Rocking the Rockies

Posted by Sam in USA, World Trip 2007/8 on 10 22nd, 2007 | one comments

Denver was my next stop, 16 hours on a Amtrak train, most of the journey was through the night so there wasn’t much sightseeing. Not that there was very much to see as it goes though the great plains for most of the night. Its beautiful in a very open landscape, kinda of like a grass Gobi Desert. Nothing for hours but fields, Wide open plains and small towns that wouldn’t look out of place in the Texas Chainsaw Mascara or The Hills have Eyes. I also wonder……… what the hell people do for jobs in these small villages and towns except for BBQ tourists that accidentally stroll off the highway in search of gas only to be confronted by Jerry Springer Hill Billy’s that want to eat them. I watch far to many horror films.

The California Zephyr train is rated as the most spectaclar train journey in the world. I read in the Lonely Planet the first part of the journey can be a little bit dull up to Denver, i wouldn’t say it was boring just vast, the writers of the Lonely Planet haven’t been on the 3pm from Colchester to London, now that’s one of the most dull train rides of the world.
I am on the train writing this blog on my way to California from Denver and I’ll give you a taster for the next blog because I need to tell someone about all the most beautiful things that I am seeing on this train ride. Its another one of those ‘Sam moment’s’ it really is THE MOST SPECTACULAR part of the world I have seen so far, i know I say that every bloody time (I get very excited about seeing new things) but I really do mean it, I’m really looking forward to the Grand Canyon now.
What a great way to travel, no roads, no highways, no cars, no people just plenty and plenty of……………. well I’ll wait and tell you in my next blog. But really, anyone coming to the US should do this train ride before they close down the Amtrak network, there seems to be talk of that as Amtrak never make a profit, forget air travel please!

Right, back to the blog. The driver pipes up over the intercom in a excited fashion, “Folks, welcome to Denver, if you look out of the window… well I’ll let you see for yourself” As I open the curtains to reveal the snow caped Rockies with the morning sunlight catching the rocks and golden and red colours of the Aspen trees it really is like viewing a postcard.
Stu and Big Al you are so right, it is quite something to see this mountain range, it just seems to go on forever and ever.
Off the train at 7am, I head to my hostel (Not before a Starbucks Mocha) to drop my bags off. The Hostel was a bit crap, the bed was awful and the bathroom was so rubbish with the smallest toilet in the world. I could hardly fit my arse on it (I know its big but not that big) I bet your all picturing me on the toilet now. HA HA

I decided to have a look around town, Downtown is basically one street, 16th Mall Street where there is your normal amount of America chain stores and restaurants (Five Starsbucks and 3 MacDonald’s I counted) After a walk around I headed over to the Denver Art Museum which is an interesting building. I couldn’t go in as it was members only day which was fine as I found out it was $18 to get in, rather step to see some art. Most of it is classical art which I’m not so keen on either. There is only so many painting I can see of Jesus Christ nailed up to the cross. After a random conversation with a guy from LA outside the museum about art (Yeah, I know what I’m talking about, I’ve been to Russia….. full on blag on my part) I headed back to the hostel to write blogs and chill out for the night. I was the only one in my room until a mad dutch guy came in hoped on his bed lifted up his leg and let out a massive fart and then fell straight to sleep but any chance he had in the night he would let out these massive farts that sounded more like bombs going off, not much sleep for me that night.

Next day I headed to south Denver to basically do nothing all day, I had run out of things to do and see, well except these comedy signs.

I went to a great book shop/cafe called Tatty Cover books which was just a wonderful shop, it was like something out of Harry Potter! I hung out there for a while before heading to a great little Hipster/Art Rocker cafe that Claire had recommended me. Paris on the Platte which had the biggest sandwiches I have every seen. That was enough food for me today.

Before I left Chicago, Claire (Katie’s friend) made arrangements for me to met her friend Alex and his girlfriend Andi. Claire, all I can say was thank you so much. It was a top idea, what a lovely couple of people to hang out with. They took me out for some crazy margaritas and Denver beer. By the way Denver has the most Micro Breweries in the US and its pretty shit hot even for a cocktail drinking girl like me.
News flash for Stu, Kenney and Lee. About 9:40 that night I heard more of the Mighty Mode! Strange love ‘Live’ was played. I was emotional.

Last day in Denver and Alex and Andi wanted to show me around which was so kind of them. First stop was so much fun, Alex works at this funky ‘urban’ winery. So I got to try my hand at wine tasting which i hadn’t got a clue what I was doing or looking for in the wine but my that was some great wine, I’m far from being a expert (I’m just a pisshead) but the wine was so tasty and I fell in love one of the whites which Alex very kindly bought me, Alex I shall be toasting you when I drink this on Halloween. Anyway everyone should go to the website and order a bottle. Forget South African, forget Australian there is a new boy in town and its Denver.

Next stop was lunch in the foothills of the Rockies at the town of Boulder, a pleasant town which had a bit of a European ski resort feel to it. I hear its a bit of a party town as it has a large uni campus there. I wonder if they need a dj at there student union?
So up the Rockies we went (sounds a bit rude), what a great drive as the road twists and turns up and up 4000 meters plus.
The colour of the trees in the Fall are just beautiful, golden yellows, dark ruby reds and brilliant oranges. I really couldn’t of picked a better time to go there.
Snow starts to fall and the higher you get the more like winter it becomes.

We took a dirt track right to a top of a mountain where there was a small ghost town of a old mine that was active about 120 years ago, only a couple buildings remain but it makes you think that the US really does have some really interesting history. It may not be that old but interesting it is. I can’t imagine the conditions 120 years all the way up there. It was such a remote spot and in the winter…… I don’t want to even think about that.

What a wonderful drive and a great introduction to the Rockies, I will go back there again and spend a good couple of weeks up there. I’ve promised myself that.

Night time was mostly drinking but first I had to do something so America and to become an honouree member of the North American fat bastard club. Yes that’s right, I had steak…… not just a steak, but half a cow on my plate.

It was 16oz of pure meat and my gosh it was so delicious but after half of it I had to call it a day and box it up and take it back with me. I’m still munching on it on the train and I still haven’t finished it. But 16oz is nothing when I saw what had been bought out for Andi. No words, just look at the photo

Yep, 24oz of steak!!!! And she finished the lot in 10 minutes…. No I’m joking, I’m not sure Hulk Hogan could eat that much in one go. Andi will be eating that for weeks! Good work girl!

Every city so far in the US I seem to be sad to leave. I seem to have made some great friends along this route so far and Alex and Andi are no exception, I was made to feel so welcome in Denver. Thank you guys for showing me around, I really did have a blast.

Next Stop San Fran where I’ll be meeting up with special guest! Watch this space.

Here’s the Denver List

1. The Rockies. Enough said.
2. Paris on the Plattes, a great people watching spot.
3. Go to the Floyd’s Barber Shop Floyd’s where I had my hair cut, 1920s/old/new school/hipster/Burlesque type of place.
4. Take a trip to the park and enjoy watching the crack heads push there kids around as they are off there face on the old crack pipe.
5. Eat Steak, big steak and become an America and live the dream.