V-Love’s Lonely Planet

Of course any time I read anything on travel, people who travel, coming home from travel, telling everyone your leaving to travel etc. etc. I get the chills.  This posted on several travel blogs I’ve encountered this week.  Did you get the chills?

Visit Where in the hell is Matt.

There seems to always be something fun going on in this city (granted I’ve only lived here for 4 weeks but it seems that way); Food and wine festivals, weekly live music in Old Town Square, bike festivals, parades, car shows, poetry readings, free salsa dancing nights, outdoor movie theater events, beer festivals and the list goes on.  I’m not used to having so many activities to choose from on a weekly basis.  I guess Houston had events but the city was so big who knew when and where and how often these events took place.  I receive a small paper in the mail almost daily:  The Fort Collins Now, that lists all of the DAILY events for the summer.  And with everything being so close, who can pass up good food, tasty wine, free live music, being outside in this amazing weather, and meeting new friends.   

A few weekends ago it was the second annual Small Batch Beer festival at the O’Dells brewery.  Next weekend it’s the 30^th annual (I’m making that number up but I think it is around there) Fort Collins beer festival.  I hear the event is all out madness with over 30,000 people gathering to drink Colorado beer, listen to music, eat, and play in the outdoors.  Where can I buy my ticket???  Fortunately I’ll have one of my great friends in from Texas, Lance, to get a little toasty with. 

And this weekend, it’s the big bike festival kick-off to celebrate Ride Your Bike to Work week.  If I have not already mentioned, this is a very very bike friendly town.  Bike lanes on practically every road.  Buying a bike is on my long list of things to do, but seeing as I come from Houston where it’s too hot to sit outside for longer than 15 minutes, the land is flat, nobody rides a bike or walks to work (crazy to think people actually get exercise on a daily basis), and Houstonians are known as some of the fattest people in the country…I don’t own a bike.  Which does not mean I am not physical fit, it just means 99% of the Houston population would probably kill themselves if they tried to ride a bike in that city.  So to get myself motivated to buy a bike (which are not cheap I’ve discovered), I am volunteering this weekend at the festival with a few friends.  I had my choice of volunteer booths and obviously I chose the “Food and Beer” booth since I love both food and beer.  So for 8 hours straight I’ll be serving yummies to the crowd.  I have to admit, I mostly signed up for the free meal, free 5 beers, and free t-shirt!  But volunteering and meeting new people is always a bonus.  Maybe I’ll have a chance to learn more about bikes and enter a contest or two for a free bike? 

This past weekend I went on my first Colorado camping trip.  It was only Friday night  as there was none other than a “festival” Saturday to get back to.  I went with some friends in my complex who own some land up in the Pouder Canyon.  We drove and drove for about 2 hours up the river and finally ended up in a peaceful, serine, beautiful pocket of land right on the river.  Surrounded by the roaring rapids, tall trees, and eventually the smell of a campfire.  It was a classic camping trip; too much alcohol, a hot fire (it gets cold up there), hiking, sausage, smores, campfire songs, funny stories, tents, and snuggling up in a sleeping bag.  I live for these moments.

And the next day it was the annual Taste of Fort Collins food and wine festival.  I ate, ate, and ate some more as well as drank, drank, and drank some more.  I laughed and smiled and goofed off and listened to live music, including Lifehouse.  Perfect weekend.

I’ll post some picture soon.

A few weeks ago my friend came to vsiit from Texas.  We were able to explore Fort Collins together as it was one of my first weekends in the city.

Estes Cone Hike.  Took us about 6 hours to reach the top, over 11,000 feet.

The chipmunks enjoying our carrots.

Tippy Tippy Top

Old Town Square

Some scenic pictures on our way into Estes Park near Rocky Mountain National Park.  Hiked for 6 hours and ended up at roughly 11,200 feet.  Estes Cone hike.

I’ve decided today that I am going to try and continue blogging regularly.  It’s such a task with a new job and new location but I want to show friends and family what a wonderful State I live in by posting photos and comments on my weekend adventures.  While there may be no around the world adventure for a few more months (I’m thinking Costa Rica next), I sure will have an adventure of a life living in Colorado.   Plan on photos soon of some of my recent hikes.