Alright Sunday night where are you? Waiting for the game that leads red,white and blue.You want some football? We want it too. Hey Jack, it’s a fact, the show’s back in town. Stadium’s rockin’, time to crank up the sound. NFL’s best have come to play. Coast to coast, there’s just one thing left to sayyayayayayy,: Iv’e Been Waiting All Day for Sunday Night. Get on your feet for a star-spangled fight. more than a game, its every fan’s right. That’s why were waitin’ all day for Sunday night. 

When the NFL schedules came out last spring, I received a call from my daughter asking if Carolyn and I would be interested  in going to Denver to see the Broncos play the Packers on the first Sunday in November with her and her soon to be husband Bryan. She tells me that her and mom will hang out and Bryan and I can go to the game. Did I have to think about this opportunity? Yeh right. I’m all excited.

Bryan is a forever Bronco fan and me a Packer cheesehead so I’m like are you kidding? Bryan happens to hold two season tickets and so the trip was planned. We got flights arranged, hotel rooms booked, and was I ever excited about the opportunity to spend a weekend with Caitlin and Bryan. I’m all in on this one.

Really, another bucket list trip to some great breweries and a Packers vs Broncos football game? It’s like, pinch me, am I dreaming? Carolyn and I are going to continue to live like we were dying and hit the road for another life adventure.

Travel day is rapidly approaching and Carolyn and I decide to spend Thursday night in the valley so we don’t have to get up and drive come Friday morning. Of course on my ADD plan, I actually get the reservation for our room Thursday morning and it comes out ok considering that Oregon is in town to play ASU and rooms were at a premium. Carolyn and I head to the Tempe area where our room has been acquired at the Sleep Inn on 47th St. south of the Airport since you can park and fly at a very reasonable price and the place is always clean. Great alternative for us out of town people. Carolyn has some things to do so I’m dropped off at Philly’s Sports Bar and Grill on Priest. Very nice place that I had never been to and the place has the Thursday night game on and it is packed. Great little Happy Hour food and prices.

We head out to eat at Boulders in Tempe, and being the savvy shopper that I am, I buy a Groupon for Boulders and present it to our server only to find out that it is for the Boulders on Southern in Mesa. As I told Carolyn, I think we will have to find the Boulders in Mesa before January since I now have a Groupon for it. Sometimes cheap don’t pay off especially when you don’t read it.

Friday morning arrives and we get to the airport way early and enjoy breakfast at Paradise Bakery and we just are sitting around and forget about the time. All of a sudden we realize that we better get going and sure enough there is line through security that stretches forever. By the time we get through security we are at the back of the loading line. with only 15 minutes to spare. As we board, low and behold, there is Caitlin and Bryan sitting in row one with these big grins on their face, like look at me, we are first class. It was priceless seeing their expressions. Ha, all I can do is shake by head and smile as I make my way back to the coach section. They got me on that one.

Now I’ve been to Denver but I’ve never really been to Denver so this is something I’ve been anticipating for a very long time. I get in some valued reading time on the plane with a Grisham novel Sycamore Row which is tough to put down. Arrival and I am on a mission for some Caribou Coffee. Not including the restroom, it is my first stop upon landing. It is something I always look forward to seeing in areas where they are located. An Uber ride awaits and off we head to Denver.

First stop is the Hampton Inn. Yes the Sunday Night Football bus is parked right there. I’m already getting goose bumps. This just might be the nicest Hampton anywhere. We get our welcome bags that include special welcoming bottles of water. Who can’t help but like a place when they give you bottles with your name on them. Nothing but the best. Packer fans are everywhere. We are all wearing our colors. Oh what fun for an NFL road trip. We unload and first stop is for some small cool downtown eatery that has a good selection of some Colorado craft brews. Freshcraft. One of the servers comes by and lets me know that she is from Wisconsin and a big Packer fan. Her husbands job as a pilot for Southwest has brought them to Denver. I’m liking this Denver place.

We pack it up and next stop is a downtown brewery that has great reviews and one that was on our targeted list of places to go: Great Divide Brewing Company. The place is filled with folks and they all happen to be Packer fans. What fun. Hanging out with these midwestern people who are friendly and just so happen to be passionate about their football. Just an awesome fun place to hang out and enjoy some fine craft brews.

Bryan’s friend, Austin, has joined our group and I suggest that we check out this brewery up the road that I have found on Groupon called Zephyr Brewing Company and I mention this to  my new found Packer friends and they decide that they’re going as well. So we head down the road with a group of green and yellow Packer fans and we probably were quite a sight for sore eyes. We roll by some group of homeless and they were quite entertaining as a couple guys started doing the discount double-check and to us and it was funny. If you don’t know the Aaron Rodgers Discount Double-Check well you just have to look it up. We arrive at Zephyr’s and literally take the place over since there was only two people besides the taproom bartender before we arrived. Yes the Groupon works to perfection. Two pints, and a sampler for 11 bucks. It’s a deal and of course that son-in-law Bryan is not to be outdone, he gets the Groupon as well. The bartender was great and he explains that the son of the owner of the Denver Broncos and the owner of Zephyrs are friends and how maybe they will get their beer into the stadium in the near future. Very nice young man and knew his football. It was a fun little place.

Now for the walk back to the hotel room. It has been a long and eventful day but we still have to eat. After a quick stop, Bryan and Caitlin suggest that we head to Sam’s No. 3 a Denver favorite that has been featured on the Food Network program Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. Just a short walk and we are there. Caitlin and Bryan’s first choice was for this high rated pizza joint but the wait was too long so that is how we ended up at Sam’s. We all eat breakfast related food and it was fabulous plus as an added bonus we actually got to use our Entertainment Card for money off on our meals. Got to love getting to use discounts on a road trip. We are all too tired to do anything else so it is in for the evening. As I head off to bed, i’m reading texts from Jordyn as she appears to be having the time of her life at a Third Day concert in LA. Things are looking good.

Day One in Denver is in the books and it has been a great one. Bryan and Caitlin have been great hosts and great tour guides for us Denver rookies. Carolyn and I are feeling blessed. I love this place. I can only imagine what tomorrow will bring. The Living the Dream tour continues.