When planning for the Woodson Art Museum’s members travel adventure to Denver, which wraps up today, we knew weather could be a factor. Did we fully appreciate the potential for temperature extremes or precipitation?
Our late October travel date was selected to coincide with the Denver Art Museum’s debut of Claude Monet: The Truth of Nature, the most comprehensive exhibition of the Impressionist master’s work to be organized in many years — and the Mile High City would be the exhibition’s only American venue.
Two dozen-plus strong, vivid blue skies, warm temperatures, and bright sunshine greeted us in Denver; reach for the sunscreen.
The Truth of Nature was the focus of our first full day and in stunning painting after painting, we experienced Monet’s mastery of not only fleeting light, but also an extraordinary ability to capture the distinct characteristics of all four seasons.
Temperatures in the 70s continued into our post-Monet day and a visit to the Denver Botanic Gardens, where the Monet Pool Water Garden offered exquisite reflections even as the vegetation suggested signs of seasonal changes.
And, did the seasons ever change.
Overnight — figuratively and literally — the temperature dropped into the low 20s and snow fell on Denver and the surrounding region.
Remarkably, thanks to the flexibility and intrepidness of our travelers, expert motor coach drivers — including a state-of-the-art coach with “automatic chains,” and willing and eager partners and hosts from Colorado Springs to Loveland, we persevered and experienced our itinerary as planned.
Those of us from Wisconsin might be hearty, but who thinks about packing both sunscreen and snow boots for a late October getaway? I certainly will, going forward.
Hats off to the good-natured attitudes of my fellow travelers and to our docents and artist-hosts throughout our Denver stay. It’s been an exceptional trip, yielding lasting friendships and memories of amazing Colorado sun and blue skies as well as a taste of winter to come.
