Travel Bug Bites: PYL In-Flight: Sept 18, 2023
Welcome Back My World-Traveling Passengers:
It’s fascinating how we are inspired to see the world, especially as our children have ventured out into other parts of the US.
With our son Adam now living in Denver with his girlfriend Jillian, we went to Colorado to not only see them, but to explore Boulder and more of Denver. I am not disappointed that they’ve chosen to live in Denver.
There’s a lot to see and do all over the state, as we learned during their move from SoCal to Denver back in July. We are just getting started.
On Tuesday of last week, we took an early flight from SFO-DIA where Adam and Jillian picked us up in the car we recently purchased for him. My mom once commented on how strange it was to be in the back seat of the car and our lives and I totally understand what she meant.
This first happened to me four years ago when Adam and his friend Bardin picked me up for dinner when I was in San Diego for a conference. The next day they picked me up from my hotel and took me to the airport to return home.
It was their first year at San Diego State University and I was just getting used to him being away from home. This picture showed up in my memories the other day and I can’t believe how much has transpired over the last four years, as it feels like a lifetime ago
After breakfast and some shopping, we dropped them off at home. With Jillian starting classes at Denver University and Adam needing to be home to handle some house stuff (and we didn’t want to suffocate them), we decided to spend two nights in Boulder.
While you can essentially see Denver from Boulder, it took nearly an hour to drive the 35 miles due to traffic at 4 PM (but only 45 minutes to get back two days later at 10 AM).
I was last in Boulder 25 years ago and didn’t really like it. I didn’t recognize anything as we walked from our crappy renovated Basecamp motel (I do not recommend) nor as we walked along the charming and lively Pearl Street.
Nor did I recognize the area around UC Boulder which is an absolutely gorgeous campus. We liked Boulder so much that on HomeExchange, we have expressed an interest in spending a few weeks in Boulder in January or February. I can do my work from anywhere right now, and it would be nice to live more like a local to more fully experience the area.
We drove up to Estes Park via Highway 7, passing Lilly Lake simply because it seemed like a reasonable destination to aim for on the map.
In the fall of 1998, I was at a JD Edwards training for six weeks just outside of Denver. One weekend, Zeke joined me, and we took my rental car to Boulder, up into the Rocky Mountains, and to Estes Park where we first saw the Stanley Hotel. I don’t recall all of the housing and development in the Estes Park area so either it’s really grown in the last 25 years, or my memory is bad. Or a little of both.
On Thursday, we returned to Denver to drop off the car and check into our hotel near Union Station. Adam joined us for the day and we explored more of LoDo (Lower Downtown) Denver. It’s such a walkable city and with the free 16th Street Mall red bus, it’s easy to get around.
At lunch, we had the misfortune of ordering and eating the biggest and grossest oysters we had ever seen. This one took four bites to consume after which I wish I hadn’t. There’s not enough wine to take away that taste and eliminate the memory of the texture. Gross! I would have preferred a Rocky Mountain oyster. At least those are fried!
The highlight of the day was the Denver Art Museum which blew our minds. The temporary exhibits, like Desert Rider: Dreaming in Motion, and the permanent collections like European and American Art before 1900, are housed between two buildings with an enclosed walking bridge between the two.
We spent less than two hours (including some Pronti cafe time) and got Adam a membership so that he and Jillian can visit over and over at their leisure. And yes, that is a sculpture of a broom and a dustpan and no we don’t know what it’s supposed to represent other than your standard kitchen tools two stories in height.
The museum is near a gorgeous library, a women’s museum, and some beautiful government buildings. What looked like a jail to us at a distance, ended up being the Denver Art Museum. Fancy that. As it began to rain. we raced back through these gardens to the free 16th Street Mall bus.
Adam had maxed out on his time with us and returned home while we chilled and then ventured out into the rain to get some dinner at a funky little place near Union Station (and the Limelight) called Sunday Vinyl. I do believe there were at least two turntables but I didn’t see a microphone.
Union Station is gorgeous and was part of a multi-million dollar renovation about 10 years ago. There are shops and restaurants and even a hotel (The Crawford).
On Friday, Adam was once again needed at the house for some repair work, and Jillian had class, so we continued to explore LoDo. We were really impressed by the Denver Performing Arts complex that has multiple venues including the beautiful opera building (on the left), and the theater where a certain loudmouth congressperson was forcefully removed recently during a Beetlejuice performance. When we return at Thanksgiving, we hope to see a show or concert and my vote is for the Nutcracker.
With the SF Giants in town, we couldn’t resist walking the few blocks from our hotel to Coors Field to watch an extremely boring game. We were advised to get seats in one of the sections with a view of the mountain.
It’s a beautiful ballpark and out seats were so high, we were almost in the row of purple seats that represented being at the mile mark. We joked about having altitude sickness.
We couldn’t resist Pigtrain Coffee in Union Station on Saturday morning before once again meeting up with Adam and Jillian for lunch before the strangest experience of our trip.
We’d seen signs for a sculpture garden near the Performing Arts Center and this is what we found. There was one smaller, blue sculpture closer to the buildings. Do two sculptures make a sculpture garden? We don’t think so.
A dog park friend recommended Meow Wolf so I purchased tickets and tried to get a sense of what we were going to experience and how to maximize the visit. Without much guidance, we had lunch and took a Lyft to the Convergance Station near Mile High Stadium. It was very strange but not completely unpleasant. It’s very hard to explain the multi-sensory, art experience. It’s 80,000 square feet, multiple levels, 70+ rooms, lots of lights, sounds, and colors.
My favorite room had these beautiful and color crocheted (?) eyeballs hanging from the ceiling. It would have been super creepy if they hadn’t been so beautiful.
Jillian has a list of restaurants she wants to try and we had a less than stellar experience at a place in Cherry Creek. The area was very cute and we don’t hold the choice against her. Either folks lie in their reviews or it was an off night. Jillian’s been pulling together some outfits and has enlisted Adam as her photographer. The neon lights were the perfect backdrop for her to showcase her new coat and the red Kate Spade handbag.
I think it’s hilarious that Adam has become the Instagram boyfriend, willing to take pictures of his beautiful and stylish girlfriend (Jillianner on IG). I’m glad that he’s ok with this.
We were sad to say goodbye but we already have our next trip to Denver planned for Thanksgiving when Finn will join us for the week. Two months and counting. After some of our dining experiences, we will be cooking at the home we are exchanging rather than dining out.
As for visiting the other child, I’ve booked flights to/from Burlington, VT at the end of October where I will retrieve my second born and drive to Montreal for the weekend. We will be staying with my friend Michelle and we plan to explore northern VT along the way.
Meanwhile, Zeke is off on yet another bike trip, this time in Oregon. He and his buddy Eric took CalTrain down to San Jose where they joined Tom (from LA) and another Eric (from San Jose) on Amtrak to ride, overnight, to Klamath Falls (I think). Leaving on the bikes from Redwood City is a first for these intrepid cyclists. Their last trip was in New Zealand last February. Next up: Portugal in April.
As for me, I am presenting a webinar on computer validation on Wednesday and exploring other revenue generating options. We seem to have a travel addiction, and kids to see in interesting places well worth exploring, and someone has to pay for them! Have I mentioned that Finn is considering two semesters in Europe their junior year (2024–2025)?
I wonder what countries will allow me to bring George.
May you find peace, acceptance, and love today as you navigate being human.
With much love and gratitude,
Terri
P.S. Happy birthday to Piloting Your Life which turned four on September 1st! If you haven’t read it, grab yourself a copy. If you loved it, gift a copy to a friend who could use it.
This week’s song: Where It’s At by Beck. I really did think it was odd to have an upscale restaurant theme be around vinyl records and turntables so as I was writing and thought of two turntables and a microphone, Where It’s At had to be the song for this week. It’s been a long time since I’ve heard this song and the video is a trip. Sorry not sorry.
Journal prompt / reflection: Where do you want to venture to next? What inspires your travel? Do you return to the same places over and over or do you try new places each time? Or a mixture of both? Do you even like to travel? What does travel give you that staying home does not?
What I’m Reading: Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson.
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