We have been fortunate to spend almost three weeks in Colorado—in Golden, Colorado Springs, Alamosa, and Durango. There are so many things to love about Colorado, but one of the things we love the best is the strong focus on being outdoors. Not only does the region include some of the most beautiful territory we’ve seen thus far, but there’s a real investment in making sure folks enjoy those gorgeous outdoor spaces. Everywhere we looked around Golden there were walking paths and bike lanes… well-used and well-maintained. 

And when it’s easy to get outside, and everyone else is doing it—one is much more motivated to join the crowd. In the three weeks, we were in Colorado, we wandered downtown Breckenridge, made our way through the Guanella and Loveland Passes, stood on the Continental Divide, drove to the top of Pikes Peak, hiked in the Garden of the Gods and at Great Sand Dunes National Park, spent an afternoon at a local hot springs. All while enjoying sunshine, blue skies, and moderate temps (although we did learn about bringing in your water hose when temps dipped below freezing overnight in Alamosa and Durango!).

Of course, sometimes, one can get a little over-ambitious and/or let their curiosity take them outside the bounds of what others might consider safe. When we’ve gone a little too far, or too high, we’ve given ourselves the grace to turn around or change our path—not easy for either of us to do. But when you’re on a bumpy, winding dirt road that does not appear to end, or you find yourself on a skinny trail high up on a mountainside, sometimes it’s the wisest decision.