Colorado, part 1

Road trip 2014 to Aspen, CO. Gosh you guys, this was a good trip. We left Monday afternoon, stopped in Amarillo for the night, and then continued northward Tuesday while racing a terrific thunderstorm out of Texas. As soon as we saw the Rockies, I was in my happy place.

Y'all know my obsession with the mountains, and this trip only fueled it. We went to New Mexico last summer and this winter, so it was time to head a little farther north. We chose Aspen because the drive there was supposedly pretty scenic. And holy CRAP you guys, it WAS. It's actually one of America's Scenic Byways, which are... scenic drives across America. Go figure. It would be super cool to check out more of them, because this baby was so pretty. This route was called the Top of the Rockies. I was kind of in awe the whole time. It is so beautiful. You go across the continental divide (which goes all the way from Alaska to the tip of South America, geography lesson!), and you're literally, on top of the Rockies. It was insane. Also, THERE WAS STILL SNOW! I guess they had an excellent winter this year, because all the mountains still had some snow on top of them. And it was slowly melting so, mountain streams EVERYWHERE. I mean, it's what my dreams are made of.

This lake that we're standing in front of is one of two twin lakes fed by the snow melt, that turn into the Arkansas River! We followed the river up into the mountains and got to see where it starts! It was a raging beast. Like seriously, super fast moving and full of rapids.

Um, still frozen lake on top of a mountain? Be still my heart. Also, Brendon and I got in a snow ball fight up here.

I know, I know, get out of here with this. Stupid beautiful. Also, incredibly COOL. I'm a terrible Texan, I am not a fan of the heat, at all. It was cold at night and lovely during the day. I had a jacket on most of the trip. I repeat, happy place.

So the drive to Aspen was phenomenal. Twisty and turny and up and down and around mountains. We ended up camping just outside Aspen in the Maroon Bells area of the White River National forest. More pictures later, but as a tease, this next photo is the rather fiesty stream coming down out of the mountains just steps from our tent. We slept to the sound of rushing water, every night. STUFF OF DREAMS!