February 2025: Chautauqua Park, Boulder Reservoir, and Nederland

(View of the Flatirons from Chautauqua Park)

The day after our escapades in Fort Collins, we decided to do some more exploring around Boulder. After our morning routine of breakfast, coffee, and getting a small fire going in the wood burning stove, we loaded up into the car and set off. Our first stop was to be Chautauqua Park which was right on the outskirts of downtown. There was still plenty of snow covering the parking lot and parking was limited, but we managed to secure a spot without too much trouble. We were immediately caught off guard at how beautiful it was! Ralphie was still growing accustomed to being in the snow and we didn't want to push him too hard, so we stuck to an outer trail where the snow had already been heavily packed down. All of the trails that went deeper into the park still had about 6 inches of snow and would have been challenging. Although it was an outer loop trail it still offered stunning views of the Flatirons and of downtown Boulder. We only ventured about two miles in before we decided to head back towards the car.

(Brigitte and Ralphie in Chautauqua Park, with downtown Boulder in the distance)

Our next stop after the park was the Boulder Reservoir. Like the Horsetooth Reservoir the day before, it was completely frozen over and covered in snow. Even from the road, we could see the various tracks of deer and other wildlife that had crossed the frozen tundra. Unlike the reservoir in my home state of Rhode Island, this was fully open to recreational activities and as we drove through the surrounding park, we could see many locations where kayaks and even small sailboats were able to be rented. We stopped in the main parking lot and walked out along a plowed path that circumnavigated the reservoir. Unable to resist, I took off down towards the lake and onto one of the docks so I could see for myself how frozen the lake was. Reaching the far end of it, I reached down and began digging into the snow until I reached the ice. Yep, it was pretty solid. 

(Boulder Reservoir covered in thick ice and snow)

After stopping back at the cabin for a quick lunch, we decided to drive out into the mountains to check out Nederland, Colorado. Our mountain cabin was technically within the boundaries of Nederland, but we hadn't yet seen any of the town. This was our first opportunity to drive into the mountains and we were excited to experience it. The drive itself was peaceful with plenty of stunning scenery to appreciate while we traveled. Winding along the mountain roads, we were treated to views of distant, snowcapped mountains. After roughly 20 minutes of driving, we arrived at a welcome sign for the town. Nederland proper was small but charming. There had been advertisements for a coffee bookshop which obviously piqued my curiosity but upon our arrival it was clear that they were closed for the season. Across the street, we saw another coffee shop that was actually several old train cars stuck together. In desperate need of coffee and not wanting to miss out on this unique experience, I pulled into the parking lot. The inside of the shop was just as cute and interesting as I had anticipated and as I waited for my latte to be made, I walked through each of the train cars. If you're ever in the area, I highly recommend checking out Train Cars Coffee and Kava. They are directly in the middle of the Peak-to-Peak Highway and are also known for their world-famous Mini Donuts, which were in high demand that day.

(Inside view of two of the train cars that make up the cafe)

On top of being a cute, small, mountain-town, Nederland also provides access to a nearby ski lodge, Eldora Mountain Resort. We made the drive up to Eldora to check it out and were surprised to see how busy it was on a standard workday. From what I've heard, this ski resort is pretty small compared to most in Colorado but being that it's nestled off the Peak-to-Peak highway and away from the larger, touristy cities, it has become a local favorite. If you're ever in the area, it may be worth stopping by! Since neither of us were prepared to ski and we doubted they had skis in Ralphie's size, we did a quick lap and drove back down the mountain. With dusk arriving early in the mountain valleys, we figured it was a good time to start heading back to the cabin to rest up for the next day.

February 2025: Exploring Fort Collins

Now that we were all settled in our Boulder cabin, we quickly fell into a new routine. We were still on Central Time from living in Austin, Texas and spending a month in Omaha, Nebraska, and we found ourselves waking up an hour earlier than we were accustomed to. Deciding that we would get more out of the day, we just rolled with it. Our morning routine now consisted of waking up before sunrise to make breakfast and coffee while I got a small fire going in the wood burning stove. Even with the overnight temperatures dropping down into the single digits outside, it never got below 50 degrees in the cabin. Not exactly ideal, but better than freezing temperatures. A few logs in the wood burning stove would quickly warm the cabin up to the 60-degree range while we ate breakfast. Each morning, we watched as the sun rose up over the tops of the nearby mountain peaks and warm, golden sunlight poured in through the windows. I still can't think of a more peaceful way to start the day.

It was our first full day in Colorado and we decided to drive up to Fort Collins to do a little exploring. The drive would only take us about an hour and we decided we would stop to get lunch while we were there. Brigitte found several locations offering gluten-free options and we settled on a take-out restaurant called Liminal, which was 100% dedicated gluten-free and only used whole foods with zero preservatives. If humans weren't eating it 200 years ago, they weren't serving it. We both ordered bowls to-go and, oh lordy, that was some of the best take-out either of us had eaten. Our bowls were packed full of so much food and, somehow, it was incredibly cheap. If you're ever in Fort Collins, I highly suggest checking it out. 

We were completely stuffed and decided to drive further into Fort Collins to check out their downtown strip and the Old Town Square. Parking on the main strip was easy to find, and we could immediately see how charming it was. There were great looking restaurants, shops, cafes, a theater; everything you could hope to find. An ad for the city had informed us that Fort Collins had been the inspiration for Disney's Main Street U.S.A., which was fitting. 

Brigitte had found another highly rated gluten-free location called Explorado Market which was located in the Old Town Square portion of downtown Fort Collins. It was so cute, and the staff were so friendly! There were many baked goods on display that I just had to try. They had several gluten-free donuts available and, being a total sucker for any type of fried dough, bought several. Triumphant, I brought my haul out to Brigitte and we sat in the Old Town Square while we snacked. 

(Horsetooth Reservoir, Fort Collins, CO)

Once we had finished walking around and window shopping, we decided to drive through other parts of Fort Collins to try and get a vibe for the place. The more we drove, the more we fell in love with it; it was just so charming and cute. As we neared the edge of town, we saw that there was an enormous lake on the map and decided to drive up to check it out. We drove up several switchbacks and realized that the lake was actually the Horsetooth Reservoir; and it was massive. Driving the roads of the outer banks, we couldn't believe how truly large it was. Stopping at a lookout point, we got out of the car and walked through the snow a bit while marveling at the beauty of the reservoir. It was still nearly entirely frozen and covered in snow, further adding to the majesty of it. Unsurprisingly, even in the cold and the snow, there were people out running on the various trails around us. Colorado folks are a different breed.

We hopped back in the car and started making our way back towards Boulder. Everywhere we looked, our eyes were met with stunning scenery. The snow covered the rolling plains out to the east of us while blanketing the imposing mountains to the west. I couldn't remember seeing any place more beautiful and couldn't believe it was only our first full day in the state. What other marvels would we find in this stunning landscape?

January 2025: On to Boulder, Colorado

(Flatirons overlooking Boulder, Colorado)

January 26th had arrived and with it, our departure from Omaha, Nebraska. We had spent the last four weeks relaxing and resetting in anticipation of a busy year ahead. Now, it was time to head west and begin some serious exploration and adventure. With our Subaru Outback once again filled to capacity, we began our eight-hour trek towards the Rocky Mountains.

(The trip from Omaha, NE to Boulder, CO would take us between 8-9 hours)

The drive itself was fairly easy as it was essentially a straight shot to the west. A majority of our drive was through rural Nebraska; beautiful in its simplicity but lacking a whole lot of visual stimuli. As we drove into Colorado and began approaching the front range of the mountains, the flat lands of the Midwest became rolling hills and the one thing that had eluded us in Omaha became ever more prevalent: SNOW! Thick blankets of the white powder covered the sides of the highways and medians and before we knew it, the snowcapped mountains had risen up before us. The raw, majestic power and beauty of the salt-and-peppered mountains left me quite literally, speechless. We had arrived.

(View of the front range from town)

Driving through a snowy downtown Boulder, Colorado was very much like driving through the New England towns I had grown up in. The plows had done their best but a dirty, slushy mixture covered the roadways. Since our destination wasn't in Boulder proper, we only spent about ten minutes navigating the main roads before we were exiting town and entering the front range of the mountains. 

(Rear view of our cabin)

Our destination was a small cabin on the side of a mountain, literally a stone's throw away from the entrance to Roosevelt National Forest. The driveway was unplowed and had about a foot of snow cover which seemed dicey at the time since there was a sheer drop off to the right side. The Airbnb host had warned us that vehicles without snow-chains, 4WD, or decent AWD capabilities wouldn't be able to make it up to the cabin. I had confidently informed him that we had a Subaru Outback with AWD and it shouldn't be a problem. It would certainly be embarrassing if we were to get stuck at this point. Luckily, the Subaru performed admirably, and we were able to make it through the snow and to our mountain cabin. 

(View from our cabin doors)

The cabin itself was small with a lot of DIY touches, but it was cozy and very, very cute. It had a large deck in the backyard that overlooked mountains on the opposing side of the canyon, views out of the mountains and towards Boulder in the front yard, and was surrounded by pine trees. I don't personally find this to be a drawback, but the only source of heat for the entire cabin was a wood-burning stove in the living room. This was to be our home and base of operations for the next two weeks as we hiked the surrounding mountains and explored the nearby towns that made up this spectacular portion of Colorado.

(The wood-burning stove, our only source of heat for the next two weeks!)

Travel Challenges: Packing

There are several challenges that can arise when you're planning on being mobile for months at a time. A constant one we face is packing and "stuff management". It turns out, striking a balance between what we need to bring with us and what comfort items we want is quite difficult. Here are three categories that we've struggled with the most and some takeaways we've learned along the way:

#1: Clothes

When we were getting ready to leave Austin, it was easy to imagine a hundred different scenarios in which we would need various pairs of shoes, shorts, pants, shirts, sweatshirts, etc. For example, what if we had the opportunity to go hiking but there was snow? Better bring along my waterproof snow boots. Well, what if I wanted to go for a trail run; the snow boots would be too big! I guess I'll pack my trail running shoes too. But what if we decide to eat somewhere fancy or we need to celebrate something? Hmm, in that case I suppose I should also bring along a button-up shirt, a nice pair of shorts in case it's warm, a nice pair of pants in case it's cold, and a nicer looking pair of shoes. Just like that, I've imagined and justified needing at least three pairs of shoes and an entire outfit I'll probably never wear.

My takeaway from this is to try and be more realistic when packing clothes. Chances are, we're never going to go someplace fancy to eat because we've had the goal of saving money. It turns out, I also didn't need a pair of underwear, socks, shirts, and pants for every day of the week either. We intentionally booked Airbnb locations that had a washer and dryer. In fact, I've been wearing the same four outfits nearly every day and have used less than half of the clothes I brought along in my suitcase.

#2: Food

We have several gray totes that we have been traveling with and all of them are used to carry food and ingredients. There are some definite pros and cons to this. On the one hand, we have access to things like olive oil, salt and pepper, and various other spices so we can cook good food at home and avoid wasting money at restaurants. Additionally, some canned and dry goods like tuna, beans, and rice can easily be transported to the next location if we don't eat it all before we travel again. This also helps us save money. Since I have Celiac Disease, there is always a risk of contaminated cookware at each new location and so we brought along our own cutting boards and knives. These things are all good to have, but they also take up significant room in the car. A quarter of our backseat space is easily taken up by the gray totes and they're a pain to pack in and out each time we change locations.

Some of these seem like essential items but I think there's room to improve in the future. For example, we have several knives and cutting boards packed: we could probably shave that down to just one of each. Additionally, our spice bag is enormous. Seeing as I don't have a sense of smell, most spices are completely bland and undetectable to me. Brigitte enjoys tastier food, but I think there's room to downsize the number of spices we take with us. We've also brought along our electric kettle which is fairly lightweight but very large and cumbersome. Perhaps, we could downsize to a portable unit that would take up less space.

#3: Comfort Items

Personally, I like to be comfortable and I enjoy my routines. There are several items that we've brought with us that serve no other function other than to make us cozy. For example, we brought our sound machine. It probably weighs about two pounds and takes up substantial room in my suitcase. We both enjoy sleeping with the sound machine on and struggle when it's not available. Additionally, I'm a side-sleeper and have been sleeping with a pillow between my knees for years. It sounds like an old guy thing to do but I swear it makes my back feel better; so, of course, I brought along my leg pillow. It's small and meant to fit directly between my knees and it isn't very heavy. That being said, it doesn't fit in my suitcase and ends up floating around the car until we reach our next destination. Finally, I knew that we would have some time to kill, and I brought along a few books to read through while we travel. I quickly finished the first three and have since bought three more in downtown Boulder, CO.

There are some easy ways to reduce these items down to a more manageable level. First off, the sound machine is old, and I know for a fact that they make pocket-sized versions of this now. Will it cost money? Yes. Will it immediately make my suitcase lighter? Also, yes. The leg pillow is a nice luxury but in reality, we have not slept at a single Airbnb or hotel that didn't have extra pillows available. That's essentially what I was using before I got this smaller one and they all worked fine before that. In the future, we should ditch it altogether and save some room in the car. The book problem I have more or less solved for now. At each of the Airbnb's, they typically have a bookshelf with a random assortment on display. As I finish my books, I simply donate them to the bookshelf and leave them there for future travelers to enjoy. This means that I'm continuously lightening the load of my suitcase and giving myself an extra incentive to spend more time reading.

Are there other packing and "stuff management" issues that you face? Drop a comment letting us know what you struggle with and I'm sure we can reach a collective solution!

January 2025: Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium!

For a city that many folks fly over but never visit, Omaha, Nebraska has a lot of really great attractions. One of our favorites is the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium. I'm not exaggerating at all when I say that this is one of the best zoos in the country. In fact, USA Today ranked it number one in the country in 2024! During our month-long stay in Omaha, we picked the warmest day in the forecast and devoted it to visiting the zoo.

(Aerial view of the zoo and desert dome)

Going to the zoo in the winter can be a bit of a gamble with its own list of pros and cons. For example, very few people want to walk around when it's cold outside, meaning there are very few lines or crowds to contend with. On the other hand, some animals are more sensitive to the cold weather and their exhibits may not be open to the public. The day that we visited there were very few people walking around and most of the exhibits were still open, although two of my favorites, the gorillas and orangutans, were closed until spring. With so few people milling about, the animals seemed far more energized and were engaging in their normal behaviors which made viewing them far more exciting!

(Walking through the glass tunnel beneath the large aquarium tank)

The animals in the desert dome were fully awake and moving about their enclosures. The elephants were invested in giving themselves mud-baths while the adolescents poked and prodded the adults mischievously. In the indoor jungle, bats flew about while various species of monkeys chased each other through the branches. It was the most alive I had seen the zoo animals before. Bringing along my camera, I decided to treat this as an opportunity to practice for our upcoming safari trip in Kenya and I snapped as many photos of the animals as I could.

 

This was a memorable daytrip and one I'm happy to have added to our gap year adventures! The next time you're looking for something fun to do in winter, you should consider bundling up and visiting your local zoo; you might get to witness some interesting animal behaviors!