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On the Road with Kevin
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Entry 9
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Anybody notice a breeze around here? Well, I was heading from Nebraska to Cheyenne, Wyoming on I-80, and let’s just say there was a faint whisper of wind coming from the west. That would all depend on your definitions of faint and whisper, though. It’s just a fact that this area of Wyoming is extremely windy, due in large part to its position relative to the mountains further west. As if to remind me of this principle, I started seeing tumbleweeds almost on cue as I came closer to the Wyoming state line. They’re not just made-up objects from songs by Gene Autry and Roy Rogers, people! And when one smacks your windshield with a sound like thunder, you definitely realize you’re not in Kansas anymore.
 I grew up in Cheyenne, and I was heading there to check in with my family and rest just a little bit. It’s always cool to be back in a place that you know the ins and outs of so well, and I was looking forward to seeing some familiar faces and territory. Now Wyoming is still very western to use that term, and you’ll for sure see a cowpoke or two, but it also DOES NOT fit all the movie stereotypes that you probably have running around in your head. In fact, only about half of the population still rides their horses to work, while the other folks have opted to purchase one of them new, fandangled automobiles.
 A capitol in a capital. I had a great time relaxing and catching up with my family for a while, and also jaunting around the city to explore well-known sights and haunts from years gone by. And yes, I’m one of those people who appreciates and respects a fantastic teacher or coach I had while growing up, so I sometimes drop by an old school to rouse up some fun and say hello. It’s usually only 10-15 minutes before I’m actually kicked out, but it sure is nice while it lasts. As I was out in the area doing other things, I also drove by the state capitol building, the U.P. Railroad Station, and other similar areas of interest … There happens to be some uniquely intriguing architecture in this city.
 I said goodbye to my family, though, and hopped on I-25 south for the short drive to Denver (just over 1.5 hours) to meet up with “Tanya.” Crazily enough, Tanya grew up in Nebraska and now lives in Colorado, and as I mentioned in my last entry, I was born in Nebraska and my parents still live amazingly close to the Colorado border. So Tanya and I had quite a bit to talk about as we were getting to know each other through emails and a few phone calls. As described before, anybody who has any association in the slightest with the state of Nebraska has a kindred spirit concerning the football program and the state in general.
Hitting the frontrange around Denver. Tanya also seemed like she would have a great sense of humor, even going so far as to conjure up a Letterman Top 10 list for the experiences of this trip. And it was genuinely funny, which is often hard to do! The Denver skyline beckoned captivatingly as I approached the city … There is just something incredible about seeing large buildings juxtaposed against the beautiful backdrop of the mountains, especially if there’s a soft glow of light in the air. Amazing. We were always down in Denver for something or other as I was growing up because it is so close to Cheyenne, and I think it’s a really awesome city.
 Tanya actually lives in Colorado Springs, but she was cool enough to drive up to Denver because I was stopping in to see my best friend and his wife as well. I told her I had no problem driving down to The Springs, as it’s known, but she insisted … Very impressed with that to say the least. There is a Starbucks near where my friend lives, and Tanya actually knew the location too, so we agreed to meet there initially and decide what kind of tomfoolery to pursue after that. I know, I know – another Starbucks. However, it TRULY is a pretty handy spot to meet somebody for the first time, as it’s easy to find, safe, and a person can back out of the situation fairly effortlessly if need be … Shoot, I don’t want some insane woman cornering me in a dark alley either!
I was on familiar ground once again as I was the first one to arrive. Tanya is about 5’8” and had (notice the word, had) longer, blonde hair. She mentioned in an earlier email message, though, that she had cut off a lot of her hair recently into more of a pixie style and dyed it sort of a brownish color. Generally, I’m kind of a long-haired type of guy, but I also think shorter styles can be cool too if they’re funky and fun looking. Plus, I’ve always figured it’s a woman’s prerogative to change her mind once in a while, and it’s not really my place to say something one way or the other … That’s usually for a woman to do with a guy, right? See, now I’m just kidding around again. Really, I am. Look, I’m even smiling.
 Good food with the quirky name. Anyway, Tanya came in the door and I could still tell it was her, even with the different appearance she had going on. She had a friendly smile and we greeted with a warm hello before talking quickly about where to go. Neither of us had eaten, and we both were pretty hungry, so we scurried down the road a couple blocks to grab some food at a Chipotle’s. I know – what in the world is Chipotle’s? It just so happens to only be the BEST Mexican restaurant in the entire universe, that’s all, serving up any kind of delicious wrap you can get your hands on. I’ve only seen them in the Rocky Mountain region and Minnesota, however, so you might have to write your senators to petition for inclusion.
{And for all of you out there who just HAVE to know, a chipotle is a ripe jalapeno that has been dried for use in cooking.}
We had a pretty comfortable conversation getting to know each other more, and it just felt insouciant and normal. She was dressed in kind of a sprite sweater and jeans, and she talked more about the home industry she’s involved in back in C. Springs (more hip lingo for the city). After dinner, we drove around for a while trying to find some rabblerousing we could get into, ultimately ending up at an adult entertainment spot … Thought that might get your attention, but no, it’s NOT that type of location. It’s more like this huge bar with games, rides, air hockey, and so on, and it’s actually a pretty swinging joint. It’s just too bad I threw up on the tilt-o-whirl. No, there’s no truth to that rumor, either. Tanya and I had a really good time and we were looking to see if we could hook up again over the next day or so.
 A bolder boulder near Boulder. And no, not the race. The following day was spent just hanging around with a couple friends of mine and taking in more of the city. Ok, New York City might have its SoHo area, but Denver has its very own bustling LoDo area ... Try that word on for size if you’re looking to impress your friends; it just means lower downtown. Pretty fancy, though, huh?
That night I was meeting “Michelle” too, and we were aiming for a spot about halfway between Denver and Boulder, Colorado, only about 40 minutes away or so.
Michelle had some other things going on in that neighborhood, so we thought that location would be great. For any of you who’ve been in this area, you know it has some pretty sweet terrain and topography with the rolling foothills leading up to the Rocky Mountains.
I didn’t know too much about Michelle yet, as we had just started corresponding back and forth a little more recently, but I was looking forward to the experience. She mentioned she had a girlfriend with her, though, and that the only way it would work out to meet was if her friend could come along (as they were together in just one car). I didn’t think that sounded too bad, as I realized it just might take some of the pressure off of me in the conversation realm, and I enjoy meeting new people anyway. We met at a coffee shop and began to delve into each other’s lives for a little while.
Michelle is around 5’6” or so, was wearing a tan shirt with blue jeans, and had her dark hair slung back in a ponytail. They both seemed like pretty cool cats, and we had a raucous time sipping on some java. Michelle works in the sports science field, and a good portion of my background involves sports as well, so there was a commonality there that was pretty exciting to talk about. It actually was just fine getting to know Michelle with her friend there, as the friend would pipe in with an interesting comment every now and then that Michelle might not have wanted to divulge at the moment.
 What's this about a couple of youngsters? For example, Michelle’s friend made an off-handed remark about Michelle’s two kids, and I thought, “hmmm, there’s something I didn’t know about yet.” Now don’t get me wrong … I think kids are great and would love to have them someday. And I also don’t think I’d have a problem stepping into a situation where there might already be a child present, if all the other factors were a fantastic fit. However, it sounded more like Michelle and her ex-husband still lived fairly close to each other and that they still kind of had a ready-made family type of thing going on. It just came off, to me at least, that she and he still had a connection they were trying to work on.
Michelle was leaving for Vegas that next morning, so after a while they had to hit the road and get out of Dodge (just where is Dodge, by the way?). We really did have a good time, but maybe something more just wasn’t in the cards …
So it was back to Denver for the night and an effort to catch up on some sleep and try to let my body and mind recuperate somewhat. I think I was just a touch exhausted or drained at this point, as even my face and eyes felt tired. The trip overall and meeting people had been sublime, but I think just the day-to-day driving and logistics of making everything else happen were beginning to take their toll. It’s hard to be doing something, one thing or another, all the time, and I knew the many miles of driving alone in the cockpit weren’t helping too much either. I understood, though, it was just a matter of taking a breather from time to time. And keeping hydrated – that’s the answer to everything.
 Mountains, mountains, and more, uhhmm ... mountains. I was able to get Tanya on the horn the next day, and I thought it would be rocking to head down to Springalingadingdong (ok, I just made that one up) to see more of what she’s about in her own town. Colorado Springs is only about an hour south of Denver, and I arrived just after dusk had settled in the valley.
I’ve always been enthralled with Colorado Springs; it’s a gorgeous place, and an outdoor lover’s paradise … The serenely beautiful Garden of the Gods is there, the official Olympic Training Center is there. And, of course, majestic Pikes Peak rises up gloriously from the earth’s crust to transpose itself with the skies. Colorado has the most fourteeners in the country (that’s peaks over 14,000 feet to you and I), at right around 50 of them. My buddy and I hiked Longs Peak a number of years ago, but Pikes Peak is most certainly the crème de la crème in this area.
Tanya and I had a fun time again hanging out with each other. She has a fairly jovial and sincere personality. I saw my friends some more over the next little while, but alas, it was time to leave Denver and the Colorado region and keep heading west, eventually to California. I hear something about ‘49ers and gold out in them thar parts. I was supposed to meet one other woman in Denver, but getting a hold of each other and working it out just never materialized for some reason. I was heading north on I-25, as I wanted to catch up with I-80 to start making my way to the Atlantic. Now if I only had a fellow named Meriwether riding shotgun beside me, I figured I’d be set.
 I passed by Invesco Field at Mile High as I was leaving town, but us longtime Broncos aficionados know it will always be known simply as Mile High. I grew up watching Mr. Elway’s fourth-quarter comeback heroics on many an autumn, Sunday afternoon. It’s The House that Johnny Built. Until next time … Ciao for now!
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