Festival Weekend in Telluride Colorado

.As we glided up the mountain on the free gondola ride I posed for the perfect sun kissed selfie only to be reprimanded that I was missing the cute baby black bear directly beneath us. Telluride is a place of extraordinary beauty and adventures so staying alert to it all can be demanding.

Since the death of my husband, I have been healing by planning trips.  It gives me something to look forward to.  Starting my blog with my solo trip to Thailand helped me keep in touch with family and friends who wee worried about me back home.  The one year anniversary of my husband’s sudden death was coming up and I wanted to be far away. I found it healing to travel to the other side of the world and bathe elephants in the mud on my wedding anniversary with the elephants! 

Another time, I spent a week practicing yoga, taking a writing class and learning to surf in Costa Rica. I did not have a friend to travel with, but met a very nice group of people for the one week retreat. Costa Rica: Runaway to yoga, surfing and writing.

My summer plan was to have an adventure in Colorado with 2 good friends – who like to hike and go to music festivals.  In preparation I took a few long walks and listened to some new music

The 7 hour drive from Denver to Telluride can be done by going south on Highway 50 past the Blue Mesa Reservoir or by taking interstate 70 along the Colorado River through the mountains.  We traveled both routes.

Taking the south road to Telluride I was surprised how hot it was.  We had planned to stop for a hike but it was 99 degrees and the air quality was not ideal due to forest fires in the mountains.

Once we arrived in Telluride, the temperature was a delightful 75 degrees and the sky was robin egg blue. We settled into our VRBO rental then boarded the free gondola up the mountain to Mountain Village where a concert was being held at an altitude of 9,545 feet.

After dancing to CarolynWonderland, we took the gondola back down into town and discovered the best little taco place called Taco Del Gnar.   For $10 you get 2 tacos, tater tots with queso on top and beans.  Yummy!

Saturday we ate breakfast then headed out to enjoy a morning hike on Bear Creek Falls trail.  This wide and well traveled trail begins in town and gradually inclines along a river and waterfalls.  I was immediately impressed with the amount of wildflowers along the trail as well as the stunning aspen trees and light along the trail.

While my friends hiked a bit faster than me, I enjoyed stopping, to catch my breath, and take photos in every direction.

The RIDE festival started Saturday at 12:00 noon so we dressed and headed over to the Town Park for hours of live performances from artists including Ben Harper and The John Butler Trio.  Telluride is well equipped for summer festivals and they had the cleanest porta potties I’ve ever seen, including sinks and a recycling center for festival trash.

The music was uplifting, the setting was spectacular and the sunset into evening brought a slight chill to the air as the favorite bands played on.

Day 2 was a brilliant repeat of day one.  Hiking the ridge trail from the midway stop on the gondola to Mountain Village, eating delicious Chicago style pizza and salad at Brown Dog Pizza, shopping in town, a bike ride along the river trail beside our lodging, more music at the festival and a late night concert in the New Sheridan Hotel.

Summer festivals in Telluride occur almost every week and offer so much, even for those of us over the town’s average age of 35.