When my friend Lauren told me she was headed north for a wedding in Grand Junction a few weeks back I asked if she could pick up some chairs for me that I bought on Craigslist. After she broke it to me that it was out of the way and that there was no possibility the chairs would fit into her small Ford Focus, I was back to square one. I had bought them in early June on one of my quick morning Craigslist searches while I sipped my coffee and started my morning. I was on a hunt for patio furniture, among other things for our home, seeing as all of a sudden it was summer and all I could do was daydream about drinking coffee with Scott at a cafe table for two, cuddling at night on an outdoor sofa, sun bathing on a comfy chaise lounger with a book, or having plenty of comfy seating for guests. These chairs weren't patio furniture though. Instead, they were a perfect addition to the imaginary table we were going to build - or at least we keep saying we're going to build, if we could ever find the time. They were also from the original owner who had bought them in the 50's and a much better price than the imitation remakes I'd been seeing online, the only downfall being that they were five hours away.
Photo by my ever-so-talented boyfriend^^
Skip ahead two months. All the guests staying with us over the summer were gone, the house was quiet without my dog, and the stressful summer we'd finally survived was feeling like it was giving us the time we needed to breath. We decided to get the chairs and make a trip out of it, thankful that the chairs had been relocated to a home only three hours away. What started as a trip to get furniture ended up being referred to as “The epic chair adventure!” It was a getaway Scott and I didn’t even realize we needed until we were in the thick of it. We were in need of all the things we didn’t know we needed: mountains, road trip music, hot springs, camping, full moons, wine tasting, wine buying, exploring new towns, art festivals, a breakfast date, scenery, roadside peaches (the drip-down-your-chin-they’re-so-juicy kind of peaches), treasure hunting in vintage shops, chocolate malts, and picture taking.
I had a lot of time to think while we were on the road. There were a few times I wanted to roll my eyes at myself for being such a girl and buying these ridiculous chairs I didn't need. But then I realized, somewhere on the winding mountain roads as they lead me further and further away from home, that I did need them. Call it retail therapy if you want, but I think life has a funny way of coming full circle and giving you exactly what you need exactly when you need it. I NEEDED the open road. I needed to get away. I needed everything but the chairs really. The chairs were just an excuse, a vehicle really, to get us where we needed to be.
Lauren told me later that she secretly wanted to say no regardless of the size of her car. She knew, being the good friend she is, that if we were forced to make the trek, it would be exactly what the doctor ordered. I love Lauren for that and I love my chairs. I love the magic that transpired while going to get them too. I also love the vintage chase lounge we found in Ridgeway (for a steal!) on our way back to Durango that now completes my patio daydreams. And because I'm silly and didn’t bring my camera, here are a few snapshots from my iphone that document the Adventure.
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Our glorious, free campsite after hours of searching for an available spot.
The remainder of our tailgate picnic dinner at our campsite prior to a soak at Orvis Hot Springs.
Unforgettable breakfast at Kate's Place in Ridgeway, CO.
The Trading Post in Paonia, complete with fresh, local peaches and a complementary violinist!
Azura winery and art gallery. Delightful.
An amazing wheat paste mural by Chip Thomas at the Church of Art in Hotchkiss, CO. Check out more of his murals HERE. And to hear a short interview on this piece, check out this WEBSITE.
And finally, the chairs (!) making their way home.
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