RMNAAFA Goes To Glenwood Springs

 Joe

 Hi all Glenwood was great. Patti took quite a few pictures some should be pretty funny if they turn out. Plus a really cute one of Leslie and Debbie on the edge of the pool.I agree with Dina that it would be fun to try Idaho Spgs and we talked about Glenwood maybe becoming an annual event.Thanks to Leslie for planning the trip and thanks Patti for bringing the Chocolate.

Janet

 I had a WONDERFUL time in Glenwood. Of course anything that has to do with swimming interests me and my NAAFA friends are just so much fun to be with. Spent A LOT of time in the Hot Springs pool and therapy pool (the really hot pool). I had no trouble at all parading around in my swimsuit. No bad looks or comments. Of course being with 7 other women of size helps! Walking around Glenwood and around the pool we looked like a line of ducklings, following each other in a row. Got an interesting look from one guy as we all got out of the pool. Not a bad look, just as one right after another of us climbed out he had this look like "MAN! that's a lot of women!" Yes, it was, a lot of proud NAAFA women.

 Leslie, Jan Marie and I also took advantage of the Yampa Vapor Caves and Spa. The vapor caves are sort of like a steam bath but not as steamy. It was a very relaxing, settling feeling to be there. Very quiet and semi dark. Peaceful. All three of us also took advantage of the massage therapist at the Spa part of the Yampa Vapor Caves and Spa. I always love doing that. Jan also took advantage of a "salt rub". I would have loved to do that too but just couldn't fit it all in before we had to leave.

Other then swimming, swimming, swimming, we played some games back at Leslie and Janet's room. We had a lot of fun and I am surprised that the front desk didn't call to ask us to quiet down.....

We all decided this HAS to be a yearly event. It was just too much fun and I just love letting the rest of the world see how much fun fat people have.

 Patti K

 I had a good time, too.

 After the first swim in the morning, I went back to the hotel and took a two hour nap. I was exhausted.

 After dinner, we went back to the pool. Very crowded, but still nice.

 :Of course being with 7 other women of size helps!

It does. Interestingly, there were plenty of other fat folk around. And, a surprisingly, the gift shop had bathing suits up to size 32 for women and up to a 4x for men. That's pretty impressive. They've definitely gotten smart about who they cater to.

 :Walking around Glenwood and around the pool we looked like a line of ducklings, following each other in a row.

 That's a good description. I kept saying we looked like a herd and I heard someone say "school of fish." That was good too. I occasionally made shark noises in the water when we passed by people, especially if they were staring.

 :we played some games back at Leslie and Janet's room. We had a lot of fun and I am surprised that the front desk didn't call to ask us to quiet down.....

 I had a lot of fun that night. I love laughing.

Sherry G. and I left early Sunday morning and went to Aspen to visit a friend. We got to tour a small (hahaha), $6 million mansion that this friend of ours takes care of (housekeeper). Being rich has advantages, that's for sure... Of course, if being a snob were part of it, I'd rather be dirt poor. Sounds like a lot of those people in Aspen are snotty.

:We all decided this HAS to be a yearly event. It was just too much fun and I just love letting the rest of the world see how much fun fat people have.

 I'd like to suggest Idaho Springs as an alternative or additional trip. It's not as far and I hear it has a lot of the same types of attractions. ;)

 Oh yeah, the weather was fairly mild. No snow. bummer, because I know a few of us were hoping to bathe in the night with the snow coming down around us. Oh well. Still, a good time was had by all.

 Dina

 I wish I could go to Glenwood every weekend. I really loved it. We talked about Idaho Springs too. Being an inside pool it will be much different. I think both trips will be good to do. I just love being outside in Glenwood canyon swimming. An indoor pool could not compare. But it is true that Idaho Springs would be easier for more of us to get to. Maybe we should do Idaho Springs in the fall and Glenwood in the late winter.

 I am glad Dina mentioned the size 32 swim suits on sale at the pool. That really was good to hear. One bad thing was at the Yampa Springs Spa they give you robes to change into as you wait for your spa treatments (massage, facial, salt rubs, ect) and as Jan Marie says they are "one size fits small". Luckily Jan Marie warned me of this so I brought my own robe over. Also their chairs in the solarium where a bit tight for my hips, though I did fit in them. The Hot Springs Pool was fat friendly with lots of rails to help you in and out of the pool and WIDE stairs.

Friday night it did snow a little and Leslie was hoping to wake up to 2 feet of snow. But what snow fell melted off by mid morning. We wanted to go swimming Friday night but we got back from dinner after nine and the pool closed at ten...we still should have gone. Leslie and Janet's room over looked the pool and it was fun to get out on the balcony and see the people enjoying the pool in the snow.

 And to Janet thanking me for the chocolate...listen...I will bring chocolate to anyone that drives me half way across the state! Thanks again for that. You are the best. to be honest I was relieved you didn't show up with a horse to travel on :)

Looking forward to more NAAFA trips,

 Patti K

 Well, I just got back into town on the train from Glenwood and am eager to share with you what a good time we had! For myself, the train ride was fabulous, lots of room in the seats, and definitely a laid-back crowd, unlike airplane people. You can get up, wander around, go to an observation car, dining car, snack bar, etc.

The views of Colorado from the train are truly spectacular, I got to see some parts I'd never seen before, away from the beaten path. It was nice to see there is still great big beautiful places in Colorado that are still Colorado, that have not become some exclusive, manicured "development" where only the rich survive.

 I had a massage, by a man, for the first time. I was so surprised to see a man come out and call my name! I didn't know that the massage people were both men and women for both men and women. He asked me If I had ever had a massage before, and I said yes, but not by a man, so that would be a first!

It was very nice, healing, nonthreatening, and nonsexual. They keep you "covered" except for the particular part of your body they are working on. I liked that he had strong hands. He did not massage "all" of my body, maybe that's because they are afraid of lawsuits from people claming some kind of sexual molestation. Yikes! Anyway, he did not massage buttocks area, or from upper chest to upper thighs. I guess that's ok, but I am used to getting a "full body" massage when I pay for a full body massage! I think our body wonders what's up when something gets left out.

The next day, I had a salt rub, by a woman, and the same deal of the parts missed. She gave me a bowl of the rub and I could do the missed parts myself afterwards in the shower. The rub is made from lavender, cocoanut oil, and sea salt. My skin felt so smooth afterwards!

This "incomplete massage" deal must be a "litigation prevention" thing. How sad that our world has come to this level of mistrust. Now this is speaking for the massages and rubs at the Vapor Caves; there is another set of massage people at the Hot Springs and at the Hotels. So I will maybe check out the differences next time.

 The hot pool was great, and best of all was the vapor caves! Although I had been to Glenwood before, I had never checked out the Vapor Caves. They are literally caverns deep in the ground where vapors come up from the middle of the earth. It's dark in the caverns, with a lighted hallway leading to them. You sit on stone benches and hear the water gurgling under you while staring at the ceiling of ancient rock. Warm/hot, but too hot, not like a steam room. Quiet, comforting, and very de-stressing. Definitely worth it! Patti and Leslie also enjoyed this, I will enjoy reading what they thought of the experience.

 We also, all of us, had fun going out to dinner, and playing games at night. Margaret knows all the answers to all the games, but in the end, I hear that Patti won! I really enjoyed everyone's company.

 This morning I went for a long, long walk along the river, there is a path that is paved with concrete, and I walked for an hour and a half. I really enjoyed being with the river, looking at the mountains, wondering about all the lives of all the people in the houses up the mountain. Next time I will maybe do the walking in the morning before the pool soak, I think that would feel really great.

 All in all, it was the best time, I hope we can make this a yearly tradition. And if you didn't go this time, plan to go next time, you won't be sorry! Now that we know the lay of the land, we can plan our time, call ahead for reservations for rubs and massages, find out what entertainment is happening, and maybe go to some concerts and plays too. There seems to be A LOT going on in that area, according to the local papers.

 Your Travel Partner,

 Jan Marie Belle.

Okay I have been meaning to report on my Glenwood experience since I got home but haven't gotten around to it. All the others did a great job letting everyone else know what they missed so I am not sure what else to say..

 I really enjoyed the Hot Springs pools. My favorite is the bigger cooler pool, although I really enjoy the hot pool too. It is amazing how much the hot pool warms you up internally. I stayed hot for a long time after spending time in the 104 degree therapy pool. It was really fun taking pictures. Debbi and I almost froze our butts off laying on the edge of the pool posing for a picture! I hope we got some good ones to send into Radiance!

 Patti, Jan Marie and I also went to the Yampa Vapor Caves which was wonderful. It was very peaceful and grounding sitting deep within the earth on a solid stone bench listening to the hot water gurgle up from the spring. The vapor caves were not what I expected at all. I was expecting them to be like a steam room but there was no steam. It was very hot and extremely humid but not at all steamy. I am very grateful to Jan Marie for showing us the cold shower! The icy cold water felt wonderful after a few minutes of sweating in the caves.

 I thought the Hot Springs Lodge was a great hotel. Although for the second annual RMNAAFA Glenwood trip I hope we make reservations early enough to get non-smoking rooms! It was very convenient to be right next to the pool. The pool, vapor caves, and shopping were all within walking distance for some of us. The rooms were very nice and reasonably priced. Janet and I got a slightly more expensive room with was bigger with more seating and a balcony. It was nice to have it available so we could all get together to chat and play games.

 I am already looking forward to next years trip!!!

 Leslie
 
 

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