Hubby and I spent a week in Colorado, toddling around after attending a wedding, which, by the way, was stunningly beautiful – both the setting and the wedding party. The mountain location was spectacular for the wedding. We even watched elk wander past our hotel window.
In Denver, we watched the Colorado Rockies lose to the San Francisco Giants while we drank beers and ate Smash burgers in our seats. We stopped in to the Red Rocks Amphitheatre, which was beautiful. We wandered some grassland parks – Cherry Creek State Park and Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. Birds galore! We wandered and stopped and wanders some more.
From Denver, we explored south, east and north, putting lots of miles on our rental car. The number and width of the highways in Denver amazed me. So many cars at all times of the day. Everything moved very well for the most part, at least the times we were on it. And the highway systems around Denver made it easy to get to and from the city, as well as to and from the airport, which I visited 6 times in a week – more than anyone should on a vacation!! – but I got good at knowing the route.
Of course, we ate well. Great food at wonderful restaurants - too many to name. We always managed to find some place that not only looked cozy but also offered great fare.
Our trip highlights included Estes Park near the Rocky Mountain National Park, the Garden of the Gods and the Manitou Cliff Dwellings – both near Colorado Springs – and the town/city of Boulder – shopping/dining/wandering past the exterior setting of Mork and Mindy (if you’re old enough to know about Robin Williams’ first TV gig). The outdoor pedestrian mall on Pearl St. in Boulder had some great restaurants, shops and BOOK STORES!!!
And of course we visited local music stores – the kind that sell guitars. Hubby always stops in, ostensibly in case there’s a fabulous deal but really to soak up the musical vibes and play some new instruments. In Boulder, I too wandered around the store, plunking an upright bass (trying to remember the fingering from when I played back in Grades 6 to 8!) and testing out some electric guitars. But the lure was the name and the logo of the store – Woodsongs. How perfect is that blend of sound and texture! We didn’t meet the luthier who started the business, and only I bought a t-shirt emblazoned with the logo, but the visit was a great way to talk to some locals and get a feel for the town. You can see more about the store here: www.hbwoodsongs.com.
Overall, it was good food, good fun, great times. And then coming home: Gratefully getting picked up by dutiful son, followed by sleeping in and not doing anything the next day. And the inevitable Monday arrived – back to the grind.
Hope you plan some summer get-aways. Tell me about them in the comments. Also tell me what we missed in Colorado. Any awesome memories of the area?