Tag fort collins

Cheyenne Fort Collins Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest Rock Springs Salt Lake City To Missoula and Back Disc Golf Utah Wyoming Hiking

Fort Collins, CO to Draper, UT – Sep 2021

Martin 0 Comment
I really enjoyed my stay in Fort Collins but it was time to move on to my next destination.  I was heading to stay with an old friend just outside of Salt Lake City, in Draper, UT.  It was a full day of travel with plenty of exploration.
Although Cheyenne wasn’t on my original itinerary, I added it.  Cheyenne was only slightly out of the way and besides having some disc golf courses, I enjoy seeing state capitols. I’m this close to Cheyenne, I may as well stop by.

The Greeting as you enter Wyoming
I arrived very early in the morning, grabbed a cup of coffee at a local coffee place, The Crooked Cup, and headed to the capitol building.  I thought this capitol building was a bit drab, especially in comparison to some of the capitol buildings I had seen on the trip.  I walked around the building and admired the one stature they had, a cowboy on a bucking bronco.
Of course… I had to play a round.  I really enjoyed the course at Romero Park in Cheyenne.  It was a beautiful morning and since I was the only one on the course, it was very quit and peaceful.  Shot par for the course.
There were stretches of road along my route through Wyoming were wind farms in every direction as far as I could see.  Mile after mile of windmills.  I found it fascinating.
Continuing on Route 80 West, I came across the Summit Rest Area just before reaching Laramie, WY.  It was originally built on the highest point on the Lincoln highway.  The Lincoln Highway is the first transcontinental auto road stretching from New York to San Francisco.  I saw many references to the Lincoln Highway on my travels.  When Interstate 80 was completed, it was moved to this rest area.  I like how Abe’s bust just sits there, forever looking out on the highway.
I took another break at the Vedauwoo Recreation Area which is located in the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest.  This forest is more than two million acres of public land in Colorado and Wyoming.  This was also a stop that was not on my original itinerary, however, I saw these rock formation as I was driving down the highway and was curious.  I followed signs and it turned out to be a good place for a little hike.
What it looks like to be driving through nowhere Wyoming….
I went to a nine basket disc golf course in Rock Springs, WY before breaking for the night.  It was a fun little desert course.  It was set on a hillside and was very rocky with very few obstacles.  It was quite windy which made it challenging.  I played it twice!
I arrived in the Salt Lake City area early the next morning.
Fort Collins To Missoula and Back Disc Golf Colorado Food

Visiting Fort Collins, CO – Sept 2021

Martin 0 Comment

After leaving the Denver area, heading to Salt Lake City, UT, I stopped for a day and an evening in Fort Collins, CO.  Fort Collins is about an hour north of Denver and was a good place for me to break up my drive.  There was so much going on in Fort Collins which made it one of my favorite stops on the trip.

Edora Park Disc Golf Course

This course was my first stop in the morning.  I do enjoy starting the day with a round of golf. Although the layout was difficult to figure out, this round was very enjoyable.  I ended up playing along with two brothers, about my age, who played this course frequently.  The course played through a local public park. Most of the fairways were open with a few tree obstacles.  There was one section that played through fields and prairie dogs kept popping their heads up to see what was going on.  Shooting 1 under par also makes it an enjoyable round!
Swetsville Zoo

Well this was a bizarre place!  I discovered this while researching prior to the trip and looking for unusual things on Atlas Obscura.  Bill Swets started creating metal creatures in 1985 and has since grown his collection of whimsical creations into the 100’s.  The ‘zoo’ is currently for sale and is a little run down but I enjoyed walking around.


Oddly… this was the second ‘VW bug’ creature I’d
seen on this trip.
‘VW Bug’ creature in Erie, PA
Totally 80’s Pizza & Museum

This was another Atlas Obscura find.  Totally 80’s Pizza boasts as being the home to the world’s largest collection of 1980’s pop culture memorabilia.  What a blast from the past.  I thoroughly enjoyed walking around and seeing so much from my childhood!  I started the 80’s going into middle school and ended the 80’s graduating high school.


Oddly, this is the second ‘Slimer’
I saw on this trip.
‘Slimer’ in Omaha
Fort Collins Old Town Square

What a great place to walk around.  Throughout the night, I kept coming back here.  I had some great conversations with some of the folks that were working including the juggler, artists and musicians.  The sculptures were fun and the vibe was very relaxed.
Alleys Around Old Town Square
I found Fort Collins to be very artsy.  This wasn’t more obvious than in the alleys that were all around the Old Town Square area.
Surfside 7

I stepped in here to take a break from walking around and to grab a beer.  Little did I know they were having a special: $5 slice of pizza and beer.  That is my kind of special!  The pizza here was fantastic.  The slices were huge,  you could get any topping of your choice on a slice and it was the thin crust, which is my favorite.  I ended up coming back here later in the evening for another late night slice.

I chatted up with the bartender, her boyfriend and another fellow at the bar.  It was funny because as I was walking around the square later in the evening, the boyfriend saw me and asked how my evening was going.  Making friends everywhere!

The fellow at the bar told me he was there just to support his friend (d.e.fulford) who had written a book and was having a book signing at the local bookstore.  The bookstore was just around the corner so I went and bought one of her books.

The Exchange

Wandering around the area I came across the Exchange.  What a nice little outdoor area.  There were lots of folk wandering around and families surrounding the Churn in the center.  There are cute shops, good food, live music and a brewery.
Jazz Alley

As I was walking around later in the evening, I heard some piano. I followed the sound down an alley and came across a guy sitting at a piano, by himself, just playing.  This piano is always here for anyone to come along and play.  There was also a wonderful mural on the wall with some classic musicians watching the piano player.