This morning, Brendan and I watched a young Golden Eagle attempt to work up the courage to fly the nest. He sat on the branches outside the home he was born in, stretched his wings wide and looked bravely into the great beyond (and the ground about 200 feet below him). Six hours later, he's still perched on that branch, still thinking that today might be the day but not quite knowing if he's ready to leave the comforts of home. After getting over the shock of being within viewing distance of a baby eagle, I realized that his situation is not dissimilar to ours. We leave for Kenya in six days, and while we could not be more excited to start our adventure, we understand that we are also leaving behind the comforts of home, first and foremost, the people we love. So, it is fitting that the last few weeks have been filled with family - the McCorquodales came to Crested Butte for the first time, we attended a Starr family reunion and we are currently on Cebolla Creek (watching eaglets) with Brendan's stepfather Keith and his wonderful partner in crime, Judy.

Having my parents in Crested Butte was so special. They dove right in, jumping on townies (bikes, not people) before we could even walk the three blocks from Brendan's house to the B&B to show them around. The trip was short, but very sweet. We biked around town, hiked out Upper Loop for some scenic views, enjoyed sundowners with a mountain backdrop and spent great time with Brendan's family. We also were lucky to spend time at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in Gothic and be shown around by our friend and RMBL scientist Ann Marie. The work that the researchers are accomplishing is incredible. For example, Ann Marie is working in the longest running climate change experiment in the world, collectively gathering data for over 20 years now. Needless to say, Jan and Kenny Mac are big fans of CB and Jim and Annie. Brendan and I are so lucky to have such easy, fun parents that actually enjoy each other's company.

The day my parents left town, we went on one of the most epic hikes of the trip. We were with our Crested Butte family, Jim and Annie, and some friends who had three generations (grandpa, his son and his son's wife and their one-year old daughter... who, by the way was the toughest person in the group by far) and three Alaskan sled dogs in tow. We hiked out of Scofield Pass to Haisley Basin, which is so beautiful that there are actually a large number of babies named Haisley in Colorado. The basin is a brilliant shade of green with Alpine lakes and scattered groves of aspen and pine, surrounded by stark white peaks. Brendan got some amazing shots, and Annie summed it up perfectly when she observed to herself, "If I were an elk, I'd live here."

One of the many perks of the Haisley Basin hike is the proximity to the Maroon Bells, Colorado's most photographed mountains. So, armed with Brendan's Sony NEX 7, we traversed over to Frigidaire Pass for a dead-on view of the famous peaks. The Maroon Bells lived up to their reputation. Their dark rust color and jagged peaks provide a stark contrast to the smooth white and gray slopes surrounding it. It is, at the risk of sounding redundant, one of the most dramatic views of the trip (top photo). Even a hail storm on the 6 mile trek back to the car couldn't put a blemish on a beautiful day. The baby slept right through it.

The next week, we channeled our inner Griswolds, loaded up the station wagon and headed to Estes Park, Colorado for the bi-annual Starr family reunion. We split the trip into two parts, stopping in Glenwood Springs for a dip in the same healing hot springs that brought Doc Holliday to the area in the late 1880s. We also, thanks to the Digital Chief (Brendan) and modern technology (a.k.a., YELP), discovered Pullman's Restaurant and had a fantastic dinner before heading on to the Comfort Inn in Eagle for the night. I should mention that the lock on the back hatch of the station wagon (actually Subaru Outback, but if you want to picture a Woody, please do) was broken, so every stop became an exercise in creative parking. Walls, hedges and fences guarded our belongings (which for Brendan and I is pretty much everything we have for the next 8 months) while we swam, scarfed and slept. Clark would have been proud.

We arrived in Estes Park, home to Rocky Mountain National Park, the Stanley Hotel (The Shining), and what must be the country's largest concentration of ice cream and taffy shops, the next afternoon for the Starr family reunion. This was the 20th reunion for the family and, at just over 50 people present, was somewhat small compared to past reunions. The largest, held in South Dakota about a decade earlier, counted more than 120. As a member of a small family, I was truly impressed with the strong relationships in such a large and diverse group of people. We played hearts, had Moscow Mules by the campfire, golfed, hiked, and just enjoyed each other's company. It was a special weekend, topped off by a memorable and much-anticipated performance of the Starr family song.

Flash forward a day, a camping trip, an 8-hour bushwhacking wilderness adventure, and an inaugural visit to Brendan's namesake landmark (Benny's Bowl), and here we are, on Cebolla Creek at the last of our family reunions. Cebolla Creek is a private stretch of stream off of Blue Mesa where Brendan grew up camping and fishing with his mom and stepdad, Keith. Now, the tents have been replaced by an amazing cabin (which Keith built with his bare hands), but the fishing and company is still top notch. I got to add two more fly fishing trips to my roster (now at three, total) and Brendan came away as the angler of the weekend with about six or seven 10" plus Brown and Rainbow trouts! We ate what we caught on the first day and released the fish to see another catch on the second. Cebolla Creek is also where we are writing this entry and watching the Golden Eagles from the living room window.

We came home to a beautiful home-cooked meal (thanks Annie!) and spent our last night in CB doing exactly what we did on the first... Sitting around the dining room table, enjoying great food, delicious wine and wonderful conversation with the family. What a perfect way to end our time in our Colorado home and three weeks of family reunions.

UPDATE: The baby eagle officially left the nest the morning after we wrote this post. Bon voyage!