“It was the worst of times; it was the best of times…….” That famous line comes to mind as I think of the recent trip that Fayez and I took to Colorado. And, I think it pretty well sums up the entire trip. Actually, the trip was probably not even supposed to happen. Fayez’s sister had planned to come to live with him for a few months while she attended language school. I had not even considered making the trip…. But, due to an unexpected change in plans, Fayez’s sister was unable to make the trip. This news sort of made me scramble to come up with a plan for a trip.

The most logical plan would have been to make out long-awaited trip to the southeastern states….something we had discussed for a long time. It was the logical choice, if for no other reason that neither of us had been there before…..and this would complete our conquest of all the lower 48 states. Well…..to be honest, I had been to all the states except for North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. Fayez had not been to any of them. We could have cleaned the slate, so to speak, with single trip.

Immediately I set to work planning a feasible route that would carry us through all the necessary states……and in only 7 days, I might add. Planning such a trip is not as easy as it may sound. Deciding on a route that would cover all the states in a logical sequence…..planning a driving day that was not too long, or too short…..ending up each night in a town that was large enough to have a suitable choice of hotels…..making sure we were able to ensure that we were comfortably back home at the end of the allotted time period….. And, then, there was the task of figuring the cost of the trip: gasoline, lodging, meals, car rental, etc…… Just finding and selecting a hotel is a time-consuming job…..finding the best motel for a price we could afford.

I hope you don’t think  I am bragging (well, maybe a little bit)…. But, I am good at this sort of stuff. It look me an entire evening……from maybe 8:00 until about 2:00 A.M….but, I did it! And, when it was all said and done, it was a pretty good plan. Most days we would travel no more than 6 hours….a reasonable time. The hotels looked reasonably comfortable, safe and clean and affordable….. I felt pretty confident that we were going to have a great trip, at least from the logistical viewpoint.

The next step was to forward the information on to Fayez. I was not at all surprised when he told me he had changed his mind. He did not want to be away from his lab, his experiments, his projects for so long. “Long”, let me remind you, was 7 days. “Let’s take a shorter trip,” he wanted. “One where we don’t have to do so much driving.” Any time ones takes a trip with the goal of visiting all 48 of the lower states…..well, there is going to be some driving involved. But, none-the-less, we discarded all my work, and began to discuss that else we might do. Fly to Portland, rent a car and drive to the Coast for a few days. Go to Houston (or Dallas). (Fayez has a fascination with Texas, for some reason.) Go to New Orleans and hang out on the beach. (One problem: New Orleans does not have a beach.) Those were his suggestions.

As for me: Well, Chicago is an interesting, as well as manageable city to visit. Lots of things to do, places to eat….. Santa Fe. A quaint small city. Capital of New Mexico, lots of art and history.

In the end, we opted for Denver. I have been to Denver on several different occasions….but a long time ago. Things change. Fayez had been there the first year he was in the USA…..but only for a couple days…..and he didn’t see anything.

So, Denver was our compromise choice…..our Spring Break destination.

It was back to the drawing board again…..but a lot easier this time. Finding things to do in Denver is fairly easy. Denver is a big town with lots of options…..and we were only spending one full day there. So….to me, at least, there were two “must-see” places that stood out: The Museum of Science and Nature and The Denver Art Museum. If there was time, we would squeeze in a visit to the Museum of Contemporary Art.

The two days we planned to spend outside of Denver were a little trickier. The highway to Mt. Evans, the highest highway in North America, is closed until after Memorial Day. The road leading up to Pikes Peak was closed. The highway that leads off US 24 into Aspen was closed. We had already been to Rocky Mountain National Park about three years ago. The highway was closed anyway!

After some calculations on Map Quest, I concluded what I considered to be the two most feasible day trips. The first trip would take us out west of Denver to the upscale resort town of Vail….and then on down to Leadville, the city with the highest elevation in the USA…..and back to Denver. Our second day trip would be a trip through the mountains down to the Garden of the Gods…..and other nearby sites, if we had the time. Of course, we never have free time…..but it always good to have plans.

The final chore was to choose a hotel for four nights. I usually book hotel rooms through Expedia. First of all, regardless of the advertising hype, almost all the online booking sites advertise the exact same prices. Yeah, maybe a person can’t find a lower price anywhere else…..but, they can’t claim that all prices are not identical. They are! Expedia offers the option of paying online. I like this option because once I arrive at the motel, there is a minimum of hassle. The room is booked…..the room is paid for…. Just give me the key….and the wi-fi password….. so I can go settle in.

Wow! I had no idea that hotels are so expensive in Denver…..especially in the downtown area. They give the hotels in New York City a good, close contest. And, staying downtown was one of our wishes for the trip. Four nights in downtown Denver would have been fun. But, it was not really even a choice once I took a look at the prices…..anywhere from $150.00 a night on the low end, extending on up to…… Well, depending on how much money I was willing to pay. Even paying $150.00 a night for four nights…..$600.00, not including taxes, fees and all the other stuff they add on….would have eaten up most of our entire budget.

After a lot of searching, I decided on a hotel in the vicinity of the Museum of Science and Nature. A fairly good location. It was $110.00 a night. More than I wanted to pay, but not so bad, considering this was Denver. I bookmarked the page. The next night I looked again, and to my great joy, I found a “special price” at a Ramada Inn near Mile High Stadium……$75.00 a night…..double room…..breakfast included. I looked at the pictures….and it looked fine. So….That would be our hotel. I booked it. That was it. The arrangements were complete. All I had to wait for now was for now was Fayez to arrive, put his suitcase in the car…..and leave.

For about two weeks before our planned day of departure on March 17, I had been bothered by a stuffed up nose. In the beginning, it was particularly bad at night. It was difficult to breathe even while I was wearing my sleep device. So, I did something that I rarely have had the necessity of doing: I bought some Afrin nasal spray, and I sprayed a couple squirts into each nostril each night when I went to bed. It took care of the problem…..and that is all I wanted.

As time went on, I found that my nose was beginning to stop up during the daytime, too. Not only that, but I had developed a rather constant runny nose. “Oh, no,” I have caught a cold somewhere…..also something that rarely happens. I looked in the medicine cabinet and found some cold medicine….a liquid product specifically for a runny nose, according to the label. So…..like clockwork, I took the medicine and I sprayed the Afrin into my nose…..and used a ton of tissue paper. I had considered calling the doctor. But, I thought, “I don’t want to be running to the doctor with a common cold.”

By the time Fayez arrived on Friday, things were no better….but I was still optimistic that it was only a matter of time before I would just naturally start to get better. Fayez and I went out to eat that Friday evening….at Appleby’s, if I recall correctly. On the way back home, we stopped at WalMart so I could invest in a supply of Afrin and cold medicine. I had wanted to ask the pharmacist what he would recommend, but the pharmacy was closed. A woman who worked there in the over-the-counter drug department was all too eager to help, though. She said she had gone through the exact symptoms. “Keep using the Afrin,” she advised, “and get some Claratin and some antihistamine. That is what I did, and it took care of the problem.”

“The woman is a genius,” I thought.

She spoke with great assurance and authority….and she did, at least, work in the pharmacy section…..albeit she was stocking shelves…..so who was I to doubt her? I laid in a supply of Afrin, antihistamine…..and Claritin, which, by the way is rather expensive….and headed for home.

Friday afternoon I picked up the rental car at Avis Car Rental, the agency where I always rent cars. I left my car at my brother’s house, and my friend, Sam, picked me up and took me to the rental agency. By the time Fayez arrived around 5:00 or so, I had already packed my stuff into the car. I was ready to roll! And, it didn’t take Fayez long to put his suitcase in the trunk.

Our plan was to get up around 7:00 or 7:30 and be in the car heading toward Colorado by 9:00. For some reason, I overslept. And, if I overslept….that means that Fayez seriously overslept! But due to some sort of unforeseen miracle, we pulled out of the driveway at 9:01…..maybe the first time in the history of our traveling together that we ever left even remotely on time. We left in such a hurry that I didn’t even think to take a picture of us standing in front of the rental car…. (Thus the picture taken in the Garden of the Gods….. No, that is not my front yard.)

The trip proceeded rather smoothly. We had both traveled I-70 on previous trips, so there was really no thought of stopping to take pictures. Yeah, I know. Pictures of what? We did make stops, however: at rest stops and to eat our usual lunch of turkey and cheese sandwiches and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Late in the morning, my nose began to become stopped up. Not just a little stopped up…..but 100% stopped up. When we stopped at around noon somewhere along the way, I put the seat back…..and sprayed some Afrin in both nostrils. Soon I was breathing better, as we drove merrily toward the west.

Our first picture opportunity was at the Colorado border. Gotta have some evidence that we were really there! Usually, this is a routine stop….taking only a few second to jump our and take the pictures and be on our way. For the first time I can remember, there were actually several other people there waiting to take pictures. For the first time I can recall, we had to wait in line to take our pictures. It was Spring Break for many colleges and public schools in Kansas, and I can imagine that Colorado was a popular destination for many people. Anyway, it was good that other people were there. One of the people waiting their turn volunteered to take our picture in front of the Colorado sign…..something that doesn’t happen very often.

 

 

 

 

 

We rolled on into Colorado…..stopped at the Colorado Welcome Center so Fayez could go inside and pick up a map…..and then continued on toward Denver. At some point….and I do not recall exactly where it was…..Fayez happened to look at the gasoline gauge. Almost in a state of shock, he said, “We are almost out of gas. We can only drive 30 more miles.” At this time, we were somewhere in the middle of nowhere. If you think you are in the middle of nowhere in Western Kansas…. Well, you will have to invent another geographical term for where we found ourselves. In Western Kansas, there are towns dotting I-70 about every 20 or 25 miles or so. In Eastern Colorado…. Man, it is desolate compared to Western Kansas. And, many of the small towns…wide spots in the road, actually…..have absolutely no services.

Our conversation sort of came to an abrupt halt. We were too nervous to talk. I was constantly asking, “How far can we drive yet?” (Fortunately, the Nissan we were driving had a mileage indicator…..something I want on my next car!) There really was no reason to stop talking…..logically, at least. It was like the more we talked….the more gas we would use. It is rather strange how people react to fear! Probably if we had kept up our conversation, the time would have gone faster….we would not have worried so much…..and a gasoline station would have seemed to appear much more quickly. Keep your mind occupied on good things…..

I belong to AAA, and if we had indeed run out of gasoline, I could have called ….and they would have brought some gasoline to us. Of course, I really had no idea where we were. What was our location? “Somewhere on I-70 in Eastern Colorado,” I suppose. “Just look for us. We are probably the only idiots sitting on the side of the highway with no gasoline.” Needless to say we did come upon a gasoline station. And, you better believe that we stopped and filled up with gasoline! It was probably a good opportunity to spray some more Afrin into my nose…..and go to the restroom.

With a great feeling of relief, and even a little bit of exhilaration, we continued on to Denver.

At this point, I have to give the GPS unit some praise. Normally, I think they are a waste of time. On too many occasions, we have been given bad directions….and rerouted far out of the way. I do not care what the calculations of those satellites are…..or what that woman up in the sky is saying: Many times it simply does not know. I have driven most of the highways before. And….I know! In a strange city, however, I will admit it is useful. Normally, it will guide to you to the correct destination. Who knows if it is the best, most efficient, quickest route….. If I knew the city well, I wouldn’t be using it. But, it does do its job in a city.

With no discernible problems we easily found the motel I had reserved…..a Ramada Inn on the near west side of Denver in close proximity to Mile High Stadium. Originally, I had selected a motel on the near east side of Denver near to the Museum of Science and Nature, but when I checked the booking site again, I found that the Ramada Inn rooms had been reduced to an attractive price…..about $30.00 a night cheaper than the original motel. I checked the pictures of the rooms…..two or three times. They looked attractive and comfortable. There were two queen size beds, a refrigerator, a coffee maker, a comfortable looking chair….plus free wi-fi and free breakfast. Wow! It looked like a pretty good deal to me. And, as for Fayez…. Well, I don’t think he could have cared less. So…..I booked a room immediately.

Even as we drove into the parking lot, my first thought was, “Man, this place looks sort of old and run-down.” But, there were a lot of cars there. The receptionist was pleasant and friendly. Within a matter of minutes, we were checked into our room……and on the ground level, too. Lucky….because there were no elevators in the annex where our room was located!

We drove to our room. As I opened the door and walked inside, the first thing I said to Fayez was, “Man, this place is a dump!” And….in my opinion….this is exactly what it was. The room indeed had all the “amenities” that were advertised on the Internet site. But, it was cramped and dark. The furniture was old and worn. Fortunately I had a multi-receptical outlet that we could use, because there were no free plug-in to be found. Later that night we stopped at a Wal-Mart and bought some 100 watt bulbs for the lamps…..just so we could see where we were walking! The air-conditioner worked only if I turned it off and on two or three times…..the drapes on the window did not completely close…..and the first night, a Saturday night, the place was crawling with college-age Spring Breakers!

On the bright side, however, their breakfast buffet was one of the best I have seen. We were trapped…..so why not make the best of it? But, it was another good demonstration of the axiom, “Don’t believe everything you see.”…..especially when it involves advertising.

After taking a short nap, we selected an Ethiopian restaurant that looked interesting. And, indeed it was. I had previously eaten in an Ethiopian restaurant in Berlin, so I was not surprised that we were expected to eat our meal using our fingers. That really didn’t bother me. That is the way I eat most of my food at home….just because it is easier. And, it didn’t faze Fayez, either. Eating with fingers is the accepted….maybe even preferred….style of eating in Saudi Arabia. At any rate, the food was delicious. I was surprised by the number of people who were eating there. Somehow, Ethiopian cuisine doesn’t strike me as being one of the most popular. But…. I guess in Denver it is.

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday morning, we made our way to the breakfast buffet in the main building next door to eat our breakfast. For some reason we walked right past an elevator that would take us to the second level where breakfast was being served. Consequently, I slowly groped my way up the stairs, very unhappy that the motel did not have an elevator. But, there was a surprisingly large variety of food to choose from….. cereal, pastries, of course, but also scrambled eggs, two kind of sausages (which Fayez could not eat, of course), some fruit, yogurt, biscuits and gravy (again, probably containing pork)….and the normal coffee and juice. There was also an eclectic variety of people eating there, too…..most of whom did not speak English! There were a fair number of families included in the mix….but most of them were obviously college age kids…..young adults is perhaps a better term.

We were going to spend three full days in Colorado…..not very long, considering everything Denver and the state of Colorado has to offer. We decided to devote two days to sightseeing in the mountains surrounding Denver and one day sightseeing in Denver. Having decided this, I set out to plan our three days. The problem, of course, was not finding things to do. It was choosing the things we really wanted to do……at least, things I really wanted to do. Our choices were somewhat predetermined for us. As I mentioned earlier, the highway to the summit of Mt. Evans was closed until after Memorial Day. The road to the top of Pikes Peak was closed. The highway that would take us to Aspen from US 24 was also closed…..not to mention that Rocky Mountain National Park had not yet opened for the season.

Faced with those limitations, our options were somewhat restricted…..but not so much that we would not have a lot of fun and see some interesting sites. For our first day trip, which took place on Sunday, we drove to Vail…..the famous up-scale resort town about a hundred miles west of Denver.

The drive out there was pleasant. The mountains were covered with a thick carpet of snow…..a wonderland of contrasting green and white. On a couple occasions we pulled into rest stops and overlooks….got out to take in the spectacular scenery…..to breathe in the mountain fresh air……to stretch our legs……and, of course, to take pictures. A couple of these stops also served another purpose: My nose was 100% stopped up again, and I needed to treat it with its fix of Afrin.

 

 

 

 

Driving west of Denver on Interstate 70 always means a trip through the famous Eisenhower Tunnel. Even though I have driven through it dozens of times, it was another first for Fayez. I don’t know if they have tunnels in Saudi Arabia, but I am pretty sure none of them are as long as the Eisenhower Tunnel. And, really…..the Eisenhower Tunnel is not really very long in comparison to other tunnels in other places in the USA. It was long enough, however, that he can now honestly say he has driven through an authentic tunnel. Actually, the Eisenhower Tunnel is about 1.7 miles long, and it was initially opened in 1973. It is located at the highest point on I-70. Close to 33,000 vehicles pass through it each day.

As one drives east toward Denver, the tunnel has another name: The Johnson Tunnel. For a long time, I assumed that it was named after President Lyndon Johnson. I was rather surprised that it is actually named after a former Senator from Colorado…..obviously a Senator Johnson!

As we approached Vail….indeed, even as we entered the town…..I did not recognize any of the surroundings. In fact, I was a little bit startled that we arrived so suddenly.

The last time I was in Vail was in 2002. Obviously a lot of changes had taken place since then. One of the most disturbing changes was the fact that downtown Vail seems to be one large pedestrian mall now. Maybe it was that way back in 2002. If it was, my memory is slipping….along with several other things, by the way. There seems to be a series of expensive parking garages now…..and very few outside parking lots. We explored one of the parking garages, but for the short length of time we were going to be there, it just wasn’t economically feasible to pay the price they were asking.

We pulled into a church parking lot about a block from downtown Vail, but unfortunately there was a sign that warned, “This Parking Lot Is for Church Parking Only”. And, I have a feeling that the church was probably in no mood to show any sort of mercy! After driving around many blocks….many times…..we located what appeared to be a parallel parking space, almost directly in front of the church. Fortunately, the church does not control who parks on the street. At least, I don’t think they do. Fayez, with all the skill….and luck…he possessed…..and after repeated tries….finally squeezed into the space. Yeah….. We were still only about one block from downtown. Talk about good fortune.

We walked into a rather deserted pedestrian mall…..a vast contract from 2002. On that trip we were there in August…..and it was packed with tourists, like us, wanting to live the “good life” for a few hours. We immediately looked for a place to sit down and soak in the exclusive ambiance of Vail, Colorado…and rub shoulders with the “beautiful people”….so to speak. We quickly settled on a coffee shop called “Mountain Cupcakes”. It was “upstairs”, but luckily there was an elevator…..which made the selection process a little easier, I suppose. We had eaten breakfast only a short while ago…and it was not yet time for lunch…..so we both ordered coffee and some sort of over-priced pastry. I headed outside to the terrace to find a place to sit while Fayez waited for our order.

The day was semi-pleasant…..not really cold, but not really warm, either…..so we chose to set outside on the terrace. Since Fayez does not like to mingle with strangers, I chose a table several feet from the little coffee shop. Actually, most of the customers soon finished whatever they had ordered and were on their way. We sat and watched what few people there were milling around the pedestrian mall below. The center of attraction was a small ice skating rink which had been set up almost directly below us. It, too, had attracted only a few adventurous skaters….ranging from the obvious beginners to a girl who had obviously been ice skating at least a few times before.

Adding to our amusement…..mine, at least…..was watching poor unobservant, hapless drivers wander onto the mall….only to find they had made a mistake. The mall was closed to all vehicle traffic. I am glad it was they…..and not us….knowing that people like me were sitting there chuckling…..and watching them try to find a way out of their misfortune. Actually, I felt badly for them and found it easy to empathize with them. But, on the other hand….. They should have been watching….and obeying the signs. Finally, the cars had to resort to simply backing up….or trying to turn a corner on to a legal street….or turn around and go back. Nobody seemed to care….but I can well imagine that many, if not most, of the people were laughing inwardly and saying something equivalent to, “You dumb ass.”

The mall had a definite “elite” quality about it…..constructed in the obviously mandatory old-West wooden, ski resort, chalet style. Only judging from my last visit back in 2002, I had the distinct impression that most of what we were looking at was fairly new construction. We were probably not in the original part of downtown. When Sebastian and I were there in 2002, we sat in a coffee shop directly adjacent to the iconic Vail landmark…..the big clock in the center of the square. On this trip, we didn’t even see it. There were, however, some rather odd looking sculptures or “yard art” that dotted the surroundings. One item occupied most of my curiosity, though. Right in front of us, situated adjacent to the ice-skating rink, was a tree-like sculpture that looked vaguely like a tree. Maybe it was…..although I think that would have been much too obvious.

At any rate, Vail seems like “a nice place to visit”, but I certainly would not want to live there permanently. First of all, it is primarily a resort town…..ski resort in the winter and outdoor recreation resort in the summer. That is why people go there, I suppose: to spend their money, to say they have been to Vail, to take advantage of some rather expensive entertainment. And, of course, the opportunities to spend money abound! There is not a lack of expensive cafes, coffee shops, boutiques, souvenir shops, fashion stores….not to mention the myriad apartments, condos and hotels. Their parking garages probably generate more income in one month than the entire annual budget of many small towns

and cities across the USA.

Actually, there was not a lot to do in Vail…..except look! And, except for the good old Mountain Cupcake break, that is all we did…… That, and drive around looking for a parking place. We took a short drive on a mountain road, mostly just to take some pictures, looking down on the town. Vail is not only a beautiful town from street level…..but it is also a picturesque town as viewed from above. No matter where you view it, the ever-present snow-covered mountains are an ever-present backdrop, adding to the beauty and the drama.

 

 

 

 

And, of course, the mountains are probably the only reason Vail even exists. In the winter and spring….when we were there….skiing is by far the major magnet that attracts tourists and skiing enthusiasts. It is a world-class ski resort and attracts people from all over the USA….and probably the world. It is entirely possible that it is losing a portion of its popularity in recent years due to the proliferation of other ski resorts in the Western USA. In the summer time….like the last time I was here….all sorts of outdoor activities are available to amuse people: hiking, horseback riding, fishing, riding the ski lifts, mountain biking. Four-wheelers….and

whatever else capitalists think might entice visitors.

After a couple hours in Vail, it was time to head to our final destination of the day….Leadville.

Leadville has the highest elevation of any town in the USA…..built an elevation of more than 10,000 feet. I have been there several times, and somehow I thought that Fayez had also been there…..something I continued to believe until I was looking through our old vacation pictures. It turns out that Sultan and I have been there…..but not Fayez. If I had realized this, I would have pointed out some of the interesting sights. At least, I would have taken his picture in front of the history “Leadville” sign….and maybe the Leadville Opera House. Oh well….. He never mentioned that all of this was new to him. So…. I will share part of my guilt with him!

Other than the fact that is was somewhere to go, the main reason I put Leadville on our itinerary was to revisit a small hole-in-the-wall coffee shop that Sultan and I had stumbled upon by pure chance a couple summers summer before. We were looking for a place to sit and rest…..and also to grab a bite to eat. Not a meal…..but just a snack. While walking down the main street of Leadville, passing by the larger bars and quaint, upscale restaurants, we saw a little place called “Cookies with Altitude”. A quaint name, to be sure…..but it is definitely a place worth eating. There are only two tables. We were fortunate enough to get one of them.

It obviously is not part of any fast food chain! The selection of food is not extensive…..mostly sandwiches, desserts, bottled drinks. But, make no mistake: Everything was made from scratch…..and from quality ingredients. I settled on a Reuben sandwich. I am not sure what Sultan ordered. But our food was delicious….food a person doesn’t find very often. Both Sultan and I agreed that it was some of the most delicious, mouth-watering food we had ever eaten. It was food that you remember….and look forward to eating again.

Last summer when Sultan and I were in Colorado, he wanted to go to Leadville just so we could eat there again. Unfortunately, our travel plan did not include Leadville….and it was too far out of our way for a special trip. But, we promised ourselves that the next time we were in Colorado, this would be a top priority on our places to visit. Well….Sultan was not here to make the trip….but Fayez was. And, as I said, I thought Fayez had already been there.

Nevertheless, I had only a vague recollection of the name of the place. I knew what side of the street it was on, and I was confident that when I saw it, I would know it. So, we slowly drove down the main street of Leadville…..made a U-turn and started back. “Ah ha! There it is!” I exclaimed. Since the town was almost deserted that Sunday afternoon, we were able to park almost directly in front of the little coffee shop. As soon as we walked in the door, I immediately recognized the place. It looked just like I remembered it. I took a look at the menu……and was happy that the same Reuben sandwich I had ordered on the previous visit was still there…..corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, Russian dressing, all of this between slices of rye bread. Of course, that is what I ordered. Delicious! We lingered over our food…..and while we were there, several other people came to order take out food. Apparently it was a popular place to eat. I am assuming that many of the people actually lived in Leadville….and this was where they regularly bought their food. If I lived in Leadville, this would be my Number One eating place, too.

 

 

 

 

 

Our trip back to Denver was much more exciting that we had planned on or expected. As we drove along the mountain highway, we could not help but notice that the sky was becoming darker and more ominous. Still high in the mountains, perhaps about 30 or 40 miles from I-70, the first snow flakes started to descent from the sky…. It was nothing serious for the first few minutes, but as we continued to make our way through the mountains, the snow fell as a faster and heavier pace. It was not long before we found ourselves enveloped in a raging snow storm. Thankfully, the wind was light. If the wind had been blowing only a little more, we would have found ourselves driving through a bona fide blizzard. And….that would have not been good.

Surely, when we reach I-70….and lower elevations…..the snow will have stopped….and even maybe the sun will be shining. This was not to be. The snow storm continued, unabated. At that point, I-70 is still far above sea level. Driving on I-70 was even more dangerous. This was around 5:00 in the afternoon. The in-bound traffic to Denver was probably at its busiest time. All those people who had escaped Denver for the weekend, were making their way back into the city.

Believe me. Denver….just like every other part of the country…..has its own abundant share of idiot drivers. From the point we entered I-70, about 40 miles west of Denver, we encountered at least eight accidents….all of which brought traffic to a snail’s pace….stacking up cars for literally miles. Do I need to tell you that our trip back into Denver was not a

relaxed, carefree drive? We were no longer in a sightseeing mood. We were no longer talking or laughing and enjoying ourselves. To say the least, the trip can best be described as tense and somewhat stressful.

 

 

 

 

Back in Denver…..somewhat later than we had planned….we found some nondescript pizza place to eat our supper.

We capped off the evening with a trip to an Immediate Care Clinic. Fayez was having some rather severe problems with his ears. We drove to a clinic so Fayez could hopefully receive some relief. It was still raining in Denver when we pulled into the driveway of the after-hours clinic. I waited in the car while Fayez went inside to see a doctor. It was around 8:00 when we arrived. Fayez disappeared aroundthe corner, and I put my head back for some rest while I waited for him to return. “He should be back in about 20 minutes,” I estimated. Not a bad little nap. Eight-thirty came and went. No Fayez. Eight forty five. I was getting concerned. Maybe it was more serious than we had anticipated. Eight-fifty. Maybe I had better go check on him. I found the clinic…it was around a corner and I didn’t see where he had walked in….and looked around for the clinic. It was upstairs, of course. There was an elevator, luckily. I walked into the office….and was greeted with the usual cool, rather indifferent attitude of most doctor’s offices. “Is Fayez still here?” I asked. They looked at each other. “Who is

Fayez?” the receptionist asked. I was rather annoyed. “He came in here about an hour ago with an ear problem.” After meticulously checking something she had in front of her, she turned to one of the nurses and said, “Do you know anything about Fayez?” “For Heaven’s sake,” I thought. “How many people named Fayez have come in here tonight?” The nurse, somewhat more accommodating, said, “He is just about finished.” To the receptionist, I said, “Well…. “Thanks a lot! I am glad he didn’t die or something like that. If he did, you would probably be the last to know.” Well, I didn’t actually say that. I just went back out into the rain again and waited in the car. He showed up a few minutes later….still alive. And….with cleaner ears!

Monday was our “Denver Day”. After adequately satisfying our morning hunger in the breakfast bar….which I say again was the only strong point or saving grace of the motel…..we locked the door to our room, climbed in the good old rental car and headed to our first stop….. The Denver Museum of Art. I had been there before, and as we approached, I immediately recognized the building. Except for one minor

detail: The building was in he process of being demolished. Wow…. I guess we arrived a couple days too late! The all-knowing GPS assured as that we were at least in the right vicinity. After driving around a few blocks and staring intently at the signs, we finally determined the location….a newly built building adjacent to the old museum. Luckily we had arrived early enough that we found a parking lots across the street. You surely didn’t think we would park free…..did you?

We paid our entry fee and began our tour of organized wandering. As with most museums and art galleries, it was organized around “themes”. Don’t even bother to ask me what themes were represented. I have very little recollection of the time we spent there. Quite frankly, I was disappointed. Yeah…. There were lots of pictures, sculptures, artifacts, murals….. But….and this is only a personal observation and probably reveals some ignorance on my part….none of them were “famous”. Very few of them were by well known…at least, to me….artists.

 

 

 

 

Fayez and I toured the entire museum….all that was included in the “basic price”, at least. We probably covered it more quickly than I would most art museums….those in Berlin or Paris, for example. Actually, I enjoyed the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City more than I did this one.

Nevertheless, we did pause to take closer looks at some of the works of art…..even took some obligatory pictures. And, fortunately, the museum had elevators. Otherwise, I would have never have bothered to negotiate the stairs. Don’t get me wrong. I am sure that this museum has fine….even outstanding….collection of art. It simply wasn’t art that I particularly enjoy….or fully appreciate. My taste in art definitely lies in the area of abstract and contemporary art. My memory is becoming vague. The last time I visited the Denver Museum of Art was…..Wow! Many, many years ago. The memories of that now distant visit must have made a much better impression. Good enough to want to go back.

Denver also has a Museum of Contemporary Art. After some reflection, I suspect that all the abstract art has been removed from the Denver Art Museum….the one Fayez’s and visited…..and was used to form the new Contemporary Art Museum. Oh well…. When I made out agenda, I didn’t know that. And, the morning was far from a complete waste of time. We did see some important works of art….just not the genre of art that I as expecting. We broadened our artistic horizon a bit, I suppose….were exposed to something new and different….and that can’t be all bad. Can it?

After eating lunch…..somewhere….we headed for the Denver Museum of Science and Nature for our afternoon entertainment and enlightenment. This museum is located in what is probably Denver’s oldest and largest city park. It is also the home of the Denver Zoo and other attractions.

The huge parking lot was already filled when we arrived….a phenomenon that really didn’t surprise me. I got out in front of the building and waited while Fayez looked for a parking space. Fate must have been on his side. He found a place to park in the first row of parking spaces. I was hoping this was a good omen. We paid our entry fee….and there we were inside the huge (for Denver, at least) and rather bewildering array of options to explore. Again…..the museum had undergone a radical and complete metamorphosis since my last visit….Oh, so long ago.

Not only had the area been greatly expanded, but entire “feel” of the place had changed. It has obviously become much more “interactive” and hands-on. In fact, large areas of he museum appeared to have been designed and geared toward children. If this indeed was their goal…. They should give themselves an A+…..because they succeeded. And, as visible evidence of their obvious success…. The museum was teaming with school age kids. Big kids….little kids…. I would venture to say that kids outnumbered adults at least 2 to 1. Some of these little people were in organized groups under the general supervision of a teacher or other adult….probably on a class trip of some sort.

But, in general, most of them were running loose, so to speak. And…..kids can be obnoxious little things. Oh…. They are not intentionally obnoxious. This is just the way kids are….enthusiastic, impulsive, mostly oblivious to what is going on around them. If adults are like this, we call them arrogant, self-centered, narcissistic….morons, idiots…. But, with kids: they are just being kids. I understand why many museums have made this change…..orienting many of their exhibits toward youth. It is probably the only way they can stay in business. Catch them as early as you can….reel them in….make it a fun experience….offer them an experience they will remember and want to return to. As adults….parents….they will be more prone to taking their own kids there, too.

As a former educator, I am not finding fault with this practice. It is good…. And, we admittedly went on a not so favorable day. Not only were their class trips, but it was also Spring Break for many schools. The kids are at home. What better way to entertain them than take them to the museum….with plenty of sensory fun….visual and tactile. For an adult, though, who just wants to walk around peacefully…..undisturbed….leisurely: Well, several hundred or a few thousand kids put an end to this dream immediately.

 

 

 

 

But, disregarding the kids…..and it is difficult to do…..we spend an interesting two or three hours walking through the exhibits. There were absorbing displays relating to space, weather, health and medicine…. The exhibit that grabbed my attention and no doubt was the highlight of the visit for me was the section devoted to mining…more specifically to minerals and precious metals….even more specifically to the many examples of BERYL which were on display.

Beryl…..or beryllium… is the name of a semi-precious metal which is mined in Colorado…..as well as in other parts of the world. Normally, it is a blue-green color…sort of aquamarine…..but it has actually be found in other colors, too….blue, green, yellow, red, white. Pure beryl is colorless. It is the impurities that give it color. Actually, emeralds are nothing less than green beryl. Do you think that beryl is just another worthless mineral compound? Take a look at the pictures. Maybe that will change your mind. It is actually quite valuable. Maybe that is why my mother gave me that name!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The rest of the museum? Actually, I don’t remember much about it. As I said, there was a section devoted to out space…..and lots of kids. There was a section devoted to health and medical science….and lots of kids.

As we left the museum, I began to wonder: Maybe it would work out better if there was a section of the museum for school age visitors…..and another, better organized, more orderly section for adults. I accept the fact that this museum has actively chosen to orient its exhibits to children. It is not the kind of museum where artifacts from the past are displayed. When considering the name of the museum….The Museum of Science and Nature…..I suppose I should have put two and two together and figured this out before we went there. It simply is not a history museum. I suppose both kinds of museums serve a valid function. Quite frankly, however, I rather prefer history museums… And, to me, this is what the true connotation of the word actually means.

When we finished our rather perfunctory visit of the museum, my nose was completely stopped up….again. Back in our dreary motel room…..but at least with better lighting…. I looked up the location of more Immediate Care Clinics. I found one that was closer to the motel…..not the one where we went the previous night.

When we walked into the clinic, I was the only patient there. As soon as I showed my insurance cards to the receptionist, she was very friendly and eager to help. Of course, I had to fill out obligatory history of my life…..something I did half-heartedly. They would never see me again. How would they know that I had never had the plague?

Almost immediately after we walked into the clinic….probably within a couple minutes….at least 5 or 6 other people appeared….in quick succession. Wow…. Talk about timing! I got Fayez’s attention and wiped my brow in a symbolic sign of relief. I am assuming that people who come here cannot be turned down. At least, that is the impression I got from eve-dropping on some of the conversations. I also got the distinct impression that some of them had been there before. And, I further got the impression that the receptionist sort of had the attitude, “Oh….You again..Just sit down and wait.”

I didn’t see an M.D…..and I guess I really didn’t expect to. He was a Physician’s Assistant who got his training at Wichita State University. I thought that Fayez would be pleased to meet him. The nurse came back and said that nobody by the name of Fayez was sitting in the waiting room. Later I learned that as soon as I went into the examining room, he went outside….. Yes! You guess it. To play with his cell phone!

The young Physician’s Assistant was alarmed….and not very happy…..when I showed him the Afrin nasal spray I had been using for the past three weeks. He (almost) grabbed it, and threw it into the waste basket. “Stop using that immediately,” is ordered (in a semi-friendly sort of way). “That stuff does you ten times more harm that it does good.” Wow! I knew that the label says not to use it for more than three days. But, who reads….or believes….labels on over the counter medicine? Mostly, I have always thought, they are not really medicine anyway. However, the Afrin was actually helping my nose…..temporarily. It was the only way I could make it through the day, really. The Physician’s Assistant went on to explain all the damage it can do…..and in my case, all the damage that it had already done. “Don’t use it any more,” he admonished. How could I? He had already thrown it away. After chatting a few minutes about the NCAA Basketball Tournament….and the misfortune of Wichita State….he left, and a nurse came in and gave me a shot of some sort of steroid.

The steroid took effect almost immediately. Surprisingly fast! That must have been some strong stuff. The PA told me to buy some Claritin…..and some Flonaze. Those are “real” medicines, and they can be used almost without limit.

Ahhhh…. Now I was feeling better, so we headed to an out-of-the way restaurant called the Jerusalem Restaurant for our evening meal. The Jerusalem Cafe had good reviews on Yelp, and by the number of people who were there, a lot of people apparently know this. When we first got there, there were no empty tables, so we were directed to an outside eating area. This was OK with us….especially Fayez. We had only been sitting there for a few minutes, when a waitress told us there was an empty table…..if we didn’t mind sitting “upstairs”.

“Upstairs” involved squeezing past the cash registers, through an equally small door and walking up about a half flight of stairs. The cafe was packed….both on the main level and upstairs. Not only was it packed, but packed close together. One might say that it was a very “intimate” setting! Although we had our own table, we were elbow to elbow with our neighbors. Nobody seemed to mind the tight setting…..and neither did I. One of the good thing about crowded restaurants is that you are practically anonymous. Nobody pays any attention to you. They are so involved in their own conversations to be concerned with what is going on beside them.

In most states….and probably including Kansas…..the cafe would have made a perfect training film which might be called, “A Textbook of What NOT to Do if You Want Your Cafe to Pass a Safety Inspection.” This place hit all the buttons. It was upstairs; it was vastly overcrowded; there were no exits; there were no fire extinguishers (that I could see anyway.)

But, the food was delicious! That is why there were so many people there. Safety was probably the last thing on their mind as they enjoyed the tasty and outstanding food. Did I mention that this was a Middle Eastern restaurant? That is why we chose it. Of course, Fayez was in charge of ordering the food. And, he did a good job; he made some good choices. We…. Fayez, actually…..ordered two separate meals, one for each of us….and we shared the food when it arrived. We left filled to the brim….and contented…as we drove back to our dingy motel.

My luck was holding out…..or the steroids were holding out….because my breathing has more or less returned to normal. Man, I felt fortunate….and relieved. I slept through the night with no problems.

Tuesday was our final day in Colorado…..another day on the road. After fortifying ourselves at the excellent breakfast buffet, we got into the car and headed for The Garden of the Gods, down in the Colorado Springs area.

In order to make the drive as pleasant and scenic and dramatic as possible, I plotted the most mountainous route possible…..taking into consideration which highways were open this early in the year. Of course, the most breathtaking mountain highways were still closed because the winter snow fall. Despite the protests of Fayez…who is a slave to the GPS….we took MY route….the route I had already planned on using….of all things…..a map! Fayez thought we were doomed…..lost forever….as we drove along. Surely that large piece of paper with all those colorful lines on it couldn’t possible know anything, let alone get us to our destination. I mean…. How primitive can you get? Never mind that people have been using maps for thousands of ears. Even I…. This is the only way I have ever know to get from point A to point B. I have never gotten lost while using a map….something I certainly cannot say about the GPS. He surely must have been surprised as we made our orderly way along the highways.

The scenery was beautiful….maybe not spectacular, after all, the spectacular routes were closed…..and we stopped on occasion to take pictures of the mountain scenery. Much of the trip was at elevations of 8 or 9 thousand feet above sea, the mountain passes being even higher than that. At this high elevation, we rarely came to a village or town. After all, this would be a difficult place to establish and maintain any sort of services which sustain a town. The distance to the nearest large city or town would be much too far and inconvenient for most sane people. And, I can imagine that a person would have to possess the lungs of a mountain goat in order to even breathe up there. Certainly, I doubt if the high schools would have a cross-country team!

But, there were ranches….seemingly working and operating ranches….at this extreme altitude. Cattle were plentiful. They must have good lungs. Of course, they don’t move around a lot, either. Ranch houses and barns and corrals dotted the landscape. Of course, I don’t know….we didn’t do any sort of survey…..but I can well imagine that most….if not all…..of these ranchers were born and raised there and become well acclimated to the climate….and the lack of oxygen. We even saw school bus signs…..so apparently the kids went to school…..somewhere. The bus ride must have been a bummer…..like taking a trip every day….except they go to the same place every day.

As I sat in the car, looking out on the scenery, I felt OK. On the infrequent occasions when we stopped to take pictures, I felt somewhat unsteady, but nothing I couldn’t handle by being careful…..and often learning on the car to steady myself. Actually, everything seemed to be going well. I told Fayez about my misfortune….and misery….a couple summers ago when Sultan and I had camped in the mountains, and I spent sleepless nights because I was not able to breathe. (See “Sleepless in Colorado….”)

As we drove along, we talked about many things, not the least of which was what it would be like to live such as isolated life….miles from the nearest town….miles from the nearest neighbor….miles from any sort of amenity….miles from any sort of social interaction…. But, on the other hand….nobody forced them to live there. It is a life they chose….and apparently like…..maybe even prefer. I do feel rather sorry for the children, though. I think it would be rather tough not to see friends….to hang out with them…. And, can you imagine what it is like to drive to school and home each day. But, I can also imagine that as soon as a kid is old enough to have a driver’s license….they get one. I wonder what kind of attendance they have at their high school sports events? Mom and dad would have to be pretty dedicated to keep up with their son or daughter, considering that sometimes there are sporting events two….three….four times a week. Oh well…..

Somewhere, maybe three-fourths way to Garden of the Gods, we stopped in a small town for a restroom stop….and to pick up something to drink. Fayez bolted out of the car and was probably in the little store before I had even gotten out. I guess he had to “go” urgently! I felt rather unstable….wobbly…. But, after standing for a minute, I thought I could make it from our parking spot to the little store. I negotiated the parking lot in pretty good shape. But, as I approached the store, I felt “it” slipping away. “I need to hold on to something,” I was thinking…. But, what? I inched my way forward, trying to grab hold a pipe that was supporting an overhanging shelter on the front of the store. But, I felt myself going down….things just fading away…. I managed to reach out to the pole and pull myself up….after what I thought was only a nanosecond of time.

“OK, I will just stand here and act cool….like I am waiting for somebody,” I thought to myself. I really didn’t see anybody around, so I felt like I could simply stand there until Fayez returned….and he could help me back to the car. But, it was too late. It was more obvious than I thought it was. Some man, wearing an Olympic Training Center cap, came rushing over to me. I tried to act normal….nonchalant… But, he knew something was wrong, and stood with me, talking to me, asking how I felt….until Fayez came back out. Actually, I thought Fayez was going to walk right past me! But, he stopped….puzzled, I suppose…..feeling badly, I hope…..and then we walked slowly back to the car…. I would wait until a later time to go to the rest room!

Yes….. Some minutes later, at a lower elevation, we did stop at a rest area. I managed to successful complete the process.

We arrived at the Garden of the Gods in the early afternoon. For those of you who have never been there, it is an area of unusual rock formations jutting up from the ground. Some of them form unique, tooth-like shapes. The last time I visited the Garden of the Gods was….Wow….many years ago. And, as about everything else I have revisited lately, the changes are remarkable. The traffic has increased incredibly….parking is almost non-existent. And, as with all the other places…..almost with no exception…..the changes which have been made are not good changes. Oh yes, I suppose they were necessary to accommodate the vast increase in visitors. But, they have succeeded in making the park very user-unfriendly. What I remembered as a beautiful, relaxing drive through some spectacular and unique rock formations is now a steady stream of impatient tourists. About half of them are following you….just daring you to stop and impede their in-and-out progress. The other half are already stopped along the road….illegally, if there is such a thing as illegal around here….daring you to stop and wait for them to take pictures….or to risk plowing into an oncoming car….in order to get around them. Yellowstone all over again…..

After circling the park two or three times, luck finally smiled on us….and we gleefully pulled into a parking place, beating out probably four other cars! And, even it was not a “good” parking place….insofar as taking pictures was concerned. But, as they say, “Beggars can’t be choosers.” At least, we had the satisfaction of watching a few dozen other drivers continuing their search….and probably cussing us.

On an ideal day, we would have had a leisurely drive. And, this probably would have been an ideal day….being in the middle of March, far removed from the tourist season….except it was Spring Break, and everybody else in the nation was doing the same thing we were……Spring Breaking.

Some time ago when I was going through old pictures….scanning them and putting the into digital form so they can be preserved, hopefully forever…..I found an old black and white picture of me….taken when I was a freshman in college. We were in the Garden of the Gods….and I was photographed “holding up the Balanced Rock”. I am sure that at that time, I thought the picture was cute….and original….probably something that only I, in all my cleverness, would think of. But, back them I was a little more naive than I am now….not much, but a little bit. This picture has no doubt been taken ten million times over the years, by people who thought they were equally inventive and original.

Actually taking that same, exact picture was probably the only concrete goal I had for the excursion to the Garden of the Gods. The Balanced Rock is somewhat removed from the heavily traveled part of the park. There were lots of people there….but only a fraction of the number milling around in other parts of the park. I was very much anticipating the pictures…..a comparison of probably a 60 year time span. Pretty cute, again…..don’t you think? Age, perhaps 18 or so…..compared to age 79. Historic!

But, it was not to be. Again, blaming my faulty memory….or the passage of time….or more changes made by whoever maintains the park…..the Balanced Rock was located on a sort of ridge or cliff or hill….whatever… There was no stairway leading to it. The only way to approach it was to climb up to it….. It was not something only a mountain goat could do….but it was beyond what this guy could do. That was the end of that dream. It was the end of a dream for me…..so I did the best thing: I had a nightmare! No, not really. I took approximately the same picture of Fayez trying to do the same thing. Sort of a surrogate. His picture turned out to be a little more dramatic than my old picture. But….Fayez is probably a more dramatic person than I am. Well….not really.

 

 

 

 

 

There are lots of other interesting and exciting things to do in the Colorado Springs area. But, I was aware that Fayez probably was not interested in doing any of them….so we headed back to Denver.

The trip was uneventful. The scenery was beautiful…. I mean, this was Colorado. We made a couple stops for pictures, but, no doubt about it, the main goal was to get back to Denver. We were more or less following the map again. I could tell that Fayez was nervous. Surely, maps can’t be useful….can they? They don’t know where they are going. Can you trust them? After all, they have only been used for a few thousand years. Not nearly long enough to prove themselves. In order to rest, go to the restroom….and soothe Fayez’s nerves…..we stopped at a rather isolated, but inviting, coffee house called “Decker’s Corner”. After a refreshing stop, we continued on back to Denver and our final night in the dingy little motel room.

We ate supper in a Moroccan restaurant called the Sahara Restaurant. There was nothing Moroccan about the decor of the restaurant. It was decorated in a fake Middle Eastern style. But, nobody was fooled. People did not come there for the decor. They came for the food. And, there were a lot of people there, too. A surprising number…at least compared to what I expected. The restaurant was located in a nondescript strip mall in what seemed to be the southeast section of Denver. I have no idea what we ate. Fayez selected it. The food was delicious….outstanding. This could have been the highlight of our day.

Well….as they say, all good things must come to an end. It wasn’t all good….but at least for now, most of the physical misery had been alleviated….thanks to the Flonase and the Claratin….and the steroid shot! Not only did we see some spectacular scenery and relax in some quaint and historic towns…..but I also learned a valuable lesson…. Get rid of the Afrin!

After eating our final breakfast in the well stocked breakfast bar, we had one more important piece of business to accomplish. Maybe it was the most important thing that I saw. We (Fayez) kept putting it off….. It was always, “Let’s do it tomorrow.” Well, now there were no more “tomorrows”. So before leaving Denver, we paid a visit to Mile High Stadium…. Bronco’s Stadium….the home field of my favorite pro-football team…..the Denver Broncos. This was definitely “the best of times”. After gazing fondly on it for a few minutes….and taking some pictures for posterity….we broke ourselves away…..and headed back home to the Ranch.