It has been months since I last even
logged on to my blogger account. And I probably would have kept it
that way when, in the course of digital unpacking in Denver, I
stumbled upon our U.S. road trip photos.
While in Asia, P and I visited places
– jungles, mountains and historical towns – that fed our
curiosity and with it, our drive to travel. We met people who
allowed us a glance into the local perspective. We pushed our fears
and our limits, whether scuba-diving or meditating. And we ate –
boy, did we eat! - our way through half the continent.
And while the unfamiliar always
beckons, the road trip out West allowed us a solid transition upon
our return home. We still got to travel, but on somewhat more
familiar ground, with a common language, currency and customs.
It's one thing to know and different
to experience, so we were surprised to discover just how diverse,
captivating and simply beautiful the U.S. is, all while on a
(slightly higher) budget. Granted, we made some adjustments and
gladly accepted housing offers of some gracious host friends, but let
me start at the beginning.
Point of origin: my fabulous Chicago.
Camping gear packed. Cooler equipped with all manner of
deliciousness. Mindsets prepped and positive, in anticipation of a
great Kerouac adventure West. Ok, maybe minus the Kerouac
disorganization. We beseeched the automotive spirits so that P's
grandma of an Altima, weird noises, defective A/C and all, survive
the distance ahead of us. So far, so good. So set, we embarked on
this new adventure, only to face hundreds upon hundreds of miles of
…corn. Those of you who covered the 1,000 mile stretch of highway
between Chicago and Denver have come to know it as one of the most
mind-numbingly boring routes ever. But equipped with an audiobook,
an idea borrowed from the ever-patient cross-country truck drivers,
the miles flew by. A surprisingly pleasant overnight stop with some
improvised cooking at an RV campground in Who Knows, Nebraska later,
and we reached our destination without incident.
A feast for royalty. Less the persistent months.
Who needs a Starbucks?
How civilized, and right by a private airport trip.
I've been to Denver twice before, but
never longer than a casual drive-through or a business conference.
This time, we discovered the city with some local input, courtesy of
P's childhood pal Daniel, a Denver enthusiast through and through.
So instead of checking off tourist traps like the 16th
Street Mall, we meandered through the city's neighborhoods, the
unusual September heat slowing down the already leisurely pace.
Denver's architecture, at least in its older parts like Capitol Hill,
Golden Triangle, Baker or Cole, is diverse and eclectic, with
colorfully painted brick buildings, majestic Victorian homes with
front-encasing porches and antique rowhouses, all so rarely found in
Chicago. Despite its frequent periods of drought, Denver relishes
its stately trees and miles upon miles of city parks and bike trails.
Maybe because of the heat, or maybe, in our eyes, in comparison to
the pulsing rhythm of Chicago, the city took on the hush of a quiet
town. The reduced noise level, the pleasant Denverite attitudes, the
no-one-is-in-a-hurry three hour meals, peeks of the still snow-tipped
mountains, the sunny blue sky a call of the wild to spend time
outdoors – all of these showed us how a change in setting affects
the quality of life. Good thing too, since Denver was our top
relocation destination.
P & D
Too bad the pic doesn't reflect the scale
Memorable event: Exhausted with all
the walking, we got to a 17th Street bar just in time to
people-watch the aftermath of New Belgium's Tour de Fat revelry, an
eclectic fundraiser characterized by bikes, funky costumes and ,what
else, beer. Note to self: pen it into the calendar for 2014.
After P dispensed with the formality
of dropping off his resumes to some firms, an antiquated but
surprisingly effective way to search for jobs, we said our goodbyes
and thank yous to Daniel and his family, including his two year old
who became my instant best buddy, with a promise to stop by on our
way back.
With some luck, we squeezed onto a
waiting list (I recommend advance reservations) for a New Belgium
brewery tour in Fort Collins, on our way out of the state. Our
enthusiastic and well-trained guide let us through a two hour tour,
casually filling us in on the brewery's and its founders' histories,
the not-so-secret secrets of the brewing process and the perks of
being an employee. Of course, craft beer tastings were included, and
since P was the driver, I was the one to indulge.
For a few days before we left Denver,
the weather took a turn for the worse, and daily we woke up to
unseasonably drizzly mornings. By the time we left Fort Collins, the
drizzle became rain and then a deluge that was eventually declared a
state of emergency in which many Coloradans lost their homes. The
pounding rain made long-distance driving slippery and barely
controllable, so after struggling in Wyoming we gave up and found a
hotel room for the night. Only the next morning we found out that
parts of the highways we drove on just the day before closed due to
flooding. With hopes for a better weather prognosis and best wishes
for those left in the wake, we continued to Oregon.
A surely ominous sign
Budget tips:
- Check out freecampsites.net/usa/ for a list of free or low cost camp sites and their amenities, ranging from basic with a pit toilet to full shower, in some pretty scenic locations. We traveled with a tent but encountered many tourists with RV's or vans, a more comfortable long-term alternative.
- Priceline.com has a “Name Your Own Price” option, great for last minute (ie same evening) hotel deals.
