Festival Weekend in Telluride Colorado

.As we glided up the mountain on the free gondola ride I posed for the perfect sun kissed selfie only to be reprimanded that I was missing the cute baby black bear directly beneath us. Telluride is a place of extraordinary beauty and adventures so staying alert to it all can be demanding.

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Since the death of my husband, I have been healing by planning trips.  It gives me something to look forward to.  Starting my blog with my solo trip to Thailand helped me keep in touch with family and friends who wee worried about me back home.  The one year anniversary of my husband’s sudden death was coming up and I wanted to be far away. I found it healing to travel to the other side of the world and bathe elephants in the mud on my wedding anniversary with the elephants! 

Another time, I spent a week practicing yoga, taking a writing class and learning to surf in Costa Rica. I did not have a friend to travel with, but met a very nice group of people for the one week retreat. Costa Rica: Runaway to yoga, surfing and writing.

My summer plan was to have an adventure in Colorado with 2 good friends – who like to hike and go to music festivals.  In preparation I took a few long walks and listened to some new music

The 7 hour drive from Denver to Telluride can be done by going south on Highway 50 past the Blue Mesa Reservoir or by taking interstate 70 along the Colorado River through the mountains.  We traveled both routes.

Taking the south road to Telluride I was surprised how hot it was.  We had planned to stop for a hike but it was 99 degrees and the air quality was not ideal due to forest fires in the mountains.

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Colorado River I 70

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Blue Mesa Reservoir

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Once we arrived in Telluride, the temperature was a delightful 75 degrees and the sky was robin egg blue. We settled into our VRBO rental then boarded the free gondola up the mountain to Mountain Village where a concert was being held at an altitude of 9,545 feet.

After dancing to CarolynWonderland, we took the gondola back down into town and discovered the best little taco place called Taco Del Gnar.   For $10 you get 2 tacos, tater tots with queso on top and beans.  Yummy!

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Saturday we ate breakfast then headed out to enjoy a morning hike on Bear Creek Falls trail.  This wide and well traveled trail begins in town and gradually inclines along a river and waterfalls.  I was immediately impressed with the amount of wildflowers along the trail as well as the stunning aspen trees and light along the trail.

While my friends hiked a bit faster than me, I enjoyed stopping, to catch my breath, and take photos in every direction.

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The RIDE festival started Saturday at 12:00 noon so we dressed and headed over to the Town Park for hours of live performances from artists including Ben Harper and The John Butler Trio.  Telluride is well equipped for summer festivals and they had the cleanest porta potties I’ve ever seen, including sinks and a recycling center for festival trash.

The music was uplifting, the setting was spectacular and the sunset into evening brought a slight chill to the air as the favorite bands played on.

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Day 2 was a brilliant repeat of day one.  Hiking the ridge trail from the midway stop on the gondola to Mountain Village, eating delicious Chicago style pizza and salad at Brown Dog Pizza, shopping in town, a bike ride along the river trail beside our lodging, more music at the festival and a late night concert in the New Sheridan Hotel.

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Summer festivals in Telluride occur almost every week and offer so much, even for those of us over the town’s average age of 35.

 

runawaywidow

At the age of 51 I unexpectedly became a widow. For the first 6 months after my husband died, I was in shock and numb. I journaled and with the help of friends, family and therapists was able to get back to living my old life, even if it is now very different. Before I was married, I had spent a semester in England and backpacked around Europe. My husband and I moved from New York to California for 8 years and started a family. Travelling took a back seat to raising a family and going to work everyday. Since the loss of my husband I have visited a lot of places with family and friends and took a solo trip to Thailand. I am enjoying sharing my stories and adventures as well as some of my insights to how I am traveling the path of being a widow. I hope to share my stories and adventures as well as some thoughts on being a middle aged widow. While I have some great experiences traveling to Thailand and cruising to Central America, some of my adventures involve a trip to see a Broadway show in nearby Manhattan and a shopping trip at Bed, Bath and Beyond. If I can inspire anyone to go out and continue to live a good life that would be my greatest accomplishment.

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22 Responses

  1. I am so glad you are on a healing journey. The photos are amazing. Thank you for sharing

  2. Dianne says:

    You’re as young as you feel and with all you did on this trip, I’d say you kept up with that ‘average age’ group! Beautiful photos!

  3. Lisa Haggerty says:

    Just beautiful! Love reading your blog!❤

  4. cedar51 says:

    well that was certainly fun – looking and the gorgeous scenery…

  5. Jenny Day says:

    Gorgeous snapshot of a gorgeous weekend. xo

  6. adkinsdomain says:

    Wow! Amazing pictures! Beautiful, I would love to go!

  7. Such a wonderful two days hike! Love the photos and the nature walk. The small city looks homey as well.

  8. I’m so inspired to go to Telluride now.

  9. Beautiful mountain town!! We haven’t been to Telluride yet, but I definitely want to make it now! Thanks for sharing!

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