Two days in Boulder, CO
Here I am, at the end of my second day in Boulder and I’m prepared to offer you with my first impressions. Like my daddy always said, first impressions are lasting, and I’m sure these will stay with me, though I’m hoping that there are many other opportunities for many more impressions.
Flying from Atlanta, GA to Denver, CO
My flight in took me directly over Memphis and Topeka, allowing for a beautiful view of the patchwork quilt of middle America. Snow over nearly everything and bright sun reflecting off of it all.
It was when we neared Denver, though, when it all really started to sink in. The wide, flat landscape was breathtaking in it’s own way, but nothing prepared me for the thrill of seeing the rockies in the distance.
Arriving at the Denver airport
The Denver airport greeted me wholeheartedly with orange and blue enthusiasm. I flew in on the Sunday afternoon of the Superbowl and, while it was comparatively crowded (I’m accustomed to the Atlanta airport, for comparison), absolutely everyone was polite, thoughtful and helpful. Go Denver airport!
A funny anecdote: when I went outside to board my car, I couldn’t find it, so I called the driver. He answered, flustered, and proceeded to explain the hilarious situation he was in: apparently, he was approached by a female who was looking for her car and asked her if she was Tara Dunn. She nodded or generally responded “yes,” so they took off. He sheepishly admitted that after about 15 minutes of conversation he learned that, indeed, the woman in question was NOT Tara Dunn (because I am) and they then had to make the severely awkward drive back to the Denver airport where would, once again, go about a search for her car.
They were both very apologetic and the drive into Boulder (once the real Tara Dunn finally boarded the vehicle) was very nice. The driver was talkative, but respected silent periods (a 45 minute drive from Denver to Boulder) and I also had the pleasure of riding in a 2015 Tesla, fully electric and “self driving” in some capacities. We even had to stop to “fuel up” at a charging stand, which was a new experience for me.St Julien Hotel and Spa, and dinner
I haven’t taken any photos of my hotel, but I will before I leave, because it is beautiful. A roaring fire in the lobby, super helpful concierges and uber polite desk agents have made my stay smooth as silk so far. Not to mention, I forgot my round brush (gals who blow your hair out, you know how important this is) and the fellow at the attached spa/salon provided me with one free of charge!
I had dinner at West Flanders Brewery and was not disappointed. The Trippel Lutz made two appearances and washed down, now get this, mac and lobster. That’s right people, mac and cheese with pulled lobster mixed in. Mic drop, and spoiler: it was creamy, satisfying and entirely unique. Try it on your next visit.
Day 2: Monday morning
So, admitted, today started with work. I was up at 5:30 AM MT (only felt like my usual 7:30 AM ET) and managed to rouse myself and get to a coffee shop around 6:30 or so. Ozo, I believe, was the name, and it was a great way to start my day. The baristas were chatty, helpful and interested in getting to know me and suiting my needs. I tried oatmeal again, and decided once and for all that I do not like it, but, to it’s credit, it was the tastiest oatmeal I’ve ever had. And it still had the consistency of warm snot. Sorry oatmeal.
After work, though, I took a hike. For real. I walked just over a mile to Chautauqua Park and hiked a loop that I’ll never forget.
I can’t say enough about the folks working in the park office. They were friendly, kind, so full of useful info and ready to make my morning perfect. They lent me a pair of (I hope I get this right) Yak Tracks for my trainers (so I wouldn’t bust my ass in the ice and snow) and sent me on a recommended loop that would suit my skill set, navigation ability (I have none) and time.
When I arrived back at the park office I was offered a hot cup of tea for my walk home and felt full of everything a person could have. The walk back to the hotel was effortless and when I arrived back in my room, I was greeted by a gift basket from my vendor, Kapost, full of all kinds of Colorado goodies. Thank you Kapost!
I’ve spent the afternoon on conference calls, catching up on email, walking around Pearl Street (didn’t buy anything, but so much to look at) and having a few drinks at Bitter Bar (where I am now). It’s not 8pm yet and I’m totally exhausted (gotta be at breakfast at 7am tomorrow, so bed is not far away. Cheers to you guys and to Boulder. A classy town if I’ve ever seen one. In fact, I’ll close with this: I’m from south Georgia, have family in Savannah, have lived in Charleston, SC and currently reside in liberal, musical Athens, GA. Many of these places are often lauded as being the most friendly places in the US, but I’ve got to tell you: I think Boulder might have it. I haven’t encountered a person yet who has been anything less than brilliantly at my service and everyone is all smiles, ready to listen to your story and help you get where you’re going. Time to up the game southeast US — Boulder isn’t playing games. Mostly they’re hiking, biking, skiing and drinking beer. So, yeah, I’ll hang out here for a while.
