Rockin the Rockies

I've recently made a pretty big move with my life. I sold all my things, packed my bags and drove across the continent to come explore the southwestern United States. First stop: Colorado. This fall mountain vibe is really a dream. It is slowly getting colder and colder but compared to Canada, it is a LOT sunnier.

Since the United States is so similar to Canada, it is easy to forget that I am ‘abroad’.  However, once in a while, tiny details will pop out of nowhere and I will secretly smile at the reminder that every day is an adventure. For example, I knew food portions were generally bigger in the States, but I have really been surprised to see the size of their… yogurts!! It is silly I know, but every time I walk in the grocery store and see those ogre-size yogurts, I remember where I am. I have to constantly convert kilometers to miles to estimate how far I am from something, and also convert Celsius to Fahrenheit to know how to dress in the morning. Another aspect that I love is the meaning of bilingualism. My whole life, I was surrounded by English and French. I knew at an early age that I should learn English if I wanted to open doors professionally. Here, bilingualism takes a whole new meaning for me. It’s not English and French, but English and Spanish. At the store, at the gym, on the radio, Spanish is everywhere. Good thing I have a basic knowledge and had the intent on practicing further. I am definitely in the right spot to do that!

I cannot talk about Colorado without talking about the outdoors. It is really the highlight of my time here. I was looking forward to hiking in the Rockies and marking another item off my bucket list: climbing a 14er! 14ers are those mountains that raise over 14,000 feet. There are 54 just in the state of Colorado! I was able to reach the top of the ‘easiest’ one. Only 53 to go. Ha! I had definitely underestimated the impact that altitude would have on my body. We started the hike around 9 am on a weekday, which was great because the trail wasn't as busy than on a weekend. After only 30 minutes of walking, I started to realize that it was going to be an intense ride. I had to take countless breaks and keep my chocolate chips in my pocket for a boost of energy. 

As if that wasn’t enough, the wind was so strong that some people had decided to turn around and warned us on their way down. We thus went slowly, but surely. Tom (my partner in crime) was super patient with me as he knows that altitude hiking is not easy. The sun was shinning and the view was breathtaking, which made all the effort worthwhile. Eventually, we reached the top of Mount Bierstadt. The 360-degree view was absolutely amazing. I was standing in the middle of the Rockies, miles away from home, accomplishing something I had never thought would even be on my bucket list. That is what I appreciated the most about the experience; it was never something I thought I would do so it made the experience twice as exciting. We tried to stay as long as possible to enjoy the accomplishment, but the gusts of wind were making us lose balance and the rocks were very uneven, so we decided to head down before we broke something.  The hike down was a lot easier as I could breathe more freely with every step I took. In that moment, I was so thankful that Tom converted me to the hiking-pole team. With the strong wind, and my tired legs I don’t know how I would have gotten back down without them. I was so incredibly proud when I reached the parking lot again, and I rode the wave of adrenaline all the way down the mountain as we drove through the yellow aspens, dreaming of my next 14er ascend.

I was able to get a couple more hikes in following the 14er. Tom and I went to the Lost Creek Wilderness trail – his favorite! We were out there in early November so the volume of visitors was definitely lower than during the high season. We saw a few people but no one who camped overnight like we did. After two hours of gorgeous trail walking,  Tom led me to our camping spot. We set up our tent between large boulders to protect ourselves from the wind, and close enough to the creek so we could filter water. Tom then took me on a short side hike to show me the breathtaking view that made this hike unforgettable. We only had to walk 20 minutes from our campsite, but we did have to go through huge boulders and crawl in small spaces to eventually reach the open canyon. The secret trail made me feel so privileged to be here and to see this jaw-dropping canyon view. 

Once back at the camp site, we were lucky enough to find cut wood – someone had left it there all prepared. It’s always a lengthy task to go pick up wood to keep a fire going for a couple hours so we were extremely excited and thankful to find that someone had left some for us. We made dinner – ‘delicious’ ramen noodles and dehydrated mashed potatoes (mostly because this type of food reduces the weight we carried in) – and had tea by the fire as the sun set. Moments like these make my soul smile. The next day, after an oatmeal and coffee breakfast in the sun light, I felt like superwoman on the trail. My heart, lungs and legs got accustomed to the altitude and I felt much better hiking than the first day. I felt like I was frolicking the whole way and birds were singing and dancing around me. Nature is definitely my happy place!  

A couple of weeks later, I headed to Boulder – about a 45-minute drive outside Denver – to meet up with a friend I met in Punta Arenas (Chilean Patagonia) about three years ago. I never thought I would be able to meet up with her again in my life but I was so happy it happened. Camille is a Colorado native and a nature lover (like all Coloradans I think), so she knew all about the good trails. She brought me to the Flatirons area and we went on the Royal Arch Trail. I never clued in that there would be an Arch until I actually saw it, and it was pretty cool. Sun shinning over me, the city of Boulder at our feet, and snow on the ground. The fact that I got a flat tire on my way back home barely but a dent in my day’s satisfaction! What I loved most about this day was the reunion with a friend I met half a world away. 

Since I have been in Colorado, this is the second friend I was able to meet up with. The first one is a girl from Florida who I met seven years ago when we volunteered at the same time in Costa Rica. Once again, I never thought I would have had the chance to see her again. These surprise reunions are without a doubt my favorite part of traveling. 

Finally, one cannot come to Denver without attending at least one sports game. With their football, baseball and hockey teams, this city is sports central! Since the Broncos are not doing too well this season (bummer), tickets are a little more affordable! I was able to get a ticket to a game against… well I don’t even remember (big football fan here clearly). What I DO remember is sitting at the very top of the Mile High Stadium, the incredible energy of the orange-dressed fans, and - most of all - the amazing sunset over the Rockies. I cheered all night for a losing team, but I ate greasy foot, drank beer and had a pure blast! 

I initially came here without expecting too much, but the people around me demonstrated so much interest in showing me around that it made all the difference in the world. A big reason why I am loving this trip is because I am seeing the area through the eyes of the locals.

Although I can indulge in the comforts of speaking the language, being able to drive myself where and when I want, and knowing a few friends around, I still live this as an adventure and try to learn as much of the country’s history, culture and politics as possible. I certainly did not expect to like the United States this much, but I am already very impressed. I am now looking forward to snowshoeing, mountain cabin weekends, amazing snowboarding and a sunny winter!! 

I you are thinking of heading this way this winter, let me know!

Thanks for reading,

Daphné