COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — My front door steps are the Rocky Mountains.A quick walk onto my third-story balcony, and I’m standing next to the Rockies.A look to my left reveals Cheyenne Canyon covered with an assortment of Cottonwood, Douglas Fir and Pine trees that fill the air with aromas like no place I’ve ever been.A glance to my right reveals downtown Colorado Springs. On a clear day, you can see four to five miles. At night, the downtown area is blanketed with a sea of yellow, white and blue lights.Life couldn’t be better — or could it?Though there’s next to no humidity and the temperature has yet to reach 90 degrees, there’s no place like stiflingly-hot home.I’ve been in Colorado Springs for six weeks now and seen dozens of deer, two rattle snakes, and a bear, but it can’t beat the alligators, red fish and crawfish we have down South.I’ve hiked more than 30 miles of trails paved with the shadows from trees and giant rock formations. But I wouldn’t trade any amount of dirt trails for the paved interstates you see in Louisiana.People may think I’m crazy for not thinking this is the best place to live, but you don’t realize the true beauty of the South until you leave it.By the time I finish my summer internship and leave this wonderful place, I will have lived in the Springs for 12 to 13 weeks. And that’s long enough for me.Don’t get me wrong, I love Colorado. It’s a great place to live, but not for an extended period of time — at least not for me.I’ve white water rafted down some of the fasted rapids in the Royal Gorge. I even got the pleasure of enjoying an ice-cold Coors Light while sitting on the Rockies.But come August I know I’ll be ready for a pot of seafood gumbo, a cheeseburger from Chimes and a bottle of Abita’s strawberry ale.I’m not greedy or unappreciative of the opportunity I’ve received while living out here, but you miss home cooking when the place you’re staying doesn’t have great food.I love this place. I’m going to gosky diving, attending a Rockies game and planning of finishing an “Around the World”-type beer tour before I leave, but let me leave you with a piece of advice when planning your next trip to a place not well-known for its food: Bring Tony Chachere’s seasoning.‘Cause it ain’t Louisiana unless you bring a little Tony’s.
—– Contact Jay St. Pierre at [email protected]
Travel: Colorado Springs is great, but it’s not Louisiana
June 22, 2009