Oh Gorgeous Day: Journey Out West

If there is one thing that is near and dear to Jared and I, it would be traveling. Traveling is not only a time for him and I to get away and explore the world, but a time for us to truly bond over one of our greatest passions in life. When we are away on a trip there really is no other feeling than the one we have in that moment. We are both in a state of calm, relaxation, and ready to dive deep into everything our place of travel has to offer.

Now, don't get me wrong, I haven't always been a worldly traveler nor am I in to being a dare devil. Actually, the first time I ever flew was when I was 23 years old. Yes, you heard correctly, 23 years old! So, I must say I've gotten better at the whole traveling thing thanks to my husband. Jared, on the other hand, will go anywhere and try anything at least once. He has been traveling his whole life and has seen places I only fathom seeing. Since we have been together he has certainly given me so many opportunities to catch up. And friends, let me tell you, I have LOVED every single minute of each trip we have gone on. Whether it be a short road trip or a journey across the country, we make the very best of each place we go.

Our trip to Colorado was no different. Jared's brother moved to Aspen this past Winter to work at Snowmass Mountain, and we saw this as the perfect opportunity to take a trip to visit him. Flying out there is kind of a pain, so we decided to do things the old fashion way and roadtrip out there! I must say, I'm always down for a good ole roadtrip. On we went.

We stopped the first night in the middle-of-nowhere Nebraska and continued on the next to day to Aspen. It took us about 16 hours, but once we hit the mountains, it was well worth the long drive! I had never been to Colorado, so when I began to see the different ski parks and mountains I was simply blown away! What a gorgeous sight that was right before my eyes. Oh, and did I mention how extremely jealous I was of the people who get to wake up every day to this beautiful sight! We were a long way from Iowa, but I couldn't help but admire the beauty that our country holds. We stayed at a super cute lodge/hostile-type hotel, and it could not have been a better decision. It was walking distance from downtown Aspen and offered all of the amenities we needed to make our stay comfortable. Just to highlight some of the fun we had while there, we skied at Snowmass Mountain, ate at the most phenomenal steakhouse I have ever been to, shopped downtown, and explored the quaintness Aspen has to offer. After 2 days in Aspen, we decided to drive to Denver for 2 days to visit friends who live there. Denver is a totally different atmosphere than Aspen. Aspen is more swanky, small-town-vibe, expensive and exclusive, and Denver is very much metropolitan, big-city lifestyle with an urban feel. It was the perfect way of exploring two different areas of Colorado, and neither disappointed. After catching up with friends, enjoying a delicious brunch and experiencing a downtown Denver brewery tour, our time in Colorado had come to an end. Minus the major snow storms we hit while driving back to Iowa, Colorado was another trip to add to our history book. It was a very short trip, 4 days to be exact, but we made the very best of our time out there.

Here a few pictures to show our fun...

Starting off with pictures from my Instagram account of course :)