From Petroglyphs to Stick Figure(s)
We start planning our trips at least a year in advance. When pondering where our 2019 trip, we were stuck between doing a west coast trip and taking a trip to Colorado. Much of the west coast we have seen, but not all of it together. Plus, the drive up hwy 101 is pure magic. Robb had been to Colorado when he was a kid, but I had never been.
What sealed the deal for us was that two of our favorite bands were going to be playing at Red Rocks Amphitheater—Stick Figure (thus the very creative title of this blog LOL), and Iya Terra. Seeing a concert in Red Rocks was on our bucket list, but more on that later. Needless to say, we bought our tickets (so glad we did, because they sold out in about a month), then started planning this epic 4,000 mile road trip.
Before we get too far, we have included some affiliate links to products that we like (trip snacks, camera gear, etc.). Please click on these links or if they are products you like, please consider buying them through our link. This supports our small business and family! We choose to use this method instead of pestering you with click bait ads! Thanks for reading!
We haven’t talked too much about trip snacks, which (of course) are an absolute must. Since Nicole has rheumatoid arthritis, most of our snacks are gluten free and low sugar. We do cheat a little on vacation and enjoy things we wouldn’t normally buy. Here are a few of our favorites:
After leaving Moab, we headed north up 191 and found our way up to Interstate 70. Little did we know, Interstate 70 is known as one of the most scenic roads in the United States. There is a very impressive mountain not too far into Colorado called Mt. Garfield (pictured below). We were excited to see Colorado and this little spot was such a sweet preview into what was to come.
We followed the Colorado River, then the Gunnison River which both have impressed grand designs into the Colorado landscape. Driving through the canyon just east of Glenwood Springs is nothing short of impressive. This canyon is also where we got our first taste of Colorado drivers—fast and furious.
“We are now in the mountains and they are in us, kindling enthusiasm, making every nerve quiver, filling every pore and cell of us.” -John Muir
To take some killer shots in on bright days in places like Colorado, or if you have an opportunity to enjoy some high alpine lakes while there, having a great circular polarizer can really help! There are several great brands, but remember to spend a little bit of change and put good quality glass filters on your lens! We really dig our Hoya NXT Plus Circular Polarizer. It’s thin enough to stack filters if you like having a UV filter on your lens as well.
Excuse our dirty windshield here. Being that we were in Colorado, where recreational cannabis is legal, we got to see some fun highway signs like this. In case you can’t quite read it, it says “We all know it’s 4/20”
We didn’t take our big kid cameras in the venue, but it’s easy to say that Red Rocks Amphitheatre is a very incredible place.
If you some take time in your travels to study the geology of a place, you will learn that many mountain ranges and outcroppings of geologic significance are deceivingly old. What we mean by that is the Rocky Mountains are surprisingly young compared to the formation that comprises Red Rocks Amphitheatre and outcroppings in the surrounding area. Interesting factoids to follow.
Red Rocks Amphitheatre is part of the Morrison Formation, which is dated back to around 300 million years ago. The Rockies, however, are 50-80 million years in geologic age. In our opinion, you don’t have to be a scientist to find that interesting. You can learn more about Red Rocks Amphitheatre HERE!
“The area of Red Rocks, originally known as the Garden of Angels, has attracted the attention of musical performers since before the turn of the century. The majestic setting of the amphitheater, along with the panoramic view of Denver, makes for a breathtaking scene.” -redrocksonline.com
“At 6,450 feet above sea level, Red Rocks Park is a unique transitional zone where the Great Plains meet the Rocky Mountains. The diverse environment allows visitors to see plants, birds and animals of both regions. Red Rocks Amphitheatre is a geological phenomenon – the only naturally-occurring, acoustically perfect amphitheatre in the world.” -redrocksonline.com
If you want to visit another really interesting geologic feature in the area, it’s worth a stop and a short hike to see dinosaur tracks and fossils at Dinosaur Ridge.
After the concert we went and stayed with some friends in Idaho Springs. It was so sweet of them to welcome us into their beautiful mountain home up at 10,000 feet. I’m sure I’ve mentioned her before, but half of the duo is a beautiful silversmith. Check her work out!
If there are any photos of ours that you liked in the blog, please consider viewing our Etsy page HERE, or using the option below to create a custom order with us!
Thanks so much for reading!
Onto the next adventure!
-Robb & Nicole
info@shuttermeshort.com
As we mentioned above, affiliate links are really helpful to providing funding for our small business. We choose to do this instead of annoying ads, because we hate them too. Below are a few more affiliate links from companies we use.
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