SOUTHERN COLORADO / T H E N E W N O R M A L / 07.2017
Caving The arena beneath the earth
Colorado Goes National It's that time of year again!
The Renaissance Festival Meow Wolf (rowr)
A wonderland just south of the border
ALSO
PUEBLO’S ROASTING COFFEE WITH THE SUN DINING WITH ANIMALS THE SATIVA SCHOLARS
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contents. ISSUE 3 // VOLUME 1 // 07.2017
FEATURES
EVERY ISSUE
13 Founded on Cannabis Cash
7 Editor’s Note 8 SensiBuzz 17 AroundTown
Pueblo is leading the way in making the most of its cannabis tax revenues: It’s putting high school graduates through college.
20 Noshing with the Animals
Have you ever crushed an ahi tuna salad? Have you ever crushed an ahi tuna salad… with a shark?
RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL
48 CO I QA
H E AT H E R H A R T
Sensi Magazine is published monthly in Denver, CO, by Sensi Media Group LLC. © 2017 SENSI MEDIA GROUP LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
24 Go Here Meow
In New Mexico—just a few hours’ drive from most places in southern Colorado—is a theme park designed to bedazzle even the most travel-weary journeyers.
30 The Morning’s Star
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Two brothers from Oregon moved their company to Colorado to take advantage of our sunny banana belt—and they’re doing some rather interesting things with their coffee flavors, too.
34 I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide
Colorado’s cannabis companies are taking their game to the next level: national expansion.
42 Caving Out
It’s a sport as old as exploration itself, and it’s thriving right here in the Centennial State.
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head. ISSUE 3 VOLUME 1 07.2017
A DV I SORY B OA R D 1906 New Highs // CHOCOLATES Craft // RECREATIONAL CONCENTRATES Compliant Packaging // PACKAGING Dabble Extracts // MEDICAL CONCENTRATES DC Investigations // SECURITY Doctors of Natural Medicine // MEDICAL CENTER
editor’s
note HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMERICA July marks our nation’s birthday, the 241st to be exact. We’ve come a long way from being thirteen colonies to a world superpower. Along that journey, we’ve had our ups and downs, but one thing has always driven us forward as a country: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Cannabis has been part of our nation’s most cherished moments. The first drafts of the Declaration of Independence were likely written on hemp paper (the final version was written on parchment). Some of
Faragosi Farms // RECREATIONAL DISPENSARY
America’s first laws required Colonial farmers to grow Cannabis sativa,
Greenhouse Payment Solutions // PAYMENT
not stamp it out. George Washington and a number of other Founding
PROCESSING
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Fathers grew hemp, too. Colorado also holds a special place in our nation’s history, and not just because we were the first state to permit legal cannabis sales. Katherine Lee Bates wrote “America the Beautiful” while riding a train through the Colorado Springs area, on her way to teach at the prestigious Colorado
King’s Cannabiz // MEDICAL DISPENSARY
College. Purple mountain majesty? That’s Pikes Peak on any given morn-
Lux Leaf // EDUCATION
ing. In fact, the original title for “America the Beautiful” was none other
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than “Pikes Peak,” when it was published as a poem. It’s been over 120 years since Bates immortalized our Front Range. Where are we now when it comes to our life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness? Perhaps our economy can give us clues. In this issue, senior editor
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Leland Rucker looks at Colorado’s homegrown cannabis companies and
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how they’re planning to expand nationally. As legalization becomes the
M E DI A PA RT N E RS
as they reach beyond our state’s borders into new territories?
National Cannabis Industry Association Women Grow
New Normal one state at a time, what challenges do these companies face Additionally, cannabis has given us another gift: tax revenues. These taxes have helped rebuild our schools, alleviate homelessness, train police officers, and—as you’ll discover inside—create the nation’s first college scholarship funded with pot money. As a democracy, legalization is the will of the people. As a capitalist nation, market forces are ultimately normalizing cannabis as a commodity—and as a culture. After nearly a century of prohibition, we’re finally returning to the Right Side of History when it comes to this plant. On that
PHOTO BY KIM SIDWELL, CANNABIS CAMERA
note, happy birthday to you, America. (And many more.)
Randy Robinson M A N A G I N G E D I TO R
SENSI SOUTHERN COLORADO
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THE NEW NORMAL
Our curious cannabis expert, LEL AND RUCKER, answers your questions.
Q: A:
Is it true that President Richard Nixon ignored his own commission that suggested legalizing marijuana in the 1970s? —Sharon, Englewood This is one of the most depressing and shameful tales in the history of the 20th century, and one that still echoes and reverberates today
even though almost nobody remembers it. In 1970, the US Congress passed the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act. Title B of that legislation
was the Controlled Substances Act, which classified illegal drugs into five schedules, or categories, with Schedule I reserved for the most heinous and worthless. What has almost been lost to history was CSA’s Part F, which called for a commission to study the medical, cultural, and legal ramifications of marijuana use on society and come up with recommendations based on what it learned. Nixon got to choose the head of the commission, and he dispatched a former Pennsylvania governor, Raymond Shafer, to deliver a (wink, wink) document that proved that marijuana was subverting our youth and undermining the country. Shafer’s National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse took its charge seriously and produced, to date, the only serious study of marijuana yet undertaken in the US. It offers a lengthy history of marijuana use and regulation, and its main conclusion is that marijuana should be decriminalized for adults for personal use. “The criminal law is too harsh a tool to apply to personal possession even in the effort to discourage use,” it concluded. “The actual and potential harm of use of the drug is not great enough to justify intrusion by the criminal law into private behavior, a step which our society takes only with the greatest reluctance.” But have you ever heard about this? Not likely. Nixon and his attorney general, John Mitchell, were not reluctant, and they succeeded, almost spitefully, to classify pot as a Schedule I drug, in the same category as heroin, LSD, ecstasy, mescaline, quaaludes, the “date-rape” drug GHB, and psilocybin. Nobody remembers Shafer, and though Nixon did a great job of burying the report, it’s available online and well worth perusing if you’re even remotely interested in the topic of marijuana legalization. Even more shameful, it has taken seven administrations to finally soften this absolute anti-cannabis stance, and the Obama administration only acted after individual states, including Colorado, took it upon themselves to decriminalize marijuana. Cocaine, because of its limited medical use, got a Schedule II classification, which means the US government today officially considers cocaine safer than marijuana. Break out the medical coke, everybody.
Got a burning cannabis question? askleland@sensimag.com 8
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Born Free TRIVIA TIME: The Declaration of Independence, that founding document that distinguished the 13 US colonies as a nation separate from their British overlords, was actually signed by the Founding Fathers on July 2, 1776. So why do we celebrate the Fourth of July? Because that’s the day the Continental Congress approved the final language. The initial draft was submitted on July 2, but it took the young government two days to make all the necessary changes. Also, the Dunlap Broadsides—the first printed copies of the declaration distributed among the colonies—were dated July 4, 1776, so that’s when we celebrate. Some other fun 4th facts: Presidents Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and James Munroe all died on July 4 (in different years of course). The date didn’t become an official national holiday until 1870.
ASK LELAND PHOTO BY KIM SIDWELL, CANNABIS CAMERA
Ask Leland
Get Away: No Excuses As summer begins, you have all sorts of plans to head out and enjoy the wonders of Colorado’s natural landscape, to go camping and fishing and hiking and biking to your heart’s content. To make s’mores under the stars. To summit 14ers as the sun rises. To slip and slide down the sandy slopes at Great Sand Dunes. But then reality sets in and—as reality tends to do— gets in the way. Because “even the
best-laid plans,” right? Wrong. If you’ve got excuses keeping you from getting out there, the web has the answers. Need somewhere to camp? Try Hipcamp, a website described as the Airbnb of camping. Need to rent gear? Try Outdoors Geek and borrow tents and all the other backpacking equipment you’ll need for a few days off the grid. Need a guide? Try Hinterlands, an iOS app that connects users with a curated list of
the best local professional explorers. Need a pet sitter? Try Rover, the new incarnation of the DogVacay app and website that connects you with insured, trusted people to watch your furry family members. Need someone to watch your kids, too? Then you can look to sitter.me, a site that’s a modern incarnation of the ever-popular Baby-Sitters Club concept. The summer is here, and Colorado can be your oyster. Get out there.
ELEANOR OLIPHANT IS COMPLETELY FINE
GAIL HONEYMAN (PAMELA DORMAN BOOKS)
Reading Room Settle down this summer with one of these titles.
DRAGON TEETH
MICHAEL CRICHTON (HARPER)
The late Crichton is most famous for his Jurassic Park series, and Dragon Teeth returns to his paleontological roots. This story,
however, takes place during the Wild West— and though there are no genetically resurrected dinosaurs, there is plenty of intrigue, action, and sabotage among a period
of insanely competitive dino digging known as the Bone Wars. Like all Crichton novels, this one’s smart, fast-paced, and guaranteed to teach you a thing or two.
These days, social awkwardness seems to be the rule of public life rather than the exception, a cultural shift Honeyman captures in her quirky novel. It tells a story of three unlikely friends who struggle through the day-to-day rigmarole of the working world. As they grow close, they begin to discover the solution to the isolated feelings that plague them in a rat-racing digital world: trust. Insider Tip: Reese Witherspoon is working on turning the charming tale into a major motion picture. Read it now so you can say with authority that the book was better than the movie. Because the book is always better than the movie. J U LY 2017
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THE NEW NORMAL
America’s Mountain [Biking] By this time of the summer, the bikers around here are in what they like to call “midseason shape,” when they are finally able to enjoy the arduous uphill climbs as much as descent. Does this sound like you? No worries: to get that speedy adrenaline rush that comes from speeding down a mountain road, you can forgo the self-propelled climb to the top, thanks to Bike Pikes Peak Mountain Bike Tours (bikepikespeak.com, starting at $125 per person). The adventure outlet will take you to the 14,115-foot summit of Pikes Peak in a van, on a train, or even on a horse—and then they will put you on a bike and guide you down the mountain. As you glide down the
Give Me S’More Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, is more than a guilty pleasure. It’s a mood-enhancer, a soothing 10
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treat, a comfort food. And there’s research that good chocolate—the stuff that’s more than 70 percent
paved, scenic highway, you’ll be part of a small group led by a pace setter and followed by a van ready to scoop up any riders who decide weaving around hairpin turns on steep roads without guardrails isn’t for them. The tour offers plenty of chances to stop and take in the sweeping views. Good thing, too, because when you’re on the bike, you’ll want to keep your eyes on the road.
cocoa—is good for the heart, brain, and circulatory system, among other health benefits. It’s packed with flavonoids, a group of plant-based antioxidants that can instill a soothing sense of relaxation, which explains why we crave chocolate when we’re trying to chill out. Cannabis-infused chocolate kicks that chill up a notch. At most dispensaries, you’ll find a selection of dark-chocolate goodies infused with THC. Pro tip: Swap out the plain ole Hershey’s for a serving of infused dark chocolate to take your s’mores to a whole new level of awesome.
Words of Wisdom “You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4th, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism.” —Erma Bombeck
Humorist, Journalist, Columnist
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THE
SATIVA
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SCHOLARS When CANNABIS WENT LEGAL in 2012, the voters, the state, and the industries agreed to allocate some of the recreational sales taxes to help rebuild local schools. PUEBLO COUNTY took this idea of using marijuana money for education one step further: the creation of the nation’s first COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP paid for by pot. by RANDY ROBINSON
Legal cannabis just made
County Commissioner Sal
getting a college education easier. A lot easier. Last year, Pueblo County,
This brighter future
disbursed by the Pueb-
Pace in a press release.
benefits Pueblo County’s
lo Hispanic Education
“We are the first com-
institutions of higher
Foundation, students of
munity in the world to
learning, too. The area
any ethnic or racial back-
in collaboration with the
provide a cannabis-fund-
hosts two colleges—Pueb-
ground may apply.
Pueblo Hispanic Education
ed scholarship to every
lo Community College
Beverly Duran is the
Foundation, created the
graduating high school
and the Colorado State
executive director at the
Pueblo County Scholar-
senior that applied. It is
University at Pueblo—and
Pueblo Hispanic Educa-
ship. The contract between
so critically important to
both schools will accept
tion Foundation. Prior to
the county and the founda-
make college affordable
the scholarship to cover
the new Pueblo County
tion ensures $475,000 is re-
for our youth if we want
tuition and other costs.
Scholarship contract, her
served for the scholarship
to provide long-term
fund. In June, 210 students
economic opportunity to
received the scholarship
our community. Too many
at $2,000 each for the 2017-
kids can’t afford to go to
ship is simple: just apply.
funding. The massive
2018 academic year.
college, with this program
Grades, extracurricular
sum of the Pueblo County
we are taking canna-
involvement, and finan-
Scholarship fund, howev-
cannabis-funded scholar-
bis-tax revenue and using
cial need aren’t assessed
er, didn’t just give her or-
ship program is ground-
it to provide for a brighter
by the awarders. And
ganization an additional
breaking,” says Pueblo
future in Pueblo.”
although the funds are
award to provide to local
“The full rollout of our
HOW IT WORKS To receive the scholar-
organization carefully doled out scholarships and grants due to limited
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students, it also gave the
increased e n e r gy
Uplifting & Euphoric
e l e va t e d alertness
Heightened Creativity
We’ve got the whole spectrum covered
INDICA
z
z
z
Sleep Aid
deep relaxation
Pain Relief
ship applications for 2017
for what kinds of students
are closed. The next round
could get the scholarship.
of applications for the fol-
“Scholarships tend
lowing academic year will
to be very dependent
be up for grabs in the first
on competitive GPA or
part of 2018, from January
financial need,” says
to March.
Duran. “This scholarship
SATIVA
appetite stimulant
Currently, the scholar-
foundation wide leeway
is for students who want to go to college, but maybe
FOLLOW THE MONEY Although the Pueblo
weren’t the highest GPA
County Scholarship is
earners. Or students who
lauded as a “weed schol-
are middle class, and
arship,” it’s not funded
their parents aren’t rich
by cannabis sales per se.
enough to pay for col-
The money comes from a
lege, but they’re not poor
county tax on all canna-
enough to be at the lowest
bis cultivation—in other
end of financial aid scor-
words, the tax comes from
ing. We have the ability to
all marijuana grown in
reach both of those types
the county sold wholesale
of students who may
to retailers rather than
have never before had an
individual customers.
opportunity for a scholar-
Currently, the tax is set at
ship.”
2 percent, with increases
To learn more about the scholarship, visit the Pueblo Hispanic Education Foundation’s website. Students can also find resources for crafting résumés, cover letters, and thank you letters for potential employers or universities. phef.net
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of 1 percent each year until
across the state, meaning
it reaches a maximum of 5
the excise tax, and ulti-
percent. By 2020, the coun-
mately the funds for the
ty anticipates it will collect
scholarship fund, aren’t
$3.5 million a year for the
entirely dependent on
scholarship.
sales in Pueblo. So long
The Gazette recently
as demand for cannabis
dubbed Pueblo County
remains steady in the
the “Napa Valley of Weed,”
state of Colorado, the
another boon to the tax
scholarship will maintain
being levied on cultiva-
its funding for years to
tion rather than sales.
come, regardless of how
Pueblo County is home
well business is doing in
to several large cannabis
Pueblo County.
grow facilities, with one
“The need was much
of the largest in the coun-
greater than the available
try currently under con-
money that we had,” says
struction. Many of these
Duran. “Combined with
grow facilities produce
the sponsorships and
cannabis for recreational
donations we ask of our
and medical dispensaries
community members, for us and for our students, we’ll be giving scholarships to more students
IO
N E C E, R
th first e w c “W a c o om e a an rld mu re na to ni the p b s ev ch is- ro ty in v hi er gh y g olar fund ide sc ra shi ed PU ho du p EB t w LO ho ol s atin o CO UN ap en g TY pl ior CO — ie M S d.” M AL IS S PA
than we ever have before.”
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{ aroundtown } by R ANDY R O B IN S ON
GET M E D I E VA L Every summer, Larkspur serves as the home base for the touring Renaissance Festival, where performers, bar wenches, singers, and even fairies come out to play. In an empty meadow, hidden behind a field of trees nestled somewhere between Castle Rock and Monument Hill, the distant past reemerges in the modern day as a gaggle of traveling performers—decked in garbs that went out of style centuries ago, speaking in bawdy nonsense, frolicking in unrehearsed unison—immerse Coloradans in a season of debauchery, whimsical dalliance, and good ole fashioned fun.
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Colorado’s Renaissance Festival, known to the cool
At the highest, furthest end of the park sits a pi-
crowd as “Ren Fest,” isn’t too concerned with the nu-
rate ship, where comedy duo Barnacle and Scuttlebutt
ances of historical accuracies or epochs. Rather, the
make a splash (literally) on the hour. At the completely
annual fair and artisan marketplace, now in its 41st
opposite end of the park, visitors will discover a joust-
year, blends all sorts of old-timey traditions with food,
ing arena, where the park’s knights, overseen by festi-
folklore, crafts, games, and performances to create a
val’s royalty, engage in a heated storyline that unfolds
place where people can be whisked away to a weekend
throughout the day. The joust culminates just before the
of fantasy.
park closes, where one knight will leave the tournament
For eight or nine weekends every summer, the small town of Larkspur is transformed into Larkspurshire, a reconstructed medieval village surrounded by a tall wooden wall. At its front, festivalgoers are greeted by a yawping gate, where the festival’s cast of per-
alive—and the other will not. (It’s all theatrics. No one really gets hurt. At least, not on purpose.) In between all this madness are fire breathers, jugglers, blade throwers, vagabonds, dancers, singing bar maids, and an insult master
formers, known as “rennies,” may or may not
you can chuck tomatoes at.
toss vegetables, insults, praises, or flowers
One thing Ren Fest is known
from the top. In the center of the festival, where visitors will first enter, lies the town square. Vendors selling armor and food encircle the square, and live music, street performers, and other wild acts can be found here.
for is audience participation. The talent here loves to throw an unforgettable show, and the best way to get a crowd of jaded peasants riled up is to bring the crowd right into the act.
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“If you come out and watch our entertainment, and you don’t laugh, you’re not going to laugh at anything,” says Jim Paradise, Jr., an organizer and director for the Colorado Renaissance Festival. Paradise has been a part of the Ren Fest for over two decades. While he’s been to other fairs across the US, Colorado offers something the others don’t: location, location, location. “We’re at 7,100 feet,” says Paradise. “The layout, the trees, the overall grounds are unlike anywhere else in the country. It really distinguishes us from the other Ren Fests. The concept itself is pretty similar in other places, but our location, and the beauty of the property, is what makes us so different.” The town of Larkspur itself is as much a part of the festival as the rennies. After the canon fires from the pirate ship at the end of the day, signaling closing time for the park, guests and rennies alike tend to congregate at nearby venues to unwind. Larkspur Pizzeria and Café, just outside of the park’s entrance on Spruce Mountain Road, satiates ravenous appetites with doughy pies. Next door, Spur of the Moment tavern quenches thirsts with mugs of cold ale.
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In the days of yore, festivals brought old friends and new strangers together to bring novelty to life. To share stories. To share moments. And this month, Larkspur is a window into that world for a short time. Put on a costume (or don’t) and go take a peek. This is Colorado’s favorite living time-capsule.
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Ye Olde Schedule
Every weekend at the Colorado Renaissance Festival offers something a little different, guaranteeing a unique experience no matter how often you go. Here’s what’s happening in July.
For the Kids — July 1 & 2
Kids 12 and under get in free. The festival’s royalty knight the children who win the weekend’s costume contest, though costumes aren’t required to attend.
For the Grown-Ups —July 8 & 9
Celebrate the nectar of the gods with wine samplings at the Dancing Bear Pub and the Legendary Grape Stomp Competitions, which leave plenty of feet sticky and stained.
For the Lovers — July 15 & 16
Star-crossed couples may renew their vows during special ceremonies, which include a Royal Wedding “Forever Real” event. The fest also hosts private weddings on the grounds throughout the summer.
For the Swashbucklers — July 22 & 23
As the event nears the end, the pirates come out to play. The high-seas hijinks aren’t contained to just Barnacle and Scuttlebutt’s ship. The town floods with oneeyed bandits, sword fights, and more punny banter than you can shake a hook at.
For the Big-Time Partiers — July 29 & 30
Go out with a cannon-sized bang. On its final weekend, Larkspurshire throws a Mardi Gras-styled celebration complete with beads, masks, and a crescendo of song and dance to close out the season.
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{ ediblecritic } NOSHING WITH THE ANIMALS Where humans can grab a bite with sharks, cockatoos, and kittens in Colorado.
Colorado has a major crush on animals. We drive miles to
will introduce you to the residents, some of whom talk back.
see elk in Estes Park and bison in Genesee and camp among
You can also just sip coffee and listen to the flock chatter. If
the marmots and hawks. Match.com says the state is home
you are even mildly interested in adopting a bird, you need to
to the most dog lovers. Denver is the No. 1 dog city accord-
hang out here first. Bringing home a cockatoo is exactly like
ing to Rover, a canine community site. We love our rescue
adopting a child. Both are equally noisy, messy, and charming.
organizations and adopt companions in large numbers. That
Perch Café
passion even extends to meals with animals—and we
1515 S. 8TH ST., COLORADO SPRINGS
don’t mean your brother who eats like a feral boar.
719-426-9818 // PERCHPETS.COM
Where else but in Colorado could you dine, snack, sip, and possibly talk with parrots, manta rays, and giraffes? Admit-
50 SHADES OF MEOW
tedly, none of the following destinations are exactly fine
This is a private club for a very special clientele: feline lovers.
dining…or even dining at all. Some places might require a
You become a member by paying a $5 admission fee to the
picnic, and a couple involve feeding various beasts. Then
Denver Cat Company, a café and gift shop that hosts adopt-
there’s the one where a wolf French kisses you.
able cats from local animal rescues. Go to your happy place
While you sip your craft IPA and gaze into the eyes of
with free Wi-Fi, a mug of locally roasted coffee, prepackaged
these brilliant creatures, you may start to wonder: Who is
snacks, and a coterie of kittens and cats. For a good time, try
watching whom?
a session of yoga—think downward dog with purrs.
Denver Cat Company COFFEE AND COCKATOOS
3929 TENNYSON ST., DENVER // DENVERCATCO.COM
The beverages and prepackaged snacks are nothing to Yelp
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about at the Perch Café, but the company is excellent at
SNACKING WITH THE SHARKS
America’s first parrot-centric café. The Colorado Springs
The Denver Aquarium eatery is a Landry’s seafood restaurant
gathering spot is really a front for Front Range tropical bird
with entertainment. Whether you get citrus ahi tuna salad or
rescue organizations. The parrot geek volunteers at the café
a steak, the fare will be decent but never thrilling. You are
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there for the 100 or so species of fish living in a 50,000 gallon floor-to-ceiling tank and, more specifically, the sharks. The tank gets more exciting during the twice-daily feedings by divers and catches the attention of diners, often with children, diving into a Fisherman’s Platter heaped with a lobster tail, grilled and stuffed with shrimp, scallops, tilapia, and stuffed crab. Luckily, the Aquarium is not just for kids. Adults can zone out and get tanked at the Dive Lounge, where they can see the sea life and the Mystic Mermaids from a safe distance.
Denver Aquarium 700 WATER ST., DENVER // AQUARIUMRESTAURANTS.COM
FACING YOUR FRESHLY CAUGHT DINNER Entering JJ Chinese is just like the Denver Aquarium: You walk past tanks containing all manner of sea life, both swimming and crawling. The only difference is that the kids can pick out which species they want to eat wok-fried. Sure, this destination is not for the squeamish, but eat here to taste truly fresh seafood. The menu of authentic Cantonese dishes includes steamed eel with black bean sauce, the sea cucumber hot pot, and incredibly tasty lobster with ginger and green onion.
JJ Chinese Seafood Restaurant 2500 W. ALAMEDA AVE., DENVER // JJRESTAURANT.COM
PICNIC SPOTS AND HUNGRY GIRAFFES One of the coolest, only-in-Colorado picnic spots for animal lovers is at this unique zoo, improbably but beautifully situated on the side of Cheyenne Mountain. There are outdoor eateries throughout the zoo and sources for Nutella crepes such as Elson’s Place, located close to the lions’ den—and living room. The Colorado Mountain Zoo also boasts a cool menu of opportunities (for a fee) to feed snacks to giraffes, parrots, elephants, and a rhino.
Colorado Mountain Zoo 4250 CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN ZOO RD., COLORADO SPRINGS // CMZOO.ORG
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A FRESH FISH MARKET WITH A BITE
are often food trucks parked outside, or Romero’s is only a bone’s-
There are few images more incongruous than seeing a gaggle of
throw from great ethnic takeout food at Panang Thai, Udon Kaisha,
alligators basking in the sun with the San Juan Mountains as a
Pho Café, Ras Kassa’s Ethiopian, and El Mercado’s Taco Wagon.
backdrop. This animal attraction exists because the on-premise,
Romero’s Dog Bar
geothermally fed fish farm needed a way to get rid of leftover
985 S. PUBLIC RD., L AFAYET TE // ROMEROSK9CLUB.COM
fish. You may want to buy some excellent fresh tilapia and catfish to take to your campsite to fry or bake. Your appetite may be lessened because the place reeks of dead fish. You can buy alligator feed to encourage the gators to do something. You can also take an alligator wrestling class. Unlike with other predators, you do not want a large reptile to French kiss you.
Colorado Gators Reptile Park 9162 COUNTY ROAD 9 N, MOSCA // COLORADOGATORS.COM
BISON : SIGHTED AND SERVED Whether you call them buffalo, or, more properly, bison, being in the vicinity of these powerful animals is a thrill. They are cows with an attitude, and they don’t cooperate with corrals, which makes bison hard to see up close. The two best places to catch a glimpse of bison are the Buffalo Herd Nature Preserve just off I-70 at Genesee Park west of Denver, and the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge in Commerce City. For a kitschy bison encounter, try Denver’s oldest eatery, which surrounds you with taxidermied animal heads and Western memorabilia. The exotic meat menu at the Buckhorn Exchange (buckhorn. com) includes bison prime rib. One of the tastiest bison dishes
Observe wolf dining etiquette at the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center’s Full Moon Feeding Tour.
in Denver is the smoked bison back ribs at Roaming Buffalo BBQ (roamingbuffalobbq.com). Learn more at Buffalo Bill’s
APPETIZERS WITH WOLVES
Grave and Museum (buffalobill.org) on Lookout Mountain above Golden. Bill Cody died in Denver 100 years ago.
The snackbar features chips, cookies, coffee, and tea. However, the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center’s most unusual taste sensation is only available on the special Alpha Interactive Tour, where you meet wolves up close and personal. How personal? Well, wolves like to greet you by licking the inside of your mouth. If you
DRINKING GOES TO THE DOGS
let them check you out, they will pay more attention to you. You
Beer, cider, and spirits tasting rooms are Colorado’s new living rooms,
may want to skip that rare burger right before the tour. Also, don’t
where dogs can socialize while their humans drink and eat. Situated
wear leather or fur or dress like prey. The center in Divide, two
in a former Sonic Drive-In, Lafayette’s Romero’s Dog Bar takes the
hours from Denver, also offers hands-off tours and yes, wed-
canine sensibility to a new level. Draft and canned craft beers are
dings with wolves. The Full Moon Feeding Tour allows you to
available in the inside bar for humans. The brews can be quaffed on
observe wolf dining etiquette…or the lack thereof. Howling is
the enclosed deck with canines on-leash. The outdoor garden only
encouraged.
allows nice puppies to be off-leash if their humans preregister them
Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center
and purchase a daily, monthly, or yearly pass. For the hungry, there
DIVIDE // WOLFEDUCATION.ORG
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PHOTO BY LINDSEY KENNEDY
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The perfect road-trip destination is one that’s close enough to get to in six hours or less, and yet still far enough to feel like a world away. Colorado certainly has plenty of such spots within a few hours’ drive of Colorado Springs or Pueblo. But while my husband and I were planning our first family road trip, now that our son is old enough to enjoy some of the gems this area has to offer, we opted to push to that sixhour limit and head south to Santa Fe, New Mexico—drawn by the wild new art complex I was dying to get a sneak peek at in real life. That notion, “in real life,” is a big part of the allure. You see, within the Meow Wolf Art Complex in downtown Santa Fe is a permanent exhibition titled House of Eternal Return, which tech publication Ars Technica describes as a “walk-in science fiction
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novel” or a “cross between Disneyland
the duration of its 10-year lease. He
we checked in at the counter and
and a massive, multiplayer, IRL game.”
also spent $2.5 million on the alley’s
got our wristbands. The low cost of
It’s been described as a psychedelic
transformation. The resulting space
entry is just $20 per adult—roughly
fun house, a hallucinatory dream
is touted as a fully interactive and
the same price as treating yourself to
world, an odd force, a wild howl of
immersive experience, meant for
popcorn and a movie at the local cin-
creativity. The Meow Wolf experience
children and adults alike. Consider
has been likened to falling down
my curiosity sufficiently piqued.
the rabbit hole with Alice, to finding yourself in a Salvador Dalí painting
from the moment you arrive. A
come to life. One woman said it’s like
bright, multicolored mural wraps the
sticking your finger in an electrical
building’s facade, acting as a beacon
socket. It’s self-described as a nexus
for the creative types within Santa
of colorful, chaotic portals that take
Fe’s emerging Midtown Innovation
explorers to places they’ve only seen
District. The parking lot displays a
in their wildest dreams.
30-foot-tall robot sculpture along with
It’s that notion that spoke to au-
PHOTOS BY KATE RUSSELL
That transformation is visible
artist Christina Sporran’s giant spider,
thor George R.R. Martin of Game of
TaranTula. As my family approached
Thrones fame. He’s a driving force
the art complex, my son shouted in
behind the new art complex, which
excitement while my arachnophobic
opened last spring after two years in
husband shuddered in disgust. We
the making; he owns the renovated
weren’t even in the building yet, and
bowling alley that houses it and will
the art was already affecting us all.
serve as Meow Wolf’s landlord for
Within the up-cycled bowling alley,
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eplex. But unlike going to a movie, at
which looked normal on the surface:
Meow Wolf, you aren’t just a passive
photos on the walls, magazines on the
audience member watching a story
tables. But a few odd things stood out.
unfold before you. You get to write,
In the kitchen, when we opened the
direct, and star in the action, which
refrigerator, we discovered it was a
begins when you step through the
portal to another world. The fireplace
doorway at the end of a dark hallway
in the living room, too. To encounter
leading away from the checkin count-
a series of prehistoric caves, all you
er, away from the world you know.
had to do was crouch down and walk
Once we walked through the doorway, we found ourselves trans-
just walk through, if you’re the same
ported to the quaint front yard of
height as my son.)
a two-story Victorian home. The
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In one of the caves, there’s a glow-
story goes that something happened
ing mastodon skeleton. Pounding
inside the home that dissolved the
on its bones with a mallet makes
nature of time and space. About 135
an otherworldly music. In another
artists participated in the creation of
space, drawings cover every surface—
the 20,000-square-foot experience,
the walls, ceiling, desk, computer,
which features “a wild new form of
everything wallpapered in fantastical
non-linear storytelling that unfolds
designs. All this visual, but there’s a
through exploration, discovery, and
mentally stimulating element to the
21st-century interactivity.”
art as well. Study the books on the
We made our way into the house,
28
through the secret passageway. (Or
shelves, listen to the radio broadcast
playing, or read the journal entries or
later and back in Denver, we hung the
pieces of mail on the table, and a new
magnet on our fridge, a reminder of
mystery presents itself: what hap-
our first family road trip. And with so
pened to the family who lived there?
many adventures just a car ride away
There are no maps, guides, or
from our home base, it is hopefully
pathways through the exhibition’s
the first of many more to come.
70 different immersive spaces—let your imagination be your guide. Walk, climb, and crawl on a journey of discovery. In total, there are 100 hours of experiences to enjoy within the House of Eternal Return—including four tree houses and an interactive cave system. But once my son declared that he was going to spend the rest of his life atop a carpeted
PHOTOS BY KATE RUSSELL
mountain, it was time to go. On our way out of the art complex, which also features a community maker-space, learning center, and artist showcase, we passed through the gift shop and bought a magnet to denote the experience. Six hours
NEW!
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29
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Can green, sustainable technology improve not only a business’s energy efficiency, but also the quality of its product? According to the brains behind Solar Roast Coffee, going green is precisely why their coffees are causing a stir. by RANDY ROBINSON
Mike Hartkop is a lover. He loves
and his favorite coffee spot in the
require regular ventilation to expel
Colorado. He loves the planet. And
country was true to form. “It was the
gas buildup, gases containing unde-
last but not least, he loves coffee.
place where artists, musicians, po-
sirable products from burning fuel.
He and his brother David are
ets, and dreamers gathered to meet
Venting a roaster will always lead to
the owners of Pueblo’s Solar Roast
and talk and build community,” he
a loss of steam that holds the pre-
Coffee. The company headquarters,
says. “It was the place where ideas
cious compounds responsible for a
located near the heart of downtown,
formed and became actions. I knew
coffee’s flavor and scent. But because
occupies the entire first floor of a
I wanted to be part of that.”
their solar roast method doesn’t need
building on North Main Street. Stroll-
Hot-Boxing
may catch a whiff of slightly singed
To set themselves apart from every-
essentially stewing all the good stuff
java hanging in the air.
one else in the coffee business, the
right back into the coffee beans. The
within the roaster and recycle it,
Hartkops came up with an entire-
Hartkops are the only coffee guys in
of a larger eco-friendly movement
ly new way of doing things. They
the world doing it this way.
in the coffee business, where green
developed proprietary technology for
Sealing in the coffee beans’ orig-
technologies are merging with tra-
roasting beans, and in 2006, they filed
inal flavors translates into a brewed
ditional roasting practices. In their
a patent for the first mirror-operated
cup with the truest flavor profile pos-
case, they’ve devised a method to
coffee roaster. It harnessed sunlight
sible. Solar Roast Coffee’s single-roast
fuse solar energy with a technique
to generate heat for roasting the
brews carry the characteristic under-
they call “hot-boxing” to produce
beans. That version has since been
tones of creamy Columbian beans or
brews with unusually smooth flavors
retired, and the new roaster they have
the hints of chocolate expected from
and delightfully subtle notes.
doesn’t use mirrors. Instead, it draws
Guatemalan beans. Coffee aficiona-
The Hartkops are two members
power from solar panels installed
dos will detect a medley of decoctions
long as I remember,” Mike says.
on the roof of the downtown build-
in their signature blends, with hints
“My parents always had a pot of
ing. Relying on sunlight enables the
of nuts from their café’s Jungle Blend
coffee going. I guess I just thought
Hartkops to roast their beans at lower
or the distinctive pungencies of their
everyone grew up that way, so I
temperatures than would be possible
French roast mix. Even their most
didn’t think that much of it. Things
if they used other fuel sources. The
piquant espressos lack the stark
changed as I got older and started
lower temps keep the aromas and
acridity found in most commercially
spending time in coffee houses.”
flavors from cooking off the beans
available pressurized brews.
“Coffee has been in my life as
During his college years, he studPHOTOS BY RANDY ROBINSON
venting, they can trap the steam
ing between 2nd and 3rd Street, you
ied business in the island nation of Tasmania. While overseas, he
too quickly, ultimately producing a superior end product. Solar roasting also makes the
Bottled Poetry: From Cask to Cup
saw coffee houses there were more
aforementioned hot-boxing tech-
As avant-garde tinkerers, the Hart-
than just places where busybodies
nique possible. The absence of a
kops aren’t stopping at environmental
stopped momentarily to rev up on
flame in the solar roaster means no
sustainability. They recently jumped
caffeine. Historically, Tasmanian
residues or ash contaminate the cof-
on another coffee craze sweeping the
cafes served as a “cultural hubs,”
fee beans. Typically, flame roasters
scene: barrel-aged beans.
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Barrel aging itself isn’t new. The
the unroasted coffee bean.
first coffees that Europeans received
Before they are roasted, coffee beans
from Africa, India, and Asia were
appear green, and they’re incredibly
all barrel aged, since the unroasted
porous. Those pores allow the beans to
beans required weeks if not months
absorb aromas and flavors from their
of transport across the sea. The
surroundings—in this case, from the
aging process led to a specific taste
inside of a barrel or cask. After months
Westerners today associate with
of sitting in a barrel, the beans take on
most coffees, one that’s smokier than
the subtle flavors of the whiskey or
coffees brewed from fresher beans.
the wine, infused with the essence of
Solar Roast’s barrel aging employs whiskey and wine casks— again, not a technique they invent-
whatever liquor or spirit that was once held in the oaky container. Solar Roast Coffee’s first bar-
new whiskey- or wine-flavored coffee every month for the next several,
ed, though they are perfecting the
rel-roasted attempt was released in
with a cabernet sauvignon and a rye
process as they experiment with
May: a whiskey roast that sold out in
whiskey following the chardonnay.
aging times and barrel types. Al-
just a few weeks. “When we roasted
The Hartkops’ unique techno-
though this barrel infusion method
it and brewed it, it smelled and tast-
logical approach to coffee roasting,
has been around for several years,
ed like whiskey,” Hartkop recalls.
as well as their new ventures with
the Hartkops are the only coffee out-
“So much so that, one day, while I
barrel aging, has allowed this little
fit making these kinds of flavored
walked through the coffee house,
Pueblo-based coffee company to
beans in southern Colorado.
the kitchen smelled like whiskey. I
expand its distribution to all of the
“We started aging specific sin-
thought someone was drinking on
lower 48 states. In Colorado, the
gle-origin coffee beans with specific
the job, but it just turned out they
solar-roasted beans can be found at
spirit barrels with the hopes that
were drinking my coffee.”
most Vitamin Cottage Natural Gro-
the additional notes would mean
In June, the Hartkops continued
cers locations—and, of course, at the
more nuances in terms of the nose
their infused series with beans aged
Pueblo shop. The brand has more
and the flavor,” says Hartkop. “The
in a chardonnay cask provided by
surprises in store for coffee lovers,
results have been amazing.”
the Holy Cross Abbey in Cañon City.
but I’ve been sworn to utmost secre-
Solar Roast Coffee plans to unleash a
cy. Stay tuned, and stay buzzed.
Barrel aging exploits the nature of
Holy Cross Abbey The Holy Cross Abbey in Cañon City used to be a monastery for the Order of St. Benedict. Founded in 1924, the monastery simultaneously served as a boarding school for boys. In the 1980s, the school closed its doors, leading to the founding of the abbey’s winery in the early 2000s so the monks could support themselves. In 2005, the monastery dissolved, but the winery continues its operations to this day, where it supplies used wine casks to Solar Roast for barrel-aged coffees. 32
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ANYONE W H O ’ S
V I S I T E D A C A N N A B I S D I S P E N S A RY O R R E TA I L O U T L E T I N C O L O R A D O
K NOWS THAT THERE ARE PRODUCTS NO ONE COULD EVER HAVE IMAGINED JUST A FEW YEARS AGO : ALONGSIDE OL D -FASHIONED FLOWER MARIJUANA ARE THC-INFUSED GUMMIES, CHOCOL ATES, AND DRINKS, A WHOLE MENU OF CREAMS, SALVES, BATH SALTS, CONCENTRATES, A ND TINCTURES, WITH MORE PRODUCTS, IT SEEMS, ALWAYS ON THE WAY—AND FLYING OFF THE SHELVES. IN 2016, LEGAL CANNABIS SALES IN COLORADO REACHED $1.3 BILLION — E ACH ONE OF THOSE DOLL ARS SPENT ON PRODUC TS MADE IN COLORADO USING CANNABIS GROWN IN THE STATE.
34
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COLORADO - BASED cannabis companies seek NATIONAL EXPANSION.
Business is booming, and a growing number of Colorado companies
by LEL AND RUCKER
are establishing themselves as local market leaders. As the first state to legalize adult use, Colorado is the epicenter of a modern cannabis industry dominated by small businesses. As the legal landscape grows across the country—cannabis is now approved for medical or recreational use in 29 states and the District of Columbia— some of those Colorado businesses are seeking to grow as well. But, like most things in this industry, it’s pretty complicated. Taking even a well-known local brand national is tricky enough for any business, and it can be even thornier for cannabis companies. Still classified as a Schedule I controlled substance by J U LY 2017
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35
the federal government, cannabis can’t be moved out-
el or a contract-manufacturing model,” Whiteman ex-
side state borders. Rules, requirements, and regula-
plains. “And what that essentially says is that we are
tions differ as widely state by state as the THC potency
partnering with people who are license holders in that
levels in legal strains today.
state, and we’re licensing our intellectual property to
So what do Colorado cannabis companies have to
Wana started in 2010, back in the days before reg-
do to take their brands into new markets? “The first thing to do is to protect your trade and
ulation, and it settled on gummies and hard candies
brand name at every level possible.” Robert Hoban is
after determining that bakery products don’t have
a Denver attorney whose firm specializes in cannabis
the kind of shelf stability they were seeking. “They’re
law and talks with clients every day about expansion
not gonna break. They’re not gonna get stale,” she ex-
possibilities. “Every state you want to be in, get the
plains. “With gummies in particular, it was part skill,
trademark and registration right, and also do that at
but there was some luck because we did not know
the federal level,” he says. “When they’re in place, we
that gummies would wind up in the number-one cat-
can look at how to distribute product in other states,
egory for edibles. Gummies are actually pretty hard
what state to start with, to end with, and how many
to make. We spent a lot of time on the recipe.” Wana works hard at maintaining consistency. Be-
states you want to enter.” That seems basic enough. Besides getting brands
cause even humidity can influence gummy texture,
trademarked and registered, every company doing
Wana first sends its own cooks to prospective states
interstate business has to work out how to distribute
to see how the recipes would work in different cli-
its products, another area where cannabis presents
mates and what adjustments would have to be made
unique hurdles. “If you have a brand, do you want to
for each location. And the company put audits and
sell it, or do you want to license it?” Hoban asks pro-
controls in place and built checks and balances into
spective clients. He says it’s easy for people to over-
all its procedures. Whiteman personally makes sure
CO
10 5 vs.
MILLIGRAMS PER S E R V I N G I N CO LO R A D O
OR
MILLIGRAMS PER SER VING IN OREGON
estimate their ability to produce on a large scale or
Wana is partnering with like-minded companies to
misunderstand what a licensing deal means. “They
produce exactly the same gummy products in other
don’t control it, and people fall into a trap. They think
states as you get here.
they’re going to be hands-on. But once you sell that
“If you just think you’re going to hand your recipes
license, are you going to be hands-on or just licens-
over to somebody and pray they do it the way you
ing your product?”
want them to do it, that’s not how any brand does it,”
Nancy Whiteman owns Wana Brands, a popular,
she says. “When I talk to potential partners, I tell them
Boulder-based company that makes infused edibles,
right away, ‘This is how we work with our partners,
extracts, and tinctures in Colorado. Wana has ex-
and would that be comfortable for you and something
panded into other states as well, including Oregon
you would want to do?’ ” And like Colorado, each state has its own maze of
and Nevada.
36
them.”
Wana, which makes its Colorado candy on premis-
regulations that must be strictly followed. “In Oregon,
es, considered its options carefully before going into
packaging has to be submitted to the state to approve
other markets. “We’ve chosen either a licensing mod-
it before you can move forward,” she says. “And it
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37
requires different dosing, so they have different rules.
as you do, so you put a great amount at risk—quality
Their adult-use products have a maximum of 5 mg
control and trade secrets—working with a third par-
per serving and maximum of 50 mg for the package.
ty. It’s complicated. It’s not making cupcakes.” This
We have 10 mg per serving and 100 mg packaging. In
way, though, he says, “Instead of having to get it right
every state, you’re building on the knowledge you al-
every time in California, Nevada, and across the coun-
ready have, but you have to tweak it in subtle ways.”
try, you only have to get it right once.”
Tripp Keber owns Dixie Brands, another well-known
But, like Whiteman, Keber sees the future in collab-
maker of edibles, drinks, and other THC and CBD prod-
oration. Dixie has a history of selling private-label prod-
ucts for humans and pets. Like Wana, Dixie has spent
ucts to other companies. “We cut our teeth on that,” he
years developing products that are dependable, safe,
says. “Now we will have the ability to take those brands
and of the highest quality. Keber says that after much
and produce them in other states.”
trial and error during expansion to new states, Dixie
It’s not just the bigger cannabis companies looking to capitalize on the ex-
paused, reset, and moved away from traditional licensing agreements. “No one cares as much about your brand as much
38
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In 2016, legal cannabis sales in Colorado reached $1.3 billion—each one of those dollars spent on products made in Colorado using cannabis grown in the state.
panding cannabis-friendly marketplace. Alex Corren heads Hempower Nutrition, which makes CBD
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39
products, including a new powder drink supplement, for the natural-foods market. Hempower is now on the shelves of Alfalfa’s and other natural-food co-ops along the Front Range. CBD is a cannabinoid compound from the hemp plant. While hemp resembles cannabis, it
Another obstacle is getting CBD products into naturalfood distribution networks.
has no discernable THC, which means it can’t get anyone elevated, or high. But Corren says that he still finds
network is hard because no one is taking on hemp
that lack of education about the differences between
products like that yet,” he says. “There’s still enough
hemp and cannabis to be one of the biggest hindrances
of a gray area that they’re just kind of waiting it out.
to getting his products into more stores.
That’s why it’s Alfalfa’s and natural-food co-ops that
“For people who already know about it, there’s not much convincing. They know it’s good for them,” Cor-
40
take it on first because they’re not part of a corporate chain of command.”
ren says. “For people who don’t know what CBD is, to
Given that the industry is growing abnormally fast
get them to realize they can take this as part of a
at this time, consolidation is already happening, and
smoothie in the morning like any other supplement
the process of building a significant brand and tak-
and know that nothing crazy is going to happen,
ing it national can only get more difficult. Everyone I
that’s the initial hump that’s the hardest to get over.”
talked with stressed that cannabis companies have to
Since CBD products are new to the market, anoth-
be more professional than anyone else in order to suc-
er obstacle is getting them into natural-food distri-
ceed. “For new entries into the market, with consoli-
bution networks. And in places where cannabis is
dation, it’s going to be even harder to get on the shelves,”
illegal, there isn’t a market like there is in legal states.
says Whiteman. “Everybody has to up their game in
“Tapping into a distributor that has 400 stores in its
professionalism.”
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LOCAL
LEADERS.
NATIONAL
IMPACT.
LET’S BUILD A SUSTAINABLE INDUSTRY TOGETHER NCIA is the only national association bringing the voice of the responsible cannabis professional to Capitol Hill. Invest in your future and the future of America’s next best industry. Join our network today by becoming a member.
JOIN THE MOVEMENT at TheCannabisIndustry.org / J U LY 2017
@NCIAorg
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41
CAVING OUT
An Introductory Guide to the Sport of Caving
Plumbing deep into a cave may be one of humanity’s old-
est endeavors—predating agriculture by thousands of years. Cave exploration may have even predated Homo sapiens since our protohuman ancestors likely “caved” as well. Since the dawn of time, caves have provided shelter from the wild elements, and the rocky walls of their inner domains served as archives for paintings, carvings, and other primitive methods of storytelling. In modern times, caving evolved from mere survival into an environmentally conscious sport. When it comes to the world underground, the lure of exploration is still there. And in Colorado, there’s a whole lot to explore. There are around 2,000 caves of all shapes and sizes obscured beneath the state’s Rocky Mountain range. In Garfield County, west of the Continental Divide, the longest Colorado cave stretches for just over 11 miles. In the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in southwestern Custer County, Spanish Cave holds rank as the deepest, its floor dangling 741 feet below its mouth. At an elevation of just over 12,000 feet, it’s also one of the highest-elevation caves in the country. At Rifle Falls State Park, dark limestone caves are tucked in the cliffs under the falls not too far from the campground. Etched into the crags of the Boulder Flatirons, Mallory Cave is a known roosting spot for big-eared bats. The list goes on. 42
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want
caving? to start
First, go to a grotto.
Colorado Grotto meets the first Thursday of every month at the Perry & Terry Collision Center in Denver. COLORADOGROT TO.COM
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No two caves are the same. Some are composed of vast open chambers with intricate, prehistoric wonders. Others,
narrow passages lit only by flashlight while exploring upwards of two miles of limestone caverns.
like many of the ones in Colorado, require a lot of belly-drag-
Heading down on a guided tour is night and day compared
ging, body-bending, and other physical contortions to nav-
to descending into the dark, gaping maw of a mysterious
igate. Others still contain subterranean rivers, lakes, and
underground lair. The former is a hobby known as “spelunk-
waterfalls, prompting some underground explorers to take
ing,” the latter is called “caving.” The terms are not inter-
up diving as well.
changeable, regardless of what the dictionary tells you.
“Caving is a lot like a grown-up’s jungle gym, to go out and
Schow breaks it down: “Cavers would consider ‘spelunk-
play, to scurry around,” says Jon Schow, chair of Colorado
er’ an insult,” he says. “It refers to somebody who’s gone
Grotto, a club for the state’s dedicated cavers. “It’s amazing-
into a cave but didn’t do any preparation work. They don’t
ly beautiful, and there’s a fun, challenging aspect to it.” An IT
have a helmet. They didn’t bring the right lights. They don’t
specialist by trade, Schow’s got nine years of caving experi-
know where they’re going. Or they didn’t bring any food.”
ence under his belt, and he’s a cave rescue instructor, too.
The difference between caving and spelunking is sort of
“Caving pushes you in different ways,” he says. “There
like the difference between camping and backpacking, or
can be spots where there’s a lot of exposure, where you’re
between taking a cycling class and doing a century ride.
standing on an edge, and you can see if you misstep, you
Sure, at the core, you are either sleeping outside or pushing
“ C AV ING IS A LOT LIKE A GROWN - UP’S J U NGL E GY M ... IT’S AMAZINGLY - BEAUTIFUL, AND THERE’S A
F UN, C H A L L ENG ING ASPECT TO IT.”
— J ON S C H O W // C H A I R O F C O L O R A D O G R OT TO —
pedals on a type of bike, but one requires a ton of training, proper equipment, and a whole lotta know-how while the other is a nifty pastime. Which is cool, if that’s what you’re looking for. What I discovered while researching this article is that Colorado’s true cavers are looking for so much more.
FOLLOW THE GROT TOS Preserving a cave’s natural state is something hardcore cavers take seriously. When I first started contacting cavers for this story, I couldn’t get a hold of anyone. No one would respond to my emails. My voicemails spoke to empty space. Website contact forms went nowhere. I thought I was just experiencing a spell of bad luck. Then, I finally got a hold of Schow through the Grotto Club.
could fall some distance. There could also be the opposite
During our talk, Schow filled me in on a little-known facet
sort of challenge, where things get really small and really
of caving culture: Because cavers prioritize cave preserva-
tight, and the challenge becomes: how small of a space are
tion over adventure or curiosity, they may view some out-
you comfortable pushing your body through?”
siders with suspicion, especially when one of those outsid-
If your answer to that question is “Not a very small one at
ers writes for a magazine. Cavers, whether they’re geological
all, thank you,” that’s OK. On top of a bluff in Glenwood Springs,
scientists or hobbyists, understand caves as ecosystems.
a little under three hours west of Denver off I-70, the stalac-
They see caves as living organisms. Many of the character-
tite- and stalagmite-studded Glenwood Caverns hosts tours
istic formations found in visually stunning caves can take
of its underground world marked by massive, wide-open
thousands, if not millions, of years to form. One light brush
rooms lined with stunning rock formations. Cave tours are
with a boot, even one plume of breath from human lungs,
also offered at Cave of the Winds Mountain Park in Manitou
can destroy the formation—forever.
Springs, where visitors can shimmy, climb, and crawl through
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Schow says this could explain why no one—but him—
responded to my calls. They’d rather keep mum than jeopardize the living cave networks. Cavers are also vigilant against vandalism. Less respectful visitors may tag the cave’s walls with spray paint. Because many underground ecosystems are incredibly fragile, cleaning off the paint would do more harm than just leaving the graffiti in place. There are also issues with wanton
IF SOMEONE IS INTEREST E D IN GIVING THE SPORT A TRY, GET IN VO LV E D IN THE CAVING COMMUNIT Y. partiers leaving behind trash, bottles, campfires, and other forms of human detritus that can spoil a cave’s integrity. “Sometimes, when we’re heading to a cave, backpackers or other random people may ask to tag along with us,” Schow says. “Since we don’t know these people, we may veer off course and take these strangers to what’s called a ‘sacrificial cave.’ These caves already have graffiti or garbage, so it’s no loss if they mess things up.” Caving communities are tight-knit groups of people with deep bonds of trust between one another—which is why grottos and caving clubs like his exist. Schow says no beginner should go caving on their own, especially the first time around. Amateurs need to be shown the ropes, literally, to
C AVERS SEE C AVES AS L I V I N G O R G A N I S M S. ONE LIGHT BRUSH WITH A BOOT, EVEN O N E P LU M E OF B R E AT H FROM H U M A N L U N G S , CAN DESTROY THE FORMATION F O R E V E R .
protect both the caves and themselves. If someone is interested in giving the sport a try, he says that the first thing they should do is get involved in the caving community.“Have people take you caving, so you can understand what’s involved, but also so you can get an idea of how to go caving, how to take care of the cave environment, and what sort of gear to bring,” he says. “They can also help you find a cave to visit.” Schow acknowledges every individual has her or his own limits. That’s part of the excitement: seeing how far you can go, and knowing precisely when you’ll stop. “If someone’s interested in going,” he concludes, “visit a grotto. Meet the people. Get to know them, and go on a caving trip.” J U LY 2017
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PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
FARAGOSI FARMS
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until they’re placed in loving homes.
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We really try to help the commu-
This is only a short a list of the char-
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itable efforts made at Faragosi.
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community or local charities.”
Based in Trinidad, Faragosi
every strain available at Faragosi Farms, flower or otherwise, has
Farms was founded specifically to
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help a community in need. After
proved by its staff. Also, they’re one
searching throughout Colorado, the
of the few shops in the state that
company’s president, Craig Hixson, settled on the small Colorado border town. The company opened its doors in 2016 as one of the Original Five pot shops in the Trinidad area.
WE REALLY TRY TO HELP THE COMMUNITY IN ANY CAPACITY, WHETHER
Besides offering some of the fin-
IT BE WITH LOCAL
est, organically grown, pesticide-free
PROJECTS WITHIN
buds in the state, where else does Faragosi’s charity go? According
keep oil-soaked, kief-caked buds called “caviar” in stock at all times. “We don’t have a waiting room, so that enables us to provide exceptional and memorable oneon-one customer service and time to educate the public,” says
THE COMMUNITY OR
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LOCAL CHARITIES.
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to Jess Drummond, the director of
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communications and philanthropy at
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Faragosi, 33 percent of all proceeds go to local charitable foundations.
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As far as its product is concerned,
Other organizations helped by
Shopping at Faragosi means
Faragosi Farms include Disco’s
quality cannabis and philanthropy.
“Essentially, our company’s
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Whether you’re passing through
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Faragosi also donates to No Kill
Faragosi Farms continue to serve
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SHOW ME KINDNESS
PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
Show Me Kindness TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR HEALTH—AND YOUR LIFE—BY MAKING YOUR OWN MEDICINE. THESE FOLKS WILL SHOW YOU HOW. In Colorado, one of the benefits of
themselves how cannabis can
through the entire grow process,
medical marijuana is we have the
benefit them.”
helped patients learn how to cook
right to grow our own. But grow-
Show Me Kindness works one-
with cannabis oils, and provided
ing cannabis as a medicine comes
on-one with patients privately and
consultations for the best strains
with a long list of responsibilities,
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keep in mind. Where does anyone
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Kindness’s services reach far be-
start? Where can they go
long-distance by phone or by
yond Colorado, too: it has patients
for advice?
video chat. It has walked patients
across the US and Canada.
Show Me Kindness, a non-profit
One item Show Me Kindness
organization based in Colorado
prioritizes are topicals infused with
Springs, has made it the team’s
cannabis. This includes things like
mission to assist patients. It can
lotions or balms medicated spe-
help with all aspects of growing and cultivation, making
cifically to help patients treat their symptoms. And best of
concentrates or topical
all, topicals are the safest
ointments, or even cooking
method of including canna-
with cannabis.
bis in any health regimen.
“We didn’t look to start this,” says Matt Fox, who
“You can use cannabis for almost everything. Literally ev-
founded Show Me Kindness with
erything,” says Hogan. “Creams and
Katie Hogan. “It was demanded of
salves are really amazing. It’s all about
us by the desperate parents, the
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other essential oils in the carrier oils.
in between that need to see for
They’re really easy to make.”
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ONE LOVE, ONE HEART by RANDY ROBINSON
Name // Heather Hart Occupation // Founder/Visionary at Colorado Rastafari and One Love Club Neighborhood // Manitou Springs and Old Colorado City Motto // You must be the change you wish to see in the world.
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY DARLING HOUSE
Age // It‘s all relative
Email sales@thelabcolorado.com for wholesale pricing and other information J U LY 2017
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LOCAL FAVES Neighborhood //Manitou and OCC, of course! Coffee Shop //Jives Restaurant //Uchenna Ethiopian Restaurant Brunch Spot //Bon Ton’s Cafe Strain //Anything Kush Hiking Trail //Sentinel Point Park //Garden of the Gods Ski Resort/Mountain //Mt. Princeton Local Getaway //Hot springs, anywhere, anytime! Workout // Yoga THIS OR THAT Ski or Snowboard //Neither Spring or Fall //Both Cats or Dogs // Dogs Flower or Concentrate //Herb Spring or Fall //Spring iPhone or Android //Android Sweet or Savory //Savory GOING DEEPER Q //What’s the last song you listened to? A //“Downpressor Man” by Peter Tosh
Heather Hart is the founder of Colorado Rastafari, a faith-based church started last year in Colorado Springs. Rastafarianism, an Abrahamic religion developed in Jamaica, has long promoted cannabis as a medicine, or a plant to “heal all nations,” to quote the Book of Revelations. Services for Colorado Rastafari are currently held at the church’s public, non-profit arm, the One Love Club off 21st Street. At One Love, Colorado Rastafari incorporates the church’s sacrament of Cannabis
sativa into weekly events and activities. One Love acts as equal parts social smoking club, music venue, house of worship, and community mingling spot. Members of any faith can join Bible studies on Mondays, and there are yoga and meditation sessions offered throughout the week. For those looking for a social session, check out movie night on Thursdays or live music every Friday. 50
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Q //What are you currently reading? A //How to be Ultra Spiritual by J.P. Sears Q //What are you currently binging? A //I’m currently on the wagon. Q //What are you currently loving? A //Life Q //What are you most excited about right now? A //Our first pilgrimage trip to Ethiopia Q//How old were you the first time you got high? A //14 Q //Did your parents find out? A //No Q //What was your childhood dream job? A //I’m not sure I had one then, but I’m so blessed to be living it now. Q //What’s your favorite way to elevate? A //On top of a mountain Q //Where are you happiest? A //Wherever there’s love
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