April 13-21, 2016

I can’t think of anything more refreshing than waking up in a warm cozy sleeping bag, surrounded by cool crisp air just as the sun is rising over the horizon. Waking up at Goblin Valley, Utah was exactly my kind of morning!

Corey needed internet to do some work before his morning meeting, so as soon as we woke up, we packed up and hit the road again. The drive through Utah and Colorado was definitely scenic but very uneventful. I’m not complaining though, because soon enough I found out how lucky we were to not encounter any weather while driving through the mountains of Colorado. We drove through several ski towns and saw people snowboarding in Vail. I had no idea that half pipes slope down with the mountain!

Our stay at Fort Collins was a lot different from the stays that we’ve had in other locations, because this time we were being hosted by our friends, Dany and Joe. In total Corey would be in Fort Collins for about a week, while I was set to leave for Lordsburg, NM with Dany and Joe in the middle of our stay.

Our time in Fort Collins was the perfect pit stop. It was well spent recuperating from our travels to catch up on life. We prepped for our upcoming trip to the Philippines, took care of car maintenance and got Duke a physical. More importantly, we both rested and were spoiled with TLC (thanks guys)! Corey and I were able to enjoy exploring a new area but at a much slower pace where we both felt at home. Throughout our entire stay, we couldn’t help but feel thankful to have friends who never skip a beat despite being in a different part of the country. It made our stay infinitely more special!

Fort Collins has that small town feel with the convenience of a big city. Everything we needed was within 12 minute drive. We were a short walk from downtown, which was filled with cafes and small businesses. We were pretty much across the street from Colorado State University and were able to enjoy the campus without feeling in the midst of a college town. And then a short drive south brought us to countless large department stores and chains. There was so much variety depending on what you needed or was in the mood for. It’s so perfect!

Obviously my favorite part of Fort Collins were the people. Being able to spend time with Dany and Joe brought such happiness to Corey and I. The positive vibes were ridiculously contagious and we all turned into cheesy saps. We also met some really interesting and cool people that we totally gel with and wish we had more time to get to know.

Other HUGE pluses for Fort Collins…

• It’s extremely bike friendly.
  The college was definitely filed with more bikes than cars. Bike lanes were clearly marked and drivers were very respectful to cyclists! While trying to find a picture online, I saw an article that said Colorado State University will have 18,000 bicycle spots by 2018!

  

   

• It’s extremely dog friendly.
  Everywhere I walked with Duke, I saw heads turning towards him and then smiles. I never felt like people were annoyed with his presence. He got a dog biscuit at the mechanic when Dany was getting an oil change and even at the drive thru when we bought some coffee. Actually, people even thanked me for letting them say hi! Such a 180 from Boston.

  

  

• It’s got a ton of breweries and great tasting beer.
  Corey and I took a tour of New Belgium Brewery, which is definitely a must-do when in Fort Collins. The tour was interesting, informative and filled with free tastings! We sampled a sour beer for first time ever (imagine beer with warheads) and tried various Belgium styled beers, which are known for their combination of spices and flavors. I couldn’t get over how delicious beer can be. Despite knowing that it would cause my stomach hell, I couldn’t resist constantly sipping each sample.

  

  

  

• It’s easy to escape into the mountains.
  Rocky Mountain National Park is about an hour away and Horsetooth Park was about 15 minute away. We didn’t have much time to check out RMNP but planned on going for a little hike in Horsetooth Park. Unfortunately the main trails were closed due to muddiness. We still enjoyed a little walk to the reservoir and watching Duke attempt to confront his fear of water. Just imagine having this in your backyard!

  

  

  

  

  

• Weed is legalized.
  I’m no fanatic or anything. In fact, this was my first time trying it, but that taffy was sooooo damn tasty!!!

  

  

Until we meet again Fort Collins! One day you’ll be my home!!!!!

And here are the last two pictures I took of Duke before his Godmomma Dany doggysits him for the next 6 weeks!