Upcoming parents' weekend

[melindayching]

Can you clarify the rules on phones? We were considering a new phone for DS. We knew it would be gone during BCT, but is it also gone until recognition? If so, are they allowed to contact home at all, or is it only while at sponsors' homes?

By all means get them a new phone but realize that during the first semester there is not set rule as to when they will get their phones as BB mentions. My DD had to return hers after PW and then got it back I believe sometime before Halloween. I know some who got theirs right away after A-Day and others who had to wait until almost Thanksgiving to get their phones back. And my DD had to lock her phone up at some point before/during Recognition. If the squadron is not performing militarily then often removal of the phones is used as a punishment as they are seen as distractions. But eventually the get full use of their phones.

 

[Mikeandcris]

More suggestions...

Hard to believe PW #4 is only a few months away. Each year we stay in COS on Thurs and Friday night (book now!) After the football game (which ends @3:00pm) we drive to Westminster (twice) or Breckenridge (once) and stay two nights. This year we'll be doing Westminster again. Why Westminster? It has 3-4 four star hotels that cater to business travelers, so they're mostly empty on Labor Day weekend (the rates are reasonable...check hotwire.) They are close to a nice mall, restaurants, and movie theaters. Westminster is also 10 miles from Boulder, which has some fun restaurants, CU (ie. college town) and Pearl Street Mall. Easy to spend 2 days in the area and not many cadets, so your C4C can breathe a bit more easily. Breckenridge is a beautiful town (about 2.5 hour drive from USAFA) We stayed at the Marriot which has a great pool. We rented bikes and rode to Frisco (on a 9 mile long bike trail....easy to get to Frisco, but peddaling the long slow grade back to Breckenridge at 10,000 feet is not for the faint of heart) lots of sight seeing, an art festival, and Vail (which also has a food and art festival) is only another 30 minutes away.
On each occassion we returned to COS on Monday (after shopping at the outlets in Castle Rock) and dropped off our DS before 7:00. Cris and I then spent the night in COS and drove to the Denver airport for a Tuesday departure. (Saying goodbye on Monday afternoon and racing back to DEN the same night seemed too tough to plan....staying the extra night makes things more leisurely.)
If anyone would like more specific tips, please PM us.

 

[Stealth_81]

I would also give my recommendation for the Staybridge Suites at Woodmen Rd. We stayed there all 4 of the parent weekends when Son was there. The view of Pike's Peak and the valley behind the is incredible (ask for a room on the West side). We got a two-bedroom suite for the family and it was great. It has one bedroom with two queen beds, one bedroom with a King bed (for the cadet, of course ), a living room with a queen sleeper and a kitchen. The kitchen is especially great the first year when they don't want to go out to eat so much. We just ran to King Sooper on Woodmen and picked up groceries to make meals in the room. The hotel has a large deck with two gas grills available to guests so we always had a cook-out one night. The complimentary hot breakfast buffet will satisfy any appetite so it also saves on one meal every day, too. The pool is also a great place for the cadets to relax and enjoy because they don't have to be in uniform to swim!

We always arrived Thursday afternoon and stayed until Tuesday morning. Monday night we often chose a cheaper hotel closer to the airport for early flights out since you won't have your cadet that last night.

When planning the time to take your cadet back to the Cadet Area on Monday afternoon, please plan on lots of extra time. They have to be back by 1900 hrs. and every year we witnessed cadets bailing from cars stranded in the gridlock on the roads and running toward the Cadet Area trying to make it on time.

Our favorite restaurant is the Elephant Bar on Academy Drive. We went there at least once on every trip to COS.

One other thing to try and get to if your cadet wants to try skiing or snowboarding is the Sniagrab sale at the local Sports Authority store on Academy Drive. It is scheduled for Labor Day weekend every year. They can find excellent deals (up to 75% off) on equipment so they don't have to spend a huge amount before they know if they like it.

A note on the phone question: Our son had an iPhone with data plan during his time at USAFA and it was invaluable for accessing the internet when the USAFA system was down (often). He finished a few papers with research through the iPhone when others couldn't.

Stealth_81