Chili Fest birthday party

Back in Boulder, each year for my birthday I hosted 'Chili Fest' where my friends and I each make a batch of homemade chili, potluck style. It's been a few years since I've done it, but finally threw down for Denver's first Chili Fest. It's not a contest or cook-off, just a celebration of good chili and creative cooks. We had 7 batches this time, including traditional red, vegan red, pork & veggie greens, a white chicken chili and veggie chili casserole. And a keg of local Hibernation Ale beer from Great Divide to keep it jolly.

I forgot to snap photos of the party, but documented my zero emission beer transport:

Buena Vista / Mt Princeton Hotsprings birthday weekend

April surprised me with a couple nights at the amazing Bunny Lane Cabins outside Buena Vista for my birthday! Fun times indeed- a large one room cabin with a pingpong table, vintage stereo system replete with a classic rock cassette library, and a toasty wood stove. Low key and rustic, just how we like it. Good homemade food, goofy fun times. Happy birthday to me!

"Rabbit Den" cabin

The cabin is just up the road from Mt. Princeton Hotsprings resort and we enjoyed a long afternoon soak (and another later at night) along the Chalk Creek. Natural hot water seeps up from the earth right next to the river, and rocks are arranged to form small pools of varying temps depending how much chilly riverwater mingles.

Mt. Princeton Hot Springs alongside Chalk Creek

We drove up to Saint Elmo, a preserved 'ghost town' up towards Mt. Princeton. Most of these buildings are now privately owned and restored, originally built in the mid 1880's.

St. Elmo ghost town

Hiked along the base of the Chalk Cliffs- a unique rock feature resulting from the effects of underground hot water chemically transforming the rock before it uplifted into the peaks we see now.

the Chalk Cliffs