Learning to Love Colorado

Unlike most Colorado natives, I am not obsessed with this state. I love Boulder with a deep passion because it is my home and the coolest town ever. But as far as the rest of the state... meh. Sure the mountains are pretty, but I'm not much of a mountain person. I'm a water person - give me lakes and oceans and Puget Sounds! After living in green, lush, beautiful, perfect Seattle for 3 years, my disdain for Colorado grew. I'm quick to tell people that I'm just not that into this place, but I live here for my family and friends.

This past Spring Break, though, I learned that there's more to this state than the few places I had been. My life long best bestie, Kara, and I took a 4 day road trip through Southwest Colorado and down to New Mexico, helping me complete two goals: #32: Go on a road trip without a pre-set destination, and #60: Go somewhere new and touristy within Colorado. 

As a big lover of any road trip, goal #32 was one of the goals I was most excited about. But I was also concerned that I wouldn't be able to find a companion willing to go on an aimless trip with me. So when Kara said she'd do it, and could take time off over my Spring Break, I was thrilled! We talked loosely about where we might want to head, packed her car up with clothes and snacks and sleeping bags, and headed out on the open road.

We started with a quick trip through Garden of the Gods and Manitou Springs, then headed south to Ouray (probably my favorite place) where we stayed at this beautiful lodge with hot springs. The next day, we saw a bit of the Million Dollar Highway, and then headed through Telluride and down to Durango. After a night in Durango, we went down to Santa Fe (Kara's favorite), and then headed back home. Quick, but beautifully perfect.


Here are a few hot pics:

Garden of the Gods

Million Dollar Highway outside of Ouray

Unbelievably Gorgeous

Telluride

Mesa Verde

Santa Fe

One of my favorite aspects of the trip was that we made a list at the very beginning of things we might see. It was Kara's idea, and it made us both more observant of our surroundings in the best way. 

We saw all of these things except a shooting star. It was amazing how they would just appear in front of us (except for the time where we literally chased a squirrel up a tree). For example, Kara wanted to see a blue butterfly. While we were walking in Telluride, we saw this wall with nothing on it except this: 

Maybe that's not exciting to you, but it was exciting to us. Which might prove why Kara is my perfect traveling companion. 


Kara and I are planning on making this an annual thing - to take an unplanned trip. It's incredible how things just come together and fall into place when you let them, and we always felt like we were in the right place at the right time. I think I'm having a hard time explaining it, but there really was some magic to this trip and in just following our intuitions. Plus it gave me a new found appreciation for my lovely home state.