It’s Not You, Colorado, It’s Me

You Can Take the Girl Out of Montana… Or Can You?

My three-month mark in Colorado showed up like someone simultaneously depleted the oxygen in my chamber and set off my destination addiction alarm.

I can’t seem to stay anywhere for “too long” (by my own definition).

I came to Colorado with a mission: to realign my path with my work goals. It worked.

I asked a lot of Colorado, and it provided everything I needed on a silver platter, with puppies on top. And I have so enjoyed the healthy, snuggly, lovable puppies, as opposed to the strays that I can’t touch on the road.

I’m so grateful to have discovered Boulder, a new place to me, and to feel like this area could definitely serve as a good home base for me going forward.

However, that doesn’t mean I’m staying put. I’ve built a life of location independence so that when I feel the need to go, I can go.

No ties to cut, no permissions to ask.

The bottom line is, I can’t exist knowing that summertime in Montana (it sucks and you should never go there) is happening right now, only two states away.

So, it’s as simple as that. I’m taking my toys and going to spend the rest of the summer in Montana, because I can.

The Great News

The number one thing on my to-do list for Colorado was to build my first online course, which I accomplished and launched on June 21st. My next project doesn’t require me to be in one consistent place borrowing someone else’s camera equipment (thank you, Mark!).

The many other things I wanted from Colorado were:

• To establish a community, which I did. I’ve nurtured existing friendships and I’ve met so many new people, including several online entrepreneurs to powwow with.
• To drink lots of craft beer, which I did. In fact, my preference has surprisingly changed. I discovered a Belgian beer that I actually like, and I seek out New England style unfiltered IPAs over West Coast IPAs now. So many beers, so little time. Colorado is incredible for beer.
• To hike, which I did. I didn’t bag any “14ers” (peaks over 14,000 ft), but I did explore a LOT of the beautiful Flatirons and surrounding mountains.
• To take advantage of the Denver airport, which I absolutely did. Nonstop flights are amazing, and so was the bus that I could catch straight to the airport just a few blocks from my front door. This alone will keep me coming back.
• To go to baseball games, which I did, twice! I very much prefer AL over NL, but it’s still better than nothing.

The Not-So-Great News

T-Mobile still doesn’t exist in Montana. Say goodbye to unlimited data.

Also, due to heavy travel in July, I didn’t get to say goodbye to most of my friends in Boulder, but I promise I’ll be back soon.

FAQ

Do I like Boulder?

Yes, I appreciate it for what it is, but with all due respect, I’m not sure it’s the place for me. There are, however, other little towns dotting the Front Range where I could possibly see myself. Perhaps I’ll try one of those next time, and perhaps I’ll elaborate on my thoughts about Boulder and Colorado, which are both strange and beautiful in their own rights, in a future post.

Am I “moving?”

Well, yes. But mind you, everything I own fits in my truck, so “moving” isn’t that big of a deal for me. Somehow amidst all this traveling, I’m still a resident of Montana anyway. Figure that one out.

Will I come back to Colorado?

Yes. Just don’t ask me for details, because I don’t have them. I do plan to be in and out of the Front Range until I inevitably change my mind about that one day. #jackiebeingjackie

Where is my next big trip?

I leave for Argentina in early October. I’ll be heading straight for Patagonia – Tierra del Fuego to be exact, where I’ll spend a week exploring the end of the world (FINALLY – I’ve never been). Then I’ll head to Salta, in Northern Argentina, where I’ll be attending and speaking at the Adventure Travel World Summit.

After that, I’ll head back down to Chilean Patagonia to lead my second ever group trip – the Patagonian Lake District Adventure.

My current idea is to stay in Patagonia until sometime in December, after which I’ll come back to Colorado, or Tahoe, or Montana, or… Ecuador? How about Mexico? I just never know where my path will go next.

What I do know is that right now, my people and my trails await me. I’m off to the last best place.