Wow. Colorado.  What a trip!  We spent ten days on a whirlwind trip that left me blissfully exhausted and somehow energized at the same time.  The mountains are incredible, and have powers of their own.   I have never been to Colorado, so there was an added exhilaration of seeing the Rockies for the first time.

The first night we travelled through Iowa and Nebraska, but not without a little hiccup concerning our taillights.  It eventually got it taken care of and was less of an issue than it could have been, so that was fortunate.  Once in Denver/Boulder, we played at the Meadowlark Bar, and met some very talented musicians.  We saw Porches from New York, Mason Church and the Levels from Denver, and Twin Peaks also from Denver.  Excellent bands worth checking out if you haven’t already!  We also met a woman named Heather, a filmmaker following Porches on their tour around the country.  She was making a documentary about the band, and recording their adventures and struggles on the road.  She interviewed us and asked some great questions about what it takes to be in a band, its rewards, and the sacrifices that have to be made to make it work.  I hope to see that documentary someday, and I’ll let you know if I ever get a hold of it.

The next day we drove to Crawford, a small town in southern Colorado.  We spent about five days at a beautiful location toward the end of the Rockies called Smithfork Ranch.  This place was magical.  We went horseback riding, played and sang at campfires under brilliantly starry skies, hiked up Needle Rock, tried archery–(I attempted, Bob excelled), tracked a mountain lion, ate like kings out of a giant garden, and met an adorable black lab named Boo.  We also went to see Black Canyon—a breathtaking sight, and played at café about fifteen miles away with the same name.  Apparently Joe Cocker used to own this little café, and it was everything you might expect it to be.  The people were smiling and friendly, the drinks were bottomless, and they even fed us prime rib with all the fixin’s when we done performing.  I went to sleep that night a happy girl!

A couple days later we played at a fantastic little bar, in the fantastic little town of Paonia, Colorado.  Revolution Brewing is a gem tucked in a perfect neighborhood house on Main Street, just down the road from everything else in this town.  They brew their own beer, six different “flavors” to be exact, all delicious, and they make their own cherry soda—which I helped myself to several brimming glasses of—also delicious!  It was one of the best nights we had in Colorado.  The weather was great, the drinks were again, bottomless, we were tipped with some very tasty pizza, and the people were generous, sincere, and became friends as soon as they walked through the door.  The night was just spectacular, and as a performer, I have never felt more confident and connected to the audience and the music.  For me that night will always be a cherished memory and a highlight of our first tour through Colorado.  Thank you Paonia!

We reluctantly left that Monday morning, but the drive through the rugged and regal Rockies made it easier.  Once back in Boulder, we spent a couple days exploring the area and went to a couple of open mic nights.  We played at The Laughing Goat Café on our last night in Colorado, and again, were overwhelmed with the reception and response to our music.  After all is said and done, Colorado’s finest attribute is not it’s terrain or natural beauty, which are exquisite and inspiring to say the least, but it’s the people who live there that make it a unique and wonderful place to be.  They are genuine, sweet, interesting and passionate!  Thank you Colorado, and we’ll be back!

Shine on,
Statue of Liberty