#DenverHo

Matt and I (+ our pals Steve & Theresa) just returned from a whirlwind tour of the Mile High City. We bought tickets for the Mumford & Sons concert at Red Rocks earlier this summer and then decided to make a real go of it and tack on some extra days for vacationing, sightseeing, and honest to goodness living.

We left on a Saturday and came back on Wednesday, battered, bruised (see mountain biking adventure below), exhausted, and still laughing. We packed hundreds of memories, small moments, and new adventures into our three full days in Denver.

Denver has a great community bike sharing program. We paid $8 per bike per day and then B-cycled our way around downtown.

The only wildlife we spotted (besides a few deer) was this giant bear peaking into the Denver Convention Center.

The final stage of the USA Pro Challenge ended up downtown on Sunday and we had a blast (Matt especially) watching the riders whiz by. More cowbell, anyone?

Taking in the cycling sights: the giant expo area, the teams' RV's camped out along the road, and a photo finish.

There is no shortage of great restaurants in Denver. We started out our tour with a visit to The Delectable Egg.

Our very favorite dinner was at Root Down (lamb sliders!) which came highly recommended by everyone we talked to.

We *might* have resorted to hopping on board a rickshaw piloted by a man named Benny to get there before the kitchen closed. It was 100% worth it. The icing on the cake? Rhubarb Raspberry Crisp and Banana "Creme Brulee" Pie.

Two thumbs up both for food and service: the Village Coffee Shop in Boulder. We lost our village virginity and enjoyed chatting with the community-loving owner (who also happened to be our waitress).

We spent the trip alternating between looking sporty and feeling fancy. T & I prove that we do in fact clean up well.

Enjoying an evening stroll through the twinkling streets of Larimer Square.

Pausing for a quick pick-me-up after an eclectic meal at Euclid Hall and a celebrity encounter with Mumford & Son's banjo player, "Country" Winston Marshall.

How we spent the majority of our time together in Denver: laughing.

Monday brought with it our first meeting with the mountains. Our jaws dropped with each new vista.

T was not thrilled to find herself inches from the edge of Loveland Pass. #WhiteKnucklingIt

Let me introduce to you: Mountain Man. We were treated to frequent sightings.

We made it to the top of the mountain in one piece and were rewarded with a spectacular view.

Our attempt to bike Breckenridge was thwarted by thunder clouds, so we settled for a hike through Red Rocks instead.

There are no words for this kind of beauty.

Posing with my sweetie in the shadow of some mighty rocks.

Enjoying a hike off the beaten path (spoiler alert: we all lived to tell the tale).

Our last day in Colorado! We drove to Boulder and discovered the most amazing bike shop.

We spent the next three hours MOUNTAIN biking. Like on an actual mountain. This was no joke.

Mountain lion signs and single tracks and husbands over handlebars, OH MY. Another adventure in the books (and never so happy to see civilization again).

I am told the bikes we were riding (Niners) were quite the treat, and even I could tell the difference of having a $4600 bike under my hiney.

Concert time! A daytime view of the majestic amphitheater.

Hanging with our new friends Howie and Diana in the parking lot pre-concert. (Everyone is unbelievable nice in Denver, by the way.)

A group shot before heading in.

The grand finale: amazing music with an unbelievable backdrop in the company of some fantastic friends.

Dear Denver, I daresay, we'll be back!!