Escape to the Wild (Day 3 – Quaint)

We did get snow today.  It started off as a light dusting, but it picked up into a full-blown snow storm by lunchtime.  When we finally decided to leave the hotel and venture out into it (my wife was content just to sit and watch it through the window), I had to brush the snow off the car.  I had flashbacks to Missouri and when we first moved to Texas.  It felt weird, and good, to go through those motions again.  I have missed the snow.

Neither of us were feeling well today, my wife with her back and me with my stomach, so we decided to put Garden of the Gods on hold and take a jaunt over to Old Colorado City.  It’s a quaint, little city just a few minutes away from Colorado Springs.  We concentrated on the main strip.  It is lined with cute, little shops that have all types of crafts, souvenirs, and art…lots of art.  They have a whole Art Walk that takes you from shop to shop to see works by local artists.  Even some of the buildings had beautiful murals painted on the sides of them.  It gives the city personality.

We ate at The Mason Jar, which touted traditional, American fare.  The place had a warm, rustic feel inside with wood paneling and a fire cracking in the large fireplace.  The staff all looked artsy and edgy with piercings and tattoos, which seemed out of place in the setting, but they were all extremely nice.  My wife settled for a hot tea, a soup, and a salad to warm up.  She said it was excellent.  I decided to try the daily special, which was a slab of meatloaf and a pile of mashed potatoes stretched across two pieces of soft bread and smothered in a dark, mushroom gravy (yes, I willingly ate fungus).  It was good, but the meatloaf wasn’t the best I have ever eaten.  But then, meatloaf is an acquired taste, since everyone makes it differently.

Still, it filled us up to an uncomfortable level.  So, we both decided that it would be a good idea to walk the strip to digest (personally, I just think my wife wanted to shop).  Despite the chill in the air, the day turned out beautiful.  The day was brisk, but not unpleasantly so.  The sun came out later in the day to warm things up.  The snow didn’t stick around very long at all.  All in all, it was the perfect way to kill a couple of hours before we headed back to the hotel.

Tonight, we ventured out to a restaurant called Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar.  The décor was industrial and modern with a heavy music influence.  The menu featured choices like the “Bacon Cheeseburger on Steroids,” the “Magic Mushroom,” the “Bad Ass Burger,” and the “Pittsburgher.”  My wife got the “Magic Mushroom,” which featured four different types of mushrooms over an Angus-beef patty.  I went with the “Pittsburgher,” which featured garlic-spiced ketchup and shoestring fries over an Angus-beef patty.  Both were huge and delicious.  After stuffing our faces with the burgers, we decided to splurge and get an Oreo shake for dessert.  Needless to say, we’re miserable this evening, but would do it again…no regrets.