Buena Vista, Colorado

How is everyone holding up during this COVID-19 Pandemic?  I was so worried about the spike in cases raising higher and higher across the USA and the world that I found it difficult to be online last week and took time off to do other things. I finished a few books I was reading, cooked and delivered Easter dinner to my children, watched some wonderful musicals and theater productions on TV, video conferences with family and friends on Zoom, and even ventured out to shop in Costco while staying very careful by wearing a mask and continuing social distancing. We have relatives in northern and southern Italy, and in New York City--both places severely affected by the novel coronavirus--so we were particularly stressed and worried. Thankfully, all our relatives remain well. Sadly, we did hear of many who passed away from this vicious virus--friends of friends, parents of children my children went to school with, neighbors and co-workers of other friends. Each life lost is a tragedy.  I know there are plans to begin to "reopen" and return to some areas of regular life, but my husband and I, being older, will continue to social distance, wear our makes when out, and stay home as much as possible. Most likely we will do this until a successful vaccine is developed. The hardest part of this regime is staying distanced from our children and grandchildren. I will never take hugs for granted again! 

Happily, my husband and I always loved to travel, and I have much in my files to blog about.  I've been reminiscing the past few months about a wonderful road trip we took to central Colorado last autumn, in the Sawatch Mountain Range area, where we enjoyed many locations in that locale. I realized I did not highlight the town we used as our base on all our separate drives, the charming town of Buena Vista. Buena Vista means "Good View" in Spanish, and as we approached the town from US Route 285 west, you can see how it acquired its name with its mountain vista.  We were fortunate to see an afternoon rainstorm over the mountains as we arrived--quite a sight to see!

This was in mid-September, so the trees were beginning to show their autumn color, and it was still warm enough that there wasn't any snow in the mountains as yet.

Buena Vista is located in central Colorado roughly midway between Salida and Leadville in the Upper Arkansas River Valley at an elevation of 7,965 feet.  The town's name is pronounced BYOO-nah VIS-ta by most locals. It was named by Alsina Dearheimer, a settler from Germany, who suggested the name with its unique pronunciation when it was incorporated as a town in 1879. Mining, agriculture, and ranching were the main occupations at the time.  Tourism is now a major draw of the area.

We stayed in a small local motel where this beautiful view of the mountains greeted us every morning from our window! From this location, over the next few days, we visited the artsy town of Salida, the Mount Princeton Hot Springs in nearby Northrop, the picturesque St. Elmo Ghost Town, drove over the newly paved Cottonwood Pass into Crested Butte, back to Buena Vista over Monarch Pass, up into the mountains to see the ghost towns of Vicksburg and Winfield, and then a side trip to Leadville! Click on any highlighted word to read those blog posts.

With mountains on one side and the river on the other, Buena Vista is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. Numerous rafting companies are based around Buena Vista, offering guests thrilling whitewater rafting trips on the Arkansas River. Anglers also share the river, which was awarded Gold Medal Trout Water by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission.

On the west side of the valley, Buena Vista offers convenient access to numerous fourteener trailheads. Here is the highest concentration of 14,000-foot peaks in the lower United States, with 15 peaks over 14,000 feet elevation in the area, including 14,433 foot Mt. Elbert, the tallest mountain in Colorado.

The beautiful Browns Canyon National Monument is in the area with 21,586 acres of pristine canyons, rivers and backcountry forests. One can enjoy backcountry hiking, horseback riding, and snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in the winter.

The town of Buena Vista retains much of its Victorian-era charm. I enjoyed strolling around its downtown area one evening between our many excursions.

We dined at a local family restaurant called Quincys Tavern where the menu is simple and the quality is exceptional! We couldn't believe the price of the delicious filet mignon dinner that we enjoyed, complete with a salad and dessert. I highly recommend it if you visit Buena Vista or one of their other four locations.

"Free Bear Hugs"

Some cute carved bear statues for sale on the main street in Buena Vista.  

I think right now a bear hug sounds good--any kind of hug sounds good!  Let's hope it won't be long before hugging and traveling and life as we knew it returns in time. How are you coping in this strange new world?  Stay well!

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