March 29, 2015 by coloradotravelingducks

Palm Sunday 2015 with the Colorado Traveling Ducks

Today is Palm Sunday. This day commemorates Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem while riding a donkey.

Eastern tradition says a king riding on a donkey comes in peace and a king riding on a horse comes for war. Jesus riding a donkey symbolized his coming in peace.

Today is the beginning of Holy Week.

Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem

Here Franciscan Priests carry palm branches during Palm Sunday celebrations at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem’s Old City on April 13, 2014.

The Colorado Traveling Ducks wish you a good Palm Sunday and a meaningful Holy Week.

March 28, 2015 by coloradotravelingducks

Human Foosball and Remote Control Cars with Zeb and Eider in Nederland

Frozen Dead Guy Days festival sure has a lot of different activities. Today Zeb and Eider Duck saw human foosball. This game uses people for foosball. The humans must hold on to the pipe as they try to kick the ball and score a goal. The referee here is ready to toss the ball into the foosball court.

Ready to start the game

You can see the ball on the ground,

Kick that ball

while humans, holding their place on the pipe, try to kick a goal. Zeb the Duck, and Eider Duck, really like watching this game.

We like human foosball

Now we go back to Chipeta Park to watch the remote control trucks race and jump over snow banks. First Zeb and Eider want to race with these trucks.

We are on the trucks!

Wow! We feel like really could drive these. These cars can climb rocks.

Up to the top of the rock

They also race through the mud.

Through the mud

They even race up and down these snow banks.

Here they come

Now the cars and trucks will jump over the snow banks.

In the air

Some of these jumps clear the snow, and other do not. The trucks now try to jump over the snow bank and the boxes on top of the snow.

How high can they go?

Zeb and Eider are fascinated with the jumping.

Can trucks really fly?

They must come down.

Great display of trucks

They do not want to ride on a jumping truck. They prefer regular racing.

This is safer for ducks

You really have to visit Frozen Dead Guy Days in Nederland, Colorado during March 2016. Be sure to keep reading about our adventures. Our next post on Frozen Dead Guy Days is really going to be special.

March 27, 2015 by coloradotravelingducks

Wood Carving and Ice Sculpting in Nederland with Zeb and Eider Duck

Zeb the Duck and Eider Duck are back in Chipeta Park during Nederland’s Frozen Dead Guy Days festival. We love these carved wooden masterpieces.

Great wooden carvings

Some of these were transported to the festival and some are being carved here while we watch.

Carvers at work

This is fascinating.

These would be great in our yard

It is a warm sunny day in Nederland and this guy is trying to play an Australian Didjeridoo.

Playing the didjeridoo while ice carvers work

Now the talented carver is working on ice. Look.

Ice sculpting starts with a block of ice and a chain saw

It is a turtle!

An ice turtle

That chain saw is really buzzing now. The only problem today is it is almost 70 degrees. The ice is melting pretty fast. We can see some melting and dripping as he is trying to finish and smooth the edges.

Smoothing edges

Even with the melting, we love these ice carvings.

This is a pretty big ice turtle

It is amazing to us, the Colorado Traveling Ducks, that such detail starts with a block of ice and a chain saw. We hope you can watch people carving wood and ice statues. We really like this!

March 25, 2015 by coloradotravelingducks

Turkey Bowling and Frozen T-Shirt Contest with Zeb and Eider Duck

We, the Colorado Traveling Ducks and humans, are still in Nederland, Colorado for the Frozen Dead Guy Days festival. This is a great festival! Now it time for the frozen turkey bowling. Starting with a wrapped, frozen turkey, fresh from the store, humans throw, or slide the turkey down the snowy path, trying to knock down bowling pins. Sounds easy enough, but the humans sure do make a mess with this. This man is ready to bowl.

He is ready

Now, the turkey wrapper has come off the turkey. The warm weather is helping the turkey to thaw. The turkey is thrown and then slides into the bowling pins.

Turkey hit the pins

Good job! Younger humans throw the frozen chicken at the pins. He is ready to throw the chicken toward the pins.

Ready to throw

Chicken hits bowling pins.

Pins down!

This lady is brave.

Turkey in hand

She is ready to handle the unwrapped, partially thawed turkey. There goes the turkey. The weather is warm, but those are bare feet in the snow.

Nice polish

Humans get a little crazy here. We like frozen turkey bowling.

It is time for the frozen t-shirt contests. The men try first. For this contest a new, folded t-shirt is soaked in water and then put in the freezer. The contestants start with t-shirts in a bag and on the ground.

Get your shirt

To open the shirt and put it on, only your own body and the ground may be used.

Harder than it looks

It is really difficult to open, unfold and put on a frozen t-shirt. We are seeing some progress,

Almost!

but still more work to do. The very cold t-shirt is now on.

It is on

Lots of cold fun here!

Let’s see how the women do in their frozen t-shirt contest. Difficult for them to get packages open.

We Will Do This

This woman is getting the shirt on over her dress.

She is getting the t-shirt on

Can she do it? She did it!

Yes. She did it!

She is the winner of the woman’s frozen t-shirt contest. This woman, wearing gloves, gets her frozen t-shirt on also. Another winner.

Love the gloves

This is a great festival. We really hope you can visit the Frozen Dead Guy Days in Nederland, Colorado next March.

March 23, 2015 by coloradotravelingducks

Coffin Races in Nederland, Colorado 2015

Zeb and Eider Duck are still in Nederland, Colorado at Frozen Dead Guy Days. Now we are ready for the coffin races. The racing teams pay their entry fee, build the coffin, design their costumes and choose a person to ride in the coffin. The racing route is usually snowy with some ice, but today it is mud and water.

Muddy track

This warm weather has melted the snow, and mud is flying everywhere.

Teams carry the coffins up the first snow pile, run down the hill, race around the track and up the next snow pile. Here comes a coffin racing team now.

Starting the race

This team is the Cereal Killers. Tony the Tiger is in the front.

Now we have the Pink Socks.

The Pink Socks. The defending champions

This team has won 5 times and is the defending champion of coffin races. The Harlem Globetrotters are racing now.

Do they race as well as they play basketball?

They slipped and dropped the coffin.

Running fast!

With these costumes, they are fortunate that it is warm.

Person doing well in coffin, but runners sliding and falling

Get up the second snow hill is difficult, and slippery

Very slippery

Like the green shirts

Help is near–just in case…

The Pink Socks

The Pink Socks seem to be going up the second snow hill with little problem. These guys must train for this event. They won again. The Pink Socks are now six time coffin racing champions. Great race Pink Socks! Congratulations! The Cereal Killers won second place. Congratulations to Tony the Tiger and the team.

If you wondering where Zeb and Eider are during this race, they are right in the front. The mud was flying and here we are after the race, sitting on mom’s mud splattered jacket. Her jeans, hat and sunglasses also were covered in mud. Our humans are muddy messes, but they are smiling.

Mud splattered!

Guess all the mud and dirt means we had a great time. I hope you go to the coffin races in Nederland, Colorado next March and enjoy Frozen Dead Guy Days.

March 21, 2015 by coloradotravelingducks

Polar Plunge in Nederland, Colorado 2015

Zeb and Eider Duck are in Nederland, Colorado for Frozen Dead Guy Days. Yesterday we showed you the parade. After the parade, we went to Chipeta Park

Welcome to Chipeta Park. The Polar Plunge takes place in the pond behind the park

for the Polar Plunge. That reservoir is frozen. The human plungers wear costumes for this event. Here is a grandpa look alike ready to take the plunge.

In costume for Frozen Dead Guy Days

These humans are also waiting for their turn to jump into the icy water.

These humans will take the polar plunge.

A large rectangle has been cut through the pond and the ice removed. The humans will jump into this icy water. The fire department water rescue men are in the water to help if there is a problem.

One jumper with the rescue team

You can see that being ready to rescue humans can be a very wet job.

Big splash

These two humans are dressed as bacon and eggs.

Bacon and eggs costume

They are scrambling as they jump into the icy water. Behind the water, you can see the warming tent for the human participants. This is a great way to enter the cold water.

Great presentation

This really looks cold.

Brrr

But these two scientists checked and didn’t think the water was cold enough.

Scientists or crazy?

They are adding more ice to the pond. And now they are in the water.

They are in the icy water

This is like swimming, but bikinis in icy water?

Bikini bottoms

We ducks did not go into this cold water. We like warmer water. Keep reading our blog to see more of the fun at Frozen Dead Guy Days in Nederland, Colorado.

March 20, 2015 by coloradotravelingducks

Welcome to Frozen Dead Guy Days 2015 with Zeb and Eider Duck

I, Zeb the Duck, and my Alaska cousin, Eider Duck, went to Nederland, Colorado for Frozen Dead Guy Days. And, yes, Nederland does really have a frozen dead guy in the mountains above the town. He resides in a Tuff Shed, packed in dry ice.

The festival opened Friday evening, with the lighting of the Frozen Dead Guy Days sign at the traffic circle in town.

Welcome to Frozen Dead Guy Days 2015

Zeb the Duck and Eider Duck are sitting in the top D. We did not participate in the parade, so this is our only photo today.

The lighting of the sign ceremony was followed by the Blue Ball, featuring live music and dancing.

Saturday the Parade of Hearses began at noon.

Hearse with live people on hood

Many participants come in costume.

This passenger is a little thin

Check out that passenger!

Another unusual passenger

This parade includes hearses, of course, and the coffin race teams.

5 time champion Pink Socks Coffin Racing team

Each coffin racing team must have a person in the coffin. This team, the Pink Socks, are the defending champions.

Harlem Globetrotter Coffin Racing Team

These guys can make baskets, also.

How can he spin a baseball on one finger?

How can he spin a basketball on one finger?

This is a pretty fancy coffin

Sponsors and non-profits are also invited to participate.

She can walk on stilts!

The wild bear for Nature Discovery

Learn more about this bear and the Nature Discovery Center at http://www.wildbear.org

These remote control cars are tough and do amazing things.

These remote control cars will race and jump later in the festival. They are great!

This is a parade and festival unlike any others that we have visited. You really should plan to visit Frozen Dead Guy Days in early March in Nederland, Colorado. We will show you may of the events in the next days. Hope you follow our adventures. We had a great time.

March 18, 2015 by coloradotravelingducks

The Iditarod from Fairbanks Alaska

Eider Duck, our Alaska cousin, brought us some photos from the starting point of the Iditarod in Fairbanks. The Iditarod is a dog sled race in Alaska. Some call the Iditarod the “last great race.” The race usually begins in Anchorage, Alaska and ends in Nome, Alaska. This year, however, there was not enough snow in Anchorage for the beginning of the race. The race was Re Started Monday, March 9, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. in Fairbanks, Alaska. The awards banquet is scheduled for Sunday, March 22 at 4:00 p.m. in Nome, Alaska.

These are some of the photos Eider shared with us. These photos were taken from a distance, so we are not sure whom the mushers are, but we love these. Thanks Eider!

Sled with well wishers

Getting ready

Dog team and sled

Dogs ready

Let’s go

Are we going soon?

Wanting to run

Run now

Great photos Eider. Thanks!

March 17, 2015 by coloradotravelingducks

Happy St. Patrick’s Day 2015

The Colorado Traveling Ducks and the humans wish you all a very Happy St. Patrick’s Day today. This is the week that we all are a little bit Irish.

March 9, 2015 by coloradotravelingducks

Dinosaurs in Denver

We have a great museum in Denver. We visit the Denver Museum of Nature and Science often. I, Zeb the Duck, and Soapy Smith Duck wanted to see dinosaurs. Before we even entered the museum, we saw dinosaurs by the parking garage.

By the parking garage

Aren’t these guys great?

Dinosaur by elevator to parking garage

And big!

As we entered the museum, we were greeted by T-Rex. He weighed about 7 tons and could run 25 miles per hour.

T-Rex greets us!

T-Rex had a long tail for balance as he walked on 2 legs. His small arms were for holding prey and to help him get up from a resting position. T-Rex had really powerful jaws and neck muscles.

What a big, powerful head

You would not get away from this guy.

Heading to the second floor to visit Prehistoric Journey,

This is a great display

we saw plesiosaurs. He is called the ancient swimmer of the deep.

Wouldn’t be our favorite swimming mate

We ducks do not want to swim with him.

Entering Prehistoric Journey we saw dinosaurs everywhere. This skeleton is of walking fortress.

Walking Fortress

You can see how he got that name. Walking Fortress has small teeth and a wide body so scientists believe he was a plant eater.

This long necked dinosaur is about 150 million years old.

Long necked dinosaur

The duckbilled dinosaur, or Hadrosaur, is impressive also.

Duck billed dinosaur

Duckbilled dinosaur has a toothless beak, but behind that beak each duckbilled had tightly packed teeth, as many as 1,000 at a time. When one tooth wore out, another replaced it. No dentures for dinosaurs.

We saw lots of dinosaur exhibits.

So many dinosaurs

You will want to see these. The name of this exhibit is Prehistoric Journey, so there are more than dinosaurs here.

Look at what lived in the Nebraska woodland about 20 million years ago.

He lived in Nebraska about 20 million years ago.

This “Big Pig” looms menacingly as it catches sight and scent of prey. This big pig was both a predator and a scavenger. These pigs lived and traveled in herds.

We liked this exhibit and we like dinosaurs. But we are little ducks and we are very happy that these big animals are not walking around here today. We hope you visit our museum or a museum near you. Museums have so many fascinating things to see and you can learn so much there.

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