Day 9

Our final day of the tour would take us from Estes down through Boulder and back to Denver, completing the loop. Today we'd have 3 stops.

The first was a morning tour of the Celestial Seasonings Tea factory. This was totally alien to me as I'm not familiar with the brand (I don't think they've scared PG or Twinings in the UK just yet) nor am I particularly heavy tea drinker. The actual factory tour was interesting but as we were asked not to take photos inside I have none. The best bit by far was getting to visit the room in which they stored the raw peppermint used in their infusions (they don't just make tea). In a magical moment of Willy Wonka awe we watched as the huge door opened and as we stepped in we instantly felt it in our eyes and our sinuses. It was like some sort of pleasant macing experience and being the sadist I managed to remain in there the longest. They say that smell is linked to memory; I can guarantee those of us who did that room will be taken back there every time we smell it.

Second stop was a lunch/shopping visit to Pearl Street in the centre of Boulder's downtime area. I did a little souvenir shopping and hung out in a sandwich place. I felt quite old here as the city is a university one and a new year had just started so the place was full of students. Boulder seemed like a cool place to study to be honest. 

The final stop was another quick one at NCAR, the National Center for Atmospheric Research, a place that the US president must be a huge fan of! Here we got to spend some time in the visitor center where the work they do here is shared. It was more suited for school kids but was still quite interesting to us oldies. I particularly liked some of the photography on display and a rather large hailstone which I wouldn't want to have fall on me!

We ended the tour back at the first hotel where we said goodbye to our rather excellent coach driver, and at a restaurant for a final group meal where we said our collective goodbyes. Once that was over I had to quickly dash across the town to the bar I'd picked at the start of the trip to watch the McGregor fight, and I couldn't have timed it better. As I paid the rather high cover charge (I get it so not complaint) and made my way in the national anthem was being performed. 

Bye Estes!

The centre is located North-East of Boulder and the ticket comes in a form of one of their tea packets. I guess that's one way of keeping the costs down.

Before the tour starts you have the opportunity of buying merch and sampling some of their teas and infusions which were alright.

Perhaps another reason for not allowing photos is so we avoid ones like this being seen online (this was taken before we entered the facility so I wasn't being naughty).

Across from the plant is a piece of land with a sizeable population of prairie dogs so how could I resist not popping over to try to photograph some of them?

Downtown Boulders was cool. The street entertainer was very good but no better than what we have in Covent Garden back home. I'm pleased with that final photo though.

Pearl Street is a pedestrianised area similar to Denver's 16th St. so much so that even skateboards are a "no no". That building is one of the county legislative buildings.

There are some nice sculptures in the area.

All of the buildings with red roofs in the city belong to the university. This one that we passed on the way to our next stop looked like a prison!

 

It was in Boulder where I discovered the origins of the Jackalope and I also found a shop that was charging quite a lot of money for magic wands; has the dark arts been added to the Boulder University course list?

The NCAR centre is located on a Mesa in front of the Flatiron mountains that reside on the west of the city. Flatirons are those angled rocks that run along this range.

I've been on rollercoasters that have gone through hailstones and hated it but could you imagine being hit by this?

Outside of the centre there was a wedding reception taking place. A little bit of post-trip detective work revealed it's a chap who works at the centre taking advantage of recent legislative changes in the state and marrying his partner of many years. Congratulations Beemer and Monkey! (not my names)

The NCAR centre has appeared in a film (movie geek says YAY) but in the Woody Allen film "Sleeper" which I've not seen (movie geek says NAY). It does look futuristic so I can see why it would have been chosen.

After having had my fill of weather and that stuff I wasted quite a bit of time trying to photograph a deer that had appeared outside. With my zoom camera out of action (no battery) I had to make do with the others and failed miserably. 

Back in Denver and saying thanks to the Sirius team for a great trip which everybody enjoyed, and it was good that us newbies had enjoyed it as much as those that are regular attendees on their trips. With two South America trips coming up and me having never been there I'm keen to spend some time with these guys again. I just need to make sure I have the funding organised. With one of those trips having an extension to Easter Island, I could hopefully get to do the trip that I couldn't a few years ago, and that would be poetic!

A silly epilogue is that I went to the bar and it was obvious Mayweather was going to win but McGregor did do very well. I'm glad I saw it with a crowd and on the night.

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