Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for colorado
The Million Dollar Highway
By Linda Tancs
As far as scenic road trips go, you needn’t pack your bags for the Swiss mountain passes to get the grandest views. In fact, the “Switzerland of America” is right in western Colorado. Just head to US Highway 550 between Ouray and Silverton in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado. Known as the Million Dollar Highway, the former toll road sports the same hairpin turns (sans guard rails, of course) and tremendous vistas you would expect in alpine Europe. The challenging drive takes you through three mountain passes; the highest is Red Mountain Pass at over 11,000 feet. The origin of the highway’s name is disputed. Perhaps that’s just as well because the views are, in any event, priceless.
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Garden of the Gods
By Linda Tancs
The Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado is a registered National Natural Landmark. The natural landmark program recognizes outstanding examples of biological and geological resources across the country. Home of the Bighorn sheep, the Garden of the Gods is renowned for its blazing red sandstone rock formations piercing the sky. Rock climbers get great views of snow-capped Pikes Peak. For the less daring, take a free 30-minute, naturalist-led walk daily at 10 a.m. or 2 p.m.
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The Winter God of Breckenridge
By Linda Tancs
In Norse mythology, Ullr (stepson of Thor, the god of thunder) is the winter god. He’s honored each year in Breckenridge, Colorado at the Ullr Fest. Now in its 50th year, this year’s event promises the usual skiers and snowboarders adorned with hats sporting Viking horns, “Ullympic” competitors, a parade, and floats with ski jumps. Join them now until 12 January.
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Trails Galore in Colorado Springs
By Linda Tancs
Colorado Springs, Colorado is the home of the U.S. Olympic Committee. So you would expect a fair amount of athleticism to prevail–and you would not be disappointed. Consider the 35-mile stretch that hikers, runners and bicyclists are now able to travel from Palmer Lake to Fountain on a continuous pathway that ties together the New Santa Fe Regional Trail, Pikes Peak Greenway and the Fountain Creek Regional Trail. Happy trails to you.
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Something is Brewing in Fort Collins
By Linda Tancs
Fort Collins, Colorado is the second largest producer of beer in Colorado, the state ranked first in the country in volume produced by breweries. Here you can hit the ale trail–or, as the locals call it, the foam on the range tour–and vist CB & Potts, Coopersmith’s, Fort Collins Brewery, New Belgium Brewing Company and Odell. Anheuser-Busch has a brewery here, too. The first Saturday of the month is camera day for those wishing to pose with the famous Clydesdale horses.
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A Revelation in Telluride
By Linda Tancs
Of all the opportunities to commune with nature among the slopes, arguably few match the majesty of Telluride in southwestern Colorado, where 115 trails dot over 2000 skiable acres dusted with over 300 inches of snow each year. Sitting in a box canyon, Telluride is surrounded by steep mountains and cliffs, offering a picturesque backdrop for television commercials as well as a place of respite for cognoscenti. Daring skiers can navigate one of the popular bowls, or ski runs, opened at Telluride Ski Resort—the Prospect Bowl, Black Iron Bowl or the Revelation Bowl. A group of skiers voted Telluride the #1 terrain park in the Rockies in 2008. Will you agree?
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Bavarian Air in Breckenridge
By Linda Tancs
U.S. statesman Benjamin Franklin is often misquoted as having said, “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” Surely, though, the sentiment is agreed in Breckenridge, Colorado, home of this weekend’s 15th annual Oktoberfest. Kicking off the festival is Friday night’s Brewmaster’s Dinner; reservations are required. Those in the know have no doubt already reserved their Oktoberfest lodging package, starting at $90 per person per night and including two nights of lodging, tickets to the Brewmaster’s Dinner, beer vouchers and a reserved commemorative beer stein. Day trippers can start the party at 11 am on Saturday and Sunday along historic Main Street. As you might expect, the thoroughfare will be rife with traditional costumes, German cuisine, oompah bands, Bavarian dancers and, of course, Paulaner bier by the steinload. The largest historic district in Colorado, this mountain town offers unforgettable fall foliage to complement the festivities. Can you take all that in during the day? Maybe you should look for some last minute lodging, just in case.
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Rocky Mountain Skiing
By Linda Tancs
The highland climate of the Rockies produces prodigious amounts of snow for wintertime sports like skiing. So who has the best vertical drop? Listen in and find out.
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Colorado Gardens Twinkle
By Linda Tancs
All that twinkles may not be gold, but the effect is just the same at the Denver Botanic Gardens. Until 4 January you can experience a million points of light through a winding forest path in Denver’s Botanic Gardens at Chatfield from Wednesday to Sunday. Buy your tickets in advance at the York Street Gatehouse. You won’t want to miss a single second of the dazzling display.
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What a Croc
By Linda Tancs
To hear the folks in Denver tell it, the city is full of crocs. Not the scaly kind, but the walkable kind. Great for walking a Mile High. Or take the Crocs ™ city tour, stopping at locations such as the zoo, botanical gardens, the aquarium, Cherry Creek, or the Pepsi Center. This kid-friendly tour includes collectible Jibbitz ™ charms at each stop. Fashion never looked so fun.
If you enjoyed this post, please share it on sites such as StumbleUpon, vote for it, or bookmark it. Thanks for your support! Travelrific® was featured as Blog of the Day on NJ.com!
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