When you live in or hail from the Centennial State, there are just certain things that everyone should experience in order to be an official Coloradan. Not sure what we mean? Then look over this checklist of the 10 rites-of-passage every Coloradan must experience once:
1. Have your tush handed to you on the Manitou Incline.
Do you think you're in shape? The 2,000-foot elevation gain, 2,744-step Manitou Incline begs to differ!
2. Eat at Casa Bonita.
Sure, we dig on Casa Bonita quite a bit, but by golly, eating there is a rite-of-passage... an unpleasant, but necessary rite-of-passage.
3. Adopt a shelter dog.
Did you know that the official Colorado state pet IS shelter dogs and cats?! Did you also know that it is mandatory for EVERY Coloradan to own a dog? If you didn't before, now you do. (We kid, but it’s hard to find a Coloradan without a furry, four-legged friend!)
4. Visiting a dispensary (even if it's just for the novelty).
Do you partake in cannabis? Recreational marijuana is legal in Colorado. Don't care for the stuff? You can still go in for the sake of curiosity!
5. Walking through a blizzard in flip flops and a jacket.
Fluffy coats and overpriced boots are for suckers (AKA Californians), so always opt for the $0.99 flops and North Face jacket.
6. Take in a concert at Red Rocks.
Sure, seeing bands at Pepsi Center and Fiddler's Green is fun, but nothing tops the incredible acoustics and ambiance of the one-of-a-kind Red Rocks Amphitheater.
7. Buy a Subaru.
If Colorado had an official state car, it would be the Subaru. Why? It's because they are safe, do well in the mountains, get great gas mileage, and - well - everyone else in the state already has (and loves) one, so why not?
8. Wake up early to witness one of our colorful Colorado sunrises.
Not a morning person? Me neither... until I witnessed one of our sunrises for myself! (Trust us: after seeing one, your coffee will no longer be the best part of waking up!)
9. Order something smothered in green chile for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
For breakfast, it's huevos rancheros. Lunch? A bowl of green chile with a warm, homemade tortilla on the side. Come dinnertime, go for a massive smothered burrito.
10. Visit Rocky's Auto, AFW, and/or Shane Co.
Bonus points if you buy a car from Rocky's, order your new bedroom set from American Furniture, AND get your girlfriend's engagement ring from Tom Shane.
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