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Colorado Dreams

Once upon a time, visiting Denver helped me connect with myself. Returning with my children will help us all connect with a post-COVID world.

By Kelli Lynn GreyPublished 4 years ago 6 min read
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Colorado Dreams
Photo by Jeff Brown on Unsplash

I traveled to Denver, Colorado, three months prior to asking for my divorce.

I was officially attending a networking event for writers. However, I spent most of the trip wandering around the city, performing some type of walking meditation. With assistance from THC-infused chocolate, I allowed my mind to relax and my perspectives to shift.

I met people with curiosity and wonder. I stopped to smell the irises in bloom across the city. I marveled at the way I'd temporarily traded Southern Appalachia's muddy waters and rolling hillsides for the clear currents of the South Platte River and the jagged beauty of the Rocky Mountains in the distance.

Compared to Georgia, the land out West feels new. And, the simple act of physically being there inspires personal renewal. In my past, this meant recognizing my own sovereignty. I replenished the inner strength it took to leave an unhealthy marriage, as well as to face the cancer diagnosis which quickly followed.

I finalized my divorce in 2019, and my ex-husband swiftly became an ex-patriot, relocating permanently to Costa Rica. 2020 was to be the first year my children and I spent entirely on our own. We already viewed our tiny apartment as a type of chrysalis, but COVID-19 has locked us inside.

When the pandemic ends, the world outside will have changed. It will be marked in new ways by its losses, as well as by humanity's collective response of gratitude and grief. My family will need to relax our minds, to celebrate each other and to expand our perspectives as we confront the new world. Colorado is the perfect place for that.

The trip centers on my children and I. However, we invite friends to join us. As tweens, the children deeply value each other's company. Meanwhile, the adults can coordinate to provide childcare some nights and to explore Denver's dispensaries and iconic music venues on others. This fantasy adventure unfolds in the following scenes.

By JJ Shev on Unsplash

Arrival

It is my children's first experience flying on a plane. They are afraid, but they are happy. From the Denver airport, we take the the light rail across the prairie and into the city, finally arriving at Union Station. My daughter and I both feel oddly exhilarated by public transportation. Observing people inspires our creativity. Movement, without the responsibility of driving, is soothing.

Within Union Station, we all purchase our transportation passes for the week, and my children spend a long time photographing the stunning architecture with their phones. They see beauty everywhere, especially in new places and in shapes which remind them of a different time.

They are also excited to learn that we've already reached our primary destination. We'll be spending the upcoming week above Union Station in the Crawford Hotel. This means we each get access to one complimentary scoop of ice cream per day at the Milkbox Ice Creamery, as well as other perks. One of these is trying out a Tesla!

After settling into our rooms, we spend the first evening exploring Denver's open air mall, which is a 7 minute walk from Union Station and the Crawford. Street vendors gather there, and it's a great opportunity to ease into the exhilarating feeling of being far from home. We look for places to dine within the mall and know that, if all else fails, the Cooper Lounge will be open at the Crawford when we return.

By Cooper Le on Unsplash

Denver by Day

Unlike Georgia's hillsides, the mountains near Denver often feature fresh fallen snow. My children love snow. The way it blankets everything contributes to the feeling of renewal we are seeking on our trip.

We pile into a rental car and head out on a day trip to Colorado's Frisco Adventure Park.

We don't know how to ski, but that's okay at Frisco. We can slide in snow tubes, go for sleigh rides and even step into gigantic plastic balls and attempt to knock over enormous plastic bowling pins. We take pictures. We make memories. We laugh.

Over the next days, when we're seeking more warmth, we head to Red Rocks to check out the iconic amphitheater, hike and climb. We feel wonder and magic in the land. It's unlike anything we've seen back home.

Finally, we head to Elitch Gardens Theme Park where we can experience familiar thrills in a whole new way. We ride roller coasters and play carnival games. Then we head to Elitch's Trocadero Theatre to enjoy Smoke and Mirrors, an interactive show where stage magicians mesmerize us with comedy, illusions and performance art.

Other days, we stay local and ride the buses and trains around the Denver streets I walked on my life-affirming trip in 2018. This time, my children and I stop and smell irises together. Before, I took photos of the iconic Pete's Kitchen and the Mexican food landmark Satire Lounge. Now, my children join me inside.

By MARK HESSLING on Unsplash

Denver by Night

After full days exploring the city and taking trips to Frisco Adventure Park, Red Rocks and Elitch Gardens, the children relax at the Crawford while the adults take turns providing childcare and heading out into the night.

On my first night out, I recite poetry near Union Station at Tattered Cover's open mic. Then, I curl up with some delicious coffee and plan the rest of my nights. I want to visit as many landmark venues as possible. I want to dance all night to rock-n-roll music, jazz and the blues. I want to eat interesting meals while discovering new music within intimate settings.

My list of venues to visit begins with the Milk Bar. The Milk Bar's name is an homage to Stanley Kubrick's disturbing and iconic film The Clockwork Orange. Entered via an alleyway, Denver's Milk Bar occupies the basement level of an industrial building and consists of multiple rooms.

Each room within the Milk Bar centers on a theme. The cozy jazz room reminds me of something I once saw in a dream. Meanwhile, the red room and green room are my favorites, but I can only absorb so much of their creepy cool vibe before I have to leave. I shake off the experience in the billiards room of the Skylark Lounge and on the dance floor at Ophelia's Electric Soapbox or at the Mercury Cafe.

Westword has been the independent voice of Denver since 1977. I scan the paper for ideas on how to spend the remaining nights and find promising acts at The Bluebird Theater, The Paramount and The Marquis. The Marquis also serves pizza. I eat some topped with basil, mushrooms and artichoke hearts. It's divine.

By Dayne Topkin on Unsplash

Departure

When the time comes to leave, we wake up early. Adults and children all head out to explore Denver's River North Art District. Locals call it The RINO. There, the murals which cover buildings and bridges are said to change frequently, sometimes even daily. The only thing constant is the pulse of creativity running through this part of the city. Maybe it's the creativity itself which breeds the change.

We absorb the weight of this revelation. We honor it. We feel inspired.

We walk to the edge of the clear, flowing South Pratte River. We remember the muddy waters waiting for us back home. We prepare to return to Union Station, where we will board the light rail train to the airport. Feeling all at once centered, sad and hopeful--we tell Denver goodbye.

family travel
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About the Creator

Kelli Lynn Grey

I'm a professional copywriter & educator who writes essays and poems as Kelli Lynn Grey.

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