Dear Residents of Fraser Valley, 

For the past two weeks. my wife and I have rented a house in Tabernash. Here is an excerpt of a letter to friends describing our stay.

Tabernash, Colorado is a peaceful mountain town of tawny, waist-high bunchgrass lapping against mountains of green and purple firs. The quaking aspens seize the attention of passing drivers as thoroughly as a 10-car pile-up — with their fey, gold glow, those trees seem not of this world. 

In the evenings, we step outside for the endless fireworks display that is the Rocky Mountain night sky. The show is an astronomer’s dream, assailing viewers with unmissable constellations, planets, nebulae.
 
The daytime sky here isn’t simply blue, but an intense cobalt. The entire Fraser Valley — where Tabernash sits — is a Van Gogh work come to life: “Starry Night,” “Wheatfield with Crows” and “The Reaper” all merged into one.

Brande and I hiked along the nearby Continental Divide. Frosted, cirque-topped mountains enchanted us more and more with each tall, considered step we took. A scavenging chipmunk raced across our path, stopped to give us a side-eye, and continued on his way. It’s only September, yet there was snow enough for snowballs which we had fun tossing left and right into the fresh autumn woods.

Mountain biking at Winter Park was a feast for the senses: smelling the Rocky Mountain pines, feeling this high altitude, alpine air slapping against our faces, hearing the hypnotic hum of knobby rubber tires leaving their signature on the barely dry Colorado clay. Winter Park has been a vacation within a vacation; a gift inside of a gift. 

We thank you for being such a welcoming community, and we look forward to seeing you all again soon.