DENVER — The Patriots spent the first half of the 2017 season enjoying plenty of home cooking.

Five of their first eight games were played at Gillette Stadium, and when you add in the bye week, that’s six weeks out of nine that the players enjoyed the comfort of their own bed, the roars of the home crowd, and the warm embrace of their families and loved ones.

Now it’s time to take this show across the country, and across international borders.

The Patriots play their next two games on the road, which happens all the time. But this is no ordinary road trip.

The Patriots left Friday afternoon for their Sunday night showdown in Denver against the Broncos. And instead of returning home immediately after the game, as they usually do, the Patriots will stay out west.

They will practice in Colorado Springs all week to acclimate to the high altitude, then fly to Mexico City for next Sunday’s game against the Raiders before finally returning home early morning on Nov. 20.

That’s 10 days, two games, three sites, and two different countries for this barnstorming trip, bringing new meaning to “Patriots Nation.’’

“It’s like a second training camp,’’ captain Matthew Slater said. “It’s just us. You’re away from your family, away from any other thing that you might have going on. It’s just being with the guys and focused on football and enjoying one another.’’

This is not the first time the Patriots have embarked on an extended road trip. In 2008, the Patriots stayed in San Jose between back-to-back games in San Francisco and San Diego, then returned to San Jose in between games in Seattle and Oakland later in the season.

And in 2014, the Patriots practiced in San Diego all week in between road games against the Packers and Chargers.

The Patriots went 3-1 out west in 2008, and defeated the Chargers in 2014 after losing to the Packers.

“They’re all different experiences,’’ Tom Brady said. “I think if you win they’re a lot of fun. You remember them after the year and you’re like, ‘Man, that was great.’ But if you lose, they all kind of suck.’’

Slater said that 2014 trip helped the Patriots come closer together as a team. After bonding in San Diego and beating the Chargers, the Patriots lost just one more game that season, a meaningless Week 17 loss to the Bills, before winning the Super Bowl.

“In ’14, it was a very important week in our season,’’ he said. “I think it allowed us to really bond as a team and build some serious chemistry. Spent a lot of time together, which I think was beneficial for us in the long run. Hopefully we get a similar result this time around. We’ll have no choice but to be with one another 24-7.’’

The trip does throw the players out of their routines, of course. Slater said “we’ll be in that FaceTime daily’’ to connect with his wife and two young children, while defensive tackle Alan Branch praised his wife, who will stay back to take care of their four kids.

“I mean, it’s just another week or another trip, nothing different,’’ Branch said. “Well, the only difference is my wife will be watching all four of my kids. So all the power to her, because she’s a monster. I don’t think I could do that.’’

Safety Devin McCourty said the 2014 trip was like being back in college. It was easier to prepare for the next game because distractions were limited.

“When we’re on the road, it’s kind of like back to the dorms, back to your off-campus house, hanging out with the guys,’’ he said.

“When you’re in the hotel together, it’s easy to shoot a text to a group of DBs or the offensive line or defensive line, linebackers: ‘Hey, you guys want to watch film at 7 o’clock?’ So, that always helps. It’s a little different than when we’re here from 8 a.m. till whatever time and guys have different responsibilities that they get to at the end of the day. You know, on the road, we’re right there. We’re three doors down from each other.’’

The players will have some downtime to themselves, but Bill Belichick will ensure that next week is as normal as possible. The Patriots’ players will have meetings and treatment on Monday, an off day on Tuesday, then three days of practices and meetings at the Air Force Academy.

Next week’s game in Mexico City presents a different challenge, given that it will be played at an altitude over 7,300 feet. But the Air Force Academy is also situated around 7,300 feet above sea level, giving the players an entire week to acclimate to the thin air.

“You just don’t jump on the plane and go to Mexico. There’s a lot of planning that needs to go into it,’’ Belichick said. “Logistically, it’s a very challenging trip.’’

The Patriots will spend the majority of the trip in Colorado Springs, from Monday to Saturday morning. Belichick didn’t want to discuss much about the trip last week — what, you thought he’d look ahead past this week’s opponent? — but don’t be surprised if Belichick, who grew up at the United States Naval Academy in Maryland, also mixes in a little history and military appreciation while at Air Force.

“We spend a lot of time in this building with each other, but to get outside the building and go to a new place together as one unit, it’s always a team-building, team-bonding experience,’’ receiver Danny Amendola said.

The Patriots will then fly to Mexico City on Saturday afternoon and will be there for less than 48 hours — getting in and, they hope, out with a win.

“This will be a little bit different than the last time we did that when we were in San Diego, because we still have to travel again,’’ Brady said.’’ It’s just a unique thing. It probably will never happen again. Hopefully, we can take advantage of it.’’

Ben Volin can be reached at benjamin.volin@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @BenVolin