Week 12 at Loveland RV Resort: The Rollercoaster Edition
- 1nonblonde
- Oct 13
- 5 min read
August 2025: Well, here we are - already twelve weeks into the Loveland RV Resort life, and it’s feeling like we’ve packed a full season of sitcom shenanigans into just a few months. For anyone who happens upon this in the future: Loveland RV Resort sits in Loveland, Colorado - nestled at the foot of the Front Range, with easy access to I-25 and scenic mountain views. It’s quiet, clean, dog-friendly, and (so far) kind to our WiFi needs.
KD & the Painkillers’ Grand Finale at The Grainhouse
This week marked a bittersweet milestone: KD & the Painkillers played our final show at The Grainhouse at Raindance National Golf Course in Windsor. (Yes, we really said “final.” Cue dramatic music.)
Instead of the usual "stage" setup, we found ourselves staring at a large golfing party happily occupying the exact spot we were supposed to play. After waiting them out for about an hour, we rolled up our sleeves, shoved some heavy lounge furniture out of the way, and improvised. Drake and I climbed aboard the venue’s vintage flatbed wagon - complete with peeling paint and just enough wobble to make us question our life choices. Filling in for Barry on drums for the night, Brad (a very good long-time friend and “brother from another mother”) couldn’t safely join us on the wagon, so we “installed” him on the floor in front. That made ending cues a little sketchy, but we managed with extra eye contact and some creative flailing.
The energy in the room was fantastic, especially with several groups of friends in the crowd: our longtime pals Cindy and Matt, plus some of Darren’s UPS crew - Shaun and his wife Nikki, and Todd and his wife Tanya. Having familiar faces in the audience made the night feel like one big family jam session.
We ended up receiving more tips than ever before and fielded a record number of requests (thanks to tipsy & tipping golfers) - and shockingly, we could actually pull most of them off. It was a chaotic, funny, music-filled night that perfectly captured what we’ve loved about playing The Grainhouse. A little messy, a lot of fun, and a whole lot of heart - the ideal way to close the chapter.
Football (and Chicken Wings) at Anchor Bar
We treated Logan to lunch at Anchor Bar in Loveland (yes, an extension of the original Buffalo wings franchise born in Buffalo, NY). The mission? Catch the football season opener of Darren’s alma mater - Kansas State University - as they faced Iowa State in Dublin, Ireland.
The game was played at Aviva Stadium and was history in the making: the first-ever Big 12 Conference matchup to take place in Ireland. The kickoff was about an hour before the Broncos game, so for a short window we had the place to ourselves, happily eating wings and cheering on the Wildcats.
Then things took a turn. The score started looking a little grim, Bronco fans shuffled in, and most of the TVs flipped to NFL coverage. Meanwhile, our Wildcats fought hard but ultimately lost to Iowa State 24-21. A heartbreaker, but still pretty cool to watch from across the pond - while we sat across from the bleu cheese.
Trivia Night with Friends, Surprises & Heartbreak
One of our longstanding favorite nights: trivia. We joined bandmate-and-other-“brother from another mother” Drake, his wonderful wife Christy, their son Trel, plus Alex and Bruce at Geeks Who Drink at The Lyric in Fort Collins. The idea: flex our random-knowledge muscles, sip something with caffeine or spirits (depending on the night), and see where the night takes us.
We hung in 2nd place for most of the night - feeling smug, clever, and dangerously close to trivia glory. Until the final question dropped us down to 6th place. Wah-wah-wah. (Yes, we audibly said that.) But honestly, it was a blast just being with good people, laughing at wrong answers, and pretending we totally knew the lore of 80s sitcom theme songs.
Darren’s Farm-Grown Paychecks
While I was busy stacking up blog material and (spoiler alert) doctor visits, Darren kept plugging away at the farm. The owners have absolutely fallen in love with him and his steady work ethic - which, let’s be honest, doesn’t surprise me one bit. He’s been weeding, repairing, harvesting, and generally keeping things humming along, and in return he’s been “paid” in the best currency possible: fresh veggies and fruit.
We’ve been feasting on a steady bounty of farm-to-table goodness, and every time he brings home another bag of produce, I swear I hear the “Harvest Moon” soundtrack in the background. It’s been both practical and delicious.
Disclaimer: the corn photo is from Wal-Mart - NOT from On the Vine Farm. The farm corn was much prettier.
Adulting Hard: Wills & Legal Stuff
In slightly more mature news (but still something I never thought I’d brag about), after about a dozen years in limbo, we finally got our wills and attorney documents finalized (thanks Drake!). Yep - we are now legally “prepared,” which is a phrase we never expected to blurt out on a blog. But between our age, the constant traveling, and the desire to not leave chaos in our wake, it feels like a responsibly weird flex.
Injections, Knees, and Medical Mysteries
Let’s talk knees. After weeks of doctor visits, X-rays, and an MRI, I got a Synvisc One injection in my left knee (cue dramatic pause). It stung - I won’t lie - but now it’s quiet. The goal: help with the osteoarthritis and torn meniscus issues that have been nagging me. The plan is that this injection lasts about six months, so time will tell how much more hopping, dancing, and walking I get out of it.
Hair Changes: Where “Professional” Meets DIY
In hair news: I had my first professional haircut in over a year. Yes, over a year. We went for layers and a little fun buzz over the left ear for sass (and maybe audacity). Meanwhile, I did the hair coloring myself - huge thanks to Stacie, who always let me take home leftover color from her appointments. (As every home hair-dye user knows, leftover is everything.)
When Nostalgia Calls - Stuck on Vinyl
Remember how Darren and I used to follow a Northern Colorado band, 69 Times, to every NoCo show they played? (Yes, we were those people.) Several former 69 Times members - Mike O., Greg K., and Jimmy D. - are now rocking in a local fave, Stuck on Vinyl. This week we got to catch them at The Boot in Windsor.
We were joined by Alex & Bruce, plus Tricia (a childhood friend of Alex’s and occasional hip-hop fitnesser) and her beau Kevin. We danced to classic rock, swapped stories, and soaked in the friendly local vibes. The Boot was the kind of cozy bar where you feel like you’ve walked into someone’s living room - if that living room served cold beer and loud guitar riffs.
Dashboard Menagerie Update
And because no week is complete without some random hilarity… we found yet another addition to our ever-growing dashboard menagerie. This time, the discovery came from the gravel outside our camper - a plastic cockroach. Yep. Equal parts gross and funny, this new “friend” has now claimed the lead position in front of Leo Lion and his plastic minion crew. Because honestly, what dashboard kingdom doesn’t need a cockroach overlord?
Wrapping Up Week 12 (Before the Real Drama Begins)
So there you have it: twelve weeks in, and we’ve had semi-emotional farewells, medical interventions, legal paperwork, hair rebellions, trivia heartbreaks, dashboard roach royalty, and more memories than seems reasonable for a single blog post. The RV Resort life continues to treat us well, the Rockies keep shining in the background, and we’re just trying to keep up.
Stay tuned - who knows what Week 13 will bring. (Probably more knee adventures, more music, and maybe finally learning the lyrics to every ’80s sitcom theme.)
Cheers!
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