A Pictorial Friday Freedonist: The Extended Picnic, $2.75

Sometimes, giving yourself a thoughtful hedonistic treat can be as simple as taking advantage of a nice sunny day, a pretty space nearby, and a little creativity.  My fantastic near-free Friday afternoon started with a simple craving for an outdoor picnic before the weather turns to ice next weekend.  This is an easy Friday Freedonist that almost everyone can figure out a way to enjoy.  Just find a spot that you love, and enjoy all its nooks and crannies for a few hours.

The trailhead

Red Rocks Amphitheater near Morrison is a place that has it all for me: opportunities for exercise, a good coffee shop, great views, recent history, ancient history, a music museum, and endless places to sit and enjoy life — and all free. The easy little loop trail above starts near the Trading Post and winds around amid fantastic rock formations before bringing you back to where you started. It seemed like a great choice for burning a few calories before a picnic. Stroll with me, looking backwards and forwards:

A mile and a half of exploring later, and I’m ready for a good cup of coffee and a picnic in the Amphitheater.  Unlike most concert venues, Red Rock is a park too, and so is open to the public year-round whenever there’s no event taking place.  I stopped off at the Trading Post to grab a cup of coffee first.

The Red Rocks Trading Post coffee shop — and specifically its covered deck — is one of my favorite spots along the Front Range, one that not many people know about.  You can grab a cup of joe, put your feet up on the railing, watch the hawks wheel in the sky, and read or write in your journal to your heart’s content. Sip. Daydream. Repeat.

The view from the Trading Post coffee shop deck

One of the early menus….fun to read while I’m waiting for my coffee. it’s nice to know the Elk dish is both delicious AND tasty.

And then it’s up the stairs into the amphitheater, along with other post-Thanksgiving visitors…..it seems we weren’t the only ones with this idea today.

Lots and lots of people in the park today, exercising, climbing the stage backdrop, playing air guitar, taking photos….but we were able to find a quiet place to sit, have our picnic, and take it all in.  Sandwiches on homemade bread, hot coffee, pumpkin cheesecake, yum.  Note that even the puppydog got his picnic  (leftover casserole).  Earlier in the day or in the summer, it’s a swell place to throw down a blanket and read.

A couple of friends made the day even more perfect

The cost of this 3-hour adventure: $2.75 (for coffees), a few leftovers, and a dribble of gas to get there.   The reward?  That good feeling of having gotten your blood moving a little, hanging out in a beautiful place, good company, and a winter suntan.  Is there a place near you where you can do the same?

Category: Entertainment, Friday Freedonist, Fun, Leisure, Sustainable, Travel