Travel is not as fun as it used to be… but I am getting upgraded more. So, I can have a cocktail while the back of the plane is left out. It’s not really fair, but I enjoyed it, because sipping a cocktail is an excuse to remove your mask.
The purpose of the trip was college drop off for Joseph, and it was a series of highs and lows. The excitement of starting college collided with the reality of the pandemic restrictions. I planned some photography outings, not all of which worked out, but I got these two in…
university of colorado boulder
The school is trying to stay open, and to that end, all students living in the dorms were tested. That is a good plan, but it breaks down when the students living off campus are not being tested. It presumes that the dorm residents will not interact with the off-campus community. I guess this is being rationalized by having only online classes, which of course begs the question of ‘why go to Colorado at all?’ The school is publishing a COVID Dashboard, which the students suspect is inaccurate. It does not match the NYT reporting on the spread of COVID in the universities.
They could be sent home in 2 weeks, I’m sure it will be after the tuition is paid… there is a huge economic surge when parents come to drop off students. A lot of money is spent in the community, at restaurants and hotels, and at shops. Now that the students have arrived, they are faced with the reality of COVID prevention: masks, online classes, no parties, no rushing, no people in your room, no gym, no library, no pool, no sports.
It’s a sad start and they are missing out on so much of the college experience. But the reality is that the kids are all in the same boat, and they will make more friends and will find ways to have fun. It’s better that they are together on campus for as long as possible. We saw the isolation of online learning last year, and it was depressing. Boulder is beautiful and there are a lot of things they can do to get off campus.
colorado wildfires
California and Western Colorado were on fire, while we were there the news reported that 13% of the fires were under control. It was a statistic I found alarming, since that meant 87% of the fires were out of control. As our visit progressed there was more and more of a haze of smoke and ash in the air. The air quality was unhealthy, and people were advised to stay inside. It made the acclimatization to the altitude even more difficult. I had a headache for days. The masks made it even harder that usual to catch your breath.
logistics
colorado website
colorado guide
estes park website
We drove up to Estes Park and visited the historic Stanley Hotel, which inspired Stephen King to write The Shining. They have hotel tours, and the property is reportedly haunted. What else can you ask for in a hotel?
The plan was to take a scenic drive through the Rocky Mountain National Park, but this did not work out because we needed a reservation, and they were sold out for the day. This did not even occur to me. We stopped at the Visitor Center, which was closed. Nothing about this outing worked out!
estes park guide
estes park map
hotel
It’s fun to stay in downtown Boulder, but that is very expensive during move-in week. Rather than the Hotel Boulderado, off of Pearl Street, we were in a more utilitarian option. We stayed in Louisville at the Courtyard Marriot Broomfield, which was very convenient, only 10 minutes from Boulder. It was right next to all the stores needed to furnish a dorm – Super Target, Office Depot, etc.
restaurants
snooze
I love the chili verde benedict with beef barbacoa ~ so good, that I kept going back. Joseph loved the shrimp and grits. Snooze is slow. So, if they are packed, order to go, but not first thing on Sunday morning. I was the first online order on Sunday at 7:01 am, and it took an hour to get my food – more that 30 minutes after the promised time. It’s the same when they put you on the waiting list – it can be 30 minutes or more after the estimate. The Buff is also a good breakfast place, but we didn’t get there this trip.
next door american eatery
The food was good, as were the margaritas. They have the restaurant opened, but you actually don’t interact much with the staff. You download an app and order and pay for your food, then it is delivered to your table. It worked pretty well, and limits risks of exposure, so why not?
roxie’s tacos
This a fusion of Indian and Mexican food, on the hill. We chose it for the kids, and it was fun. You order at the counter, then buy your drinks and they call when your food is ready. They serve queso and guacamole and tacos with Indian filling. It’s good.
