STATE 29: COLORADO
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After an unexpected extended stay in STATE 28: UTAH and its numerous National Parks, we eventually made our way to STATE 29: COLORADO where we had some special guests waiting for us. Kendra’s convinced her parents to fly out from Michigan to visit us while out on the road for the 50 States: Veterans + Artists United tour for [HAS HEART]. We were hoping our timing would align with the Aspens changing color in the Rocky Mountains. All of our fingers were crossed.
We arrived at dusk to their rented tiny house at Basecamp 550 (formerly Weber RV Park). Although it was also an RV park, we didn’t require any have any hook-ups so the campground allowed us to park tightly against their cabin.
The next morning we lucked out with beautiful Fall weather and enjoyed a brisk breakfast on the deck with beautiful mountain views to jumpstart our Rocky Mountain adventures.
Our first ventures was a scenic drive on the Million Dollar Highway which is known as one of the most beautiful roads in the country. The meaning of its nickname is disputed between whether it cost $1 million per mile to build, or that the fill dirt underneath the road is full of millions of dollars worth of gold ore. Either way, the road offers million dollar views (as long as you don’t drive over the cliff).
This part of Colorado in Ouray has become known as the “Switzerland of America” because of its peaks and valleys and little towns in between. One day I’d love to experience it in mid-Winter, but for now, sun and warmth was very much welcomed.
We were excited to see pops of yellow Aspens leaves everywhere along the mountainsides and streams. We learned that Aspen trees are connected through their root systems and once they begin to turn colors, they do so quickly and in unison. We also learned that although the trees may live for 40-150 years above ground, their root systems are likely thousands of years old, earning them the classification as “ancient woodlands” in some areas.
We were surprised to see the river match the Aspens. Back in 2015, the Animas River was contaminated from a wastewater spill from the Gold King Mine that has been shut down since the 1920s. The yellow river water is likely due to the oxidation of dissolved iron embedded throughout the riverbed. We made sure not to drink it, or touch it, or stare at it too long :/
At the end of the Million Dollar Highway was the historic town of Silverton, boosting dozens of local shops and artisan makers, including banjos. Some old buildings were fully renovated, others in desperate need of repair, and some that you weren’t sure if they were real or props. Parts of the town seemed like they should be in the HBO series Westworld, except for the trucks or motorcycles parked in front of them.
We got back on the windy mountain roads full of hairpin turns and crossbacks up and down the mountainsides and couldn’t help but pull over a few times to admire the views. We came across the abandoned mines of the Idarado Mining Operation, which is part of the several miles of underground mines throughout the San Juan Mountains that stretch from Ouray, Silverton, Telluride, and beyond.
If we were to drive in the mines it would have been only a five mile journey straight west through the mountains. Instead, we had to take the highway all the way around the mountains, which was close to a 60-mile journey. Still, Telluride was well worth it.
Telluride is the type of town that will make you want to become a skier. You would have to be wealthy to live that lifestyle, so we opted for the free gondola ride up to Station Saint Sophia 10,000+ feet up. Up there is Allred’s Restaurant and the Telluride Bike Park, which we’d like to mark for our next visit. This time, we just took in the priceless views.
Southwest of the Rocky Mountains is a while other Colorado landscape and experience. We didn’t quite make it to the Four Corners, where you can stand in four states at once: Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado. We did however make it to Mesa Verde National Park, which was established in 1906 in order to preserve and interpret the archeological heritage of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from 600 to 1300.
Within Mesa Verde, there are over 4000 archaeological sites and over 600 cliff dwellings of the Pueblo people. It is believed that the people of Mesa Verde were farmers who grew beans, corn and squash. They supplemented their diet by gathering other edible plants and hunting deer, squirrels, rabbits and other animals. They apparently left the area around 1300, but no one quite knows why, although man suspect it was due to crop failures.
We could hardly imagine living life literally on the edge - so ingenious.
We inched our way closer to central Colorado with a night’s stay in Carbondale. After a quick visit to Aspen, we came back to our Airstream for dinner outside and smores over the campfire.
Our last group outing was a day visit to the main feature of Colorado — Rocky Mountain National Park. Our national park greeter was a screaming male elk in the heat of mating season. If you’ve never heard an elk mating call, you should watch this video.
We walked up a steep set of stairs with wobbly legs with clear as blue views 12,000+ feet above the oceans. The air up there is no joke, but neither are the views. I’d love to experience the Rocky Mountains in the Winter, ideally from a warm rustic cabin heavily stocked with fresh food, books, a creative itch, some friends, wine, and board games. Maybe a puzzle, too.
We entered the park being greeted by elk in the morning, so it was only fitting that we drove out of the park ignored by a small herd of elk at sunset to end our beautiful day in the Rockies.
Soon thereafter, Kendra’s parents flew back to Michigan and we continued on to Denver for our STATE 29: CO project held at the very first Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 1. Normally, we don’t do cities very well, but the River North (RiNo) district of Denver was right up our alley with walls of street art that might rival that of Miami’s Wynwood Walls (STATE 15: FLORIDA).
To top it off, there was our favorite guilty pleasure: Shake Shack. It wasn’t quite the original shack that we visited in New York (STATE 08: NEW YORK), but the Shack and Mushroom burgers tasted just as good.
We enjoyed our time in Colorado, met and worked with some incredible people, and can’t wait to get back someday soon.
