It's worth mentioning that while enjoying the very intimate atmosphere at the Equinox Microbrewery, we met two guys whose kindness and hospitality remind us that maybe the world isn't such a big, cold, and lonely place after all. Juliet and I had passed by the Equinox several times while wandering the main drag of the town. Upon peering into the windows it became clear that this was very much a local hangout nestled dangerously close to the tourist traps of chain restaurants. We had made it a goal to tour some of the nationally renowned microbreweries that has made Fort Collins famous over the past decade. Among the heavy hitters in the line-up was New Belgium Brewery as well as O'Dell, the lesser known, but certainly not lesser neighbor of New Belgium. To complete our brewery mini-circuit we decided to go investigate what seemed to make the Equinox so special. For one, it's tiny. The owner, we were told, hand schleps bags of grain, malt, and hops around the back of the store to truly hand-craft every batch of beer that runs through the taps. For two, the Equinox has no "staple" beers. Every beer is subject to rotations. It is a double edged sword knowing you might never get bored of the same beers, but also realizing that your new favorite will only be around for a limited time.
Juliet and I were just finishing up an epic game of battleship. I only had my little scout ship remaining, while Juliet, dominant throughout most of the game, had been slowly reduced to her submarine. From out of the corner of her eye Juliet saw a man enter the patio area and as he desperately scanned the crowd for an empty table to sit, Juliet invited him to join us. Reluctant at first, the man took a seat because it was a better option than standing there awkwardly having declined our invitation.
Mark, it turned out, was a very successful entrepreneur who was from Fort Collins but had lived in California for a number of years. During that time, he met Brian, a good friend who would join our hardy crew later in the evening. Mark, his wife, his 8 year-old son, and Brian all lived together. Suffice it to say, the house Mark had built left nothing to be desired in terms of elbow room and may have been featured on an episode of MTV Cribs. Here's a summary of said episode: blah blah blah, lakefront, blah, spiral staircase, blah blah, custom carved wood door featuring crane, blah blah, Ferrari, blah, wine cellar, blah blah, elevator, blah, hot tub, blah blah, load bearing fish tank pillar, blah blah. But Mark had never led on to how successful he was. When he invited us to come and stay at the house he simply said: "here's my card, I wrote the address on the back. Feel free to just drive by and if you feel like stopping and getting a hot shower and comfortable bed to crash on then so be it." For all we knew at the time he resided in a studio apartment but in the end I guess I'm glad we took our chances.
Brian, being a native Californian (hopefully California is still around by the time we get that far west), was BIG into beach volleyball. And it just so happened that open games were happening in town that night. So did we go and play beach volleyball in bare feet and t-shirts and shorts at midnight during the last week of September? Of course we did. And it was awesome. Thanks again to Mark and Brian. It isn't everyday that two people will treat two strangers like family and how refreshing it is to be received with such generosity. We couldn't have been luckier.
But bye-bye Fort Collins. For each thing we accomplished in Fort Collins we added three more to the to-do list. Highlights: the HUGE and beautiful city park, breweries abound, the Equinox, new friends, proximity to the mountains, swimming in Poudre Canyon (picnic rock), and the way cool Miramont indoor climbing gym (college night = $5 w/ access to pristine showers!), plus special guest appearance by Peter Dodge. We'll be back.
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Up on a mountain side is the small town of Leadville, CO. It is located south of I-70 at the base of Mt. Albert, Colorado's highest peak. So what's in Leadville worth blogging about? Well, a lot of lead I assume and lead has proven useful in many of the manufactured products that we all use on a daily basis (eat your heart out Silverton). But what brought us to Leadville was our friend Sara, and the High Mountain Institute. No, it isn't a place where a bunch of hippies were exiled to sing coom-bye-ya and do tye-dye at 10,000 feet. It is an alternative private school for 11th graders. Our friend Sara assists in teaching science to these students. During our two day exile, I mean stay, at HMI, we were forced to, I mean had the pleasure of: 1.) waking up before the sunrise to make breakfast for fifty whiny teenagers, 2.) spending a very hot day planting trees (wait, isn't winter coming?) in soil that had the consistency of hardened cement, and 3.) sharing close living proximity with the sights, sounds, and smells, of giardia-infected staff members. Thanks Sara, we'll make sure to visit again real soon.
But all kidding aside, Juliet and I agreed that what they are doing at HMI is really something special. I've actually never used the words "11th grader" and "happy" in the same sentence before, but the evidence was convincing. Smiling, laughing, high energy, willingness to cooperate and use teamwork. Yep, these kids actually looked genuinely happy. It's amazing what a little bit of sunshine and a sense of belonging can do to a young person. Now if only we could take lessons from such a school and apply them to the prison-like public school system. Hmmm... I feel a dissertation coming on.
Thanks Sara, the HMI staff, and kids! We had a blast (and we don't mean the giardia-induced kind)! What a beautiful area to be in. Just simply a gorgeous mountain town without the commercialization, destruction of landscape, and overcrowding often associated with the more developed mountain towns (I'm looking at you Vail).
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Onward! To Fruita Colorado where the mountain bike trails flow freely down the foothills of the Rockies like water down the Mississippi. Stay tuned for beta on the Fruita area as we learn the hard way what you can learn from the comfort of your own home!
Comments, suggestions and rude remarks can be sent to: julietandjon@gmail.com
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| Mark's back yard |
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| Yup, we got lucky... |
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| Brian, Juliet, Mark himself |
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| Juliet and her new friend |
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| O'Dell = Awesome |
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| Taking in the moment... |
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| O'Dell inner-workings |
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| Self-explanatory |
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| Cut and shave = $10!? Thank you Boulder |
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| High Mountain Institute |
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| Sara. Again self-explanatory |
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| Playing hookie from shoveling dirt |
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| Mt. Albert on the left |
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| Goodbye Sara! Goodbye Leadville! Thank you!! |
Hey guys.
ReplyDeleteI hope all is well and that this post really works this time. I can't tell you how many times I've mentioned what you two are doing to others and the reaction is always the same, "which I would have done that!".
Take good care, be careful.
Love, Dad.
ps- got that thing to puncture the butane cans.