Summertime is here and it’s the perfect time to jump on your bike or take a ride in the car. Here are some Colorado things to look for when you’re out and about (while maintaining appropriate social distancing). If you’re not able to venture out, use your favorite search engine and find these items online.
Have a great summer and happy scavenger hunting!
- Buffalo. We are CU Buffs so look for buffalo – real or statues. Make Ralphie proud.
- Learn the CU Fight Song. Every university has a fight song to cheer on their teams and CU is no exception. Learn the words and melody (if you don’t already know them) so you can proudly join in when we’re all back together again and cheering on our Buffs.
- Blue Columbine. Colorado’s State Flower. Discovered in 1820 on Pike's Peak by mountain climber Edwin James, the Rocky Mountain columbine (Columbine Aquilegia caerulea) is a lovely flower with a rich aroma that attracts bees, hummingbirds and butterflies to its nectar.
- National Park Sign. There are four national parks, eight national monuments, 11 national forests, and two national grasslands in Colorado. Can you name them? Take a picture of one of the signs at the park entrance if you’re able to visit. If not, go to www.nps.gov and explore your favorite park virtually. Many have webcams. Looking for a good summer read? Try Dear Bob and Sue and follow Karen and Matt Smith as they visit all of our national parks (there were 59 when they set out on their adventure). You can also visit www.dearbobandsue.com for pictures, podcasts, and national park signs.
- Eat Local Famous Food. Naturally, the Colorado state fruit is the Palisade peach. Other state foods include northern wild rice as the official state crop, though there was a bill introduced several years back attempting to add Rocky Ford cantaloupes to that list. If you’re looking for FAMOUS Colorado food, try Palisade Peaches, Rocky Mountain Oysters, Green Chili, Colorado Lamb, Bison, or Olathe Sweet Corn. There are lots of local goodies to sample!
- Cheeseburger in Paradise. Although many restaurants claim to have invented the cheeseburger, it was Colorado resident Louis Ballast of the Humpty Dumpty Drive-In in Denver who named it. There is a stone marker located at 2776 N. Speer Blvd commemorating where the drive-in once stood. See if you can find the marker. Or visit your favorite local diner, drive-in or dive and take a selfie. Bonus: include CU apparel, swag or a stuffed buffalo in the selfie. Share your selfie with us at staffcouncil@colorado.edu.
- Team Logo. Avs, Rockies, Broncos, and Nuggets. Find one or more of these logos around town. You may not have to go any further than your own closet. Extra credit if you can find a logo for Colorado Mammoth or the Colorado Rapids. Do you know what sports these two teams play? Find out.
- Dinosaur. Locate a dinosaur displayed somewhere. You can also visit Dinosaur Ridge and explore some of the ongoing projects. Feeling adventurous? Head on up to the University of Wyoming Laramie campus. You will find a T-Rex hiding up there. Rumor is that if you successfully toss a pine cone into the T-Rex’s mouth, you will do well on your finals.
- Drive the Peak-to-Peak. Starting in Black Hawk in the south and stretching to Estes Park in the north, the Peak to Peak Highway was established in 1918 and provides views of the Front Range Mountains in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Classified as a scenic byway by the Colorado Department of Transportation, the route passes through the Colorado counties of Gilpin, Boulder, and Larimer. .
- Go Buff Families! Get your family decked out in their CU finest and take a family photo.
Disclaimer: Participants should follow social distancing guidelines and wear a facial covering when leaving their home.
