Month: November 2014

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Zeb and Soapy Duck Return to Wyoming

I, Zeb the Duck, and Soapy Smith Duck, visited Wyoming.   We went a few weeks ago, before the heavy snow came.   We drove north on I-25 and stopped at the Wyoming Welcome Center.

Wyoming Welcome Center. A great place

Wyoming Welcome Center.  A great place

You have to visit this place.

This sculpture by Stan Dolega is in the picnic area.

Wind Code by Stan Dolega, 2012

Wind Code by Stan Dolega, 2012

This painting reminds us that Wyoming is a cowboy state.

We like cowboys and rodeos

We like cowboys and rodeos

In the main part of the building the display, Source of Beauty,

Highlighting beautiful waterfalls

Highlighting beautiful waterfalls

changes to highlight some of Wyoming’s natural beauty.   Here is Devil’s Tower.

We liked Devil's Tower

We liked Devil’s Tower

I told you about Devil’s Tower in September, 2013.   This welcome center is similar to a museum.   Many early settlers arrived by covered wagons.

Traveling by covered wagon would be difficult.

Traveling by covered wagon would be difficult.

Others came by railroad.

Then the railroad came

Then the railroad came

The railroad also brought supplies to Wyoming.   However, all that came were not nice people.   We are in jail here with “the kid”.

Mom, get us out of jail

Mom, get us out of jail

But we, the Colorado Traveling Ducks, are nice and we were able to leave the jail.   When the pioneers and early settlers arrived, the Native American Indians lived in tepees.

Ducks in the tepee

Ducks in the tepee

We like to sit in the tepee, but not for too long.

Wyoming has many outdoor activities.  The winter sports include skiing and snowboarding.

Ski and snowboard in Wyoming

Ski and snowboard in Wyoming

This looks like fun.   We really liked this snowmobile.

We are ready to ride

We are ready to ride

Let’s go mom!   Summer sports include hiking, rock climbing and mountain biking.

Wyoming has year round activities

Wyoming has year round activities

Wyoming has so much to do all year.

Wyoming also had earlier settlers.  Herds of Columbian Mammoths roamed Wyoming 11,000 to 200,000 years ago.   These bones show you just how big these guys were.

Columbian Mammoth

Columbian Mammoth

This welcome center has everything.  The restrooms were very clean, the staff friendly and knowledgeable and there are many brochures for you.  You can learn so much about Wyoming that you could be a tourist here for years.  When you visit Wyoming, stop at this welcome center first. It is on I-25 exit 4.   You will be amazed by all the things to see.

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Happy Thanksgiving 2014

The Colorado Traveling Ducks and their humans wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving.   We, in the United States of America, have so much to be thankful for.   We give thanks for our freedom, our way of life, and our friends and family.  We also give thanks for these beautiful Colorado sunsets.

Colorado sunset in November, 2014

Colorado sunset in November, 2014

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Vincenza’s for Lunch

I, Zeb the Duck, and mom met friends at Vincenza’s Italian Restaurant and Bakery, in Wheat Ridge, Colorado.

Vincenza's

Vincenza’s

Lunch was wonderful.  All the humans ordered Italian Sausage Sandwiches with a small bowl of minestrone.  They loved the food.  Two ordered the sandwich with white bread and one ordered wheat bread.

Zeb, Channel and Winnie with lunch

Zeb, Channel and Winnie with lunch

They said the soup was really good and had a little spice, but certainly not overpowering.  The sandwiches were big and each human lady took half a sandwich home for a later lunch.

This restaurant was part of the Wheat Ridge Dairy but has been Vincenza’s Bakery for 13 years now.   The décor was cute and Italian.

Nice picture

Nice picture

The bread is freshly baked here.

We love fresh bread

We love fresh bread

It is so good.   Mom had friends here, and so did I.  My friend, Channel the Bear, was here. I also met a new friend, Winnie the Pooh.

This sounds good

This sounds good

Winnie, Channel and I enjoyed the afternoon a lot.

You will like this restaurant, and as I said, it is also a bakery.  Look at this stuff.

Yum

Yum

So good.  Vincenza’s also caters.

Catering? Great idea

Catering? Great idea

You should try this place.   We liked it and we think you will also.

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Pinecliffe, Colorado

About 40 miles from Denver, in Coal Creek Canyon, is the little town of Pinecliffe.

We visited Pinecliffe, Colorado

We visited Pinecliffe, Colorado

I, Zeb the Duck, and Soapy Smith Duck, stopped there.   Our first stop was the Pinecliffe Post Office.

We loved this post office and the post mistress was so nice

We loved this post office and the post mistress was so nice

We went inside for mom to purchase a sheet of stamps.   This post office is great for stamp collectors. Mom looked through the book of available stamps. She had not even seen some of them.  We left the post office with much more than on e sheet of stamps.  And, I think we will be back. Mom saves some of the sheets, but she likes to use different stamps on the mail we send.

This Union Pacific train came through Pinecliffe.

We love trains. Doesn't everyone?

We love trains.  Doesn’t everyone?

Mom thinks we had a relative that worked for the railroad and lived in Pinecliffe.  We like trains.

Pinecliffe is a pretty little town in the mountains and South Boulder Creek flows through town.   This is a view from the road looking upstream, back to town.

Looking back to Pinecliffe

Looking back to Pinecliffe

This is South Boulder Creek flowing away from town toward Denver and Boulder.

South Boulder Creek flowing down the mountain

South Boulder Creek flowing down the mountain

We liked peaceful Pinecliffe, and we like knowing that a relative lived and worked here many years ago.  You would enjoy driving in Coal Creek Canyon and visiting Pinecliffe.

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Scenic Western Colorado

We all know and love the incredible mountain scenery of Colorado. We are familiar with the ski areas and the towns of the Front Range.  But, I, Zeb the Duck, and Soapy Smith Duck, want to show you a little more about western Colorado.

Western Colorado

Western Colorado

This week we have shown you the town of Marble, the coal mining towns of Somerset and Bowie and the majestic Black Canyon of the Gunnison.

These photos are random scenes in the same area.

Love these bridges

Love these bridges

This part of Colorado has valleys and meadows with mountains and rivers.  There are fewer people living here than near Denver and Colorado Springs.

Beautiful valley

Beautiful valley

Some roads are designated scenic, but all go through beautiful country.

Down any road

Down any road

When you are in western Colorado, just pick a road and drive. You will not be disappointed.

Today we just wanted to remind you that Colorado really is a beautiful state.

Such clear water in streams

Such clear water in streams

Not just a state with a few beautiful places.

Rivers, mountains and beautiful blue skies

Rivers, mountains and beautiful blue skies

You can tell that Zeb, Soapy and all the Colorado Traveling Ducks love living in Colorado and appreciate all it has to offer.

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Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

I couldn’t see the bottom.   I, Zeb the Duck, and Soapy Smith Duck went to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in Western Colorado.

National Parks are always spectacular

National Parks are always spectacular

We went to the north rim of the canyon. Our first stop was The Narrows.

Ready to check it out

Ready to check it out

We went right to the edge of the canyon and could not see the bottom.

Not too close to the edge, please

Not too close to the edge, please

This great slit in the Earth is so narrow that sunlight penetrates to the bottom only at midday.

Wow

Wow

We were there late afternoon, so no bottom in sight. This place is sheer rock. Amazing to see, but difficult to photograph.

Takes our breath away

Takes our breath away

You have to see this park.

Next we stopped at Balanced Rock.

Venturing to the rim again

Venturing to the rim again

This stop did have a fenced lookout point.

Still scary for ducks

Still scary for ducks

We could see a little more, but still very steep cliffs, very deep and not much light at the bottom.

What a great canyon

What a great canyon

From the fenced lookout point, we did see a little of the Gunnison River.

The mighty Gunnison River

The mighty Gunnison River

Mom read that the south rim has more pull over places and maybe a better view of the Gunnison River.   The National Geographic book, Guide to National Parks says sheer walls of dark gray stone rise more than 2,700 feet above the swift and turbulent Gunnison River to create one of the most dramatic canyons in the country.   If you like to hike, there are many trails here. Some go from the rim of the canyon to the river far below. Most of these trails are rated difficult, but we think they would be incredible. We did not hike, but we did walk around parts of the north rim. You may see ravens, golden eagles or peregrine falcons.   The park is also home to many wild animals including bear and mule deer.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

You will really appreciate seeing the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.   We hope to see you there soon.

You should see this

You should see this