Playing tourist/tour guide

Recently had Mom and my sister here to visit - awesome! Showed them around the region and saw quite a few things I hadn't experienced myself. Quite a nice mini-vacation, as it were. The girls are now in New York spending Mom's money (and possibly Dad's, if they find clothes that are expensive enough).

As is customary, I took them up to the Snowy Range first:





And did a lap around Centennial, pop. 100, home to the worst kitsch in the West:



I showed them how fantastic science is:



Then it was off to the rodeo at Cheyenne Frontier Days, which was unexpectedly cool. I'd never gone to one myself, and the girls had certainly never seen anything like it. They were pretty stoked, not least because of the fantabulous hats:



I was a little taken aback at the sheer violence of this most Western of sports, though. It's surprising that these guys last more than a few years doing it professionally:



Then it was off to Rocky Mountain National Park. Arguably one of the coolest mountain ranges this side of the Atlantic, it has grand vistas:





Cute wildlife (hi, Chip! Or is it Dale?):



Pretty lakes:



Unfortunately, most of the park sits well above 10,000 feet and seeing stuff does require walking uphill frequently. Evidently, this doesn't agree with city slickers from sea level for very long:



But temporary hypoxia-induced setbacks aside, we had a blast while they were here. Hope this becomes a yearly tradition - I think it's Dad's turn next year. This time you'll catch a fish, Dad, I promise!