Southern Wyoming

Today, this semi-adventurous Jersey Girl decided to leave Colorado for the day.  The southern part of Wyoming is too close to pass up the opportunity to see another state and explore.  So, I checked the directions and distances for Cheyenne and Laramie,  checked Tripadvisor for sightseeing and lunch recommendations, and even threw a change of clothes in my backpack in case I loved the area so much that I didn't want to leave after only a few hours.  

In Cheyenne, the annual rodeo event called Frontier Days was underway.  I missed the morning parade, but not the remaining horse droppings which were abundant on the street in front of the capital building.  Once inside the capital, a state trooper behind a desk greeted me, asked me to sign in, and said I was free to take a tour.  No metal detector.  No tour guides.  No closed off areas.  The trooper even suggested I could go into the governor's office and sign his visitor's book, too. I wandered at will through the three floors, admiring the large stuffed bison on the first floor, looking into the portrait gallery, the chambers for the senators and representatives, and other offices.  The trooper commented that this was a building "for the people" and because it didn't attract crowds, the building remained completely accessible.

I didn't walk around the blocks of restaurants and shops in Cheyenne, but instead got back in the car to head to Laramie.  It's a fairly short ride, with the Medicine Row Mountains in the foreground and the Snowy Range in the distance.  Even though Laramie is at an altitude of 7,000 feet, the historic area is flat with no visible mountain ranges.  There's a Union Pacific Railroad Line at one end of town and several blocks of shops, restaurants, banks, and several yarn stores.  I walked and noted the places that were mentioned in my guidebook.  Two great bookstores within two blocks.  An outdoor store.  A western wear store with serious belt buckles and racks of cowboy boots.  A microbrewery, of course, and a recommended coffee shop.

I chose the microbrewery for lunch- Altitude Microbrewery- and enjoyed a burger and Altitude Amber Ale.  When I asked the bartender if it was always this quiet in town, he said it was.  He said he thought about moving to a bigger city such as Denver, but he liked the "small town" feel of Laramie.  After lunch I checked out the Night Heron Used Books and picked out a book and a piece of blueberry coffeecake.  My last stop was the Coal Creek Coffee Co. for a decaf for the road.  After only two hours I was ready to head back to the liveliness and Flatirons of Boulder.  I know I missed some great things, such as the University of Wyoming, but Laramie was not for me.

Boulder Falls and Nederland

After a morning hike, I needed a plan for the afternoon.  When I called the front desk to ask for a suggestion, the young woman with whom I spoke suggested Nederland- a beautiful ride, less than 20 miles, and a great restaurant for lunch.  Perfect!

The drive to Nederland goes through Boulder Canyon on Rt. 119.  It's another breathtaking ride through the mountains, literally.  There are rocks and evergreens on either side, the Boulder Creek, and cyclists, of course.  A bit more than mid-way, I saw a pull-out filled with cars, and people peering over the edge on the opposite side of the ride.  Since I was going slowly enough and there was no traffic, I pulled over, too.  What the people were looking at was the bottom of the Boulder Falls.  I joined others climbing over rocks on the walkway to get closer in to the falls.  A young couple was next to me, and the guy stated that he often went fly-fishing at the falls, and last week the water was running brown due to mud churned up by rain.  "Imagine what that would look like," he said while shaking his head.  We both continued on our walks.

Within 10 minutes or so of leaving the falls I reached Nederland, a small town that seems to spring up in the hills while you're driving.  I continued past the village area (the recommended restaurant was closed today) and went to Sundance Lodge and Cafe, where "the food is as good as the view" according to comments on TripAdvisor.  The food was good enough, but the view was unbeatable-- the Rockies and the Continental Divide.  I lingered beyond by salad and pork green chili, then went into the village.  While the houses on the hillside were quite large, the ones in town were small and in need of repair.  There were a few shops, several restaurants, a visitor's center, the post office, a bakery.  I bought a pin, tee-shirt and a "hiker's cookie" filled with cranberries, oatmeal, orange rind, and dates. While I wouldn't choose to live in Nederland, I was mighty glad I went to visit. 

The Rockies and Continental Divide

Life in Boulder

Boulder Farmer's Market

According to my Frommer's guidebook, Denver has the highest proportion of thin people than any other city in the country and a 2010 study stated Colorado is the state with the lowest percentage of the population to be overweight.  Here in Boulder, it is easy to understand why people are so fit:

There are 40,000 acres of parkland and more than 200 miles of hiking/biking trails.
There are approximately 100,000 bikes for the 100,000 residents.  Despite the hills, people bike everywhere, or are taking their bikes on their cars to bike somewhere else.
The popular Boulder Creek Path is a 16 mile stretch that runs east/west through the city and into the mountains and suitable for running, walking, biking.
There are five public pools (Three large rec. centers and two outdoor pools.  The pool at Scott Carpenter Park is a 50 meter pool.)
Rocky Mountain National Park (44 m. from Boulder) and Indian Peaks Wilderness Area (on the Continental Divide- 70 m. from Boulder) are nearby.

Even though I am in Boulder on vacation, I confess to feeling a bit of pressure!! Yesterday I wanted to go for a short run on the Creek Path.  My calves were sore from hiking.  But, a short run didn't seem enough, so I pushed an extra mile or so.  It was almost as if I was worried that the recreation "police" would evict me from their fine city!  

Tubing and wading in Boulder Creek

Clearly, children are raised into this lifestyle.  When I was strolling through Chautauqua yesterday afternoon, I walked past a kid's birthday party.  There were two entertainers, so I stopped to listen.  They were telling a story/singing about taking a walk to find birthday gifts in nature.  The one singer came across a bobcat den, which prompted a song- The Bobcat Walk.  Next, the other singer sat on a log (which was actually the first singer in a log costume) which led to a song about trees and decomposers.  I left after that. At the park, there are rocks and climbing areas for kids.  Same in town.  There's also a kid's fishing pond, stocked with trout.  Kids on bikes; kids with backpacks. Recycling and trash bins are abundant, and labeled for appropriate sorting.  The bin that makes me cringe is the one labeled "landfill".

But, there is a balance, and a sadness.  Alongside of all the organic produce and gluten free products at the farmer's market are delicious breads, pastries, burgers and ice cream.  Brewpubs abound!  And, according to my guidebook and a friend, the best margaritas in the world can be found at the Rio Grande in downtown Boulder.  As elsewhere in the world, Boulder is not immune to a problem with homelessness.  In the parks, along the creek path, and in the streets, are many homeless people.  Perhaps this healthful-minded city will find a solution.

The Flatirons

The small "village" of the Colorado Chautauqua sits at the base of the Flatirons, five mountains that resemble old-fashioned irons. The rocks are made of sandstone, approximately 290 million years old.

I wasn't going to hike at all today because my calves are sore from the hills of the last two days.  But, outside my door are miles of trails and these incredible mountains.  So, after a short run on the Boulder Creek Path, I ate breakfast, laced up old running shoes, and headed into the hills again.  I'm beginning to understand the lure of long days on the Appalachian Trail, or any other trail.  

I finished reading A Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes.  To coincide with my stay here in the mountains, tomorrow I plan to start Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatirons

              

Colorado Chautauqua

A Brief History- The Chautauqua Movement is named for the Chautauqua Institute on Lake Chautauqua in western NY state.  The movement started in 1874 as a summer school for Sunday school teachers, and quickly spread to include all kinds of adult education.  Many towns, especially in rural areas, began to establish "chautauquas"- gatherings for educational, cultural and recreational activities.   At its peak in about 1915, approximately 12, 000 towns had hosted a chautauqua.  

The Colorado Chautauqua began as a partnership with the Texas Board of Regents in the late 1890's.  The city of Boulder agreed to provide land, facilities and public utilities to create a summer school for teachers.  The location was selected for its "spectacular mountain setting and cool climate".

Today, the Colorado Chautauqua is the only continuously operating chautauqua west of the Mississippi, the only year round Chautauqua, and the only one whose grounds are free and open to the public.  There are numerous hiking trails, an auditorium featuring popular concerts and lectures, and a "dining hall" with a wrap-around porch for viewing the evergreens and mountains.  A visitor can rent an apartment, a cottage, or an entire lodge for a family reunion.

My note- After only one day at C.C., I will say it's incredible.  Last night, I sat on the porch of the dining hall and had Rocky Mountain trout with white grits and green beans, followed  by Berry Pie.  Today (Wednesday) I started the day with a cup of tea in my hand, soaking in the fresh air and mountain views.  Then, I took a hike, first on Bluebell Trail, then on Mesa Trail.  I walked to Boulder (all downhill), browsed, and shopped for groceries.  Laden with bags, I took a cab- too much to carry all uphill!  After dinner I went for a stroll through the grounds.  It was quieter tonight than last night since there was no concert, but still many people were dining, walking, hiking.