Thursday, July 15, 2010

Oh, Hello!

 I have a blog?  Really?  Let's see, I think I vaguely remember something about that....


Over the last few weeks I've had a chance to drive all over the state of Colorado.  Truth be told, it's one of my favorite things to do. I have a hard time resisting the pull of a little mining town, and driving slowly through it while looking at the different buildings, and seeing things like the general stores and tiny post offices.
Real Small Towns look like this:


Creede, CO

Towns that used to be Real Small Towns but have gone commercial look like this:

Telluride, CO

I mean, it's cleaner and newer, but for me it loses it's charm a little bit when they commercialize it like that. 

But they're both really fun towns, and there are plenty of both in Colorado.

There is, however, a uniform you should be aware of if you visit any of the mountain towns of Colorado.  I've studied it, and the people who are super-hip all wear the same thing:  Tan cargo shorts, and a t-shirt, preferrably with some environmental slogan on it.  The t-shirt may be either long or short sleeved -- your call. The point is, you should look like you're ready to climb a mountain or go river rafting on a moment's notice. 
Which works out well, because that's the reason 90% of the people are in the small town in the first place. 

This confirms my suspicion that I'm not super-hip.  I only own one pair of tan cargo shorts, and my wardrobe of environmental t-shirts is definitely lacking.  And probably will be for some time.  

I mean, I can't really see myself wearing either of these in the near future:


But if you have a suggestion for me, send me a link and I'll post the image.  Because, you know, whatever it takes, I want to be cool.

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Goddess Divine suggests one like this. (I couldn't copy the exact one)  I kinda like it.





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JJ likes this one, which made me laugh out loud. (click to biggify)

19 comments:

LisAway said...

Oh, HELLO!! :) That first one could be Radiator Springs if it was set father from the mountain.

Both types of town are charming, but I think I'm like you. For example, Poland has tons of castles, but I prefer visiting ruins to restored ones that they turn into museums.

goddessdivine said...

You're alive!

If you ever one of those t-shirts I'll have to come hunt you down and personally remove that shirt from your back....and your wardrobe.

May I suggest something like this:

http://www.zazzle.com/green_is_the_new_red_tshirt-235907502139973719

(Sorry, have yet to be successful enabling hotmail code for link...)

Kristina P. said...

We were up in Park City this weekend. It's still quaint, but definitely prettied up.

jjstringham said...

I kind of like this one:

http://www.cafepress.com/cp/moredetails.aspx?showBleed=false&ProductNo=454697795&colorNo=23&pr=F

Mallory said...

Does "hip" stand for "hippie"? I don't have tan cargo shorts or an environmental t-shirt...but I do have several long, flowy broomstick skirts and a midwife.

The first town you pictures reminds me of the town I grew up in (minus the mountains, because there aren't any in Cincinnati!)

Becky N. said...

We drove through a little town called Ward (Colorado) on our way up to Brainard Lake a couple weeks ago. It's not charming. It's scary. Everything is in great disrepair, with several vacant buildings looking like they were about to crumble to the ground, there was a giant hole in one lane of the 2-lane road through town, with no warning but a few cones set around it. There were junker cars left abandoned (or at least looking like they ought to be, if they weren't) on the side of the road-- EVERYWHERE. It was a relief that it was such a small town, so I could get back to enjoying the scenery when we got through it.

I think I like your version of a small town experience better.

Your version

Rhonda said...

haha...I only like the last shirt but its good enough that it makes up for the others! LOL

Barbaloot said...

Clearly I will never be considered ultra-hip in CO. Which is okay since I don't have any immediate plans to visit.

Dave said...

hey, you blog more than i ht, so... i'd say ur good

cheers :-)

Annette Lyon said...

You popped up on my reader and I thought, "Wow! Haven't heard from her in awhile!" Welcome back!

Vern said...

If you broke down and decided to buy one of those t-shirts I could maybe let it slide. It's when you start breaking out the hash that I would have to draw the line. So, good news! I guess we're still friends!

rocslinger said...

I love small mountain towns. I used to deliver to Telluride and neighboring townships on a regular basis. It was nice during the summer but kind of a pain during the winter. I'm with Goddess Devine, the commie t-shirt or the bacon one would be fine but the others....not so much, Of course they might not go over so well with the transplant crowd even if it is the truth.

Btw, welcome back.

Yvonne said...

When Daph and I were driving through the old town part of Auburn yesterday I commented that It would be so cool to have been here a couple of hundred years ago when it would have been a booming mining town.

I've seen the "Save the Earth--it's the only planet with chocolate" which is more up my alley.

Heather said...

Yay! You ARE alive, and still sporting a fabulous sense of humor...

Super Happy Girl said...

I love Colorado! Lucky.
I was wondering where the chick went.
Green is indeed the new red and I agree, bacon must be saved!

Tammy said...

Hurray, Randi has a new post! :) I've missed you! That last shirt is a crack up. I'm with you on lacking a "hip" ward robe. One time we stopped at one of those small towns in the mountains (can't remember the name-it's "mom"nesia) and toured a quaint historical museum. It was so fun.

Jennifer said...

Awww....it makes me miss Colorado. I love the small mountain towns.

I have been driving the deserts in the past week....slightly different scenery.

Loralee and the gang... said...

I know! Only with me, it's reading and commenting other blogs. But at least I am keeping up on the posting...sorta...

Lee said...

I wondered what happened to you!