I’m dreaming of Denver.  Ritz-Carlton owed me two free nights.  I Scan the Ritz website and Denver has one!  Awesome, I’ve never been to Denver, Colorado and I find myself humming Rocky Mountain High by, wait for it…John Denver.  I have this mental picture of tall mountain peaks, ski lodges, pine trees and cool mountain air….Ahhh, this will be great!  I should probably rent a four-wheel drive, It could snow early this year in the city and with all those hills…

I used American Express MR points to book two round trip tickets (they are still giving me 1/2 the points back) and National Car Rental, where we have Executive status that will allow us to choose any vehicle from the lot (which will be handy as I’m feeling like a Jeep or a Land Rover).

Now, I’ve been all over the World and have somehow avoided Denver and for that matter, most of Colorado.  I’m certain that my ignorance is based on the idea that I am a KC Chief’s fan and the Denver Bronco’s are our sworn enemy.  It must have been a loyalty thing or something.

After a rough mile high landing, we navigate our way outside as it’s time for a looksy.  Ok, there are no mountains, none.  It’s relatively flat and “prairie” like, I mean, I can count the number of trees with one hand and it’s 88 degrees… I looked way WAY off to the west and I see mountains, but not near Denver.  I’m stunned! Denver is IN the mountains, right?.  That damn plane screwed up and landed us in Kansas!  Nope, sign says Denver.

At National, we choose a Dodge Charger.  I don’t see the need for a 4×4 now.  We then drive south, flat flat flatter…it’s a large metropolitan City with traffic issues and one way streets.  It’s clean and the residents seem nice but it’s absolutely nothing like I imagined.

I know this article may seem strange.  I am absolutely amazed at how ignorant I was regarding the City of Denver.  All my life, I had this picture.  Never bothered with research or even to look at a brochure.  Just assumed…

We ultimately drove an hour and a half to the Rocky Mountains and did the pine tree, tall mountain peaks and cool mountain-air thing.  It was beautiful.  I was only off by about 60 miles.

And that was that, so back to Denver we went and did the “Big City” thing.  So much for my silly dream.