15 Reasons Colorado is Awesome

Snow....mid April.  Yes sir.  We took out the swimsuits on Friday afternoon and Sunday morning, we were drinking coffee (well, cocoa for the kids) and watching it snow all over the freshly fertilized grass.  Guess I jumped the gun planting my seedlings....sigh  So, in the interests of keeping my spirits up instead of moping over my dead tomatoes, zucchini, and peppers, here are 15 reasons why Colorado is awesome....

1.  Sun...sun....sun  When I came out here to visit for the first time, one of the biggest and best things I loved about this state is how much sun there is and how wonderfully warm it is here comparatively.  It can be 40 degrees and feel like 70 because of the sun.  It can be an ouchie if you forget the sunscreen and...oh...say....climb a 14er but, in general, the sun is amazing here and one of the greatest things that I love about this state.

2.  People are incredibly nice  Though I am a transplant myself, I will definitely say that you can tell natives from transplants.  MOST natives (and there are some that are not quite as nice, but) are incredibly nice.  I joke with family and friends that visit that it must be the altitude....they tell me that it must be the pot.

3.  Legal marijuana.  Funny for me being that I am NOT even close to a pot smoker.  I guess the reason this is great is because it shows that our state cares about what the residents want.  I don't have a problem with pot smokers...in general, they're quite mellow people and there are more of them than people know.  Though it is not my choice to smoke it personally, I like the fact that people have the freedom to choose here.

4.  16th Street Mall.  I'm a sucker for this place.  I will walk for hours and window shop.  I've been here for years and I still love going into the tourist stores and looking at all of the goofy souvenir stuff.  I'm a sucker for Mellow Mushroom (since it's my favorite) and I love the pianos out in the middle of nowhere, the wide variety of people that you run into, and the atmosphere.

5.  Incredible scenery.  This kind of goes for all parks.  In my area, I can drive nearly anywhere and see the mountains all of the time.  I never get over the beauty of this state.  Everything is more beautiful here than back home.

6.  Rocky Mountain National Park.  If you can visit and NOT fall in love with this beautiful place, you have no soul. (Totally joking...it's not for everyone, I guess).  I'd rather hike out here than visit the beach any day of the week.

7.  The Broncos.  Nuff said. 

8.  Red Rocks.  I have never been to a concert at the amphitheater but I intend to do it at some point.  The park itself is gorgeous but a concert there would be insanity.

9.  Hockey is HUGE  Hockey is huge here and there is a pocket of Redwings fans, though there are a lot more people who loathe the Redwings.

10.  Everyone is outdoorsy  Okay that might be an exaggeration.  Not EVERY person is outdoorsy but they are plentiful here.  There are so many places to hike and hang out outdoors.  I love it!

11.  Royal Gorge Rafting.  If I could go through the same company and have the same guide (Miles), I'd do it in a second.  It was an incredible time and so fun!  I can't wait to go again.

12.  Denver Zoo  I am a huge fan of the zoo, even as an adult.  Denver's zoo is awesome and I could probably go there daily if I had the time. 

13.  Wash Park  I might be a bit biased because I'm here so often but I love the park.  Yes, the teenagers can get rowdy after school hours but, for the most part, it's gorgeous and there's so much open space to relax in.

14.  Skiing  Again, haven't done it but can't wait to try it. 

15.  Greatest state in our country Okay this is a generalization but overall, I think it's the best.  Perfect climate (for the most part), great people, beautiful scenery and even more!!!