Mile High Fun

Denver, Colorado- the mile high city! We spent two nights in Denver on Denver University's campus. Steph's friend Ingrid, from high school, was able to let us stay at her place for a couple nights on our way north to Montana.

We first arrived in Denver two days ago. We drove into the city after a full day on the road from Kansas City. The drive from Kansas City was pretty incredible. The land was very flat (shocking). It was particularly interesting for me because I'm very used to buzzing down Maine's turnpike with a wall of tall pines on each side of the road, creating an almost "forest alley" on the road. Driving through Kansas was fun because it was so flat and open- at some points I was able to see out for what seemed like miles on each side of the road.

When we arrived at Denver it was late so we ate dinner at a noodle resaurant and then headed to Ingrid's apartment. The apartment was very nice. A one bedroom unit right on Denver University's campus, it was the perfect place to stretch out after a long day on the road. Ingrid had to wake up the next moring to run a race in Boulder, Colorado so we chatted for a bit then called it a night.

The next moring I woke up to something we hadn't seen at all during the trip- rain. I was worried it was going to dampen the day, if you will, but was soon to find out that it was nothing to worry about. After a quick breakfast, Steph and I headed to the downtown part of Denver. We drove the car to a light rail station, less than five minutes from Ingrid's apartment. We hopped on the light rail and in fifteen minutes we were in downtown Denver. No questions, no hassles. The light rail cost each of us 2 dollars for a one way trip to downtown and it was worth every penny. Fast, easy to navigate, and clean, the light rail offered us a fast route into the heart of Denver.

When we got off the train, it was raining quite hard. It was Memorial Day weekend so the downtown area was pretty much deserted. One of the streets in downtown was permanently blocked off to traffic and open only to pedestrians. We walked around a bit before we found a small coffee shop to wait out the rain.

As a small side note, I have to share my experience with the dark roast. I have recently, in the past year, hopped on the coffee train. I like it. Having an eight thirty class my senior year in college for the first time since I was in 18, it helped me not only focus in class, but also show up for the class at all. In this small coffee shop in Denver, the only coffee they had was an Ethiopean dark roast. Hey, what the heck, I'll give it a try. I had some bad experiences with dark roasts in the past, but I thought maybe this one will be okay- the coffee shop looked well established and didn't seem like it was violating any major health codes. A little bit of half and half, a pinch of sugar, and I sat with a hot cup, read to enjoy. About a half hour later I felt like I had an ulcer. I soon felt that the dark roast brought me to the dark side. As I tried to manage the molestation of my stomach, I was able to notice that the rain had stopped, so we decided to give the outside another go. Even as a passenger on the coffee train, I have to reconsider with more thought the next time I'm offered a dark roasted coffee.

Denver is a great city. The downtown offers a street open only to pedestrians, probably a mile in length, with two buses offering a free shuttle up and down the road throughout the day. There was also an art show on a couple of side streets which offered a fun and free way to see some local artists and their work. We walked around for a good part of the day then returned on the light rail to meet Ingrid for dinner.

After a short siesta, the three of us drove to Thai Basel, an excellent Thai restaurant not far from Ingrid's apartment. I had a dinner special- for ten dollars I got the sweet and sour soup, Thai eggplant, and a banana cake. The sweet and sour soup was full of bite and offered a tastful use spices and herbs to create a wonderful soup. The Thai eggplant was simply fantastic- full of flavor, served with white rice, and a wonderful sweet endnote with the surrounding sauce. The banana cake was very good, with a smooth cream frosting. A wonderful meal but no more than adequate when compared to the company. We returned to the apartment and continued a great conversation with some wonderful wine. Before the night was over, I was able to go to the bar next to Ingrid's apartment building to sample a local brew- an amber lager with a wonderful flavor, full body, and smooth finish.

Denver was a great chance to see a community thrive in today's ever advancing modern world. The light rail was the best public transportation I have taken on the trip. It was easy to navigate and understand. Unlike the New York City Subway system which makes my head spin just getting from a coffee shop to the hotel, the Light Rail in Denver was user friendly, even to a tourist from a state with no subways at all. It was great to see how Denver accomodates its citizens and advocates for greener living. The street open only to pedestrians is a perfect example. I felt like this was a perfect example of a community advancing itself with sustainability in mind, and its citizens at heart. I will miss Denver, even the rain.

Right now I'm in Montana- the end of the road trip. More to come and thanks for reading!

-rob