Day 9: Denver
By Jacob Newman:
Yesterday was July Fourth. We left Dodge City, Kansas, which was a fascinating place, and we had a long ride through Kansas to get to Colorado. I had never been to Kansas, and I have to say that it was one of the most beautiful places I have ever experienced. Coming from Wisconsin, I have certainly seen my fair share of fields and farms, but seeing the plains roll by and walking through them briefly was unlike anything I have ever experienced before.
After a while, we finally passed the border into Colorado and had Subway on the bus. We finally arrived in the mountains and it was even more beautiful. People stood on the bus trying to get pictures to capture the incredible beauty of the scenery. The mountains stretch as far as the eye can see, complemented by the skyline of Denver. Every time I visit I am greatly inspired.
We went to Naropa University, which is in Boulder. There we met with a yoga instructor who led us as a group in an intro to yoga class. While there were parts of the exercise that were certainly uncomfortable, it was great to experience it as a way to combat stress and find peace. I enjoyed it.
It started raining when we finished and then we were back on the bus, on the way to the 16th street shopping district in downtown Denver. 16th street is a place of great character and integrity, and they have all kinds of unique features there such as pianos in the street to be played by anyone who has the courage.
We ate dinner there, and then went to a very old-fashion amusement park outside of the downtown area. I expected us to go to the huge park right downtown, but I couldn’t have been happier with going to the small one instead. It was very ornate and the rides seemed to recall the Eisenhower era––not only in appearance but also in function. I tried rides like Wild Chipmunk and the Whip. Although it wasn’t a day with as much substance as some of the other days we have had, it was certainly just as memorable and in many ways just as important.
