Stunning Halloween

This year, if I may offer some commentary on the weather in other states for a moment, Colorado had one of the most enjoyable Halloween weekends ever. The weather, in a word, was stunning.
I should add that I know this because I was there to see it in person.
If you haven't experienced it before, flying as a non-rev isn't as glamorous as it might seem. Here's the basic order of priority on flights: Priority Customers. Regular Customers. Active Employees. Corpses. Romans. You. I found out later that the flight sold out. This meant I was the last person cleared to fly. Imagine my walk of shame to the last - very last - empty seat in the plane. Luckily, I had an adorable suitcase that fit under the sit in front of me. I looked like a total pro.
Back to Colorado. I drove to Loveland that night and the next morning I was in the near "wilds" of Lyons, birdwatching in some of the nicest weather I ever expected to see in late October in the Rockies. I didn't go alone. In Loveland, I stayed with one of the nicest families I've met in years. And the next day, I met yet another member of the family, and we went birdwatching. There, two time zones from home, I danced each time I spotted a new bird for my life list.
It's tradition. How could I not?
Later, Saturday afternoon, I had time in Longmont. So I parked the car. I strolled Roosevelt Park. I went to Thompson Park, named for Elizabeth Rowell Thompson. A Boston reporter in 1899 called her the "founder of Longmont, Colorado".
I passed beautiful trees in full color. I watched squirrels with no surival instincts bury nuts in piles of leaves because they had so many to choose from it didn't matter if they buried them well. And as I walked between parks, I passed homes with front yards being diligently raked by teenagers, most of whom seemed to be scheming. Leaf piles for boobie traps. Leaf piles for decoration. Leaf piles for Halloween. It was charming and relaxing.
And Sunday, before returning to Denver, I took another walk around Golden Ponds. My poor camera was dead, but my cell phone took some of the best pictures of my trip. And later I met up with one of the finest Longmontian citizens ever. My host and I had coffee, talked and strolled around the heart of Main Street. The weekend was short, but it went as smooth as glass.
At one time I envisioned that I'd use standby travel to visit Colorado monthly. My needs regrettably changed and that plan changed too. But this trip reminded and refocused my attention on the importance of regular visits. Standby limitations may limit my ability to travel during the holidays, but I think it's going to be different in the new year, and I think it should be.
Thanks to all my hosts. It was truly a stunning Halloween weekend. I couldn't have asked for more. I hope one day in the future, I can return the favor.

--Laura