Spontaneity.

If you asked my family or closest friends to describe me, I can guarantee you that’s not a word they would use.

I am a planner. I like knowing what’s happening, when it’s happening, and what I need to pack for it. I plan my days, my weeks, and sometimes even months in advance. I need time to mentally prepare for just about everything.

So naturally, I put “Take a spontaneous trip/road trip somewhere I’ve never been” on my 50 by 50 Bucket List.

Because if I’m going to grow, it’s probably going to happen somewhere outside my comfort zone.

And once again, Eric—aka Plan Man—helped me check off Bucket List Item #20.

It all started the Monday before our trip. I kept throwing out ideas for the weekend, completely selfishly trying to knock another item off my bucket list.

“Hey Er, want to go to the National Portrait Gallery?”

“Hey Er, maybe we should get some friends together and go axe throwing?”

His responses?

“No thanks.”

And then…

“We already have plans.”

Excuse me…what plans?

I pulled up our shared calendar and saw this.

The entire weekend was blocked off—from Friday at 4:00 p.m. until Monday at 10:00 p.m.—but there wasn’t a single clue about where we were going.

Eric refused to tell me anything.

The only information I could get out of him was that I needed to pack hiking boots, hiking poles, a bathing suit, and flip-flops.

That didn’t exactly narrow it down.

I had three solid guesses about where we might be headed…and I was wrong on every single one.

Friday morning he texted me a packing list, I threw everything into a suitcase, and off we went to the airport. I made a point not to stand too close while checking our bags because I didn’t want to accidentally see the destination. I let Eric put the luggage tags on for the same reason.

Finally, we walked up to our gate.

Denver, Colorado.

Specifically, Beaver Creek, Vail, and Breckenridge.

Apparently this was going to be a “choose your own adventure” weekend.

I’d been to Colorado before, but only Denver and Steamboat. This trip would introduce me to three places I’d never seen before.

I also started to suspect this entire weekend had a hidden agenda.

I think Eric’s long-term retirement strategy is to convince me that we should spend six months a year in Colorado.

The question was…

Would it work?

Our flight was delayed, so we missed driving through the Rockies at sunset, which I’m sure would have been incredible. By the time we reached our hotel it was almost 11:30 that night, so we unpacked and crashed.

The next morning we headed over to Beaver Creek’s Summer Adventure Center to talk with someone about hiking trails. Eric had already picked one out, but we wanted to make sure it was a good fit considering the elevation.

Years ago, I got altitude sickness at the base of Steamboat, so we wanted to be smart about it. I also know my body pretty well these days and what I can—and can’t—handle.

He decided on the Royal Elk Ridge Trail.

We took the gondola to the top of the mountain and started our hike across the ridge before looping our way back down. Along the way we debated taking the side trail to Beaver Lake. Honestly? We were tired, hot, and seriously considering skipping it.

Then a lovely couple coming down the trail smiled and said, “It’s worth it.”

So we kept going.

They were absolutely right.

The hike ended up being about 6½ miles over 3½ hours, and the scenery was breathtaking.

The funny part?

The hardest part wasn’t going up.

It was coming down.

As I’m writing this, it’s been four days since that hike, and my calves are still sore.

Understand, I walk with purpose almost every day. Two miles. Five miles. Sometimes ten.

I’ve never had calves hurt like this.

After earning every bit of it, we spent the afternoon relaxing by the pool with frozen margaritas. (Yes…I actually had a drink!)

That evening we wandered into Avon for dinner at a wonderful little Italian restaurant before calling it a night around 9:00.

Apparently we’re officially those people now.

Sunday morning, because neither of us seems capable of sleeping past 6:00 anymore, we had breakfast and headed into Vail for the Farmers’ Market.

It was huge.

Food vendors, artists, crafts, boutiques…and of course I somehow found a Christmas store.

Naturally, I came home with an ornament for our travel tree.

The rest of the afternoon was exactly what we needed after the hike: reading by the pool and doing absolutely nothing.

For dinner we headed back into Vail and ate at Alpenrose. We shared a giant Bavarian pretzel along with schnitzel, spaetzle, and lingonberries.

It was delicious.

Between the mountain air, the flowers overflowing from every balcony, and eating outside in the village, it honestly felt like we had been transported somewhere in the Alps.

Monday was our last day, and Eric had one final stop planned.

Breckenridge.

He was convinced this was the place that would finally sell me on Colorado.

He was right.

I fell in love almost immediately.

The charming downtown.

The colorful buildings full of character.

The mountain views around every corner.

Anyone who knows me knows I’m a beach girl through and through.

But those mountains…

They got me.

Maybe retirement doesn’t have to be an either/or.

Maybe it’s six months in Colorado…

…and six months at the beach.

The drive back to Denver was easy.

Getting home?

Not so much.

Thanks to flight delays, we finally walked through our front door around 2:30 Tuesday morning.

Completely exhausted.

Completely worth it.

Looking back, this trip wasn’t just about checking another box on my bucket list.

It reminded me that sometimes the best adventures are the ones you don’t plan yourself.

For the last 32 years, Eric has been making my dreams come true in ways I never could have imagined. He plans incredible adventures that gently push me outside my comfort zone while somehow making me feel safe enough to try things I might have talked myself out of.

He believes in me before I believe in myself.

And because of that, I’ve climbed mountains, crossed lakes, booked trips I never would have planned on my own, and checked off more bucket list items than I ever thought possible.

So yes…

Bucket List Item #20 is officially complete.

And who knows?

Maybe there’s hope for this planner after all.