December 22, 2014 by coloradotravelingducks

Santa’s Workshop in North Pole, Colorado with Zeb and Eider Duck

I, Zeb the Duck, and my Alaska cousin, Eider Duck, went to the North Pole.

At the North Pole with Santa

We visited Santa’s workshop and outdoor park. In Colorado, the North Pole is located at the foot of Pike’s Peak near Colorado Springs. This place is great. First we got on Santa’s sleigh.

Think we can help Santa deliver presents?

Next was the sky ride.

Let’s go!

Everything is so pretty in the mountains. If anybody gets lost, this reindeer tells the correct direction to walk.

Isn’t he helpful. He is our friend

We liked the snowman.

A big snowman decoration

Entering the glass blower house,

Cute house

we met a human relative. This glass blower talked to us and told us his real name is Bill Duck.

And friend and human relative Bill Duck

We liked him! Mom liked the glass also, so now we have a new glass Christmas tree ornament. There are many rides for small humans. This big candy cane with Santa on top has a slide on the outside for humans to ride.

This ride is definitely a sign of Santa’s North Pole

This ride looks so much like Christmas.

So much like Christmas.

We think you like it also. The small ferris wheel is great

For little humans.

and there is also a large one for bigger humans. Isn’t this candy cane coaster just perfect for Santa’s park?

Definitely a Christmas theme here

This fire pit was warmer and humans were roasting marshmallows here.

We love roasted marshmallows and the Bronco jacket

Yum! This picnic table is on the path to the North Pole post office.

It was too cool for a picnic today

We think these decorations are perfect for Christmas.

Merry Christmas

If you can go to the North Pole before Christmas you will have a lot of fun. This park will close for the winter Wednesday, December 24, 2014 at 4:00 p.m. It is open most of the summer, so visit when you can. For more information see http://www.northpolecolorado.com

December 20, 2014 by coloradotravelingducks

Christmas Decorations 2014

I, Zeb the Duck, and Eider Duck, drove around admiring Christmas decorations. We like the snowman,

Cheerful snowman

especially since we do not have snow yet in Denver. Santa is ready for Christmas Eve with this sleigh.

Ready to fly on Christmas Eve

The Nativity Scene reminds us of the reason for the season.

The birth of Jesus is the reason for Christmas

We ducks are not in any of these photos. The humans said we could not go into people’s yards and sit on the decorations. But we did love seeing everything. It’s just difficult to decide which pictures to show you today. All were special.

We spotted some rather unusual decorations. Here Mickey Mouse is sending Christmas greetings.

Mickey Mouse loves Christmas also.

The Christmas moose is great.

A Colorado Christmas moose.

This was one of our favorites.

This is a big guy!

Santa is a biker when he is not flying in his sleigh.

Santa is biker

We had dinner at the Buckhorn Exchange in Denver and even this buffalo was in the Christmas spirit.

Merry Christmas from Denver’s oldest restaurant.

And, lastly, no collection of Denver Christmas photos would be complete without Denver’s City and County Building.

A lighting tradition in Denver.

We hope you are enjoying Christmas decorations near you.

Merry Christmas

We like the Christmas season.

December 19, 2014 by coloradotravelingducks

Georgetown, Colorado with Zeb and Eider Duck

I, Zeb the Duck, and my Alaska cousin, Eider Duck, visited Georgetown, Colorado.

Georgetown, Colorado was an old mining town.

We did not have any snow in our neighborhood near Denver, so we drove to Georgetown to find some. First stop is the Georgetown Visitor’s Center.

The Visitor Center has great information and a small museum.

It was starting to snow in Georgetown, so our photos are missing the bright sunshine and our Colorado blue skies. But we loved the misty mountains and the light falling snow. The park in Georgetown has a pretty gazebo and it had evergreen branches for Christmas decorations.

In the park in Georgetown, Colorado

On the main street, this archway leads to a small area with seats.

Misty mountains are pretty

The tall tree by the outdoor café was decorated.

Didn’t even want hot chocolate out here today. But it is pretty.

It was too cool today for us to sit outdoors and enjoy refreshments. Looking down the main street, we liked the Christmas decorations over the street and

Looking down main street at mountains

especially liked this view of the mountains, slightly obscured by swirling snow and light fog. This tree with lights seemed festive to us.

Merry Christmas!

We really like that Georgetown does not cut trees to decorate. The lights and decorations are placed on growing trees. We enjoy these trees all year long. Eider and Zeb liked sitting on these logs.

These logs seemed inviting to ducks.

Georgetown is a nice town located at an altitude of 8,530 feet in the mountains. It is a nice drive on I-70, about 45 minutes west of Denver.

You will enjoy visiting Georgetown, Colorado.

We will be back here soon.

December 17, 2014 by coloradotravelingducks

Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park with Zeb and Eider Duck

I, Zeb the Duck, and my Alaska cousin, Eider Duck went to Estes Park, Colorado.

We love Estes Park, Colorado

We love Estes Park. We wandered around town; bought the best taffy at the original Taffy Shop and then our favorite creamy fudge at Laura’s Fudge Shop. Yum!!

There is some ice on the river now.

Ice means winter is coming

Christmas will soon be here, and we saw these Christmas decorations.

Merry Christmas

The bear with the Christmas hat made us smile.

Everybody is getting the Christmas spirit

Things are getting so festive. We saw this snowman and snow woman.

Our new friends

We liked them and they liked us.

Then we drove to Rocky Mountain National Park.

This is one of our favorite parks

The park will be celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2015. This park is beautiful.

So many beautiful views

We drove as far as we could on Trail Ridge Road. It is closed part way up the mountain for winter. The road is not maintained during the winter. There was snow here. The wind was pretty strong also and that makes everything feel cold. The snow was really swirling around the mountain peaks.

Snow swirling around the mountain peaks.

Near Bear Lake we got out to sit on this snow bank.

Humans, don’t forget us!

It is pretty, but snow is cold for small ducks.

This deer was watching us, just as we liked to watch her.

Isn’t she beautiful?

We watched this bird for a while;

We like this bird.

we like seeing so many animals in the National Park. And the elk was so close to the road.

Even elks want a snack.

He is a gorgeous animal. His huge horns makes him so majestic. We love to see the elk here. Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park are always beautiful, but they are really special in the winter with snow and the feel of Christmas in the air. We hope you are enjoying the winter and anticipating Christmas also.

December 15, 2014 by coloradotravelingducks

Zeb the Duck goes to Denver International Airport

I, Zeb the Duck, went to the airport. My Alaska cousin, Eider Duck, flew from Fairbanks, Alaska to Denver. Eider is going to visit me for a few days. I can’t wait to see my cousin!

Mom and I drove to DIA (that’s Denver International Airport). Driving on the airport property, we saw this big blue horse.

Big Blue Horse at Denver International Airport

Many people all over the world have seen and remember this horse. Eider’s flight was late, so mom and I explored a little. We were not flying anywhere, so we could not pass through security to enter other parts of the airport. We saw this statue in an area for arriving passengers.

A pioneer in aviation

He is Captain Elrey B. Jeppeson, an aviation pioneer. Denver has lots of art in the airport. These are some of the paintings near the baggage area.

Points of interest in the United States

Mural near the baggage area by Leo Tanguma

Also by Leo Tanguma, October 1995

Denver will have a hotel in the airport in 2015.

Denver will have an airport hotel

This will be convenient for travelers and for conventions. I, Zeb the Duck, have stayed at the airport hotel in Miami International Airport. I liked it and am looking forward to Denver having an airport hotel.

Denver’s airport has many stores and restaurants, as most airports do. But this is probably only in Denver’s airport.

Relax at Denver’s airport while waiting for your flight

This market place has many interesting and tasty things.

So much to see and taste here.

It really is a nice place to spend time waiting for a flight.

Near line for security check

You may have heard many rumors and strange information about the construction of this airport, but we are ducks, and ducks don’t do drama, so we have nothing to say about that aspect.

La Memoria de la Tierra or Our Land has Memories by Judith Baca

My cousin, Eider’s plane has arrived and Eider and human are getting luggage. We will have more to tell you about our time with Eider in the future. I want to see my cousin now.

Welcome to Denver, Eider

November 27, 2014 by coloradotravelingducks

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

November 24, 2014 by coloradotravelingducks

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

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

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

The bread is freshly baked here.

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

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

So good. Vincenza’s also caters.

Catering? Great idea

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

November 22, 2014 by coloradotravelingducks

Pinecliffe, Colorado

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

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 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?

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

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

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.

November 19, 2014 by coloradotravelingducks

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

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

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

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

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

Not just a state with a few beautiful places.

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.

November 17, 2014 by coloradotravelingducks

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

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

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

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

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

You have to see this park.

Next we stopped at Balanced Rock.

Venturing to the rim again

This stop did have a fenced lookout point.

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

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

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

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