We’ve suffered. Oh, how we’ve suffered on the Wedding Road Trip. Forced to eat great meals and to explore interesting cities. The ultimate indignity? “Having” to stop in Aspen, Colorado to see Chris and Krystal, friends of mine from grad school.
Obviously I jest, but we did have a few moments of terror on the way into town, thanks to Independence Pass. For anyone scared of roller coasters, heights, or death, I recommend skipping this route and taking the long way. I was driving, so Jaime cringed as I gingerly steered Roxy around hairpin turns and bottomless chasms, culminating in a 12,000 foot crossing of the Continental Divide. The road isn’t so much a pass as a route up and over a mountain.
We arrived in Aspen as Chris and Krystal were finishing their work days. They promptly took us and a sixer of Blue Moon out to the Maroon Bells, where we traipsed mountain meadows while their dog Rosie ran around at approximately 200 MPH. This was followed by dinner at the Woody Creek Tavern, an old Hunter S. Thompson hangout, and conversation back at their beautiful townhouse in Basalt. Yes, we liked Aspen.
One piece of marital advice from Krystal & Chris is that if all else fails, get a dog. I’m paraphrasing, but the basic gist is that a dog can provide activity, conversation, and all types of mutual experience bonding that you will not get from TV, jogging, or a hamster. The background is that on a drunken whim several years ago, Krystal adopted a stray which has become The World’s Most Awesome Dog, aka Rosie. I first met Rosie two and a half years ago and immediately threatened to dognap her, and still intend to. Inside, she sits quietly on her bed or on my feet, and is so well behaved they can take her to work where she dozes all day. Outside, Rosie takes off at cheetah-like speeds, chasing things like snowmobiles.
So, a dog can spark your relationship in interesting ways, especially if you live near the Great Outdoors and get a dog larger than a purse but smaller than a pickup truck. Sadly, Jaime and I passed on an opportunity to get a golden retriever puppy in Chicago (bad timing), but if we get tired of each other, we’ll swing by Aspen when Chris and Krystal aren’t home and pick up the solution.
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