Colorado mountain road trips

Colorado, the golden state has that moniker for a good reason.  I have spent several summer and winter ski vacations in the state and find it to be a real gem.  Whether pre or post Civitan convention, think about including a week long road trip in the Rockies.  Nothing is really that far.  For example, you are just 35 miles from the college community of Boulder to the north at the foot hills of some beautiful mountain trails and hip in town art galleries and the U of C.  Just 70 miles to the south is Colorado Springs and the Air Force Academy and the iconic "Pikes Peak."
In the next several weeks this blog will feature some possible day trips all shown on the map above.  Most points of interest I'll cover will be heading west along I-70 over the Loveland Pass where they had a tragic avalanche this past week.  The interstate at Loveland Pass is at the highest elevation in our national interstate system.  There was even snow on the sides of the road in July when I drove through the famous Eisenhower Tunnel following the 1996 convention in Denver.   Loveland Pass is near the continental divide.  I had to ask someone once what that really meant.  All the rivers to the west of the "divide" flow west and conversely east from the eastern slopes of the divide.  I'll include some towns you may have only thought of as ski resorts like Vail, Breckenridge and Aspen but they are just as much fun in the summer with very charming art, music and craft fairs.  We'll start the tour next week with Boulder.

Car rental can be done at the airport or in downtown Denver.  Returning a car can be done in either location generally without a drop off charge but check in advance with the auto rental provider.  If you rent a car on arrival you save the shuttle or taxi fare to town.  Parking at the Sheraton is not cheap but a parking lot less than two block away is only $11 per 24 Hrs.  At that rate you might be just as well off getting the car and having it to use while you are visiting and then turning it in at the airport when you leave, again saving the cost of getting to the airport.  The lot below can be contacted at: 303 893-1414.