Mom and John Denver

It's my final night in Colorado...and while I have almost the entire day here tomorrow it feels like my trip is quickly coming to a close.  I said good bye to Rico's wife tonight as she has to work tomorrow.  It was so nice to meet her after having heard so much about her over the years.

The timing of this trip was good for many reasons... I was in much need of a break... and having my adventure start on the anniversary of Mom's death was, in many ways, perfect.  I have thought of her a lot out here.  I know she would have loved that I was going someplace new and doing something for me.  Driving up into the mountains yesterday and the drive back down today... I could really envision Mom's reaction if she was seeing what I was seeing... I can imagine her gawking all around and talking nonstop about the beauty of the mountains... (Which was pretty much what I did too!)  She loved taking road trips with Dad... seeing the scenery... I thought today a lot about her as we drove by so much of the open land here with many many ranches with the mountains as the backdrops... and remembered a trip we took to West Virginia when my sister graduated from college.  I remember Mom just ooing and awwwwing over the landscape there... it was nice to have those memories today.  I think Dad would love it out here to... I think he would actually feel like there was enough air...though ironically the higher we got in elevation, the less air there really is!  (I am relieved I did not have altitude sickness... I admit, last night at over 9000 feet my heart was beating faster than usual, and it was harder to breathe...but I did not get sick!)  I think Dad would have liked seeing the mountains and would enjoy driving by all the ranches, just looking at everything... but, like me, I think he would miss the water... but... maybe when he and Betty take their trip to Alaska... they will come through Denver! 

Today we went to Red Rocks... a famous concert venue.  It was beautiful...absolutely beautiful.  I would love to see a show there sometime.  We ended up going there because I had to go to the bathroom and as it worked out that exit was where we got off and Rico remembered it was close to Red Rocks and so we checked it out.  I was very glad we did.  There is a visitor's center there which has a history of the concerts and pictures of many of the artists.  They have a hall of fame room and I found a picture of John Denver... My sister, as well as Rico it turns out, really loves John Denver... I remember him from an episode of the Muppets where he sang 'Grandma's Feather Bed."  It was cool to think of Sis while I was there.  It really is beautiful out here! 

We took a scenic route from there back to the house and got here in the early afternoon.  We just relaxed after that... which was really nice!  Rico's wife got home from work and we had dinner as we watched some movies. 

Time to start thinking abut my next destination!