Day 9: Riding a Mile High

Start: Denver, CO
End: Denver, CO
Miles driven: 20.2 (2805.6 total)

After sleeping in for the first time in a long time, we set out for downtown Denver. Our first stop was Denver's equivalent of the National Mall, flanked by City Hall, the State House and museums. On the State House steps we found the mark indicating the elevation of 1 mile above sea level for which Denver derives its nickname and took in spectacular views of the city and the Rockies.

We then took a short walk to the Colorado History Museum. In addition to getting an overview of the development and founding of the State of Colorado, there were special exhibits on Native American culture, the mining industry, and women in the West.

Some lunch, a crossword, and a light rail ride later, we were in the Santa
Fe district. There we took in numerous small, independent art galleries and also stumbled across Colorado Democratic Party HQ (where incidentally, the hours are 9-4, 5 days a week). We walked back downtown as the sun set and day turned to night in the city.