Last weekend, Mr. Cheap and I took off for the Colorado mountains, and I had a few interesting experiences to share with you, dear readers — especially following last week’s posts on frugal vacations and vacation planning tips.

First, we’re trying to mostly stick close to home (within driving distance) as much as possible this summer to save a few (hundred) bucks. We still want to have the feeling of a vacation, and we want to regain our appreciation for Colorado, the beautiful state we live in. Sometimes we lose that appreciation when we look around us at sprawl, pollution and crowds. It’s fabulous to get out and see the mountains, wildflowers, birds, trees and insects that share our state.

The weekend’s events

We drove to Snowmass, Colo., in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, to attend the 6th Annual Chili Pepper & Brew Fest. We aren’t big on jam bands, although we did spend some time sitting in the sun on the now-green ski slope, listening to the tunes and enjoying the people-watching. Mr. Cheap and I got to taste many local brews and a slew of homebrews, which made his weekend.

The event tried to be green. The hosts handed out 6-ounce glasses for beer tasting, which was great! There were also special recycling stations set up throughout the event to capture recyclable waste (in addition to the town’s normal, bear-proof garbage cans). Unfortunately, all the chili tastes were in little plastic cups, with plastic spoons. I don’t know if we were the only ones who at least saved our plastic spoons for all the different cooks. And a BIG shout out to the cooks who whipped up the (delicious!) buffalo Sriracha chili with avocado cream, because not only was the chili great, they provided compostable spoons. Yay!

Snowmass Village itself — a ski town established about 40 years ago, about 40 miles from its more famous, more expensive cousin, Aspen — is growing rapidly and working hard to be green with its “Sustainable Snowmass” program. In one of the new buildings, I found something very exciting:

Yes, it’s a toilet. A dual-flush toilet!

I think it’s the first one I’ve seen in a public place. This water-saving technology is so thrilling, if bemusing. The house I stayed in when I visited Germany in 1989 had one, so I’m perplexed as to why it is just now reaching us in the United States 20 years later. But there it was. Very cool.

Our cheap & green vacation tricks

Were we cheap? Kinda:

"The Eagle and the Hawk"

• We rented a condo within walking distance of the event — in fact, we could hear the music from our balcony. It cost around $100 a night, but it was fancy.

• We hit the grocery store and bought breakfast food and snacks for two-and-a-half days for $15.  (This includes my comfort splurge — cookie dough — which cost almost $5.) We cooked in both days for breakfast.
• We went out to lunch once, bought seriously delicious (and vegetarian!) pizza on Friday night, and ate snacks and leftovers the rest of the time.
• For quiet evenings in the condo (after all, we’d already drunk beer in the afternoon), we watched movies I checked out from the library before our trip.
• We visited the free Aspen Art Museum and equally free John Denver Sanctuary in Aspen, and not the $27-a-person Aspen Gondola.
• We used our own reusable bags for all purchases and brought our recyclable waste home with us — our condo didn’t have recycling facilities! (For more great ideas on waste-less traveling, check out Beth Terry a.k.a. Fake Plastic Fish blogging at BlogHer this week.)
• For souvenirs, we came home with two sweatshirts (one for Mr. Cheap and one for Mlle. Cheap) that I suspect will see some action during our planned camping trips this summer. Who can camp without a sweatshirt? I didn’t get one for myself because, being cold-blooded, I already have quite a collection.

Speaking of “cold-blooded,” I also almost stepped on a little snake that skittered across our path in Aspen. We’ve had several snake sightings in our family. After Saturday (this one was surely a garter), Mr. Cheap suspects it is I who carry the snake mojo: The snake encounters began when I was about 9, visiting a mountain cemetery, and my father calmly said, “Don’t look now, but you’re standing on a snake.” I still remember the snake squirming beneath my feet — and its terrified expression. At least I missed this one.

And now for the crafts

Finally, one of my several bags (Mr. Cheap: “I already knew this bag would be heavy — I’m traveling with you.”) contained my knitting/crochet supplies.  In one evening, I managed to complete the “Uterus” crocheted menstrual cup cozy, wherein my Diva Cup can nestle when it’s not in use:

It’s even made out of handspun yarn. (In that shot, it’s posing with the beer sticker we got to continue making our Subaru the most Colorado car it can be.) The pull strings are fallopian tubes. Get it? So cute and cozy, and in real life, it sparkles!

All in all, it was a relatively cheap, relatively green getaway, and a well-deserved break to celebrate the end of the school year and the start of summer. Happy travels to you, too, this year.

Browse Timeline

• « How is your bread?
• » Friday Wrap-Up: Summer salads, driving, yard sales & organic coupons

Comments ( 5 )

The building I work in is being remodeled, several floors at a time, and I’m really happy to see that the new bathrooms have double-flush toilets.

How Green Is My Valley added these pithy words on Jun 11 09 at 6:48 am

New restrooms, that is. You can’t actually bathe at my workplace.

How Green Is My Valley added these pithy words on Jun 11 09 at 6:48 am

Um, it isn’t summer yet so how can you have gone one your summer vacation?

I went to Germany in 2002 and saw my first dual flush toilets. I went home and was like – I WANT ONE! It is so smart and I am with you – why did it take so long to get here? In 2003 my wish was granted when we got the Caroma toilet you picture above. When we moved to our new house and added a bathroom we opted for another brand Toto. Both are wonderful.

Are the colors and sparkles in the yarn something you want rubbing against something that is going to be rubbing against you? It is adorable but…I am just asking.

Have a good weekend!

Erin added these pithy words on Jun 12 09 at 1:20 pm

@Erin, it’s summer break and that’s what counts!

The color and sparkles aren’t removable, so I’m not worried about it, but to each her own, I s’pose …

Cheap Like Me added these pithy words on Jun 12 09 at 4:16 pm

Add a Comment