January 1972, I was 17, my girlfriend in Houston had just dumped me, so I headed for the Rocky Mountains. A cute waitress in Salida, Colorado with a pretty smile brought me a great burger and this song wrote itself later that evening.

Lyrics

Eighty Five Miles Southwest of Denver
© Felicito Guerrero 1973

Well eight-five miles southwest of Denver
There lives that woman on the riverside.
She's so fine now lookin' kinda pretty
Gotta feeling for the country and the Western sky.

Moving right along in the evening sunshine
Trail Ridge Pass stretching out for miles.
Half-a-mile away at the Redwood Lodge.
She's waitin' for me now with her pretty smile.
Hot trail ridin's fin'ly done
Gonna love my woman in the evening sun.

Deep in the heart of the Sangre D'Cristo
Trailblaze through by the evening star.
Twin 45's and the devil in her eye.
Winchester cocked, we're ready to go.
Hot trail ridin's fin'ly done
Gonna love my woman in the evening sun.

Well eight-five miles southwest of Denver
There lives that woman on the riverside.
She's so fine now lookin' kinda pretty
Gotta feeling for the country and the Western sky.