Being "Boulder"

 Last Friday we decided to do something much "Boulder" than our ordinary biking routine.  Off we drove to Celestial Seasonings in Boulder, Colorado.  Since we are all early birds, we were there for the first tour of the day.  I found out after the fact that the company had been closed for 3 years after COVID hit.

The company was started way back in 1969 and this is the only place the teas are produced.

Mm, there was time to taste many of their different teas, most of which are herbal.  The company imports tea leaves and herbs from 35 different countries and exports to 40 countries.  Most customers reside in the good old U.S.A, with Canada following in number 2 spot.  

Doris checked out the information boards before we headed in for the tour.  We found out that no pictures would be allowed to be taken during the tour, so I concealed my camera in the sweater I was carrying.  There was no time to go back to the car and leave it with Don.😏

The guide kept spouting off all types of numbers....how many boxes of tea, how many bags, years here, places sent to, etc.  Both Doris and I wanted a fact sheet, but none was available.  At our age, almost all those statistics went straight out of our heads the minute the tour was over!  The only thing that stuck in my mind was that during busy times the plant puts out 500,000 boxes a week, equal to 10 million individual bags of tea!  If you want more information, I guess you'll have to go on a tour. LOL

Both Doris and I loved the Peppermint room in the plant.  All the peppermint leaves are kept in a separate room, and the door is only open during the time each tour passes by.  The smell does open up your sinuses!  We did find out that they import 3 types of mint: peppermint, spearmint and catnip.  The catnip is used only in Tension Tamer tea.  I guess it makes cat crazy and calms humans.  

If you are wondering, this picture was taken in the shop portion of the plant, not the tour.  I didn't break the rules.

On the way back to Windsor, we checked out the new Buc-ees travel center located right off I-25 in Johnstown, Colorado.  Currently, it is the only one in the state. Talk about a huge place to stop for gas and food, this place has 116 fuel pumps and it looked like almost all of them were full when we drove in.  There were trucks, cars and RVs absolutely everywhere.  Going through the roundabout by this place took courage and determination.  The incoming traffic hardly let up, so you had to be quick to get into the circle to finally get to your exit!

Indeed, this is like a Circle K or Quick Trip high on drugs!  People everywhere in the 74,000 square foot store that had tons of choices for lunch/dinner/breakfast or snacks.  We grabbed 3 BBQ sandwiches off the tray and some homemade potato chips and headed for the door.  And on our way out, Doris just happened to find a plastic cup of cotton candy.  She couldn't resist.  That came home with us too, and it lasted longer than I thought it would.  She does love her cotton candy and Peeps.