You had to be there…

Or just enjoy these pictures!

Hey all! It’s me, Claire.

I’ve been in Colorado for the last week and I’ve decided it’s the most beautiful state I’ve been in (so far). I spent some time with my aunt and uncle and cousins (who have lived in this part of the country for as long as I can remember), lost my car keys, went to a burlesque show, found my car keys, hiked, rested, laundered, camped; it’s been a really good week.

If you’ve only ever been in the eastern part of the US (which I mostly have), you’ll know that you’re not trained to realize how glorious and horrifying; great and dangerous; beautiful and ‘everything-here-could-kill-me’ nature can be. The western part of the country is full of creatures and weather and rock formations that could eat you or drown you or fall on your head at any moment. I have been driving on windy roads at the top of canyons where, even if you don’t like the choice you made, there’s no turning back so just keep driving until you get to civilization. I’m taking care to drive during the day and take breaks if it rains but it’s definitely giving me an appreciation for the great outdoors and how we’re really only guests here.

I’m also realizing that some things you have to see with your own eyes. I have taken a bunch of beautiful pictures but they don’t really capture the moment; maybe it’s my inferior camera or photography skills but it could also be that you can’t hear the birds and feel the breeze and smell the cows that are randomly hiking up the mountain with you. I’m not someone who loves to just sit and look at trees but some of these trees out here— I’m looking. I’m so grateful to have a relatively healthy body that can take me places 12,200 feet above sea level (not to BRAG but my aunt and I hiked 6 miles and 1500 ft. up to the to Ptarmigan Lake). I’ve got hiking poles (thanks, Colorado Colliers) and I know how to use them! I want to keep enjoying the scenery of the places I go while remembering that I can set up a tent anywhere, including in the wilderness of Massachusetts. You don’t need to travel across the country to find beauty in nature. Just go outside! (Remind me I said that when I’m back on the East Coast sitting on the couch in the future.)

My mom once told me that, if you’re not in the picture, how can anyone tell you were really there? Well, you’ll just have to take my word that I did, in fact, see these things with my own eyes. I hope someday you will also get to come see some of them if that’s your thing. If not, just enjoy these pictures:

I made a stop in Denver after Fort Collins and then drove over Loveland Pass (this was before I became a hiker so I just drove up and looked)

My hiking guide, Aunt Liz, took me to Cottonwood Pass for a quick warm-up hike

And I felt very winded but it was very beautiful

And then we hiked to the Lower Lake on the Ptarmigan Trail and Aunt Liz was like, “Do you think you can go a little further?” and I was like, “Heck yea!”

And everything looked like a postcard and I was crowned “hiker”

This was also a special BIRTHDAY hike/day so we celebrated with a little cake

My cousin Stephen and my Uncle Jim washed my car for me (thank you!) and bid me farewell after a lovely visit! Can’t wait to come back soon!

Aunt Liz caravanned with me to Crested Butte where we did another cloudy hike up to Judd Falls

The sun came out to congratulate us for finding the falls

See! I swear I was there!

Then I made my way to Crawford to my Air BnB. I literally stopped in the road to take this picture because it reminds me of Disney World’s Thunder Mountain and because I saw exactly zero other cars for like 50 miles.

A cat sat on my lap (and honestly I didn’t know what to do) while I worked on the porch of this ranch. A LOT of taxidermy in the living room but very nice hosts. If you listen to this picture really hard you can hear the cows mooing which they did through all my zooms.

Then I drove to Naturita where they encourage you to experience a little nature. But it honestly was not as pretty as the other parts of Colorado. Look at what a professional camper I am.

But the sky was still nice and I got a spot right next to the bathroom so it was a good night!

Today I arrived in Utah!

Tomorrow I’ll be checking out Moab, hiking in Canyonlands National Park and visiting Arches National Park. Stay tuned for more pictures of scenery!

-Claire <3

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