I am in the midst (honestly, the early-st) of building my freelance career, which leaves me with (terrifyingly) open days.

On Thursday I decided to take an inaugural ride on the Bustang, which travels from Fort Collins/Loveland to Denver. Let me first say that I loved Bustang. I walked to the Fort Collins transit station, 2 miles from my house, and the bus was precisely on time. I watched two other riders load bicycles into the storage compartment. The bus is an extremely comfortable coach with power outlets and wifi (though this did not work for me on either leg). I had pre-purchased tickets through their app, which worked flawlessly, though I also saw riders with printed tickets or purchasing their tickets on the bus itself — no one seemed to have any problems. Fare was $10 each way, which as Dan points out, is about what it costs to park anywhere in downtown Denver.

This post is not an ad for this service but it could be — Bustang, if you’re listening, let’s talk.

I took the 11am bus and landed in Denver’s Union Station at 12:20. I am familiar with Union Station; Dan and I have visited there often and even stayed in its swanky hotel once. I can’t tell you what an immense relief I felt to be dropped off somewhere familiar. I am the Queen of Getting Lost, some kind of reverse Saint Anthony, but within minutes of disembarking I had found my way through the bus terminal and into the gorgeous station, through some of my favorite shops and to an indulgent lunch at Snooze. (Are there other restaurants in Denver I haven’t tried yet? Certainly. Do I want to try to find them when I’m hungry? No.)

I spent 3-4 hours aimlessly wandering downtown Denver. I had loosely planned to visit the Denver Art Museum, but once I arrived I found myself reluctant to head inside while it was so achingly sunny. (I understand that Colorado is basically this sunny all the time. In Cincinnati, it was not. Let me adjust.) What follows are a few photos from around the museum and city center (including that first image with the horse and the chair, which sits in front of the Denver Public Library).

P.S. 16th Street Mall = not as cool as I remembered. Why did I recall it being full of local shops and restaurants instead of a Yard House, five Starbucks and a Famous Footwear?