Rocky Mountain High

[Denver] Colorado

In June, I went to the North East corner of the United States - Maine, and proceeded more North to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada, which is right next to the Atlantic Ocean. Then came back home to Kansas via St. Louis, about a month after I’d left.

July found me in the North West corner of the United States - Alaska, cruising along the Pacific Ocean along the coast of Alaska and western Canada to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Today, as I type this in August, I am in Denver, Colorado, at the airport. The mountains here are always beautiful. The weather is 85 degrees right now. There is a nice space to go sit outside at the airport, too. I’ve done that a few times.

Denver is known as “The Mile High City”

Image from https://images.app.goo.gl/knwUpoSdTrocYX5X6

Today, my destination is the middle of California - Oakland Airport to visit a friend. Tomorrow, I drive us south almost all the way to Mexico - we’re heading to San Diego.

I feel like the only corner I am missing is the South East corner of the USA - Florida.

Definitely having a #TheTravelingViolinist experience this summer, that’s for sure!

I have my violin with me. I will definitely be recording some songs in San Diego!

I have previously played violin in California, but I don’t seem to have photo or video evidence of it. A cousin of mine used to be an amazing harpsichord player for a long time, who was also a piano teacher. For a few short years, she tried her hand at violin, too. I visited her in my early 30s, and tried out one of her violins for a little bit of time. Nothing too big, not sure I played much on it. But I did play something. I have a photo of my brother holding the violin more like someone would hold a cello - he is posing with the violin on the couch. I am not sure where that photo is right now, but I saw it sometime this year. It reminded me of the whole occasion - the year we drove from Los Angeles and saw Hearst Castle, drove up coastal / scenic Route 1, and had to backtrack about 6 hours due to wildfires and head back North again not on Route 1, to get to San Francisco, where the sky was orange instead of blue, and stayed that way until we left to head back south again.

I look forward to figuring out what song I should play in California some time this next week. Would “I left my heart in San Francisco” be appropriate to play in San Diego? If I get to Mexico, should I find a Mexican tune to record? It sure would be cool to play violin in all 3 countries of North America in 2024. What an accomplishment that would be, eh?

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