On the road...
I am a firm believer that road-trips are the best way to travel. So when my friend Jonah Pester invited me and some acquaintances to go to Colorado, I could not say yes fast enough. We were a haphazard group of writers, photographers, and explorers. We barely knew one another or what we were going to do, but we still managed to see some nature, eat some good food, and make some memories.
.....
We left Lawrence, KS, around 6 to 7 p.m. to begin our trek to Colorado. The backseat squad consisted of Jonah Pester, me, and Logan Stuart with Mughees Choudry and Grant Daily in the front. Jonah and Mughees are extremely talented photographers so they were in it for the aesthetic, but Grant and Logan were just excited to explore.
We stopped at Wendy’s. I napped. We listened to Mughees’s fire playlist. I napped again. We talked. And after looking up at the sky we realized just how beautiful the stars looked. So the group pulled off on a back-road somewhere.
All we could see was the road, each other, and a sky full of stars. It was cold, it was dark, and the wind whipped through our layers, but we still watched in awe. I felt like we were a bunch of city kids seeing nature for the first time.
We stayed there for a bit and then we hit the road again, sleeping, talking, and eating Oreos until we finally reached our destination at 4 a.m.
Places
Winter Park
We stayed in Winter Park, CO in an Airbnb. Located along the Continental Divide, the area has a variety of shops, trails, and it's also known for its skiing. Unfortunately, our group did not get to explore much of the city. We used Winter Park as a central travel location because it is about a two hour or less drive from everything we went to.
Rocky Mountain National Park
We went to Rocky Mountain National Park on two separate days; the second day was a little more illegal than the first...
Rockies Round I
The first full-day in Colorado, we set out to Rocky Mountain from Winter Park. Mughees rented a drone for the trip, so we made many stops along the way to stretch our legs and get some footage (click for the super cool video he made).
For our entire car, it only cost $25 to enter the park. There were sweeping views of the mountains, lakes, streams, and plenty of wildlife, including elk. We were even able to get within a hundred feet of a whole family.
We drove around the park for a while, stopping to walk along some trails and outlooks. But because of an oncoming winter storm, we were trying to rush back to the Airbnb. But we still stopped along the highway to take some pictures of sunset. I was exhausted, hungry, and I had to go pee so I stayed in the car trying to rest.
Next thing I know, I see Jonah outside the car window SHIRTLESS. Of course, I had to get some nature nudes of my own so I hopped out of the car and headed for the side of the mountain, got my pictures, and then we left.
Rockies Round II
Despite our public indecency, the second day is what caused the real issue. Most of Saturday was spent just driving around and when we found ourselves at the southern Grand Lake Entrance of the Rocky, we decided to check it out again.
Due to road closures, we just decided to park the car and walk around. We walked for a minute or two until it opened up into a clearing with an unrestricted view of the cloud-topped Rockies. Here we were, five tiny humans, looking up at massive mountains millions of years in the making. It was absolutely stunning. We could even see a herd of elk in the distance. Nothing could do it justice, but we tried to document the moment; taking pictures and filming videos with the drone.
We were freezing so as soon as we finished up, we dragged ourselves away from the view to walk back to the car. On our way we saw two figures approaching us...park rangers. They immediately questioned us; asking what we were doing, where we were from, our ages, etc. They even took our IDs and ran them through the system.
We knew we were in deep, but we had no clue how bad. They finally told us that we had broken two rules: being in an area reserved for elk mating season and droning in a national park, which can get you up to "six months in jail and a $5,000 fine". At the time we had no clue, but we apologized profusely, stating our ignorance of the rules and our great respect for the national park system.
Our Midwestern charm paid off and the park rangers took pity on us; giving everyone a verbal warning (which is on our permanent park record) and a $130 fine to Mughees for the drone (which the group split). As we walked away one of the rangers, a Duke University alumnus, said, "Worst of luck on your basketball season."
We walked back to the car in a state of shock and exhilaration. We got incredible content and escaped a run-in with the park law – one of the best memories from the trip...Trespassing aside, Rocky Mountain National Park is a gorgeous visit.
Amid all of the beauty of Rocky Mountain National Park, you can also unlock hundreds of stories at the Baldpate Inn.
It was sheer chance that we found the Baldpate Inn. I had read about it online, but I had no clue where it was. But when Jonah and I woke up from a car nap and I saw the sign, and I knew that I had to go. Thankfully, Logan is also a nerd, and walked over to the Inn with me.
In the Baldpate Inn are over 20,000 keys from all over the the world. Keys to Adolf Hitler's side desk and summer home, to Sherlock Holmes's 221B Baker Street residence, Westminster Abbey, Frankenstein's castle, and so much more. The Inn even has a framed letter from George W. Bush who declined giving a White House key instead saying that the true key to the White House is the hearts of the American people.
The Inn started the tradition of giving each guest their own key sometime after they opened in 1917. With the expensive price of metal during World War I, the Inn had to stop the tradition because of the expensive price of metal. But guests kept the tradition alive, bringing their own keys, competing to see who could bring the most. The collection grew from there.
While some of the keys have great historical importance, others are more personal stories. It's almost more incredible to see those. People leave keys from their first apartments, toy sets, old cars, sorority and fraternity houses, celebrations of love, etc. Every key has a meaning. It makes you think about the keys you would leave behind and the stories they could tell.
We stopped in Idaho Springs, CO, a couple of times for food, but the small mining town has a whole lot to offer. If you stop by, check out Main Street for several amazing restaurants and small shops.
One of my good friends, a Colorado native, claims that Idaho Springs has one of the best thrift shops she's ever been to so take that as you will. I still regret not buying a blue, rainbow-lined shirt embroidered with the name Linda. I would have looked so pimpin',
While we waited for lunch, I got to walk around for a bit and see the town. Mountain people-true mountain people- are interesting folks who wear all-orange outfits and learn to basket weave in their free time. Regardless, Idaho Springs is a cute town to walk around.
Arapaho National Forest
For a quieter, emptier trek through nature, check out the Arapaho National Forest. It snowed while we were there and the whole place looked like something out of Narnia. You can get lost in the towering snow-topped trees and the trickling creeks.
Garden of the Gods
Scattered with towering red rock formations, Garden of the Gods stands out from the gray mountains around it. The park is beautiful but often filled with tourists (even in October, the place was packed). It's almost as interesting to watch the tourists as the nature around the Garden. Old couples, small families, international tourists, etc. It's strange seeing a place of such natural beauty and peace overwhelmed by so many humans. However, the Garden was not always like this.
Before this land was "discovered", the Ute tribe lived in this space and used it for rituals. However, in the mid to late 17th century, the US government relocated the tribe to a reservation in Ignacio, CO.
In 1851, the park was named by surveyor Rufus Cable who stated that the park would be a great place for a... "Beer Garden! Why it is a fit place for the Gods to assemble. We will call it the Garden of the Gods."
In 1879, the land was purchased by Charles Perkins and upon his death in 1907 he gave the land back to the people to become a public park.
While there is no beer served at the Garden, you take in the beauty of the rocks by walking through the park and even climbing some formations (others may require a permit). The park has stunning views of mountain ranges including Pikes Peak. There are over 15 miles of trails for people to walk, hike, and even horse-ride along.
Pikes Peak
Similar to Garden of the Gods, Pikes Peak was Ute land. In 1805, Zebulon Pike "discovered" the mountain range and Europeans saw this as an opportunity to take the land's natural resources. The tribe was forced from their own land, which had been an integral part of their culture and livelihood. Little is mentioned on the Peak's website about Ute history.
Visitors drive, hike, or take a take a train up the mountain. We drove and it was absolutely terrifying. Many parts of the road have no rail and feature straight drops. Jonah spent most of the ride clutching my arm. But along the way are some beautiful stops: trails, lookouts, and even a lake that supplies water to the city below.
At the summit, there is a gift shop/ restaurant where you can grab a high-elevation donut to eat while taking in the view.
The descent can be almost more terrifying than the ascent. The brakes of Aspen (our trusty steed) burned, forcing us to periodically stop. The group joked that the car would be a shooting fireball by the time we hit the bottom. We made it without bursting into flames, but we could smell our smoking brakes for miles.
Air Force Academy
After nearly dying on the drive down Pikes Peak, we decided to infiltrate a military academy. One of our road-trippers, Logan Stuart, has a friend at Air Force Academy, so we were able to get a personal tour of the campus and ask some questions about what cadet life is like.
Getting into the academy is a rigorous process which requires high grades, extracurricular involvement, strong physical health and athleticism, and a recommendation letter from a "legally authorized nominating entity" which is normally an elected politician.
Built in the 1950s, the Air Force Academy is one of the newest of the military academies but it has one of the highest enrollments with around 4,000 students.
Once cadets arrive at the campus, they are faced with strict rules, intense training, and hazing. Freshman cadets have to wear their uniforms at all times and are required to run whenever they are outside. As well, they must keep their rooms spotlessly clean so many of them sleep on the floor so their beds are always perfectly made. All of this is incredibly exhausting, but napping is not allowed in their rooms so many first-years sleep in the library.
Our guide told us towards the end of the year, the freshman endure a "hell-week" where cadets are forced to stay awake for more than 24 hours. But the strict rules don't end as a freshman.
Rank is a big deal so everyone competes against each other to achieve higher status. All students are required to meet certain physical tests and keep high grades. As well, everyone is required to have a job, participate in an intramural sport, and attend every single football game in full uniform.
Everyone is required to live at the academy while they're a student and only upperclassman have privileges to leave when they want.
Aside from the strict rules, cadets receive a free top-tier education (in exchange for several years of military service) and they get to do a lot of amazing things. Our guide told us he had taken classes on skydiving and wilderness survival, where he got to jump out of a plane and live in the woods for over a week.
These cadets experience the rigor and adventure of military life, but they're still students... While walking through campus, a Domino's Pizza delivery cart zoomed past us which proves that no matter where you go to school, you'll find kids who like to have fun and eat unhealthy.
Food
Beau Jo's Pizza- Idaho Springs
Chicago-style pizza, New York-style pizza, Colorado-style pizza? Beau Jo's Pizza serves mountain pies: pizzas that include three to five pounds of toppings and thick crust. After eating the pizza, you cover the crust in honey for dessert. They also offer, thinner crust pizza, calzones, sandwiches, salads, etc. There are six location in the Colorado area.
Main Street Restaurant- Idaho Springs
I'm a big brunch gal... and Main Street Restaurant gave us a real big brunch. The menu has a variety of options: eggs Benedict, omelets, pancakes, waffles, and almost everything you would expect at any self-respecting breakfast place. Everything on the menu looked good, but I got a flight of three different pancakes.
Pikes Peak Summit House Donuts- Cascade
At 14,115 above sea level you can enjoy stunning views of Pikes Peak while eating a fresh donut. Because of the low air pressure, these donuts are unlike your average pastry.
For over a century, these donuts have been sold at the top of the mountain. Due to the low air pressure, the pastries are made with secret recipe. They are even known to spoil in the lower altitudes, which means the best way to enjoy them on top of Pikes Peak.
Sam's No. 3 Diner- Denver
A diner will always be there for you. They're cheap, open late, and offer comfort food for any occasion. So when our trusty car experienced a minor meltdown, we stopped in Denver at Sam's No. 3 Diner to eat away our stress.
Sam's has been supplying greasy eats for the Denver area since 1927. They were even featured in Food Network's "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives" in 2011.
The food is classic diner, with Mexican and Greek influences. Everyday, Sam's serves around 60 gallons of chili and even has burgers and burritos covered in the good stuff.
People
Say yes to unexpected plans. Travel with people you don't know. Don't think too much about what you're going to do next. It'll take you stargazing in the middle of no where, rock-skipping beneath the mountains, snapping nature nudes at sunset, and trespassing in a national park. But it will also show the power travel has to connect us to something deeper than ourselves: curiosity, nature, friendship.