FIRST IMPRESSIONS
As the plane approached the Denver airport, the terrain looked a lot flatter than I expected for its close association with the Rocky Mountains. Away from the mountains, Colorado is as flat as the rest of the Midwest, filled with fields and cattle. Unlike Chicago, though, you can see the mountains in the distance and particularly as you approach Boulder.
Mountains the entire time you're in the car!
When I stepped out of the airport, I was hit by the fresh but dry mountain air. I was underprepared for the dryness - my skin started cracking 30 min after landing and I didn’t pack enough lotion or any Vaseline. Thankfully, Melissa’s friend Kate kindly prepared me a little baggie of Aquaphor which saved me for the rest of the trip. Still, the first few nights I was woken up by the dry air and had to splash water on my face to fall back asleep. Eventually, my body and routine adapted.
I also had to adjust to the INTENSE sun. On most days, there were barely any clouds. No wonder why I spotted so many solar panels along US 36. Along with the higher elevation, I nearly got sunburned – not something I’m used to in March… While the sun is always this strong, Colorado had an unusual winter this year. The temperatures ranged from 19 degrees to 88 degrees in the week that I was there. Because of the extraordinarily warm temperatures, not much snow had accumulated, exacerbating the dryness, increasing the risk for wildfires, and threatening the regional water supply. Yay climate change…
I had the opportunity to hang out with locals while staying with Kate; that along with the hikes and neighborhood explorations shed some light on Colorado life, which I previously knew nothing about. Even in the city of Denver, Colorodoans seem to carry a spirit of independence and ruggedness that we associate with the Wild West. One of the volumes of the local Denver magazine (‘5280’ for 5280 ft above sea level) featured the top places you can travel alone, highlighting the adventurous and solitary spirit. Complementing this free spirit, Denver also has an artsy / hippie vibe with street murals everywhere and shops selling spiritual trinkets and experiences. Politically, though, Denver and Boulder span the spectrum – with a plethora of professionals simultaneously driving up rent and advocating for $19.26 minimum wage, as well as pickup trucks and a car blazing down 16th street plastered with ‘Vote Republican’ stickers. Regardless of socioeconomic status or political leaning, people here seem to enjoy the quiet, the outdoors, or likely both, as Kate and the Uber drivers say.
Local Denver magazine
Interesting to see Chinese exfoliation marketed as a hip experience
HIKING
At the airport, you could tell who the locals were based on whether they had outdoorsy clothes / gear. You’ll see a wide range of ages on the trails – ranging from babies in backpacks to teens in Crocs and elderly with hunchbacks. And because the outdoors is life, almost all of them blaze up and down the mountains faster than me. Particularly the pro trail runners, cyclists, and triathletes in Boulder and our four-legged friends :)
White Ranch Park – Rawhide Trail & Wrangler’s Run Loop
Originally, my plan with Kate was to hike Walker Ranch with a mix of terrain and views. Unfortunately, all of Boulder’s open spaces were closed due to the high winds and consequently high fire risk. Just a week or so before, areas of Boulder had to be evacuated due to a fire. We realized only when we got to Boulder, and the nearest alternatives were in Golden. So I got a little tour of the area on my first day here.
We settled for a hike in White Ranch Park. It was so nice to see green on the trees, particularly the magnificent Ponderosa pines. It was a nice chill hike to get my feet used to some uneven ground and the higher altitude (I was a little out of breath at 6000 ft haha after coming from sea level.)
Still some snow on the ground...
I love the trees here!
Red Rocks – Amphitheater, Red Rocks Trail & Morrison Slide Loop
Yaru came to visit me from Boulder and we went to the Red Rocks Ampitheater together. Apparently, they have outdoor concerts there in the summer – such a nice backdrop!
View from the Ampitheater
We went on a hike near the ampitheater. It was so nice to catch up and enjoy the varied lanscapes – the rocks (made my shoes look like I’d run on the track ;) ), views of the mountains, and the different plant life!
Chautauqua Park – Chautauqua Trail & 1st / 2nd Flatiron & Bluebell Trail
I took the bus from Denver to Boulder (less than an hour!) and walked a mile to the trailhead in Chautauqua Park. There were so many pretty flowers and butterflies flitting about on the way.
The first part of the hike was steady uphill on a gravel road, which was alright albeit pretty sunny. Soon enough, I entered the exciting part - lots of rocky steps in a grove of trees.
Forest pastry for energy :)
There was one exposed area that reminded me of hiking in the French Alps, though less barren.
Lots of rocky steps
At one point, I thought I was lost but I saw people on top of the rocky wall in front of me. Upon looking more closely, there were some decent footholds and I decided to do the scramble after watching others traverse it.
The imposing rocks I had to scale
There's also an actual climbing area.
There was still more to go; not wanting to overexert myself, I thought about turning back several times. Nonetheless, I eventually made it to the 2nd Flatiron where I enjoyed a nice snack. I didn’t bother to continue to the 1st Flatiron as I felt satisfied already.
After scaling the rock - such pretty views! Did I really need to go any further?
2nd Flatiron
Good views from the bottom of the trail already
Along the trail, it was also cool to see such a variety of hikers who could all hike better than me - from high schoolers hiking in Crocs to show off to their friends to an elderly hunched-over man making it steadily up the mountain with a cane.
Mt. Sanitas – Mt. Sanitas Trail, East Ridge, Mt. Sanitas Valley Trail
I decided to return to Boulder for one last hike, since it is so accessible here. Mt. Sanitas is apparently the "quintessential Boulder hike that everyone should" and also a "hike that is not for out-of-towners." Emboldened by the Flatirons hike, I decided to go for it and play by ear. Despite the 88 degree temperatures, it was a fun adventure. Much of the hike was pretty exposed and sunny, so I had to conserve my water and rely on my water-filled fruits. There were many "false peaks" with beautiful views, as well as some fun parts where I had to go in between the rocks or descend on all fours. (Thank goodness for MITOC for giving me past experience in the Whites). Overall, a great hurrah before my flight back.
Squeezing between the rocks - a doggie popped in between them to show me the way
ROCKS
So sunny at the peak that I couldn't stay for long
NEIGHBORHOOD EXPLORATIONS
Parks – City, Cheeseman, Wash Parks + Cherry Creek
After the hike with Kate, we went biking so that I could see all the Denver parks. City Park is home to the Museum of Nature and Science. Cheeseman is where everyone sun tans. Washington Park is where people do loops on bikes, rollerblades, runs, etc. (reminded me of Prospect Park in Brooklyn.)
Lots of cows in Colorado make for yummy ice cream!
Then I got ice cream in Cherry Creek, which is an upscale shopping district that reminded me of Newbury St in Boston. Overall, I felt like a lovely summer day (with lots of wind).
Downtown Denver
APS March Meeting was held at the Colorado Convention Center downtown. According to Manuel, many of the buildings there are now empty due to both the shift away from industry and the rise of remote work. With thousands of people here for the conference, it was hard to tell though.
The focal point of Downtown Denver is the 16th Street Mall, which is a promenade originally designed by IM Pei. My favorite part of the pedestrian mall is this cash-only Thai food shack where one guy runs the show, wok-frying up your meal to order.
Navajo-inspired diamondback patterns and unique light fixtures
Fun art / play structures that you (or kids) can climb
Nearby, there's also Capitol Hill with a bunch of government offices and Union Station.
building inspired by aspen trees
RiNo, Platte River, LoHi
I also got to explore the city by running along the Platte River, from RiNo Arts Park to Confluence Park downtown and LoHi. The atmosphere shifted along the run. The empty lots and people sheltering under bridges, sprinkled between murals and street art, contrasted well-manicured paths in Confluence Park and the chic restaurants and shops in LoHi. In general, this reflects the range of lifestyles that I caught a glimpse of in other parts of Denver as well.
Platte River
RiNo Arts Park
Old warehouse + street art vibe
Painted house!
Street art everywhere - this is near my Airbnb
Because I was staying in Denver, I also got a chance to explore the food and drink scene in RiNo. Many former industrial buildings have been turned into restaurants and bars. Denver Central Market features a mix of different vendors, including a bakery and butcher shop that I visited. Larimer Street is peppered with breweries, many with community events like run clubs and pottery classes, along with wine and soju bars. The restaurants also skew more young and hip; we tried a Nepalese restaurant and a Filipino-inspired bakery and coffee shop! All this along with climbing gyms, outdoors stores, and street art contributed to a unique vibe in RiNo.
Delicious pandan croissant from Cafe Sarap
Sante Fe Arts District
Home to many art galleries and street art!
"Help us" displayed instead of an upcoming show...
Seems like theaters everywhere are dying
An artist's rendition of the theater in it's former glory
There was a mix of more "refined" galleries (featuring pretty paintings and hor d'eurves) and hip / avant-garde galleries (with a live DJ blasting electronic music and sensual prints), reflecting the different types of people with money to spend on art - perhaps the more traditional elite and hip young professionals.
From one of the more "refined" galleries
paper art!
Having wandered through numerous art galleries on the East Coast, in New York and New England vacation towns alike, I was surprised that people were so eager to talk to me. Normally, the employees see my T-shirt, jeans, and well-worn backpack and know that I won't buy anything. Here in Denver, maybe people like me do buy things. Or perhaps they I know I won't buy, but still see value in talking with me. I was a bit startled at first when a salesperson approached me, but then I got used to people asking about my favorite piece of art in the room.
In some of the galleries, such as Artists on Santa Fe, you could watch artists as they worked in the gallery studios. To be fair, some of it looked staged but I also saw some potters at work as I walked through. In another gallery, I spent some time yapping with one of the artists and learned that he had studied and taught math for a while before retiring and becoming an artist. When I was first explaining my work to him, I was careful to avoid science jargon but turns out he was familiar with the science world. Even as a musician myself, I guess I still fall into the trap of using the heuristic that artists and scientists are disjoint groups.
One of the more staged looking ones...
...or maybe the artist is just very neat
One of the galleries had a kiln and everything you would need for ceramics
Overall, wandering through the art galleries in Denver was a refreshing experience compared to the more hauty art world that I've previously encountered.
Boulder
Boulder was less than an hour away by bus, so it was pretty convenient to get to. In fact, the bus was more frequent than the local Denver buses while still costing the same! People in Boulder were a bit surprised that I came "all the way" from Denver, but on the Chicago-scale Boulder is pretty close.
Cute Boulder vibe
Aside from the nature, the main street in Boulder is Pearl Street (and secondary one is Walnut Street). The first time I visited Boulder, I wandered the many outdoors stores and compared all the wool sock prices and decided they would be worth it for a Chicago winter. (Later got them at REI in Denver.) Fun fact, the only Montbell store (Japanese outdoors brand) in the US is located in Boulder. There were also many boutique stores and restaurants, including a kite store and a food hall with a gorgeous rooftop.
Mountain views at Avanti food hall
- food is a bit pricey but you can just get a coffee
views are worth it too
Lucille's Creole Cafe - a cozy house restaurant that reminded me of New Orleans
Very tasty homemade condiments!
KITES!
The second time I visited Boulder, I also stopped by the Boulder Art Gallery. One piece that stood out to me was a video of someone digging themselves out from a clay sphere surrounding their face. By removing the clay, they revealed a mirror reflecting the nature around them, instead of a face. I can't describe the feeling exactly, but it spoke to how I felt after digging myself out of a conference and bringing myself into the beauty of nature.
William Cobbing's Inner Horizon
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