From Carolina to Colorado: First Impressions, Rocky Views, and One Waffle Machine from Hell


I started super early yesterday in North Carolina, flew out to DFW, caught a quick layover, and landed in Colorado Springs. Woke up early this morning running on caffeine and curiosity—and let me tell you, the Rockies didn’t disappoint.

First Glimpse of the Rockies

The moment I saw them from the plane window, I couldn’t help but say it out loud: Oh my God. Massive, jagged, and stretching forever. On the ground, driving through the city, they’re even more surreal. It made me wonder—if I lived here, would they start to fade into the background? Like the Shawangunks back home—always there, always beautiful, but eventually just scenery?

For now, I’m the tourist. And I’m going to ooh and ah without shame.

Flights, Seats, and the Thrill of the Gamble

American Airlines got me here. Aside from my bag taking forever to show up at the end, the flights were solid. I picked my seat for the first leg and left the second one to fate—and scored 9A. I’m officially a fan of this seat roulette thing. Not choosing a seat in advance might be the closest I get to hard drug use or gambling. There’s something exhilarating about watching the junk seats disappear, refreshing the app, and hoping the seat gods bless you with a good one.

National Car Rental: Still the GOAT

Let’s get this out of the way: National is the undisputed king of rental cars. It’s not like the Marriott vs. Hilton or Delta vs. American debates. No one is out here saying, “Should I pick Hertz over Avis?” You just don’t.

They had a brand-new Sonata waiting for me—running, trunk open, ice-cold AC blasting—like they knew exactly when I was arriving. Super friendly staff, quick, helpful, and even cracked a few jokes. It’s the little things, but they add up.



Check-In Adventures and a Side of Art

Pulled into the Hampton Inn—or tried to. The GPS rerouted me into the Garden Inn because apparently every Hilton sub-brand has set up shop on the same street. Hiltonopoly.

The Hampton folks were great, but my room wasn’t ready yet. I had time to kill before meeting the guy I’d be riding with for the next ten days, so I did some wandering.

Metal Sculptures That Dance in the Wind

That’s when I stumbled across one of the coolest surprises of the day—a series of giant metal kinetic sculptures, spinning and tilting in the wind like they were alive. They're tucked into a quiet part of town, not far from where I was staying, and they stopped me in my tracks. Massive steel forms, some shaped like abstract galaxies or spirals, all balanced just right so the breeze makes them glide with eerie grace.

The artist—Star Kempth—created a bunch of these for a project called Star Camps, part sculpture park, part artist collective, part intergalactic fever dream. There’s something mesmerizing about the way they move. It feels like you’ve stumbled into a peaceful little sci-fi world that nobody else knows about.

If you're ever in Colorado Springs and want to see something quietly magical, go check them out. No ticket. No crowd. Just wind and wonder.




A Taste of the Broadmoor

After soaking up the kinetic art, I swung by the Broadmoor hotel. Unreal. That place is a sprawling masterpiece. Immaculate, intentional, and just... grand. You don’t have to be a guest to explore either—just ask nicely at the gate and they’ll let you wander. I geeked out hard for about an hour. After years of cookie-cutter hotels, it was refreshing to see something built with soul.this one’s going to get its own blog post when I get a chance.




Garden of the Gods and a Surprise Storm

After the Broadmoor, I headed over to Garden of the Gods. Showed up just in time for a storm to roll in. Got absolutely soaked, but honestly, it was kind of perfect. The place looks like nature took a blowtorch to the Earth and then froze it in mid-explosion. Red rock formations shooting up at strange angles, towering over the road—it’s wild.







Then Came the Email...

Right in the middle of taking it all in, my deployment orders hit:
Go directly to Denver. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200.

So, new hotel booked. I’ll finish a few claims here in Colorado Springs, then head north. Might squeeze in something strange or wonderful on the way—still deciding whether this leg of the trip needs a roadside oddity like a ball of string or a haunted gas station.

Hampton Hospitality… and Breakfast Regrets

We’ll only be at this Hampton Inn one night. I’ll probably loop back through before flying out next week. The people here have been awesome—always fresh coffee, citrus water on tap, warm smiles at the front desk.

But the breakfast? Let’s talk about the breakfast.



Sausage patties the exact color and texture of canned dog food.
A sad, soggy bagel topped with powdered eggs and whatever that melted-orange-goop is supposed to be.
The plain bagel was… fine.
The cereal boxes brought back childhood nostalgia until I remembered I grabbed Raisin Bran because I’m trying not to be too much of a fat insert-adjective-here adult.

And then…

The Waffle Machine from Hell

Let’s have a real conversation about hotel waffle machines.

That thing is a breakfast slot machine with a superiority complex. It blinks, beeps, demands things from you before sunrise like it’s trying to initiate a nuclear launch. Every time I give it a shot, it spits out some rubbery, steaming hexagonal disaster that fuses itself to the paper plate like it’s preparing for long-term storage. I don’t know what recipe they’re using, but whatever it is, it turns flour and water into a defensive weapon.

I’m convinced that machine is part psychological test, part passive-aggressive art installation.

Anyway. Off to Denver soon.

But first… here’s Wonderwall.


Location: Colorado Springs, CO, USA

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