Sensi Magazine - Southern Colorado (July 2017)

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

Studio A64 // CANNABIS CLUB

Leland Rucker looks at Colorado’s homegrown cannabis companies and

Taste Budz // CONFECTIONS

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.

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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

26

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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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27

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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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.

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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

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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

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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.

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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.”

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PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

FARAGOSI FARMS

Fair Trades from Faragosi Farms A CANNABIS SHOP THAT GIVES A THIRD OF ITS PROCEEDS TO CHARITY? YOU DON’T SAY! Is it possible to run a successful

went from ramen to pork chops.

until they’re placed in loving homes.

business while also being in-

We really try to help the commu-

This is only a short a list of the char-

credibly charitable? For Faragosi

nity in any capacity, whether it

itable efforts made at Faragosi.

Farms, this isn’t a question any-

be with local projects within the

more: it’s a day-to-day reality.

community or local charities.”

Based in Trinidad, Faragosi

every strain available at Faragosi Farms, flower or otherwise, has

Farms was founded specifically to

been personally sampled and ap-

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

Drummond. “We make sure every

LOCAL CHARITIES.

person knows exactly what they’re

to Jess Drummond, the director of

buying and knows exactly how it

communications and philanthropy at

will affect them.”

Faragosi, 33 percent of all proceeds go to local charitable foundations.

46

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

Dogs, a foundation that trains ser-

Whether you’re passing through

philosophy is ‘sell pot, feed the

vice, companion, and therapy dogs

Trinidad or making it your final

hungry,’” says Drummond. “We

for children on the autism spectrum.

destination, check it out. Help

support the local soup kitchen in

Faragosi also donates to No Kill

Faragosi Farms continue to serve

Trinidad. Before us, they didn’t

Colorado, an animal shelter network

its community, while lifting spirits

have a lot—we like to say they

that takes care of homeless pets

in the process.

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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,

securely to tailor guidance to the

to control symptoms of diffi-

procedures, and regulations to

patients’ needs. The team conducs

cult-to-treat conditions. Show Me

keep in mind. Where does anyone

in-person consults, or it can assist

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

making them properly and accessing

terminal patients, and so many

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.

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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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