You know how you’re just strolling along being all healthy and fine, and maybe even bragging about how the sickness hasn’t hit your house in a long time?
And then what happens…
Well, for me, I drove up to New York to visit my in-laws for Easter and came back with a little souvenir. Namely, a cold and some intestinal upset. But I healed quickly because we weren’t going to be plagued by the sickness.
Then I went to book club, had a few glasses of wine (just two because I’m being good) and headed home for a night in bed. Only my six year old was sitting on the couch waiting up for me.
Turns out he threw up while I was gone and definitely had the sickness. It came, it went, it came, it went. And by the time it was almost gone, it hit me.
Now, I can appreciate a good old flu sometimes. The kind that can make you shiver and shake and then feel like you’re going to sweat yourself silly. Sometimes it’s nice to give in to the only thing your body needs: rest.
But I didn’t much appreciate the timing of this flu as it hit two days before I was scheduled to fly out to Denver. I was hoping, hoping, that this flu would give me one day of sickness, one day of recovery, and then I’d bounce back to normal.
Well, I’m not normal but I did bounce back pretty quickly thanks to the good old standbys of ginger ale, chicken soup, white rice, and bananas. However, as mentioned, I was traveling to Denver.
I mean, part of the joy of traveling is discovering and sampling new food, right? Am I right? And how could I do that with an upset tummy? Actually, I have been sampling the food and posting that stuff all over Instagram. And fortunately for me, a little stomach flu will definitely make you exercise portion control.
But the real reason I was excited about this trip (aside from the food and the Lifesavers Conference) was that I get to visit a new state!
Out of 50 states, I’ve been to roughly half of them (yes, I count a layover in an airport as having visited a state) and I still get a thrill when I can check another one off my list. For me, it was Colorado. My first time.
The problem with Denver and my impression of Colorado overall is that I had preconceived notions about this state. In my mind, it was all Rocky Mountain high with mountains everywhere and ski sweaters and a rustic charm.
All those notions were crushed on my flight in today.
I grabbed a window seat, logged onto wifi, and tracked our progress across the country.
I watched the skies change from swirly, sandy looking clouds to a white ocean of clouds.
I followed the ground intently as I saw the flat landscape showcase clusters of windmills and the occasional farm.
We started our descent and I kept looking for the mountains.
Surely, we must still be over Kansas.
Lower and lower and still no mountains. It looked like I could see out for hundreds of miles across the flat landscape.
Out of nowhere, the runway appeared below us and I grabbed my first shot of Denver.
 Seriously, Denver? Where are your mountains? Where are the ski slopes? Where is the Duncan family from Good Luck, Charlie?
And then, as if mocking me, these ominous skies appeared.
Freaky skies, I believe, were the actual words I used to describe them. And then, to further mock me, I went to enter the airport bathroom and saw this…
And I’m definitely thinking we landed in Kansas by accident.
However, I went to grab my bag from baggage claim and saw this strange carousel apparently for skis. (Or golf clubs, if that’s your thing).
So it turned out that we were in Denver after all. I described my crushed dreams of mountain land to my driver on the way to the hotel and he told me that many people don’t realize that Denver isn’t actually in the mountains. In fact, everything east of the Rockies is pretty much prairie. Translation: like Kansas flatlands.
All the main cities of Colorado are actually situated in the foothills so the mountains are really more of a backdrop. I feel a little robbed. Or maybe uneducated. Next time, I guess I learn a little more about where I’m visiting before I actually visit.
11 comments
Wow! I had no idea. I always thought of the higher elevation and cool weather. Thanks for the heads up.
2 things…1. the airport isn’t really near Denver proper. 2. go to Telluride.
It’s true! Most people that have never been to Denver think it is IN the mountains. And our crazy airport is a good 40 minute drive from the city, practically Kansas. I live in Lakewood and in 15 minutes can be IN the mountains.
I hope the rest of your trip was better!
I remember my first time going to Denver and I thought the same thing…where’s all the mountains and the snow and the pretty greenery and why is it so flat?
And then my husband explained where exactly Denver is and that it is not in fact in the mountains but when you do go to the mountains man is it beautiful out there.
Yep. Totally have to go west a couple of hours to get to the mountains. 🙂 If you go east from the airport, boring, prairie land. South of Denver, though, in Colorado Springs (about an hour I think?) is pretty nice and offers a bit of mountains and scenic area – you can see Pike’s Peak and go to the Garden of the Gods – both are pretty nice. Not sure you have the time though. 🙂
We moved our airport to Kansas. Don’t ask me why. LOL But there are mountains!!! Look west. 😉
If you go to Denver again, you might want to go to this site first: http://www.denver.org/
Oh how I wish clear, blue skies would have greeted you because then our purple mountain majesty would have whispered, “Hello, visitor.”
Check out a map next time.
Thanks for the advice, Abbey. Something I would have NEVER thought of!
what a rube. i guess that you think that Central Florida has great surfing and that all of Louisiana has lei clad part fiends roaming the interstates.