Telluride trippin’
Story and photos by Leslie Peck
In June, I had the pleasure of traveling to Colorado with a wonderful group of 10 Pensacola women. This trip was originally planned to attend the Telluride Yoga Festival and evolved into oh, so much more. I had only ever been to Colorado in the winter to ski, and seeing it in all of its summer glory with these friends was absolutely breathtaking.
Addie Murdoch was our fearless leader, host, road-trip captain and remarkable event planner. She curated a dream trip for all of us to see the best of Aspen, Snowmass, Telluride and Palisade.
Spending a week road trippin’ with a strong group of women who are all in different stages of life was soup for the soul. Some are grieving loss, tending to aging parents, running their own businesses, raising kids, navigating life in so many ways, and somehow, we all managed to break away, enjoy each other, laugh, fill our bellies, downward dog, sleep, shop and, most of all, enjoy nature.
Aspen AND Snowmass
We began our adventure with a dinner that can only be described as a true work of art at Bosq, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Aspen. Bosq’s Chef Barclay has ties to the Panhandle, and he is known for foraging a lot of his ingredients, including baby pine cones that he candies. What an experience!
We began the first morning with a sound bath among the trees, birds and sky. If you have never experienced a sound bath surrounded by nature, I highly recommend it.
One of the highlights of the trip was the Snowmass Rodeo. This was patriotic, small-town America at its finest. The excitement in the air was contagious as cowboys and cowgirls showed off their roping and bull-riding skills. The best was the kids’ mutton busting, where young children ride sheep in their own small rodeo event. What a sight!
We also visited a working ranch called Sustainable Settings. The ranch is run by Brook and Rose Levan. Rose lived in the Panhandle while her father was stationed in the Navy. It was such a treat to experience how the farm works, feed a baby cow, drink fresh milk and enjoy homemade ice cream. The ice cream was made by another local, Carly Signor, who works and lives on the farm. Many of the top local restaurants use produce and milk from this farm.
Snowmass and Aspen have a rustic charm, beautiful views, wonderful restaurants, and we even got to see a bear! We can all see why our host calls this wonderful community her second home.
Telluride
When we arrived at the Telluride Yoga Festival, we were warmly greeted and quickly settled into our condos, which were within walking distance of the festival. There is definitely something for everyone at this event. Yoga classes for all levels, meditation, sound baths, hiking (the elevation is no joke, but I did it!), education and more.
Mountain Village was so quaint, with lots of food and shopping. You can then jump on the free gondola and go up and over the mountain into Telluride, where you can wander around all day. There is so much to see and do, and I know I will be back. The mountains are incredible.
Palisade
As we road-tripped back to Snowmass, we made a pit stop overnight in the town of Palisade. We began at Sage Creations Farm, where we frolicked in lavender fields and flowers and also picked some to bring home. There were many terrific lavender goodies to shop for at the farm, too.
Next, we stopped at a local vineyard for a glass of vino and live music. Then, we finished the day at Pêche Restaurant, which means “peach” in French. Fresh peaches from local farms are incorporated into many dishes on the menu. This was one of our favorite dinners of the trip.
The next morning, we strolled through the local farmers market and shops. I could have spent all day there. We then had lunch at Fidel’s Cocina & Bar and finished the last leg of our trip.
If you are ever in that neck of the woods, stop and enjoy all that Palisade has to offer.
