Colorado Review

I hate running. I like to sleep in until at least 7:30. Here in Colorado — especially, up here in the mountains — this behavior makes me kind of a misfit. By the time I rise and shine and pour my morning cup of lava java (I like mine European — thick), a huge number of the other residents of this hamlet have already 1) ran 8 miles 2) hiked 8 miles 3) skied 8 runs 4) played 8 holes 5) biked 18 miles 6) biked 18 miles in spin class. Yes, Colorado is an active part of the country.

I’m certainly not saying I’m a slug. As a high schooler and into college I was on swim team and tennis team and I typically worked out like a wild banshee. Now that I’m an adult, I’m not going to kill myself in the mornings so I can look like a mini-body builder. I do yoga just about every day — it’s my religion. But my yoga classes start at a sane 4:00 p.m. or later. Other than that, I hike occasionally with my dogs, I ride my bike for a few miles by the horse farms, I snowboard in the winter once or twice a week, I walk on the treadmill at the gym. I would jog on the treadmill for a few minutes too but I have two herniated discs from horse back riding (a lovely activity I pretty much have had to give up).

Activity is good and it’s healthy and running is not only good for the body but it’s great for the mind and really helps people overcome personal/psychological issues. It just isn’t for me. Every Friday (aren’t you supposed to look forward to Fridays!?) in junior high (yuck, anyway), we had to run the “Cross Country,” which was this moronic endurance test in which we jogged four miles in the sweltering mid-day heat. I loathed it. I really did. No matter how hard I tried I could never capture that “endorphin rush” or the “second wind” — I simply lagged right in the middle of the bunch…I never stopped to walk because that was just not my style, but I never ended up sprinting to the front of the pack. I always felt like a loser after that. It ruined my Fridays. Plus all that sweat and grime remained with us the rest of the day — all these shiny, sweaty little pubescent kids. And then they’d serve us lunch: pizza or chicken nuggets or wilted salad with pasta and red sauce. These nasty lunches just proved my theory that the “Cross Country” was a way to destroy us, break us down, make us miserable — they didn’t care about our health! Marco Forster Junior High = Draconian Nightmare.

But back to Colorado. Yes, people are very fit here. Women sport tiny frames and tight little muscles. I guess if I was overweight maybe I’d be more into physical fitness. I’m pretty thin and for that I feel lucky — it’s certainly one thing I don’t have to worry too much about (gaining weight, that is). So, I sleep in while the multitudes of other Coloradans pop up at 5:30 a.m. for their morning work out. Oh…Okay, I did try to work out one very early morning. I went to a 6:00 a.m. Bikram yoga class once and by mid-class I was in the bathroom puking. No, I wasn’t pregnant. My body was just saying, “Nicolle, I am not meant to be awake at this hour bending into bow pose in 100 degree heat. Please, let’s not do this again.”

Just relaxing here on the couch watching some Bronco football. They’re playing Peyton Manning today.

Am I fan of the Denver Broncos? I’ll tell you what…back when I was a teenager living in southern California, I was a very dedicated Bronco fan. I loved Elway and never tired of those bright orange uniforms. I used to watch the Broncos whenever they were on TV, and I wanted so badly to go to a game. But, I was 15 and living in Dana Point, California. I used to dream that I was at Mile High Stadium. I’d watch the highway behind the stands and wonder what it would be like to live in Colorado.

I can’t say for sure, but I think part of the reason I chose to go to the University of Colorado was because of my mythic love for the Broncos. Interestingly, once I moved to Boulder all that love sort of just dissipated. I became totally engrossed in my college life.

And today, 20 years since I became a die-hard Bronco fan from California, I can honestly say I really don’t get all that jazzed by the Broncos any more. In fact, once I moved to Colorado I pretty much divorced myself from the Bronco fan base. There was even a point a few years ago where I rooted for whatever team was playing the Broncos. And I’ve only been to ONE, yes ONE, Bronco game since my 1990 move to Colorado! And I think that game may have been the catalyst that turned me against my once beloved team. The fans scared me. The whole scene gave me the heebie-jeebies! It was all so BIG, over-done. I’d already been to many college football games and I realized I much preferred the college football scene to its NFL counterpart.

Now, I don’t hate the Broncos. I’m actually rooting for them today because they’re the underdogs. But, the CU Buffaloes…that’s my team. I’ve been a Buff fan for 16 years. I wouldn’t say I’m a die-hard Buff fan, but whenever I see the black and gold uniforms a kinship thing kicks in, even a sense of love, loyalty. And I like watching college football quite a bit more than NFL.

I’ll leave a discussion about the CU Buffs to another day. Poor, poor team! I’ll tell you one thing right now, though, they WILL be contenders once again in the next couple years. Coach Hawkins will bring them back into the light.

Well, the national news shows are saying its blizzarding in Colorado today. When my husband woke up and looked out the window this morning we had a good six inches of snow on the ground. It’s still coming down. Now what does that mean for you out-of-towners? It means it’s time to start planning your ski vacation!

I know, I know…it’s expensive to vacation in Vail. What with the price of lift tickets (bordering on the $80 mark), equipment rental, lodging, and dining it’s definitely not a cheap vacation. I don’t work for the resorts or anything remotely like that. I’m not here trying to sell you on anything and besides I’m a terrible salesman. I just want you to know there are inexpensive ways and means to bring your families to the mountains this winter. Numero uno on my list of to-dos as far as affording a Rocky Mountain ski vacation is: Don’t come to Vail. That’s right.

Oh, sure, sure, it’s the biggest ski hill in North America and blah, blah, blah, blah…and yes, the back bowls are amazing, and then there’s Beaver Creek right down the road. But, stop! And remember, Vail is a spendy proposition. Lodging is NOT cheap and it never will be (unless you stay at the Roost — and By God! that IS an option…and from what I hear it’s not THAT bad, but c’mon do you really want your family to stay at the Roost? Maybe not.).

Okay, okay, if you MUST come to Vail here is what I suggest you do:

1. Purchase your lift tickets FIRST. Just do it. Don’t wait. Purchase them online. Purchase them over the phone. Purchase them in bulk. DO NOT purchase them at the ticket counters. You’ll save money this way plain and simple.

2. Reserve your equipment rental next. Do some research on reputable ski rental shops in Vail and reserve your stuff over the phone. You can also demo skis and snowboards for next to nothing (that is, if you’re a good skiier or snowboarder).

3. Now, look into lodging options. If you want to come to Vail and really cannot afford to stay IN Vail, I suggest staying at the nice little Riverwalk Inn right here in Edwards. It’s clean, comfortable, and totally affordable! They even offer a shuttle to Beaver Creek!

Okay, I just offered you some first-hand local advice for your ski vacation. Now, I want you to go here where you’ll get A LOT more information and advice from many other locals and regular visitors. Also take a look at Family Trip Deals!

New York has Sloan Kettering, and Baltimore its Johns Hopkins. Here in the Vail Valley of Colorado’s gorgeous Rocky Mountains we have Steadman Hawkins, a renowned orthopedic center of the highest caliber.

I’ve suffered from back problems ever since a car accident (I was t-boned by a drunken Air Force cadet, and what a little sneaky, dirty jerk he turned out to be at that!) back in March of 1998. I’ve been to many physical therapists, doctors, etc. etc. They’ve all helped me relieve the symptoms (ultrasound, electricity, massage, vice grips, medications) but no one ever got to the heart of the problem until I visited with my Steadman Hawkins orthopedist who recommended (finally, someone did!) that I get an MRI.

You see, just two months ago I was riding my friend’s horse in a trot and suddenly my back tightened up. By the following night, I could barely move and by the time I went to bed I couldn’t even lay myself down the pain was so outrageous. My husband took me to the ER, they told me (as so many other doctors had in the past) that I was suffering a muscle spasm. They prescribed me pain killers, muscle relaxers, and anti-inflammatories, and of course PT and sent me on my way. Thankfully my PTs at Jointworx here in Edwards recommended I see an orthopedist who was affiliated with Steadman Hawkins. I did so. And today I had my MRI.

It did prove what he figured, I have one and possibly two herniated discs. But, the course of action is very conservative: more PT. He also told me, “It just takes time. In time it WILL heal.” I’ll tell you what! I’m going back to my yoga regimen.

Years ago, when I first started suffering from these back problems I just couldn’t get them to go away. I’d suffer almost every other month from intense (dare I say excruciating) pain and off to the PT I’d go. And then I started Bikram Yoga. Say what you will, Bikram yoga nourished and healed my body. It made me strong, physically centered, and I stood a little taller than normal. I didn’t suffer the back pain for many years. But when I stopped doing Bikram (it’s one hell of an expensive yoga class), the back problems slowly re-emerged.

So, I’m headed back to yoga class and to a stronger, happier, healthier bod! Thanks Steadman for helping me see the light.

Okay, I want to blog a little bit today about Colorado weddings. I’ll be attempting to add some pictures also today (so, please bear with me as I try to do this ;>).

I attended a really beautiful wedding this weekend here in the Vail valley that took just one month for the bride (and groom) to plan. It was BEAUTIFUL. It really was a testament to the fact that it DOES NOT HAVE TO TAKE AN ENTIRE YEAR TO PLAN A WEDDING. They had it all: beautiful dress, stunning floral arrangements, great music, lovely ties for the guys, a nice cake, a fun reception at the Singletree Golf Club called Balata (AWESOME BAND)– I danced a little too hard, someone should have removed me from that dance floor!), and all the little accoutrements that go with a wedding (gift bags for out-of-towners, departing gifts; they even decorated the bathrooms at the reception venue). The ceremony was something else. Beautiful bright orange and red flowers were set against the picture window at the Beaver Creek Chapel, which looked out onto trees freshly dusted with new fallen snow. There was much love in that little chapel too. The groom had tears streaming down his face. The two of them held each other so tight as they said their vows. The bride paused before saying each line of the vow the reverend recited as if she was holding their meaning as close to her heart as she could before releasing them into the atmosphere.

Ahhh, a wedding. Now that I’ve been married for almost a year and have been in and to countless others, I feel I can talk about the whole wedding planning process with a fair degree of knowledge. And there are some wonderful places to get married in Colorado! In fact, you don’t even need a priest or witnesses. My husband and I married ourselves (sounds weird but it’s really nice) in front of the fireplace at our favorite local restaurant (Mirabelle). Another friend got married at the stately Stanley Hotel in Estes Park.

If you check out the spirited photography of Jenna Walker (take a look at her blog, which goes through each wedding she photographs) you’ll find even more excellent and unique locations in which to have your Colorado wedding.

If you’ve been to a great Colorado wedding let me know. I’ve been to a lot of them and am always happy to offer advice!

I really can’t stay, but baby it’s cold outs…da de dum de do and so it goes…the lyrics to Bing Crosby’s apropos song.

I’m sitting here watching the Mets and St. Louis and wondering why our sad Colorado Rockies can’t seem to get their way anywhere near the playoffs (much less the World Series! Oh, wouldn’t that be a dream!?).

Anyway, my hubby is down at our local watering hole meeting with his two business partners. We own a string of delis and tomorrow we open our fourth just up the road in Eagle!!! The boys have some kinks to work out and what better way to do it than over a cold beer among dead animals (did I mention it’s hunting season and the watering hole I’m talking about is home to a frighteningly LARGE collection of dead stuffed animals? I didn’t mention it? Well, it’s true, it’s true. And let me tell you it’s some scary $*#@!). What I’m trying to get at here is I’m home alone with my two dogs on a snowy night in the Colorado Rocky Mountains and so I think it’s time to break out the Captain Morgan, the container of apple cider I purchased yesterday, some cinnamon sticks and butter and make myself an Apple Cider Buttered Rum. Won’t you join me?

Yes?

Okay, here’s the recipe:

apple cider
spiced rum
unsalted butter
cinnamon sticks

Place the cinnamon sticks and the apple cider in a non-reactive pan and heat on the stove (don’t let it boil, as then it will be too hot to drink). Pour some rum into a pretty little glass, and plop a little piece of butter in with it, then pour enough cider to fill the glass. Stir it up with one of the cinnamon sticks. Voila and Yum!

Now, let’s sit down by the fire and watch some baseball!

And I’m none too happy about it. Last year was the first year I lived in the mountains. Sure, it gets cold in Denver and other front range communities, but not like it gets up here in Vail. And I’m just not ready for it yet! I mean, the thick socks, the wool sweaters, the boots, and heavy jeans. You forget about it all when your frolicking in the sweet summer sun, and even when you’re out there raking leaves in the cool, brisk autumn splendour. But…OUCH…once old man Winter blows into the Vail valley you realize again what cold is.

It’s cold enough that I don’t want to take my two dogs to the park, okay?! I’m sitting here nice and toasty by the fire, thank-you very much and they are both laying with their heads in between their front paws staring at me in disgust.

Welcome to the Colorado Review, a compendium of information on Colorado and all it has to offer. I moved to Colorado in August 1990 to attend college at the University of Colorado in Boulder. Other than a short stint in Marin County, California in 1995, I’ve lived in Colorado ever since. And although my parents and siblings live in California, I call Colorado my home state.

I moved up to the mountains (to a small town called Edwards, which is located just 10 minutes from Vail) last year and live here with my husband and our two dogs. We have a happy, small town kind of life.

I run a literary blog as well on Typepad, so I’m not new to blogging. I am new to this Word Press program so please be a little patient with me as I learn how to make this thing sing. Any advice or questions you may have please don’t hestitate to leave them in my comments section.

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