Boulder the Beautiful
Posted by Brienne Thomson on Thursday, September 2, 2010 Under: Boulder the Beautiful
My stopover in Boulder came early, but became more of a, “Well, I don’t really have to go yet” week-long pause of getting spoiled.
I rolled into Luke and Janine place in Lafayette on Saturday night after an iron butt ride from Moab. By mid-afternoon on day-one, I was harnessed-up rock climbing in Boulder Canyon with a great group of veteran climbers showing me the ropes … (perfect example of when a cliché is unavoidable). On Monday Luke and I shined up my little motor, took a trail run and I was off to see Ray LaMontagne and David Gray at Red Rocks with my Denver-dwelling friend from back-home, Rebecca. Tuesday was a beer tasting at Left-Hand Brwerery with an awesome Imperial Stout and a dinner with the Mr. and Mrs. at Sherpas, my favorite Nepalese joint in downtown Boulder. But at far as beauty goes, my ride to Rocky Mountain National Park, as suggested by my Denver-doctor cousin, Jodi, bestowed some eye-boggling panoramas .. on the flip side, John Denver’s “Rocky Mountain High” tune was on perma-repeat the entire day.
I started my Rocky Mountain visit with a trail run at 9,500-feet and wheezed for about four-miles with a few photo-pauses before sliding back into the Aerostitch and heading out to ride a loop of Old Fall River Road, which is a dirt trail that ascends up to Trail Ridge Road at 12,183 feet.
Not only did I get to roll the 11-miles of dirt without my luggage weight and enjoy the night-and-dayness of having Progressive Suspension’s 465 Series shock, but my heated grips (that took me ever so long to install) came in comforting at that elevation.
Beautiful Boulder Pictures >>
Not that Boulder need or wants more settlers, but it’s certainly all-accommodating and inspiring in spirit, nature and beauty for the active outdoorsy type; it’s making me think twice.
I rolled into Luke and Janine place in Lafayette on Saturday night after an iron butt ride from Moab. By mid-afternoon on day-one, I was harnessed-up rock climbing in Boulder Canyon with a great group of veteran climbers showing me the ropes … (perfect example of when a cliché is unavoidable). On Monday Luke and I shined up my little motor, took a trail run and I was off to see Ray LaMontagne and David Gray at Red Rocks with my Denver-dwelling friend from back-home, Rebecca. Tuesday was a beer tasting at Left-Hand Brwerery with an awesome Imperial Stout and a dinner with the Mr. and Mrs. at Sherpas, my favorite Nepalese joint in downtown Boulder. But at far as beauty goes, my ride to Rocky Mountain National Park, as suggested by my Denver-doctor cousin, Jodi, bestowed some eye-boggling panoramas .. on the flip side, John Denver’s “Rocky Mountain High” tune was on perma-repeat the entire day.
I started my Rocky Mountain visit with a trail run at 9,500-feet and wheezed for about four-miles with a few photo-pauses before sliding back into the Aerostitch and heading out to ride a loop of Old Fall River Road, which is a dirt trail that ascends up to Trail Ridge Road at 12,183 feet.
Not only did I get to roll the 11-miles of dirt without my luggage weight and enjoy the night-and-dayness of having Progressive Suspension’s 465 Series shock, but my heated grips (that took me ever so long to install) came in comforting at that elevation.
Beautiful Boulder Pictures >>
Not that Boulder need or wants more settlers, but it’s certainly all-accommodating and inspiring in spirit, nature and beauty for the active outdoorsy type; it’s making me think twice.
