colorado

Yesterday I jotted down a few things about Switzerland, now it's time to talk about where I come from: Colorado. Obviously you could write thousands of posts about this magnificent state, so I'm just going to note down things that I find important or interesting. My fellow Coloradoans, feel free to comment on things you think should be added to the list.

Mini-Lesson on Colorado:

• Colorado means "colored red" in Spanish. It was named by Spanish explorers for the Colorado river because of the red silt the river carried from the mountains.
• We have more sunshine than Miami or San Diego. They say about 300 sunny days in a year. 
• We are the 38th state but named the "Centennial State" because it was admitted to the Union on August 1st, 1876 (a year after the Declaration of Independence) 
• Denver, the capital, is known at the "Mile High" because the 13th step of the capital building is exactly 1 mile (1.6 km) above sea level
• Myth has it that the Cheeseburger was invented in Colorado
• This state is much more than Columbine or the Aurora/Batman shooting. RIP 
• We host the world's largest rodeo: National Western Stock Show each year in January
• We have the most microbreweries in America
• Colorado is the 'skinniest' state of America
• It is the 8th largest state
• Marijuana is legal only here and Washington State
• The welcoming sign says "Welcome to Colorful Colorado" but the sign itself isn't colorful :( 
• We have 53 "Fourteeners" (mountains with an altitude above 14,000 feet (4.3 meters)) 
• The show "South Park" is written by Colorado natives (Trey Parker and Matt Stone)  and based in Colorado, it includes many "Colorado" things including Casa Bonita (a real restaurant) 
• Famous Coloradoans (born or residents) include: Tim Allen, Jessica Biel, Jeremy Bloom, John Elway, Missy Franklin, Lindsey Vonn, Roy Halladay, Adolph Coors, 3oh!3, The Fray, The Lumineers, John Denver, DeVotchKa, Flobots, Pretty Lights, John Kerry, and many more
• Our American Football team, the Broncos, have won 2 Superbowls and currently have Peyton Manning as a quarterback (others include John Elway, Jake Plummer, Jay Cutler, and Tim Tebow) 
• Stephen King's "The Shining" was inspired by the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado
• The Unsinkable Molly Brown, a Colorado resident, was one of the survivors of the RMS Titanic
• There is a 32 feet (9.8m) statue of a blue horse with red eyes when you arrive at Denver International Airport and it fell and killed the artist that created it 
• Part of Denver International Airport is covered by 'teepees' and it is the largest airport (by size) in America 
• The flag has it's own meaning: blue for the skies, gold for the sun (or gold from the miners), white for the snow packed mountains and red for the earth, plus the obvious CO which stands for Colorado 
• Colorado is pretty damn cool. Fact. 
• Plus... much much more! 

Favorite Dishes:

• Denver Omelet
• Chipotle (Denver based)
• Mad Greens
• Prime Rib 
• Dipped Graham Crackers from the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory 
• Celestial Seasonings Tea 

7 Recommended Places to Visit: 

• Mesa Verde
• Red Rocks and Golden
• Climb a 14er 
• Garden of the Gods
• Tour any of the microbreweries or breweries (I recommend New Belgium and see the Clydesdales at Budweiser) 
• Go to a game in Downtown Denver and the 16th street mall then drinks in LoDo
• Skiing at Wolf Creek and then après ski at the Hot Springs in Pagosa Springs 

"The closest thing to heaven on this planet anywhere

is a quiet Christmas morning in the Colorado snow" 

-Nitty Gritty Dirt Band