcase, we battled rush-hour traffic to get to the Columbine Inn in Idaho Springs, CO -- a tiny mining town nestled in a valley NW of Denver.  Little did we know it was also high altitude territory which made for a long, long night for Joyce.  :(  (She is investigating a lower altitude return trip at this point.)

Here is the view outside our door in Idaho Springs.