Fickle weather. Deep, stony, mountain gorges. Bike paths and festivals. Rides up the canyons to picnics by the creeks. Cool winds and thunderstorms. Bright sun and clouds that move. Margaritas and popcorn. Shortness of breath on 13,000′ peaks. A change of seasons in twelve hours. Collegiate girls lounging in the sun. Green smoke in the woods. Busses that work.
Visiting makes it harder not to stay.
I used to spend several weeks in Colorado every summer growing up. It’s beautiful, and when I imagine experiencing one of those days that starts out clear and ends up clear but with a big afternoon thunderstorm between, I feel like I’m in a different world.