I’ll Meet You in Durango
“I’ll be in Durango in two weeks!”
It is not uncommon for me to be told this by a stranger. My hometown of Durango, Colorado, is a beautiful place. Although not as accessible as other Colorado mountain towns, many people tell me of cherished trips to my area, including riding our famed train and driving the Million Dollar Highway. But this time, the Durango vacation plan came from a stranger in Slovenia.
Petra was the wedding planner for my friends’ recent ceremony. The wedding took place in a castle overlooking Lake Bled, Slovenia. I was one of an intimate audience of twenty to celebrate the couple’s union. Between the perfectly orchestrated wedding events, Petra shared with me a surprise trip she had planned for her husband. She would soon be flying to Colorado with her husband and young son. The end of their two-week road trip would land them in my hometown of Durango.
While the happy newlywed couple exchanged bites of wedding cake, Petra and I exchanged phone numbers. While I took in the beauty of her native country of Slovenia atop a historic castle, she was planning her dream vacation in my backyard.
Slovenia was stunning. The views of Lake Bled with the Alps backdrop led to a serendipitous vacation for me. The coincidence of meeting Petra and knowing we would soon meet again on my home turf brought me joy.
I love serendipity in meeting new people and was charmed by Slovenia's hospitality and culture.
A few days after the wedding, I ran into Petra and her family at the airport in Slovenia. We were all heading to Colorado. My adventure was ending while theirs was beginning.
Her husband, Andrej, was still unaware of the destination of his surprise birthday trip. Their young son, Dan, beamed as he kept the secret with his mother. Andrej, an avid cyclist, was told only to pack riding shoes for both road and mountain biking. Where he would wear them was unknown to him.
Petra and I hugged goodbye as we quietly planned our next communication.
A week and a half later, we were together in Durango. Hearing about their road trip to date, Andrej was thrilled with his surprise trip as they had taken in much of Colorado’s Front Range and Utah’s Moab before landing in our hometown.
Our time together started with dinner at our local favorite brewpub as the guys mapped out their road bike ride for the next day. Andrej’s bike rental was confirmed, and a start time was set. Andrej, Petra, and Dan would drive to our home as a meeting point. Andrej and Garrett would leave our house for their bike ride while Petra, Dan, and I would hike through our neighborhood.
Living at 7.500 feet of elevation, three miles outside of Durango, we are tucked on the mountainside with over 10 miles of hiking trails through our neighborhood. I walk my dog, Zeke, on these trails every day and know them well. I decided to keep it simple and hike nearby so as not to complicate the day with the timing of the bike finish.
I was also worried about a seven-year-old getting bored and wanting to end our hike early. Dan had already been on the road for over a week, with many long car drives and long hikes under his little belt. I assumed he would be like the youth I typically observe, yearning for device time instead of being outdoors.
I quickly realized that my assumption was completely wrong, as Dan started schooling me in the joy of curiosity.
Before hitting the trail in my backyard, Dan showed me his Birds of Colorado trifold. Petra shared with me her son’s love of birds. I soon discovered these trifold pictorials on local birds can be found at most visitor centers. This is their family’s first purchase when they travel to a new area. Birds are Dan’s passion.
I soon found this pictorial display of birds a constant reference for little Dan. Searching through tree branches, he would spot a bird and point out its twin in his trifold.
“Look, mama!” Dan would cry out in muffled enthusiasm. Not wanting to disturb the birds in their habitat, he was keenly aware that he was a visitor amid the birds.
Pointing out a large nest on a low tree branch, Dan quickly warned us to give proper distance to avoid disturbing the fragile mother/chickling relationship. It took us hours to complete our four-mile trek, as Dan pointed out birds I had never noticed in my five years of walking these same trails.
Dan found interesting discoveries at his feet when not staring up into the sky and trees. From a working ant hill to a variety of shiny rocks, I was schooled on the nature around me. A winding canal from the river provided a place to throw rocks and sticks with a boy and a dog having the time of their lives.
“Someone from Slovenia lives here!” Dan exclaimed when he saw a “Keep Out” sign. Petra laughed and explained that "keep" is also a Slovenian word, sharing its English translation with Dan.
It was getting hot by the end of our hike, and we were further from home than I had expected. Our cyclist husbands called to say they had returned from their ride. Worried that I had pushed the seven-year-old past his patience level, I heard him ask his mother a question in Slovenian.
I was ready to convince Dan to hang in there, that we were close; instead, Petra assured me he was fine. He was inquiring about the distance we covered. Four miles was a typical distance for Dan, and he liked to keep track.
Moved by the curiosity and joy of a seven-year-old, I wonder how I never noticed the birds before. How often do I walk this hike without looking up and taking in the nature around me?
My curiosity about people brought Petra and me together in Slovenia and the United States, but when did I lose my childlike curiosity about the outdoors? Growing up in the Midwest, I didn’t know a world full of mountains, but like Dan, I always found treasures while exploring.
Now, as an adult, I am surrounded by scenic mountainscapes. I didn’t need to travel to Slovenia to find them. But I appreciate that little Dan from Dan visited to share his contagious curiosity and remind me that we all live in a beautiful world.
