A wonderful "Classic Steamboat" weekend. Friday night was the Freddy Jones Band free concert at Howelsen that we had all been eagerly waiting for. Thunderstorms and downpours filled the afternoon and we anxiously awaited the evening weather. The rain stopped just in time for a brief show-- far fewer people than typical due to the chilly wet weather. But those of us who were there had a fantastic time dancing, hoola hooping, and either avoiding the muddy spots or re-creating a Woodstock-esque mudpit. The band rocked, the moon rose... it was a memorable evening.
Saturday morning Brett's friend (the "other Brett") arrived from Indiana to his new home in Steamboat. We rode bikes downtown to the farmer's market, showed him around town, and enjoyed a gorgeous day. We drove out to the alpaca estate (where the Bretts will be living together for the month), saw Ken and Carol, met the alpacas, walked up to the yurt and cooked an incredible feast made mostly from farmer's market purchases.
On Sunday we floated the Yampa river in inner tubes. It's a classic Steamboat summertime activity, but the timing has to be just right. It flows too fast and too cold in the spring and early summer when all of the snow is melting off the mountains, and by August it is too shallow and full of rocks. We caught it just at the last possible time, and enjoyed a sunny and leisurely float.

Weekends like that remind me why I live in Steamboat.

alpaca pasture in the sunshine
light-up hoola hoops!

cousin dancing

freddy jones band, howelsen hill, moonlight