Why Unplugging From Technology Was Unexpectedly Blissful: A Rocky Mountain Adventure

Majestic, grand, awe-inspiring; these are just a few of the words I would use to describe the Rocky Mountains in Colorado.

West To The Rockies

My husband and I recently spent a few days in Estes Park, Colorado along with another couple. We were there to attend a wedding — the son of a dear friend to his beautiful fiancée. The wedding was four days before our anniversary so it was a celebratory trip for us as well.

We had not been to Colorado in nearly twenty years. It was twenty-two years since our epic family trip out west which began and ended at the Denver airport. I had forgotten how beautiful and unique this part of the country was. God’s creation at its best.

We spend a lot of time in the mountains of North Carolina, but this was much different. When we drive from Florida to North Carolina, the flat terrain gradually becomes more hilly. Then, at some point, usually somewhere in South Carolina, you can see the Blue Ridge Mountains in the distance.

Not so in Colorado.

As we flew into Denver, we looked down on miles and miles of flat prairie. When we left the airport to get our rental car, we saw a long range of tall, snow-capped, rocky mountains in the distance. It appeared to go directly from flat ground to high elevation.

We traveled north from the airport then turned west and headed straight toward the distant mountains and our destination. As we got closer, a common phrase was “wow, this is so beautiful!” We marveled at the towering mountains, icy lakes and even the herds of deer and elk.

Dude, Where’s The Internet?

Our accommodations for our four days there was a cabin at a not-yet-open-for-the-season dude ranch. It was a beautiful setting, nestled in a high valley between the mountains. There were still patches of snow on the ground and we passed a frozen pond. Three curious horses munched on hay as they watched us drive in. A doodle about the same size as our Boone barked a greeting.

We got settled into our home away from home and unloaded the groceries we had bought— some snacks, drinks and breakfast items. The cabin had a master suite upstairs and one downstairs. Perfect. A downstairs bunk room was nice but not necessary for us but perfect for a couple of families with children. There was a full kitchen with an adjacent dining area containing a large wooden table. The living area had a curved, sectional sofa facing a fireplace and a television on the wall. Every window offered a breath-taking view of the mountains or snowy evergreen forest. It was rustic but lovely.

We decided to turn the television on, after all, it was still March Madness and our friend wanted to check the news. That’s when we discovered we would be spending our long weekend unplugged from the world. There was no cable television, no internet service and no cell service. With the exception of a few young adults working at the ranch, we were completely isolated from civilization. (We found out that the television had only been installed for a presentation the previous season).

I will admit, I was a little upset at first. What if someone needed me? What if there was a medical emergency? What were we going to do with ourselves without the technology we are so accustomed too?

How Did We Survive?

You know, it turned out not to be such a bad thing.

I let my people (my parents and my kids) know the situation and told them I would check in with them during the day when we were in town. And, as it turned out, no one needed me. Everyone got along just fine without my access to technology, kind of like the days before cell phones and computers.

So, what did we do without television, internet or cell phones? We made breakfast and ate together before we went out for the day’s adventure. While we were out and about and had access to Wi-Fi, we quickly caught up on news, checked emails and made necessary phone calls. After exploring the area and attending wedding functions, we came “home” and sat in front of a roaring fire and visited or read.

In those few days, I learned that I don’t really need technology as much as I thought I did, at least not 24/7. I did in fact survive without it for a few days. Actually, it was good to unplug and simply enjoy the beauty of God’s marvelous creation.

How about you? Have you ever been in a situation where you had to unplug from technology? How did it make you feel? What did you do? I’d love to know.