Number 10 in my 1001 Things to Do in Colorado is to attend a concert at the famous Red Rocks Amphitheatre.

Some of my favorite memories include concerts at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre. There is something about listening to great music under the stars. We used to arrive at dawn with our coolers and visit all day with the other crazy fans. Now things have reverted to a more traditional “seating begins an hour and a half before the show”. I miss the days of watching the entertainers do their sound checks and interact with the crowds. While those things have changed, the most important ones remain the same. It’s hard to describe what a concert is like at this amazing place. The sound is incredible and while I’ve seen great concerts elsewhere, they just don’t match the intensity.

Denver bought the property back in 1927 for $54,133 and developed it into the amazing outdoor concert space it is with the foundation laid by nature. The amphitheatre has a wonderful history and is a geological treasure in its own right. The Beatles, U2, Rolling Stones and Grateful Dead are just a few of the incredible bands that have played in this outdoor paradise and numerous songs and albums have actually been recorded here. After Pollstar magazine named Red Rocks the best small outdoor venue for the 11th time, they decided just to name it the Red Rocks Award. The ninth season of the Amazing Race actually started and ended at Red Rocks.

If you aren’t able to make it during one of the concerts, Red Rocks has other options. Just visiting and walking around the theatre is great. There are hiking trails and some nights feature “Film on the Rocks”. I have to admit, this is one of my all time favorite places in Colorado. Thanks radakat on You Tube for giving us a glimpse. Enjoy!

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I don’t know about you, but I’ve been glued to the television since last Friday, except for the brief time the television was off due to the large storm. The Summer Olympics have arrived. I would be remiss if I didn’t include a visit to the U. S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs as one of my 1001 Things to do in Colorado.

The center opened in Colorado Springs thirty years ago and includes centers for Sports Medicine, Sports Science, Aquatics, Sports and Shooting along with an Olympic Hall of Fame. I’m sure Michael Phelps, Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin have spent plenty of time training here in our state.

Guided tours are available Monday-Saturday, but if you happen to hit on Sunday, you can still self direct your tour. The Visitor Center is open seven days a week. Click here for more tour information.

I really admire our athletes who’ve not only been representing us in Beijing, but have also been working hard over the last four years to get there. Watching Kerry Walsh and Misty May Treanor competing in volleyball in their bikinis inspires me to head to the gym. Thank goodness the gym has plenty of televisions so I can keep watching as I sweat myself towards my one piece swim suit. There is hope yet.

Go Team USA!

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Number 8 in the 1001 Things to do in Colorado is to visit the Denver Zoo.

Visit Elliot, the new baby Grevy’s Zebra at the Denver zoo. Elliot was born on June 27th to Topaz and Punda. I’m not sure what he weighed at birth, but he is already a whopping 85 pounds.

I visit the zoo at least once every year. I head over with my niece and nephews for a fun-filled day eating ice cream and watching the polar bears play in their large pool. It’s amazing that an animal so terrifying on land is such a ham in the water.

If the polar bears don’t entice you and your family, maybe one of the other 700 species is the ticket. The zoo has almost 4,000 animals and is one of the most popular zoos in the country.

Located at Denver’s City Park, at about E. 23rd Avenue and Colorado Boulevard, it is a wonderful place to spend the day. Memberships are available for those of us who want to watch baby Elliot grow up. Plan your trip to the zoo. You won’t be disappointed. I think I can hear the peacocks already……

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As we here in Denver are preparing for the Democratic National Convention, I got to thinking about poor Senator Barack Obama. This man is running for President of the United States. Why would I be feeling bad for him?

1. He has to live in Washington D. C. I know Washington D. C. is a beautiful city, as a matter of fact, I’ve visited a couple of times and would love to go back. But, it is not Denver. (Here is where the disclosure comes in. I’m a Colorado native so I may be a bit biased.)

2. If Mr. Obama ends up living in the White House, he has an amazing lawn and will host large picnics, but it still isn’t Washington Park. Denver has a number of premier parks, but Washington Park has always been one of my favorites with it’s diverse and fun-loving crowd of people. Up for a volleyball game? I’m not sure they host volleyball games on the White House Lawn. Just let us know Mr. Obama if you’d like us to hold you a spot in one of our games.

3. While we’ve been having a warmer summer than usual this year, our weather has still been fantastic. We have more than 300 days of sunshine that melt away the snow usually within 24 hours. I’m sure with the White House driveway, someone has to be ready with the shovel when the first snowflake hits. Here, we check the next day’s weather to decide whether to shovel or not. It gives us more time for skiing instead of shoveling. How many ski slopes are within driving distance of Washington D. C.? I’m betting we have lots more.

4. No 14ers. Colorado has 54 peaks that are more than 14,000 feet in elevation. Talk about places to clear your head. These are good spots to contemplate the energy crisis, health care, social security and other key issues impacting our country. I wonder if the key leaders of our country would benefit from having to debate issues while in hiking boots at the top of mountains? Since there isn’t quite as much oxygen, it might require using fewer and more focused words to get your point across. Regardless, I know there aren’t 14ers in the Washington D. C. area. Let us know if we can schedule a trip for you while you are in town, Senator Obama. It will change your perspective.

5. You can never be alone. It is too bad in this day and age that our highest leaders require constant security. Here in Colorado, we value our solitude. There is nothing like sitting on a rock in the middle of one of our Colorado streams just enjoying the scenery. The rush of water, the mountain wildflowers and the amazing wildlife keep us balanced when life gets crazy. We have some fabulous wildflower drives if your black vehicles are 4WD.  I will  insist, though, that you open the windows so you can enjoy the view during the drive. I’ll even bring the picnic and a wonderful bottle of Colorado wine.

I’m sorry Senator Obama that you can’t just pick up and move to Colorado. We’d love to have you visit more of our beautiful state beyond just the Pepsi Center and Invesco Field at Mile High. They are definitely both wonderful Colorado venues, but you’ll still be missing the bigger Colorado picture. Give me a call after things get settled in November. I’m sure we could arrange at least a taste of what Colorado has to offer and if you are looking for a “western” White House, I’m your gal. By the way, Senator McCain, ditto!

Don’t forget to vote.

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