On Sunday night, my good friend Lucy and I boarded a plane to Denver, CO- with (accidental) matching luggage, cameras and multiple books in tow. We were headed to visit our friend Jessica who had moved to Golden, CO in August; eager to see her and the place she now calls home. We threw around the idea of going to Colorado for our spring break about a month or two ago, and soon after we finally committed. We didn't have any set plans for the four days that we would be taking up residency in Jessica's living room; not one single concrete idea on what we would do once we landed in Colorado. But with our plane tickets in hand and adventure on the horizon, we were Colorado bound.
We arose on Monday morning, dropped Jessica off at work and decided that we would head to the slopes. I am an elementary skier at best; struggling on the Blues as teeny tiny children zoomed past me on their teeny tiny skis. "Pizza, french fries; pizza, french fries" I kept repeating to myself as I moved my skis back and forth to those positions that I learned about 10 years ago in ski school. But I am a ski school dropout- and that was evident in the midst of my two ungraceful spills. Skiing was fun and frustrating and exhausting all at the same time. That night we headed back to Golden, hangry (state of anger caused by hunger) as ever and chowed down on the most delicious pizza that I had ever tasted. As Lucy said after my day on the slopes- "pizza failed you on the slopes but redeemed itself that night." And I had never heard anything more true.
The next few days were the best medicine for what has been a busy semester so far. We had the freedom to do whatever we wanted, thanks to Jessica's silver Volkswagen Bug and her suggestions for good places to go/eat. Lucy and I both love reading so naturally on our second day we had a slow morning sitting, reading and talking at the Windy Saddle Cafe in downtown Golden. It was sort of a snowy morning; it was peaceful and the coffee was great. Lucy and I shared a unique muffin (banana, avacado & spinach) as we chatted about the books we were currently reading. We went on a long drive through the mountains and ran into Denver that afternoon for a quick trip to the REI flagship store. Later that day we explored Red Rocks Amphitheater and made dinner at the house. On Wednesday the three of us headed to Boulder, my new favorite place. We ate good food at Lindsey's Deli and walked up and down the streets and in and out of stores that caught our eye. We wandered around a large paper shop full of funny greeting cards and delicate stationary. I sure do love that town. Thursday was our last day in CO so before our flight departed we reverted back to city girls and frolicked around the mile high city before our flight left at 5. It was four days full of exploring, adventure, good conversation and really good friends.
The next few days were the best medicine for what has been a busy semester so far. We had the freedom to do whatever we wanted, thanks to Jessica's silver Volkswagen Bug and her suggestions for good places to go/eat. Lucy and I both love reading so naturally on our second day we had a slow morning sitting, reading and talking at the Windy Saddle Cafe in downtown Golden. It was sort of a snowy morning; it was peaceful and the coffee was great. Lucy and I shared a unique muffin (banana, avacado & spinach) as we chatted about the books we were currently reading. We went on a long drive through the mountains and ran into Denver that afternoon for a quick trip to the REI flagship store. Later that day we explored Red Rocks Amphitheater and made dinner at the house. On Wednesday the three of us headed to Boulder, my new favorite place. We ate good food at Lindsey's Deli and walked up and down the streets and in and out of stores that caught our eye. We wandered around a large paper shop full of funny greeting cards and delicate stationary. I sure do love that town. Thursday was our last day in CO so before our flight departed we reverted back to city girls and frolicked around the mile high city before our flight left at 5. It was four days full of exploring, adventure, good conversation and really good friends.
Before I left for the trip on Sunday, I ran to the bookstore to pick up a book I had been dying to read- Wild by Cheryl Strayed. I couldn't put it down on the plane and picked it back up that morning in the coffee shop. I had heard both good and bad things about this book so I was eager to dive into it. After just a few pages, I was hooked. Strayed's writing style is right up my alley- raw, real and descriptive. She doesn't hold anything back and is bluntly honest about her past mistakes and failed relationships. She hikes the Pacific Coast Trail in an attempt lose herself on the trail, but ends up finding herself amidst the dangerous conditions and physically straining venture. She I identified with Strayed in many ways and I was thankful that she so openly shared her emotions. I cannot say enough good things about this book, and it truly deserves its own post. I have always loved reading, but I felt like I could never find the time to finish a novel. A goal of mine for this year was to read a little bit every single day, and I have been loving it. Thanks to Amazon, I always have a good book waiting for me once I finish the current one. Reading keeps me sane, and I really enjoy identifying with authors; deciding what I like and don't like about books. Reading is my escape and I continue to find out more about myself when I have my nose in a good book.This trip was the perfect excuse to grab a book (or three- I was feeling ambitious) and retreat to one of my favorite places- Colorado. I could go on and on about all the good things that this trip encompassed- there was rest and wandering and so much goodness squeezed into four days. There is something so wild and free about buying a plane ticket somewhere without having any plans; evoking the adventure in me that lies mostly dormant while I am at school. I highly recommend trying it- you won't be disappointed.
Colorado, I miss you already!
