Colorado Scenic Byways: Taking the Other Road

(From the Introduction) This book was inspired by a quintessentially American love: the promise of the open road. Americans began taking to the road back when road meant two dusty ruts heading toward the horizon, long before highways were invented and the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1925 designated the first cross-country routes. the interstate highway program, authorized in 1955 as a way to expedite movement of military troops and material, hooked American drivers on getting there fast. And we forgot the soul of the open road: the freedom to wander, to stop and sniff a wildflower, ramble beside a creek, shape a snowball from a late-summer snowbank, gawk at a long-abandoned mining town, buy a fresh peach from a farm stand, or simply discover a new vista. ...

For those who thing they know everything about Colorado's history, peoples, and natural communities, here's a challenge: Open these pages, pick a byway at random, and see the state through new eyes. Wherever you go, slow down; you'll save gas, reduce your contribution to global climate change, and see more. Byways are not for hurrying.

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