You DO want fries with that!!

After skiing today, I visited a familiar place that was much loved by my father. I pictured him sitting across from me having a Reuben Sandwich and enjoying some thin cut french fries with a coca cola or a Guinness after a long day of skiing on the mountain. Gondola Pub and Grill is located at the bottom of the ski hill in Gondola Square in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. A family favorite after long day on the mountain.

My dad always loved a good reuben sandwich and Gondola Pub and Grill lived up to the hype for my dad. Today I chose between the "Big Boy Grilled Cheese: American and Cheddar cheeses, smoked applewood bacon, sliced tomatoes, grilled on organic white bread" or just basic chicken tenders and fries. I decided on a cup of the chicken noodle soup, chicken tenders and fries, and a cold brew martini, which was their version of an espresso martini. Experiencing elevation and the overall dry climate calls for hydration during the day and hydration does not mean alcohol. The Gondola Pub and Grill or GPG provides thermos' of cold, fresh water with each meal. Following my rule of one glass per alcoholic beverage, that I explored in the last blog post, I had two glasses of water to the one espresso martini. GPG is known for their thin cut french fries, I could picture my dad sitting there salting his fries and eating them first before touching anything else. The chicken noodle soup was thick and homey.

The first time we ever came to Steamboat Springs, about fourteen years ago, I remember my parents wanting to have late dinner and when we wanted to go to a particular restaurant in Gondola Square, that place was closed, so we walked next door and Gondola Pub and Grill was open. I believe it was nighttime and we ate in the restaurant area and watched sportscenter at night while hockey and basketball jerseys from the Denver area hung on the walls around us. I’m glad we stumbled on this restaurant when we did because it became a family favorite. In all the years since we first came out, we have always made it to GPG for lunch, dinner, or a drink after skiing. In honor and memory of my father on this first trip to Steamboat without him, I needed some alone time and decided on Gondola Pub and Grill.

My cousin Karen mentioned a funny experience she had at GPG with my mom when having drinks in the evening. Outside on the patio at GPG is a fire pit area with lava rocks in the fire pit. Karen mentioned a time where they ran into a group of 6-8 snowboarders who after a few drinks were now acting like a group of jagoffs. The jag off crew were throwing the molten hot lava rocks at each other; I bet they had some stingers in the morning. Likely these guys did not remember why their hands were stinging the next day, but they definitely spent it putting their hands in the snow.

Personal reflection:

Seeing the fruits of my dad's long years of working as a financial advisor and having time to enjoy with my mom and our extended family who are more like best friends than they are relatives. Over the last two months since my father passed away, we have spent a lot of time with them and I have even started playing video games once a week with my cousin Blake who is joining us in Steamboat Springs tomorrow (January 30). At the hospital every day with us and being available in the middle of the night, my cousin Jimbo and his wife Karen really made an impact on both my mom and I's healing. I knew they would be close to us when they moved from Harrisburg to the Pittsburgh area about ten years ago, but they have all been so impactful for us during these last two months when we have needed them the most. When my dad was first in the hospital, in the middle of the night when we thought my dad wasn't going to make it that first night, Karen and Jimbo were at the hospital in the middle of the night at 3:00 am and stayed with my mom into the morning hours. I kept telling Jimbo how much I appreciated his support and he kept saying "AJ, we wouldn't be anywhere else".

The day after my dad passed away, Jimbo made the forty-five minute drive from his house in Canonsburg, PA to our house in Elizabeth Township with only a pint of two percent milk for my uncle's coffee, but in reality it was his way of still being there for us in whatever way he could, and coming out and checking on us to make sure we were okay the next morning was something he needed to do for us. This whole thing for all of us has been so weird and surreal, I think just being in our house sometimes we can feel him still being around us. We have seen signs of him whether it be the cardinal in the backyard listening to conversations or the owl on the bike trail when my mom takes the dog for walks.

It is weird being here in Steamboat Springs, my dad's favorite vacation spot, without him. I can see him sitting in the far chair of our dining area setup with his computer and what he referred to as his "gadget bag" with all of his cords, charging devices, and iPad. I can see him working in the mornings on whatever the day called for, taking the dog for walks, and getting Starbucks each morning on the way home from the dog park. On the slopes, I can see my dad going in front of my mom and I, and having to wait for him at the bottom of each run. I can see him pulling out his phone on the lifts and causing me stress as if he drops his phone, then he would be without it the rest of the week. My dad, living life care-free and in an open paradise with his family. Last year, I came out for five days, I never would have imagined it would be the last time I had a ski trip with my dad, but I remember sitting outside of a restaurant in Gondola Square and I remember saying to both him and my mom "I am so thankful and blessed to be able to sit here and drink our peppermint schnapps hot chocolate with you two" as we just stared at the mountain. My dad living life to the fullest, agreed how amazing it is being able to spend time as a family on vacations in Colorado. My mom reminded me this morning, my dad's favorite vacation spot was Steamboat Springs, and in his honor, my favorite vacation spot is Steamboat Springs. Thank you Dad, for everything you made possible for us in our time with you. We all love and miss you, but we know you are "with" us and are smiling on us.

(Pictured on the left, AJ (me) in the back, my dad Jim in the center, and my mom Debbie in her Beth Dutton Yellow Stone-esque hat; on the right from the back is my cousin Blake, my cousin's spouse Karen in the middle, and my cousin Jimbo up front across from my mom)