When in Aspen
This past September I lived like a local in Aspen, Colorado. How did I swing this trip you ask? My best friend Lauren is dating Riley who is temporarily working in Aspen. Lauren met Riley in college when we were roommates our sophomore year. Riley is now one of my best friends. I have been there since day 1 and am considered their “third wheel.” They recently celebrated their 3rd anniversary together! We joke and say not only is it their anniversary but it is also my “friendiversary” with Riley. His family friend Bobby is the owner of a hat and western wear store called Kemo Sabe. They have stores in Vail, Aspen, Jackson Hole and recently opened a store in Park City. Riley has been working at Kemo Sabe for the past few months so we thought we should pay him a visit.
A few months ago Lauren invited me on the trip and of course I said yes. I pretty much expected this trip to happen, we just needed to get it set in stone. I bought a plane ticket, booked a rental car and counted downs the days.
On a Thursday afternoon in early September Lauren and I flew from Cincinnati to Denver, Colorado. Flying out of Cincinnati was the cheapest option. From Denver we got a rental car with Avis. Avis is the only company that will rent to anyone under 25, you just have to pay an extra fee. I pre-booked the cheapest car about two weeks before our trip. If you pre-book rather than rent day of, it is cheaper.
We took the shuttle to the Avis lot, checked in, got our keys and when we walked up to our car, some woman had her purse sitting in the passenger seat and was walking away with the keys. I panicked and immediately went to the office for assistance. After messing around on the computer, an employee directed me to a different spot. It must have been some miscommunication. As we walked to spot C7 with our luggage, we were happily greeted with a white Jeep. A Jeep was the perfect car we needed to be driving through the Rocky Mountains. Not to mention we got a more expensive rental than we we actually paid for. I was ecstatic.
We put the address in Google maps, got some Jimmy Johns and hit I-70. I was pretty excited to drive on this highway. It was no different than the highways in West Virginia, except the mountains were enormous. The outline of the Rockies in the background of Denver was something else. Lauren and I talked each other’s ear off the entire 3 hours, making it seem way faster than it really was. Car rides with your best friend are the best.
We finally arrived at the house around 11 pm. We got to stay in this beautiful lodge on top of a mountain in Carbondale, Colorado, right outside of Aspen. It was Riley’s family friend’s home. The home overlooked the majestic Mount Sopris. After a long day of travel we turned in for the night.
The following morning I had a cup of coffee on the front porch while Lauren worked remotely. I was up super early because my body hadn’t adjusted to the time difference. I took advantage of this and enjoyed the sunrise. Riley had gone to work and we were to meet him later in the day to do some shopping.
After a few hours of curling our hair, doing our makeup, and multiple outfit changes, Lauren and I headed to Brush Creek to catch the bus into town. Once in Aspen, we walked to Kemo Sabe. Riley greeted us outside and took us upstairs to his office to introduce us to some of his co-workers. Then we walked into the store. It was packed as “sales wranglers” assisted customers. We were introduced to more co-workers before we finally began selecting our hat. The walls were stocked with beautiful cowboy and dress hats of various colors and furs. The entire place just screamed Beth Dutton. Matter of fact, one of the ponchos she wore in the show was casually hanging next to me for sale.
A sales wrangler assisted me with two types of hats and of course I chose the Stetson cowboy hat. I never knew a hat could look so sexy. After fitting, she took me over to the ribbon area where I picked out an ombré brown ribbon and two feathers. After this she branded the exterior with my initials and “Save a Horse Ride a Cowboy” on the back interior brim. I am totally obsessed.
Afterwards, we headed to the private bar in the loft. We took pictures, oohed and ahed over our new hats, and enjoyed our delicious margaritas.
A few hours later we left the store and walked to dinner at Aspen Pie Shop for some deep dish cheese pizza. This is a great, wallet-friendly, casual dinning option I highly suggest if you are visiting the area.
Later that evening we changed into comfy clothes and drove to downtown Basalt for drinks and a late night dish at Brick Pony Pub. We sat at the bar and met the sweetest couple that had been together for 67 years! I got a Stella and mac and cheese with grilled chicken. It was delicious.
The following morning we drove to Crested Butte to drop a car off at a trailhead for Bobby and his buddies. Riley drove one car while Lauren and I followed separately. The drive was very long and treacherous but it was gorgeous. I would not do this drive unless you have an off-roading car with good tires.
Crested Butte is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. Once we parked Bobby’s car at the trailhead we decided to hike around a lake we had passed on the way up. It was nice to stretch our legs and get some fresh air. The lake was a gorgeous aqua blue that shimmered in the sunlight. Friends and couples relaxed on the lakeside, playing with their dogs and chatting. It was so peaceful. I could have stayed there for hours. I am dying to go back and explore more. Maybe that’ll be my next trip!
Once we got back into town we got all dolled up for a concert in Aspen later that night. We purchased cheap tickets to see Wheeler Walker Jr. at Belly Up, a small concert venue downtown. Definitely check their website to see if an artist is performing during your trip. The tickets are inexpensive, the venue is intimate and in a great location.
The following afternoon we headed to Buttermilk Mountain to watch the Cleveland Browns game at Home Team BBQ. This restaurant is located in The Inn at Aspen hotel at the base of the mountain. I highly recommend this restaurant. It has great views, multiple televisions for prime game watching, and delicious barbecue with the best tater tots in town.
Later that afternoon we decided to go on a quick hike to end the trip. This hike was called ‘Mushroom Rock,’ a short 2 mile out-and-back trail with a gorgeous view of the valley, the town of Carbondale and Mount Sopris. The first half of the trail is uphill, so brace yourself. I really liked this hike not only for the views but the vibrant red rocks that are unique to Colorado. I hate to admit but I struggled on this hike because of the elevation gain. These Kentucky lungs were not prepared for the high altitude.
I am so thankful I was able to travel with my best friend to such a beautiful part of the country. It was great visiting with Riley, meeting his friends and getting a glimpse of what he does on a day to day basis at Kemo Sabe. I will forever cherish these memories and long for the day I get to visit again.
Mushroom Rock Trail Information:
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/mushroom-rock
Side note:
Visiting Aspen in early September was fantastic. The town was not crowded, the weather was wonderful and the aspens were getting ready to turn.