Monday, October 29, 2007

Boulder Banter

It's been almost a week since I last wrote - the longest blogging vacation that I've taken since I began pounding out posts in February.

Last night I got back from beautiful Boulder, where I visited my friend Ellen and her family. Colorado is known for its Great Oudoors, but, as it turns out, the Indoors is pretty great as well.

The Great Outdoors

Glistening gold Aspen leaves; majestic elk, deer and fox; long walks and longer talks were AHHH inspiring.


On Friday, we took to the high-altitude Rocky Mountain National Park and started off with an easy 1.5 mile jaunt around Bear Lake. When I found that I wasn't gasping for air, we added a higher elevation, 4-mile hike to a frozen solid lake.






The Great Indoors

Boulder residents take the indoors almost as seriously as the outdoors.

In spite of Colorado Rockies mania, the Boulder Bookstore (the Boulder equivalent of Pasadena's Vroman's and Brentwood's Dutton's) packed a standing-room-only crowd of Birkenstock-lovin' mountain men and earth mamas on Wednesday. Friend Ellen, who wrote a cover story about the Farm Bill for the Boulder Weekly, introduced Frances Moore Lappe', author of the 70's classic, Diet for a Small Planet, and the recently published Getting a Grip. It's no wonder Boulder is called the "Berkeley of Colorado."

I also spent some time indoors at radio station KGNU, an independent community radio station in Boulder. Ellen, who's a host of the station's Book Talk show, interviewed me about Cancer Banter. I'll let you know when the show airs.

Before I left on Sunday, Ellen's daughter, Erica, interviewed me about my experiences with teen wilderness camps for the station's Teen Talk show. Yep, two radio interviews in one week. Who knew I'd have so much to say in Boulder.



The Stanley Hotel, setting for Stephen King's The Shining, was a particularly eerie place to be indoors on the Saturday before Halloween when the hotel holds its annual Shining Ball.



And, finally, what would the Great Indoors be without Sunday brunch? We enjoyed ours at the Chatauqua Dining Hall in Boulder.


6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow! Such a great trip! Great pics too, Susan! Yes, your words should also be heard as well as read, so BRAVA on the interviews! So awesome too that you got to do all that hiking...you are a strong woman! glad you are back too...I checked everyday on the blog...so much a part of me: YOU! Love you and welcome home! Suze

Lilli said...

By the time you left, you must have been a celebrity in Boulder! Glad you had such a wonderful trip. Thanks for the ahhhsome pics.

Piper Robert said...

Hmmmmm.....I see ice, but you're dressed as if it's somewhat warm. Great photos. Don't forget to give us the time/date for your radio interview.

Piper Robert said...

What's with the 2 credit cards in front of the beauty queen?

Susan C said...

Funny thing about the temperature. It must have been at least 32 degrees since the lake was frozen solid, but I worked up a sweat in shirt sleeves.

The beauty queen's sash read "Miss Understood." She's a front desk clerk.

Piper Robert said...

Funny.