10%

2015 Bucket List Road Trip

Garden of the Gods

Por Ashleigh Cropper

27 de August de 2015

Colorado Day 1

Long story, and long decision, pushed us to think we move back to Oregon by this summer. That did not end up happening but in our state of “surety,” we felt the need to hit up our bucket list. People either love or hate traveling with me. I am not the one to site around and relax much. That just isn’t my style. When I go places, I GO! I always leave time for a little relaxation, but come on, I can’t just go somewhere and sit by the pool and say “that place was awesome!” I have to live it up and experience the whole area.

I have lived in 3 states over the past 5 years and every time I go to a new place, I make a bucket list of all the spots I want to visit. It isn’t necessarily a bucket list for when we move again, because we hope to never move from Colorado, but more of a list to pull out when a weekend rolls around and we want to explore. It is really handy!

So back to Oregon..we didn’t move, but when we thought there was a possibility, I told Ian we had to hit the road! And hit the road is what we did! With a week off work we had a tentative plan that would mark off at least 3 spots we HAD to see before “leaving.” Ya I am going to keep that “leaving” in quotes because I look back and totally laugh at us. We had nothing in place to really move. But it got us out the door, so I am glad for that at least.

I can’t believe it is the end of August and I am finally getting to posting these images and our travels. I REALLY want to remember this trip. It came at a point in my life where everything felt shaky, hard, and uncomfortable. This trip was meant to be the ultimate road trip, and it totally was. But I was a basket case for most of it. With career changes and uncertainty, I had a hard time leaving everything at home and enjoying whatever was in front of us. By the end of this, I looked back at my images and took a really big deep breath and for all the hard times I had on this road, I came out with a love for documentary work and a solid grasp for loving my camera. So, without further introduction, day 1 started out in Colorado Springs at Garden of the Gods.

This is the natural progression that happens when we find a spot to explore. It usually ends with getting ourselves into tight places that are totally worth the climb.

These birds, which I had to look up and find the name for, are everywhere in Colorado. I personally think Colorado needs to make a “state of the bird” change so it is this little beauty. They are so pretty and such curious little things! There is no zoom on this lens so it seriously flew right next to me and hung out for a bit. Oh, and yes..the name.. Black-billed Magpie.

Write your story here. (Optional)

Lets just all take a moment and stare at the image below. CAN YOU GET A LOAD OF THAT?!

This picture pretty much defines Colorado to me. Colorado is extreme. Everything about it is. The people are hardcore and crazy. The landscape is rugged, difficult and well..extreme. 14ers (the mountains that are above 14,000 ft elevation) scatter this whole state!

It is a wild place here.

The image of the high desert (Garden of the Gods) leading into alpine evergreens, and then the snow covered mountains with a 14er at the top feels like a great example. I think that is why I kind of adore this wild place!