July 7, 2014 by coloradotravelingducks

Donkey Derby Days in Cripple Creek, Colorado

This is what I, Zeb the Duck, saw as mom and I entered Cripple Creek.

Festival at Cripple Creek

This is a beautiful town 44 miles southwest of Colorado Springs, and there is a festival now. It is Donkey Derby Days in Cripple Creek.

Donkey Derby Days

Young humans can ride on donkeys.

Enjoying a donkey ride

There is a dog show and we saw these dressed up dogs.

Dressed up today

So pretty

Also, this is a really tall dog.

So tall

All the dogs looked good and were so nice.

Festivals always have venders and Donkey Derby venders had things I don’t usually see at festivals. I loved these wooden bowls.

Great bowls

And chandeliers and coat racks from antlers.

All from antlers

There were even booths with wooden pictures. I enjoyed the booth with items from Peru and the Andes. Remember JB Duck was recently there. Just look at these hummingbird feeders.

Hummingbirds are so fast

Everything is so nice here.

Of course, festivals make us hungry. There was burger, hot dogs, burritos, and my favorite funnel cakes. Today mom found the brats.

She saw this sign

Good lunch

Cripple Creek’s Donkey Derby really had donkey races. The donkeys, each with 2 humans, lined up at the top of the hill.

Donkeys are ready

The street was cleared and the donkey race began.

Here they come

The donkeys raced right passed us.

This donkey is running with the human

She is leading donkey toward the finish line

Cripple Creek is a friendly former gold mining camp. They have great festivals. There is also camping and many mountain activities available. The altitude is 9494 feet above sea level, so drink water and be careful. When you want something to do inside, Cripple Creek has legal gambling. Many historic buildings have been converted to casinos. You will be glad you visited Cripple Creek.

July 5, 2014 by coloradotravelingducks

Celebration of the USA in Avon, Colorado

I, Zeb the Duck, loved the 28^th annual Celebration of the USA in Avon, Colorado. This festival was held at Nottingham Park in Avon.

Nottingham Park by Nottingham Lake is great for festivals

When it is dark, fireworks will explode over this lake

Avon is a few miles west of Vail.

Of course we were hungry and such choices.

Alligator on a Stick and Shark on a Stick???

After chicken on a stick, burritos and gyros, we concentrated on desserts. Did you see that sign? Deep fried pickles, Baconade (Bacon lemonade?) Also deep fried PB&J. We decided on funnel cake and mini donuts.

We love funnel cakes and mini donuts!

Yum! Greer and Rachael liked the festival, too.

My friends, Greer and Rachael

And I like them.

We saw a man on stilts

So tall. Don’t fall.

and then we saw this artist with his paints.

He can paint.

This juggler is tall.

Don’t drop those!

He is also my friend.

We are friends now.

Do see this guy—

Juggling fire while standing on a ball???

standing on a ball while juggling fire. I really liked this man.

A human bronze statue

He is so still, he looks like a bronze statue, but he is alive. For little ones only.

This looks like fun!

Small humans have fun in this bouncy house.

After dark, we watched the fireworks. I love fireworks. I also liked the patriotic music during the fireworks. In Avon I watched 10,000 shells exploding over the lake.

Beautiful!

I am so glad we went to the Celebration of the USA in Avon, Colorado. Happy Birthday United State of America!

Celebrate the USA!

July 4, 2014 by coloradotravelingducks

Happy 4th of July, 2014

We, the Colorado Traveling Ducks, and our humans, wish you all a very happy 4^th of July holiday. We celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence and thank our founding fathers for creating the United States of America.

Happy 4th of July

Have a wonderful holiday!

July 2, 2014 by coloradotravelingducks

Cherry Blossom Festival in Denver

Last Saturday, June 28 we visited Sakura Square in Denver for Cherry Blossom Festival.

Cherry Blossom Festival in June

This was a Japanese festival and we saw this painting.

Beautiful

Such bright colors.

I, Zeb the Duck and mom saw this Bonsai tree.

We love this Bonsai

As you can see, little pink horned duck was with us. These flower arrangements were so attractive.

Several attractive flower arrangements

Denver Buddhist Temple is located in this area.

Buddhist Temple in Denver

We really liked this bell or gong.

At Buddhist Temple

On the main stage, in the street, we enjoyed a martial arts demonstration.

The young humans are good. They practice a lot

Later some members of Pi Delta Psi fraternity from University of Colorado, Boulder Campus, performed hip hop dancing.

Pi Delta Psi stepping

They called it stepping. These young men are talented.

Next the Japanese drummers performed. Taiko is Japanese drumming and this Taiko Junior group was great.

Very synchronized and very energetic performers

You will love to hear this drumming. Then the adult Taiko group performed for us. WOW!!! These people really beat the drums

Great performers

and they are so active on stage. We loved this fantastic group.

High energy performance

You will love seeing and hearing a Taiko performance. For more information on Taiko in Denver, visit www.DenverTaiko.org I, Zeb the Duck, hope you visit festivals this summer and I hope you enjoy a Taiko performance.

This cherry Blossom Festival was informative and fun!

Cherry Blossom Festival

June 30, 2014 by coloradotravelingducks

Colorado’s Sand Sculptures

Zeb the Duck here to tell you about sand sculptures in Colorado. There is no ocean in Colorado! Mom took Caped Crusader and me to Arvada, Colorado’s Sand in the City Festival.

Arvada Sand Sculpture Festival

What a surprise for us!

Various companies and organizations made sand sculptures. Magnificient! There was a rope to keep people from touching the sand, but the young lady that helped make this one, took us to sit on the top.

We are on top! Sponsored by Sunshare

We loved it and she was a wonderful person. Thank you young lady!!

We were a little nervous about this one mom!

He is watching us Mom. Help!

Water World, a great water park near Denver, sponsored it. Hard to remember that these are made from sand and water.

This is sculpted with sand and water

Colorado Rockies baseball team plays at Coors Field

Needed more time

This is a work in progress.

When the little humans had seen the sand sculptures, they could play here with their shovels and pails.

A huge sand box

This is a huge sand box. Almost like the beach.

There was another part to this festival,

Live music at festivals!

with music and stuff for small humans. These balls look fun. Humans get inside and walk, run or whatever they want to try.

This would be so much fun!

There are bigger humans to help. Face painting is always fun.

Painting his face

This little boy is ready for the climbing wall.

Eager to climb

I think he has done climbing before.

Caped Crusader and I watched the magic show.

We like magicians!

This was our first magician. We liked him and we really liked this Sand in the City Festival. We hope you are visiting festivals this summer. They are so much fun.

June 28, 2014 by coloradotravelingducks

Colorado’s Interstate 70

Zeb the Duck here and today I want to tell you about one of our highways. I-70 crosses Colorado, east to west. This highway has earned the “Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award.”

First, let’s talk about the Eisenhower and Johnson tunnels. These two tunnels are 11,158 feet above sea level and go under US 6 and the Continental Divide. The tunnels are 1.69 miles long. They are the highest and longest mountain tunnels in the US interstate system. These tunnels are well lit, ventilated and video monitored at all times.

Driving west, under the Continental Divide

This is the westbound entrance. Still lots of high mountains on top of the tunnels.

Now let’s talk about Glenwood Canyon. Glenwood Canyon is beautiful,

Glenwood Canyon

with the Colorado River and Union Pacific Railroad. This was the last section of I-70 to be completed. The 2 eastbound lanes of I-70 extend cantilevered over the Colorado River. The westbound lanes are suspended on a viaduct several feet above the canyon floor. This allowed a 4 lane interstate highway to be constructed through the canyon with minimal changes to the beautiful Glenwood Canyon.

Highway from the rest area

The rest areas in these 12 miles are beautiful. The are located on the banks of the Colorado River, with picnic tables and hiking trails. There is no stopping on the highway, so photos just didn’t happen.

Glenwood Canyon and Colorado River from rest area

Video cameras and real people constantly monitor this section of I-70.

Colorado, like every mountain state has provisions for runaway trucks. These are trucks with failed brakes. This is a runaway truck ramp.

One of many runaway truck ramps on I-70

The truck drives up this mountain to reduce speed. The middle of the ramp is deep, loose gravel and there are barrels at the end of the runaway ramp. Often trucks will be on these ramps. These ramps save lives in Colorado and elsewhere.

Here are some other photos from I-70. If you are driving through Colorado on this road, you will see small towns,

Georgetown, Colorado from I-70

mountains, and even the ski slopes of Vail, Copper Mountain and Beaver Creek. If you are driving through in your car or truck, passing through in your motorhome or cruising on your motorcycle, you will see some beautiful scenery. Our mountains are beautiful, the rivers are clear and refreshing and if you are east of Denver, the prairie and ranch land is also beautiful. There is a lot of wildlife in Colorado, so deer, elk and moose will see you and you may see them also.

If you have time, stop to hike, fish, zip line, kayak or raft. We have so much to offer you, but if you cannot stop, you will still enjoy your scenic drive across Colorado.

Mountains from I-70

June 25, 2014 by coloradotravelingducks

Golden Gate Canyon State Park with Zeb and Soapy

Zeb the Duck here with Soapy Smith Duck. From Golden, Colorado, we drove with our moms to Golden Gate Canyon State Park.

Beautiful mountain park close to Denver

The paved road winds through forests and climbs into the mountains. Soapy’s mom saw a moose and a couple deer. This park is so peaceful and relaxing.

We love Colorado

We stopped at Kriley Pond. Some people were fishing and others hiked around the lake. If you look on the right side of Kriley Pond, our distant cousin, a black duck, is swimming.

Black duck is floating on the right side of the lake

Doesn’t he look happy?

Our next stop was Slough Pond. Wouldn’t this be a great place for a picnic?

Moms forgot the food

Next time our moms will bring food for us. The creek was moving pretty fast.

Fast water is energizing

We had a lot of snow this winter and the snowmelt combined with recent rain really has this water moving. Crossing the bridge, you could hike through the forest and mountain.

We love hikes

Golden Gate Canyon State Park has this Red Barn.

A real red barn

You can rent this area for your group.

Decorated for an event

Our neighbor, and friend, held a wedding here.

Beautiful wedding

The newly weds look so happy. The groom is handsome and the bride is beautiful.

We wish them a very happy married life. We needed one more photo of Colorado’s beautiful mountains as we left the Red Barn.

We love this park

You will love Golden Gate Canyon State Park. When you are in the Denver area, visit this park near Golden. Our moms say you will feel refreshed and renewed.

June 23, 2014 by coloradotravelingducks

Frog Rodeo in Empire, Colorado

We went to a frog rodeo! Zeb and Soapy Smith Duck went with their moms to Empire, Colorado Saturday.

First stop was here to purchase frog rodeo t-shirts.

28th annual Frog Rodeo

Mom’s shirt says this is the 28^th annual Frog Rodeo. Stuffed frogs were also available.

Ducks like frogs

So many possibilities for souvenirs to take home.

Many booths, many choices!

There were games and play areas for kids.

Ducks would like this, too

Here humans can throw baseballs at the red square on the right.

Hit the red square and in the water he goes

If the red square is hit, the boy on the seat inside will fall into the water. Money goes to a good cause of course. We like these huge bubbles on the water.

Humans have so much fun

Humans can go inside and try to walk on water.

Humans throw bean bags at these frogs

Toss bean bag in mouth and win!

and win a prize if bean bag goes in frog’s mouth.

One of the main events is a frog race. Humans rent a frog. Little humans sit on this tarp,

Getting ready

put the frog on the tarp in the center circle and place a plastic cup over frog. At the signal, the plastic cup is removed and the frog is to run or hop to the outside circle. If the frog does not willingly race to the outer circle,

Jump frog!

the children may spray water on the frog to encourage frog jumping to the winner circle.

The frog is a winner!

There were several frog races Saturday. This is something we never saw before. You should attend a frog rodeo near you, or come to Empire, Colorado next year.

There is still more. Here humans are using hula-hoops.

Hula-hoop time!

This was a good day. The weather was nice and everybody seemed to have a good time. The bands were good, too. Be sure to visit festivals near you, or come to Colorado and enjoy festivals here.

June 21, 2014 by coloradotravelingducks

Skiing in June in Colorado

It has been hot in Denver, but skiers and snowboarders are enjoying this last weekend at Arapahoe Basin ski resort.

Ski in June

Arapahoe Basin, or A Basin ski resort is near the top of Loveland Pass.

A Basin is open this weekend for skiing and snowboarding. The resort will close on Sunday, so go there to enjoy the last runs of the season. I, Zeb the Duck, went with mom to see the skiers yesterday. They were having so much fun.

I liked the chair lift going to the top of the mountain.

Black Mountain Express to the top

The skiers and snowboarders were doing a good job and were having a lot of fun.

One more run

If you are hungry eat here.

Here for food and beverage

You can enjoy great food and watch the action on the slopes at 6th Alley Bar and Grill.

Great view from the deck

A Basin is Colorado’s last open ski area, so hurry to A Basin and enjoy one more run on the slopes.

Last weekend

The weather was warm and the blue sky was gorgeous.

June 14, 2014 by coloradotravelingducks

Flooding in Winter Park, Colorado

Zeb and Soapy Smith Duck spent a few days in Winter Park, Colorado. You might remember that last summer, Zeb, Soapy, and JB Duck and three generations of humans became a family.

Last year we hiked along the Fraser River. That is where our picture at the top of this page was taken. This year was different. Things had flooded. Winter Park is a ski and snowboard area. They had so much snow this winter. So much fun for skiing, snowboarding and all winter sports.

But, the snow melted and Colorado had a lot of rain. The road to our condo complex was closed,

Water still fast and high

part of it washed out by the flooding. We came in another way, but there was a lot of water damage.

This is the path we always took along the Fraser River. You can see part of the path has washed out.

Part of our path is gone

We could not walk on this part of the trail; the flood water was too fast.

We usually walk through here and stay dry

Here Zeb and Soapy are sitting on sand bags.

Our first sand bags. Very close to our condo

Those trees do not belong in the river, just near it.

We did have fun this year; so do visit Winter Park and Fraser. The water is receding, and all the summer activities will open today or in a few days. You will have a great vacation there, but do be careful near the water. It is high and fast now. Be safe in Winter Park and wherever you go.

Have fun but be careful!

We will go back this summer and we hope to see you there.

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