Monday, January 10

new year, new ambition!

Hello, friends in blogland!

Please excuse my month-long absence from my blog :) The holidays were both a busy and wonderful time for me. We traveled or I worked every weekend from November til last weekend! I have lots and lots to tell you :) But for my first blog of the new year, I should probably be cliche and start with my plans for 2011 :)

I will definitely be continuing along the road of health & fitness goals {especially since I'll be in a wedding this summer!!! --- more on that later} as well as being better with my budget and minimizing excess spending {since the hubs and I will be living off of loans come this summer...} but, my

main ambition for 2011 is
to spend more time with the people I love,
making memories and trying new things

It all started a few weeks ago at work when a coworker of mine found this website that outlines 101 Things Every Coloradan Should Try in 2011. It says that, "We live in the best state, it's time to enjoy it to the fullest." I was inspired by this website, and wrote down every thing on the list. If you're ready, I'll show you what the list looks like. I have it split up into 5 different categories...

First: Things I really really hope to accomplish in 2011 ---


1. Hike a 14er: use 14ers.com. Try Mt. Elbert or San Luis Peak first.
2.    Join in the fan club in the supporters’ terrace at a Rapid’s Game
3.    Ride on the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad --- Summer: Rails & Ales Festival
4.    Denver Food Trucks – Justice League of Street Food
5.    Take a tour of the Redstone Castle in Carbondale
6.    Tubing at Frisco’s Adventure Park
7.    Go Dog Sledding {$70}
8.    Race to the top of the Stanley Hotel {Estes Park}
9.    See a play at the Colorado Shakespeare Festival {Boulder in the summer}
10. Attend the Mile High Music Festival
11.  Taste of Colorado {Labor Day Weekend}
12.  Parade of Lights
13.  Banjo Billy’s Bus Tours {Denver and Boulder, Sats @ 2pm}
14.  Adventure Golf & Raceway {Westminster, bungee drag race!!!}
15.  Denver Gorilla Run --- run a 5K in a gorilla suit on Halloween!
16.  St. Patrick’s Day Parade
17.  Beau Jo’s in Idaho Springs {the first Beau Jo's}
18.  Comedy Works
19.  Alpine Slide at Heritage Square {shops, in Golden, $33 for 5 rides}
20. Tour Celestial Seasonings in Boulder
21.  Denver Zoo’s Brew at the Zoo
22. Halloween in LoDo
23.  Sled/ski the Great Sand Dunes
24.  X Games in Aspen
25.  Colorado Dragon Boat Festival {beer garden, vendors, July 30-31}
26.  Rent a red bike with Denver’s Bicycles
27. Light the Lights Celebration {Thanksgiving weekend}
28. Renaissance Festival {summer in Larkspur}
29. Buy a book at the Tattered Cover on Colfax

Things I would like to try--- 
30. Buy a record at Albums on the Hill
31.  Go to the first Chipotle on Evans
32.  Sunset @ Peaks Lounge {in Grand Hyatt Regency @ Denver Convention Center}
33.  Thanksgiving fries at Big Game
34.  Brewski @ Woodcellar Bar & Grill {Evergreen}
35.  Play roulette in Black Hawk
36.  Buffalo Bill’s Grave
37.  Make out on Lookout Mountain
38.  Paddle Boat in Wash Park
39.  Central City Opera House
40. Madame Lou Bunch days {brass beds, Central City}
41.  Add a dollar to Bonanza Casino’s ceiling {Central City}
42.  Fly from DIA to Durango {Durango brewing}
43.  Nuggets Game
44.  Outlaws Lacrosse
45.  Ms. Hooters Colorado Pageant {April 28, 2011 at Suite 200}
46.  Order a beer from Captain Earthman: beer vendor at Coors Field {Left Field}, Fillmore, Red Rocks, and Comfort Dental Ampitheatre. Cell: 720.371.4252
47.  Cherry Creek Sneak {Sunday, May 1st}
48.  Ski opening day at A-Basin
49.  Tiny Town {summers}
50. Make homebrew
51.  Picture next to the big blue bear at the Convention Center
52.  Bike 66 miles along Highline Canal Trail
53.  Indoor Skydiving
54.  Play pinball in Lyons {and eat at Oskar Blues}
55.  James Peak Yurt & Poo Yeti {Blackhawk}12
56.  7-lb burrito at Jack-N-Grill {Westminster}
57.  Have a beer at San Luis Valley Brewing Company in Alamosa
58.  Wine in Grand Junction – American Spirit Tours
59.  Mountain Boarding
60. Ghost stories at Chautauqua Park
61.  Balloon rides in Boulder
62.  Mile High Pedicab

Things on the list I have already done --- 
63.  Eat at The Cherry Cricket
64.  Concert at Red Rocks
65.  Rock & Roll Marathon
66.  Road Trip on Independence Pass à Aspen
67.  White Water Raft {with the Adventure Company}
68.  Snowmobile in the backcountry
69.  Camping in a state park
70. RTD Lightrail
71.  Bottle Service at Suite 200
72. Aspens changing on Trail Ridge Road
73.  Water World – Voyage to the Center of the Earth
74.  Elitch’s – Tower of Doom
75.  Cave at Casa Bonita
76.  Denver Mint
77. Bohemian Nights {New West Fest}
78. Rocky Mountain Showdown {CU vs CSU}
79. Look for wildlife in Rocky Mountain National Park
80. Hot Springs pool
81.  Tailgate at a Denver Broncos game
82. Sundown Saloon in Boulder
83.  16th Street Mall Ride
84.  Rockies Game
85.  Ziplining
86.  Garden of the Gods
87. 4 Corners, USA
88. Pole Dancing at Tease Studio
89. Hold breath in Eisenhower Tunnel
90. Jeep tour in Durango {Rhino in Moab}
91.  Paint by Wine {Canvas & Cocktails}

Things on the list I really don't feel like doing, this year or ever, for that matter --- 
92. Rocky Mountain Oysters at Buckhorn Exchange
93.  Eat Bison Tongue at the Fort
94.  Fly Fish in the Colorado River
95.  Zombie Crawl
96.  Ice Hut & Fish
97. Golf TEC
98. Lance Armstrong race Aug 22-28
99. Dive with the sharks at the Downtown Aquarium

Things I would like to do, but can't afford to --- 
100.              Stay in America’s Best Ski Hotel: Beaver Creek’s Westin River Front Hotel
101.               $550 Martini
102.               Steamboat Powercats Tour {$$$}

So there you have it! I'm not really sure how I got to 102 items since it's supposed to be a 101 item list...but whatever :) For all you Coloradans --- is there anything NOT on the list that you think is a "must-have experience" when you live here? I've decided that I have lived in this beautiful state for almost 25 years, and I really need to take advantage of the amazing experiences it holds for me!

So here's to a new year with hopefully plenty of new experiences with the people I care about :)

Cheers!

PS --- It feels good to be back :)

10 comments:

  1. I have missed your blogs!! Sounds like you will be able to keep busy for a long time with that list!!

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  2. Count me in for Rails and Ales!!! And, have you never done the Celestial Seasonings tour? It's free and fun and I always end up buying enough tea to drink for a good year. lol. I'll meet you in Boulder for that one. :-) Also, rocky mountain oysters aren't all that bad...weird, oily after taste, but kind of cool to say you've tried them. Welcome back!!!

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  3. Oh, and I love the Tattered Cover...

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  4. what a great list! I would never do any of the things on your "never do" list except for fly fishing in the co river. I love fishing. things to add would be to see a show at the lyric in FC, take a tour of NB Bewery, take your dogs to the doggie dips day at city park, go tubing down the yampa river in steamboat, go to the balloon rodeo in steamboat, ride in a hot air balloon, ski snowmass, go to the gleenwood hot springs (was this really NOT on the list??!), hike the colorado national monument, go wine tasting in palisade, hike hanging lake...omg I could go on forever kaity!! lol

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  5. Definitely go and spend time at Tattered Cover and buy a book! I absolutely love that book store. Beau Jo's in Idaho Springs is fun and of course tastes good too!
    As the year continues, I can't wait to hear what all you have done from your lists.
    To get some more ideas of places to see, check out the book:
    "Oddball Colorado: A Guide to Some Really Strange Places"
    By: Jerome Pohlen

    This book talks about some really neat places to go and check out!

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  6. How sad that I have lived in Colorado for my entire life and haven't done almost any of those things. Thanks for showing this!

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  7. What a cool list!

    Thanks for stopping by my blog. Stopping by to follow you as well.

    Adelaide@NorwegianPhoenix

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  8. Thanks for the follow! I am now following you back. I can't imagine why you don't want to dive with the sharks LOL.

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  9. Alright - so I really DID awaken the blog machine...I have some catching up to do.

    Also, pick 11 of these things...and take me with you. THAT is my goal for 2011...is to do 11 of those things (or more) with you.

    Love. Pro.

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How sweet of you to comment :) I love you for it!