A true mountain experience
The Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse was a gift from Boulder's sister city, Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
Parking at Chautauqua can be as taxing as the hike itself, and not cheap, at $2.50 per hour. I got there a little before 5 p.m., when the crowds thin a bit and payment is no longer required to park, and still got in a couple solid hours of hiking before it got dark.
Ascending via the Chautauqua Trail, I took in impressive views of downtown Boulder, which had just begun to clear up after an afternoon of rain. How the Flatirons got their name became clear as I made my way up the First-Second Flatiron Trail. A seemingly endless cascade of large pinkish-brown stones led upward into the trees and brush. Mottled with a spray of green-gray lichen, they nearly resembled a camouflage pattern. I stopped at some point during my ascent and looked toward the southeast, where in the distance, a small rainbow was peeking through the clouds out over downtown Denver, about 40 kilometres away.
Hiking is not the only way to get your outdoor fix, however. A different day, I found myself out at the Boulder Reservoir, having purchased a Groupon coupon for a two-hour standup paddleboard lesson from Rocky Mountain Paddleboard ($39). No one else had signed up, so I had a private lesson with my capable instructor, Graham Oakley.
Let’s just say my balance is not the best. As I explained to Graham, I had tried surfing a number of times and failed fairly spectacularly. “That’s OK,” he said, noting that some surfers will derisively say, “If you can’t get up, turn to SUP” (standup paddleboarding).
I found it easier than surfing, but tricky nonetheless. I spent the first 30 minutes paddling from my knees on the long, wide board until I found the nerve to attempt to stand, and promptly fell into the reservoir. But after about a half-dozen falls I got the hang of it, and we spent the next hour paddling like a couple of gondoliers around the peaceful and largely empty reservoir.
To have the true mountain experience, hop into your car and head northwest to Rocky Mountain National Park. As your cell service drops, your spirits rise as the awe-inspiring Rockies envelop you.
Horseback riding aficionados can stop at Dao House for a two-hour ride through the Ponderosa pines and Douglas firs ($63).
My group’s guide, Wes, was a bit stiff at first, but channelled his best Gene Autry once we got going into our trek with a fullthroated rendition of Back in the Saddle Again.
A quick jog through the town of Estes Park lands you at Beaver Meadows Visitor Center (the building itself is lovely and was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright’s firm, Taliesin Architects), beyond which you will have to pay the $25 park entrance fee.
A seemingly endless cascade of large pinkish-brown stones led upward into the trees and brush
You will want to pick up the $80 American the Beautiful annual pass if you plan to make more than three national park visits during the year.
Drive up the beautiful, winding Trail Ridge Road up toward the summit, which exceeds 3.600 metres and take in all nature has to offer: the alpine tundra, lava cliffs and rock laid bare by 70 million years of geological activity, and the lush, verdant green of the forest below. I pulled into the Alpine Visitor Center past the summit (be warned that parking can be a battle) and crossed the road to follow the Ute Trail, which loops around to Milner Pass.
I spent the next few hours hiking most of the trail and then doubling back. Bring plenty of water — the hike is not difficult, but the sun is strong and the air is thin. But the pristine mountain panoramas are unmatched. There were animal sightings, too, including mule deer and many yellow-bellied marmots.
If you need something a bit more down-to-earth, Boulder can accommodate that, too. I came into town during the Pearl Street Arts Fest, and spent an afternoon perusing the different paintings, jewelry and handicrafts created by the dozens of different vendors set up on the Pearl Street pedestrian mall.
There were carved wooden utensils from Jim Talley, upcycled pieces from Bernadette’s Handmade Jewelry, prints from Craig Peterson created on coffeestained paper, and playful robot-centric art from Lauren Briere.
Some of the art was well beyond my budget. But I eventually settled on a dreamy print ($50) titled “Angeles” from Noelle Phares, who strikingly incorporates her environmental science background into her art.
For art in an indoor setting, check out the University of Colorado Boulder Art Museum, a small but excellent museum on the school’s campus. Parking is not free, but the museum is.
Boulder’s activities are sure to make a visitor work up an appetite — fortunately there are a number of great food options. My friend Emily, who runs a local theatre company, took me for one of her favourite pizzas in town, a $14 Atomica Pie slathered in Italian sausage, red pepper and garlic at Proto’s Pizza in North Boulder. I, in turn, took her to the slightly more upscale Basta for a delightful Daisy ($15) — a wonderful Neapolitanstyle margherita pizza — and a tasty $14 little gem salad with yuzu and hazelnut.
If you are not up for pizza, I highly recommend Curry ‘N’ Kebob, a casual Indian/Bangladeshi restaurant with excellent daily specials.
My chicken dhansak, served in a beautifully spiced lentil curry with naan and rice, was just $11.95. Zoe Ma Ma, on the Pearl Street Mall, is another good option, with $6.99 Za Jiang Mian, julienned vegetables and savoury ground pork in gravy served over egg noodles, and a satisfying Sichuan braised beef soup, slightly spicy and tasting of star anise.
Or perhaps you just wanted a cup of tea. Head to the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse, a gift to Boulder from her sister city, Dushanbe, Tajikistan. The teahouse was disassembled and shipped to Boulder, piece by piece, where it stands today in its full glory.
Enjoy the intricately carved columns and wildly colourful details on the ceiling and rafters while you sip your drink or eat a light meal. The smoky lapsang souchong tea ($3.90) was quite good. Emily had a peppy Persian peppermint mule ($8), and we shared a dish of traditional plov ($16), rice pilaf with carrots, onion, chickpeas and dried fruit, layered with slices of beef.
At Cure Organic Farm, just east of Boulder, you can mix food and the great outdoors. The farm, just over a dozen years old, supplies local restaurants and markets with fresh organic produce, and it has a small store on site. I stopped by one morning and chatted with the friendly Caitlin, who sold me some carrots ($3.50), local honey ($12) and a carton of cherries ($7.50). Various purchases in hand, I began moving toward the door.
I was happy, too, as I got back into the car with my bounty. For having spent a mile (or two) up in the sky during the entirety of a four-day trip, it all felt amazingly down to earth.