Enjoying FoCo

The next day's activities were more centered around Fort Collins (FoCo). After some errands, we walked to the New Belgium Brewery for a free tour.


Got a nice tour of their clean, environmentally friendly facilities.

Then we got to each sample four different beers from their selection. It was a great time to spend an afternoon. Watching the employees going behind the bar and grabbing glasses of beer made it seem like a pretty neat work environment! A fact learned on the tour is that employees get a free special edition bicycle after one year of employment. This encourages them to bike instead of drive. The parking lot also designates certain areas for cars that get certain mpg. Fuel efficient cars can park closer to the entrance than trucks or SUVs.


The evening was spent in FoCo walking under the Christmas light filled trees that lined College Ave. Felt like downtown Northfield during the holidays. Prepared the both of us for the trip home.

I'll be taking Amtrak part of the way home and hope that its a nice way to travel. It will be very nice to be home and to see family and friends. Before I have to return for two more quarters of grad school!

Hello Topography! (for real this time)

As of Saturday the 15th I was officially done with my first quarter of graduate school. Felt very good to have all the papers and projects completed and a break until January 5th. Having applied to jobs but getting no response, I have decided it would be best to stay in MN until the next quarter starts. And I am pretty happy with that choice currently.

But that left me with a week in Colorado. And it was a pretty great week to enjoy! Not to flaunt, but the past couple days have been in the 70's. Today it is back to mid-30's--don't be so jealous Minnesotans.

Early Tuesday morning I traveled up to Fort Collins to visit Amanda who is in her last days in CO. We found internet and looked up nearby hikes. Greyrock was our choice and we departed in the late morning. Sunny and clear, it was looking to be a great day for a hike. We found the trailhead and began our hike at the Cache La Poudre River that looked like it could be in Northern MN. In fact, once on the trail it seemed like we were in the woods of MN.

We approached an overlook site on the meadow loop and were awarded with this beautiful scene that no photo can do justice for.


We were pretty stoked about this view and we weren't even to the 360 degree view. The next leg of the hike was pretty intense with a nice flat meadow to lull you but with the view of the upcoming summit.

Yes, we climbed that. It was a lot of scrambling over boulders as we neared the top, but finally we emerged onto the top for a pretty spectacular view of the plains and mountains.


Here I am at the very top with the plains behind me. At this point clouds were rolling in and covering the sun, so we didn't have a sunny summit. But the view was amazing and definitely worth the journey. I couldn't have asked for a better day to enjoy the Colorado topography in November!

Barack Obama

Not exactly the best framed photo, but it gives a sense of the rally held today. People were packed from the steps of the capitol building (pictured) to many, many rows in front of me. I took the light rail until the 16th Street Mall and followed the mass to Civic Park. Got in line a little before 9 am and weaved around the Public Library and the Art Museum. Of course, I enjoyed another glimpse of the amazing Denver Public Library.



At 10:00 the gates opened and after going through "airport" security, I was in! I joined the crush of people, but definitely was too late and too short to be able to get a good view. A variety of people spoke to take up time before Obama spoke. New fact learned: Mark Udall has climbed every 14-er in Colorado and is attempting his 55th, the senate seat.

A red bus pulled up behind the stage and the crowd pulled out their cameras and stretched to catch any glimpse. It was after 12 when Obama finally took to the stage, while U2's City of Blinding Lights played. At my height, I had no chance of seeing his entrance and resigned myself to wait until the crowd calmed down.


I was able to glimpse Obama during his speech for seconds at a time, but it was more about the atmosphere that I got to partake in. Never have I been apart of something so energetic and hopefull. Even children, who were complaining while waiting in line, were excited once Obama started his speech.


To give you a better visual of the rally. I am located somewhere close to, but in front of the huge flag.

My excitement continued while I was on my way back to my apartment. The light rail was packed. I love how much Denver-ites and Coloradoans use this great resource.

Back to homework after my fun field trip! I hear its snowing back home and I am glad that I got to enjoy 50 degree weather for the rally. Three weeks left of the quarter and then expect me home for Thanksgiving, courtesy of Amtrak.

Update: I attended the biggest rally so far!

I'm in Colorado, right?

I had planned to update this blog weekly, but with my current schedule, I am finding it difficult to find the time. Its not Caroline being busy hiking 14-ers or seeing Denver attractions, no it is schoolwork. Who knew that library school would be so much work? With hundreds of pages of reading and small papers I am kept busy while I am out of class.

Pictures of my decorated apartment were going to be in this blog, but I haven't had time to take those pictures. Honestly, I haven't hung up anymore pictures or maps since my first couple days here. I will be attempting to finally finish that sometime this week. On October 1st, I celebrated my month-long presence in Denver. I am able to find my way around my neighborhood now.

The Ross-University Hills Library is now my new public library. It has the most amazing CD and DVD collection and access to many others in the other Denver Public Library branches. Needless to say, my music library has expanded. Of note, my grocery store is right across the street from it. Also in that area is what might be my new dentist! I have some calls to make to make it official.

I can't go a post without mentioning the mountains. The past couple days have not been as sun-filled as usual. Dark clouds are hanging out over the mountains giving an ominous feel, but only a few sprinkles have fallen. The clouds make the mountains look even more intense than usual.

Homework awaits!

First Weekend in Colorado

I'll admit it. Its a little lonely to be living without roommates and be in a brand new city. I have spent the past week mostly in the campus center watching the RNC and using the (reliable) internet. Google maps is in constant use, finding the nearest Wells Fargo, post office, and grocery store. My living room also constantly sports an opened map of Denver.

Thursday was when things picked up. I had orientation for LIS. Got to know some of my new peers and information about the program. There was free food afterward, which is always a plus for me. Then Amanda was down in Denver for work, which meant that she crashed at my place. (Meaning... she slept on a thermarest while I was on the air mattress. I'm a great host, what can I say?) We ran to Target the next morning for apartment necessities and then parted for the afternoon as she went to LoDo for work and I went (south on I-25) to Castle Rock to have supper with my aunt and uncle who were vacationing in Colorado. Amanda used the light rail to LoDo and gives it her approval.

Saturday morning we went (north on I-25) to Fort Collins. Still weird to be driving and having mountains in the distance. Weird that Amanda and I ended up so close together, but looking at our track record, I guess it really isn't. Grew up in Dundas, went to Northfield schools together, decided on the same college (without ever discussing it), same major (ditto on the discussion part), and now same state!

I got to visit Fort Collins during its Tour de Fat. Crazy costumes, beer drinking, and bike riding. Quite the experience, though we didn't go until late afternoon. Highlight of the night might have been the man at Lucky Joe's who had enough trivia for us to be there for hours. I guess I can't go far without having trivia at bars. Learned: origin of the word trivia is from where three roads met and people spread "little bits of information."

I returned to Denver on Sunday and prepared for my first day of graduate school.

Today, I organized more in the apartment and actually cooked my first meal in the kitchen. Its been mostly peanut butter sandwiches. Signed some papers for my work study job. I am happy to announce I now have a job where I get paid to do my homework! I am now a computer lab monitor. Went to my first class and sat in a corner with the other mac users. It went very well and I do have some homework that I can start tonight. Probably after I measure my bedroom to see if I can fit a queen size bed in there.

My parents are coming this weekend with a trailer full of the furniture that I couldn't bring in the Honda. We'll be shopping for a mattress and frame since we have the trailer. I thought the air mattress would be fine for a week or two, but I will be happy to see it go back home. I think the 'rents and I will go sightsee and possibly hit up the Coors Brewery Tour in Golden.

I may not miss the landscape at home, but I do miss the people!

I Made It!

I told you my next post was going to be from Colorado! I arrived about 3 pm (I am now speaking in Mt. time) and immediately starting unpacking the car. I soon had everything inside, but didn't feel like unpacking and organizing right away. I tried to grab some wireless in my apt, but nothing worked so I headed to campus.

FYI: Iowa rest stops have free wireless. For 30 minutes, then charge a small fee.

Campus was packed with freshman, their parents, and DU's version of the Gustie Greeters. Wearing a Gustavus shirt, I did get an "Are you from MN" comment. The "greeter" was from Minnetonka and knew people who go to GAC.

The drive was mostly uneventful. I started out from Fullerton, Nebraska at 8 am. It was quite windy all throughout Nebraska and into Colorado. By chance I stopped at the first rest area in Colorado, which also serves as a Welcome Center. I can't tell you how happy I was to have stopped. They had brochures and maps of everything you could possibly do in CO, organized by regions! A geographer's dream. As a new resident, I stocked up on whatever sounded interesting. The other highlight of the drive was the moment I saw the mountains. They are just so impressive and different from what I am used to, that I smile each time I get a glimpse.

Milestone: The Honda Accord did hit and pass 200,000 miles while in Nebraska.

The apartment is in a great location. It is weird to have all that space for just me. Once I get more furniture in it, I will probably be content. The bathroom on the other hand. Its pink. Like a dusty rose pink. I will get used to it. Just surprised me, when I first saw it. I just can't wait for all my bookcases to come and to go mattress shopping in a couple weeks.

While purchasing milk and batteries (for the air mattress pump) I found a little restaurant on the other side of my block. Pioneers advertises tacos and margaritas. I'm guessing a successful combination ;)

It may be 9:20 pm here, but it feels like midnight to me. I am glad that I don't have to drive anywhere tomorrow!

Goodnight from Denver, Colorado!

Getting close...

The number of days left in Minnesota are becoming fewer and fewer.

Along with the excitement of moving to my favorite region of the United States, come reservations about starting a new life practically on my own. I say practically because of the placement of a longtime friend in a city only an hour away from Denver. Schedules aside, we should be able to visit a few of the many great parks in Colorado. Also visited will be the breweries that enabled Colorado to become the top beer-producing state in 2006 with 23.3 million barrels.

Having visited the Coors Brewery in Golden, Colorado while on Spring Break, I am interested in visiting others. Given the high concentration of breweries, it seems like an interactive way to learn about something apparently important to the state.

My greatest hope for the upcoming year is to be outdoors as much as possible in the vicinity of the topography that drew me to the area in the first place. During past visits I was impressed at the number of people outside. I better start preparing to climb a 14-er.

Still finalizing things in regards to the apartment. Which is being remodeled as I type! Looks like I will be arriving in Denver on September 1st. Just days before I begin orientation and another school year. Hopefully the next post will be from Colorado!