Late April offered an excellent opportunity for me to head west for another trip to Colorado to visit with family. Southwest Airlines had a mid-morning nonstop flight departing from the Raleigh-Durham Airport and, since I had a credit with the airline, the price was just too good to pass up (which made sense since I was unable to redeem any miles for the outbound). I arrived at Terminal One on that Friday with plenty of time to spare and proceeded to the CLEAR check-in area. Once again, I was subjected to a “random ID screening.” I’m beginning to think there’s nothing “random” about this at all as it happens to me on a very frequent basis. At any rate, after showing my driver’s license to the CLEAR Ambassador, I was escorted to the front of the security lane and given my TSA PreCheck card to present to the officer, meaning that I didn’t have to remove my shoes, belt, laptop, light jacket, or 3-1-1 liquids. (It’s called the 3-1-1 rule because your liquids must be no more than 3.4 ounces, they must all fit into a one-quart-sized bag and you're only allowed one such bag.) The entire check-in process took me less than two minutes and so I would recommend a CLEAR membership to anyone interested in avoiding long lines and enjoying a faster security screening process.
My flight to Denver was scheduled for three hours and 50 minutes’ duration right over the lunch hour. Since Southwest Airlines is not known for their catering, offering only a pack of peanuts or pretzels, I decided it would be best to purchase food and carry it aboard. I stopped by La Tapanade Mediterranean Café for a sandwich, but encountered some confusion as the automated checkout machine kept trying to charge me for an additional sandwich I didn't want and hadn’t scanned. After three attempts, an employee eventually assisted me and corrected the mistake. While it all worked out, it was a reminder that technology does have its drawbacks and it appears that it’s becoming nearly impossible for pay cash for anything anymore.
This was my first time flying the Boeing 737 Max and I didn’t notice any difference from a passenger standpoint with regard to this Max 8. The aircraft has had its fair share of tragic troubles since it entered service (see my September 1, 2019 post titled The 737 MAX and the Big Four). But, it has been flying safely without incident since December 2020, with nearly 1,000 MAX aircraft in the world’s skies on any given day. If you're curious about what aircraft type you're flying, whether it’s the it's the MAX 8 or 9 or one of the 737NGs (next generation) still prevalent and it’s not clearly identified on your reservation, here’s a tip. The best was to identify the MAX is by looking at the engine covers if you can. Unlike other 737s, the MAX engines are serrated and have a saw-tooth pattern in the back. These are distinct from the 737-800 and any other variant so if you' re unsure, take a look at the engines.
Our flight clocked in at three hours and 15 minutes, putting us into DEN at about 11:50 in the morning. There was only one train operating to the Jeppesen Terminal, but I exited Door 514 and made my way to the second commercial curb designated for Mountain Shuttles with ample time to make my 1:00 PM reservation on the Peak Express. Our driver Andrea (call me Andy) offered us a choice of quiet time or a running geographic and historic commentary for the 90-minute ride into the Rockies. Thankfully, my fellow passengers agreed with me that silence is golden. I took advantage of the USB connection next to my seat to charge both my iPhone and iPad and, after a brief stop at the Idaho Springs Rest Station, snow began to fall. (We ended up with about seven inches that evening.) I was dropped off at the Dillon Transfer Center on Stephens Way next to a 7-11 and a former Burger King and my son soon arrived to take me to the Hyatt Place on US Highway 6 in Keystone. The resort had recently closed for the ski season and so was very quiet. My 300 square-foot king-bedded room featured a 43" flat-screen HDTV, a work desk and a cozy corner with a sleeper-sofa. The room also included free Wi-fi, an in-room safe and single-serve coffee maker and free breakfast was served just off the lobby each morning. After settling in, we enjoyed some quality family time for the balance of the day.
Hyatt Place is not known for the quality of their breakfast offerings and so on Saturday, we opted for a later brunch and chose the nearby Haywood Cafe, a local favorite. My son and I both ordered the Wood’s Rancheros consisting of Refried Beans, Home Fries and Homemade Chili Verde, topped with Cheese and served with two Eggs and a warm Tortilla. Our choice was a good one and the portions were hearty, sating our appetite until dinnertime. After a leisurely afternoon, we headed to Breckenridge, intending to enjoy the BreckConnect Gondola offering a scenic ride to the base of Peaks 7 and 8. Unfortunately, after arriving at the Transfer Center, we discovered the gondola was closing in short order, much earlier than was listed on their Web site. Undaunted, we drove to the Grand Lodge on Peak 7, enjoying the newly-fallen snow from the previous day which still clung to the trees and roadways as we made our way up 9,600 feet above sea level. The lodge is quite the place. It offers accommodations ranging from suites to four-bedroom residences, along with outdoor and indoor pools, hot tubs, spa services, as well as a steam room, a sauna and four private movie theaters. We stopped for a snack in the bar area of Sevens Restaurant and enjoyed its stunning mountain views before heading down to town.
Our Saturday evening dinner reservations were made at Rootstalk in Breckenridge, founded by Matt Vawter who now serves as executive chef. Born and raised in Summit County, Matt was the former executive chef and partner at Mercantile Dining and Provision in Denver's famed Union Station and winner of the 2018 James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest. In 2020 he returned to his mountain origins to open Rootstalk in an historic home on North Main Street in Breckenridge. We were seated downstairs near the open-air kitchen. The menu changes seasonally and the restaurant prides itself on creating an “elevated everyday dining space” where guests experience new flavor combinations. It lived up to all the hype. My dinner was scrumptious and, in fact, my two grandchildren also ordered the same entrée so I can heartily recommend the New Zealand Sea Bass, which was served with Cavatelli Pasta, Littleneck Clam Chowder, Spring Asparagus and Crispy Clam Strips. Different entrées ordered by our family included the Prime Colorado NY Strip Steak and the English Pea Tortellini. Everyone at our table agreed with my judgment.
I checked out of the Hyatt Place on Sunday morning to spend the day with my son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren. After brunch, we walked for a few hours along a portion of the 18.7 mile Dillon Reservoir Loop, which provides a paved pathway with scenic views of Summit County’s mountainous terrain as well as the reservoir. Pathways along the Loop are popular with runners, bikers and even skaters and it was nice to see so many families getting some exercise on that Sunday afternoon. Sadly however, it was soon time to say goodbye. I’d had an email from Peak Express a day earlier advising me of a 3:40 PM pick time for the return trip to the Denver Airport. My son dropped me back at the Hyatt Place by 3:30 that afternoon, but the van hadn’t arrived by 4 o’clock. A phone call to the reservations center revealed that my pick up time had been changed to 4:10 PM. (It would have been nice if they’d notified me as their customer.) Once the shuttle arrived, I learned we’d drive to Frisco first where I would have to transfer to a larger van, meaning we’d be heading west to travel east. After a 25-minute wait in Frisco, our van left for DEN with every other seat occupied by skiers returning from Vail. Judging from their conversations, they’d apparently had a good week on the slopes.
Sunday night was spent at the Westin Hotel, which is located right in the airport thereby making my Monday morning departure that much easier. This is a nice hotel that I’ve reviewed before in my post of December 4, 2021 titled Off to the Rockies. At 7:00 AM the next day, I was back at the Jeppesen Terminal. It features 2.6 million square feet of space and includes passenger ticketing, baggage claim, ground transportation, international arrivals, shops and restaurants, office areas and the TSA security checkpoints. The terminal’s internationally recognized peaked roof, designed by Fentress Architects, is reflective of snow-capped mountains and evokes the early history of Colorado when Native American teepees were located across the Great Plains. The CLEAR lane was backed up on my arrival, but their ambassador didn’t escort me to the dedicated PreCheck lane so I was forced to remove my jacket, electronics and shoes. However, the worst part was that passengers were expected to move their bags along the rollers by themselves until they reached the moving belt. I wasn’t aware of this and discovered an officer had removed my suitcase to the ground, which forced me to go back through the metal detector and shepherd my bag until it actually reached the moving belt. That was the only snafu I encountered on the return, with my nonstop United flight back to Raleigh being on time. A very welcoming flight attendant took care of us up front. It looks like United has upped their catering game, at least as far as breakfast is concerned, since my Ricotta-filled Crepe with Vanilla Cream, Cherry Sauce and Blueberries, served with Greek Yogurt, a Fruit Bowl and Croissant was top notch.
The three-hour flight passed quickly and I arrived home in the mid afternoon with pleasant memories of another great family weekend.
Until next time…safe travels.
Love reading your travel stories!