November 23, 2016 by coloradotravelingducks

Back to Nederland and The Carousel of Happiness

I, Zeb the Duck, went with mom and a friend to The Carousel of Happiness. I love this place. The Carousel of Happiness is in Nederland, Colorado.

Carousel of Happiness in Nederland Colorado

A couple years ago I told you about this and showed you photos, but it is so great, I want to do it again. It was a snowy day and the roads had more ice under the snow than we expected, but everything was fine and we had fun. Let’s go inside! Tickets to ride are only $1.

Donations are gratefully accepted

But donations are gratefully accepted. We love this carousel, so we donate. Entering the carousel area, we are greeted with a guest book.

Have you ever seen a moose on a carousel? Or a flying pink pig?

I am on the moose, near a pink flying pig.

Here they are. When Scott Harrison was a young US Marine in Viet Nam, he received a music box from a friend. Listening to the music, he visualized a carousel in the mountains. He moved to Nederland, Colorado, a small town in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. He learned how to carve, and look what he carved.

My first dolphin ride

I, Zeb the Duck, am riding a dolphin, next to a mermaid. Scott carved all of these animals. The main carousel animals, the small birds and other animals, the carvings decorating the carousel, and this room, all carved by Scott. The carousel came from Utah. Here I am on a lion.

Riding on a lion

Don’t you love the rooster with pearls? That giraffe has a snake riding on him. Puff the Magic Dragon is also here. The rides cost only $1 so all can ride. See this gorilla?

Gorilla, waiting for a friend

The chair next to him can be removed. Under the chair a ramp can be pulled out to allow wheelchairs on the carousel. Anyone in a wheelchair can sit and ride next to the gorilla. This carousel is suspended from the ceiling, it is not sitting on the floor. When the animals were placed on the carousel, weight and balance factors were important. Scott is still carving.

Scott keeps carving and we are happy!

These animals are just for fun. And I, Zeb the Duck, think they are all fun. While riding the carousel, we enjoy the music from a fully restored 1913 Wurlitzer Organ. This is the first kangaroo I have ever seen on a carousel.

Kangaroo and joey

And she has a baby, a joey, in her pouch. The kangaroo is holding the world in her front feet, and she is showing her home, Australia, to us. Every animal is my favorite.

Frog playing with a ball

A frog with a ball, a zebra and a cow are all together here. This Carousel of Happiness is fabulous, but there is more. John has been telling us about this carousel, and now he says we can see more. We go upstairs. On the stairs we are reminder of normal carousel horses.

Traditional carousel horse

I like the horse, but the other animals have my ducky heart. Wow!

Puppet stage

A puppet theater. And inside is a place for human kids to play.

Play area behind the puppet stage

Humans can reserve this area for kids parties. For more information visit http://www.CarouselOfHappiness.org And, visit Nederland and The Carousel of Happiness, take a ride and have a marvelous time.

November 21, 2016 by coloradotravelingducks

Touring Denver’s Hammond’s Candy Factory with Zeb the Duck

I, Zeb the Duck, took a tour of Hammond’s Candy factory with mom and her friend.

Hammond Candy of Denver, Colorado

Carl Hammond, Sr. worked as an apprentice in a Denver candy factory. When he was ready, in 1920, he founded Hammond’s Candy. His motto was “Nothing is More Important than Quality.” That may be why Hammond’s is still in business and was even profitable during The Great Depression. When we arrived, Ginnie showed us to the first room where we watched a video about the beginning and growth of Hammond’s Candy.

After video, we watch candy being made.

Next, Nina led our tour. First stop was watching the candy being cooked.

Cooking to 324 degrees F

Candy is cooked to 324 degrees F in copper kettles. One candy maker makes an entire batch of candy. First cooking the candy, then pulling the candy. The filling for candy canes is flavored.

Gray is filling for candy cane

The gray block is flavored filling for candy canes. The colors on the table are the outside of candy canes. Assistants help with cutting and filling candy canes, but the candy maker is the overseer of that batch of candy.

Cutting candy canes

Scissors, not knives, are used to cut the candy canes. The scissors finish the bottom of the candy cane better than a knife could. As this sign reminds us, Hammond’s Candy makes a lot of candy canes.

10 Million!!!

Christmas candy is made many months of the year and kept in climate controlled rooms to keep everything tasting fresh. Hammond’s Candy was owned by the Hammond family until 1999. The company was sold again in 2007 and is now owned by the Andrew Schuman family. Hammond’s now makes peanut brittle.

Peanut brittle

This factory sure smells good! Here are some Christmas tree lollipops being boxed for later distribution.

Christmas tree lollipops

Hammond’s Candy also makes chocolate candy.

Chocolate waterfall? Yum

But, they were not making chocolate candy the day we visited. This was a very nice and very informative tour. Hammond’s Candy is the oldest and largest producer of handmade hard candy in the country. All Hammond Candy is made at this factory, in Denver, Colorado. The candy is shipped all over the United States and into several foreign countries. At the end of the tour, we were offered a complimentary sample.

Pick one after tour

They all look so good, it is difficult to choose. Then we went into the retail store. We love caramel corn.

Love caramel corn

Look at all these candy canes.

Never have I seen so many candy canes

There are so many flavors. And the lollipops.

Lollipops

I love being a kid duck in a candy store. There was a display case of handmade fudge.

We sampled delicious fudge

We sampled chocolate mint swirl fudge. Yum! And the chocolate candy case.

So many choices

We wanted to take some of everything home. We did buy a lot, but we will share with the rest of the Colorado Traveling Duck family. Here are chocolate bars.

Huge variety of chocolate bars

There were crazy flavors. One had bacon and chips in chocolate. Probably tastes great, but we bought a couple different flavors. You know there will be much candy eating at our house for awhile. When you are in Denver, don’t forget to visit Hammond’s Candy and take the tour. You never know what they will be making when you visit, but it will be delicious. For more information visit http://www.HammondsCandies.com

November 18, 2016 by coloradotravelingducks

Arikaree Breaks in Kansas with Zeb the Duck

Here we are in Kansas.

Entering Kansas

This is the farmland we expect to see in Kansas, but today we are looking for something else. We are looking for the Arikaree Breaks. Driving on US Highway 36 into St. Francis, Kansas, we head north at the courthouse. The humans are following the self driving tour of the area. First stop is the G.A.R. Cemetery.

G A R Cemetery

The east half was to be for Grand Army of the Republic veterans and their families. These are veterans of the United States Civil War.

Civil War Veteran and his wife

The west half was for citizens and their families. No lots were to be sold; only a donation for the deed was taken. The intention was to provide an honorable burial to destitute veterans of the Civil War. This cemetery was established in 1889. Our map led us over 4 creeks, most of which were dry. Next stop was Horse Thief Cave.

Entrance to Horse Thief Cave

Along the side of the road, near the entrance to Horse Thief Cave was this mailbox.

A mailbox for Horse Thief Cave?

Why a mailbox? Who receives mail here? I, Zeb the Duck, have no idea. This is the back of the cave.

Where is the rest of the cave?

Wait a minute. What happened here? Our map tells us most of the cave has caved in, leaving only the entrance. When the cave was last used in 1878, there were 2 rooms back here. The outlaws used the front room as their living quarters. There was a large back chamber where the stolen horses were kept. Looking behind the cave, this is certainly not the flat Kansas farmland we expected.

Not flat Kansas landscape here

Driving further, we find the Lookout Point.

Arikaree Break

This is a canyon. It is beautiful in its own way. These Arikaree Breaks are 36 miles long and two to three miles wide. They are really great to see. Further along, we are reminded that this really is farm country. The cows are grazing in the breaks.

Cows in the breaks

They get in and out of the breaks on their own. Information from the nearby city of St. Francis tells us about this area. The Arikaree Breaks were formed by wind deposited sand, silt, and clay particles, called loess. After deposition, the loess has undergone spectacular processes of head cutting, and sidewall cutting the advancing tributaries of the Arikaree River and the South Fork of the Republican River. This all happened during the Holocene Age, a little less than 9,000 years ago. The humans tell me we will drive through a private farm, with permission from the farmer, to see 3 corners. I really don’t know what that means. But, along the way, I see two new friends watching me.

We are being watched

I love to see deer. We also saw a large flock of wild turkeys. They humans tell me 3 corners is where 3 of our states all meet. This is the sign explaining everything.

3 Corners. Meeting of Kansas, Nebraska, and Colorado.

We are in Kansas, Nebraska is directly north and Colorado is on the east. Here I am where these three states meet.

Marking the exact meeting of three states

This is a great marker and I, Zeb the Duck, am glad to be here. I wanted to sit on the fence post to gaze over these three states.

Observing 3 states. Getting flatter in all directions.

You can see that the land is getting flatter, the typical land of Western Kansas, Western Nebraska and Eastern Colorado. We are heading back to Colorado now.

Heading back home

It is always good to go home. On the drive back, we reflect on the Kansas landscape we saw.

We really did see this in NW Kansas. Badlands?

This looks more like the Badlands of North and South Dakota, but it is the Arikaree Breaks in Northwest Kansas. We hope you drive around your area and see some surprising features also.

November 16, 2016 by coloradotravelingducks

Zeb the Duck Travels Across Eastern Colorado

You all know about Colorado and the magnificent Rocky Mountains. We have visited Denver, our capital, mountain towns for festivals, ski resorts, and our National Parks. Today we are driving to Kansas. Eastern Colorado is drier, flatter and less populated. Eastern Colorado has farms and small towns and settlements. Exiting I-70 east of Denver, we enter the town of Byers.

Byers, Colorado

My friend, Tom, is holding me. This restaurant looks inviting, but we are not hungry yet.

Inviting restaurant, but humans not hungry yet.

The Denver Broncos football team is loved all over the state of Colorado. The Golden Spike Lounge in Byers also supports the Broncos.

Golden Spike Lounge supports the Denver Broncos

This prairie dog is the first wild animal we encountered.

Prairie dog

Isn’t he so cute? Mom just loves these prairie dogs. She admits that if they were in our yard she may not like them so much. Leaving Byers, we drive east on US Highway 36 and stop to watch this herd of buffalo.

Herd of buffalo near Highway 36

That is a lot of buffalo. Next sight that stops us is the High Plains Raceway.

High Plains Raceway

We go inside the area and watch the cars driving and racing around the track. This is not a regular race. It seems that the cars are driving, perhaps testing some modifications on the engines, or just pushing the cars to the limit. This is one of the cars.

Race car

My new favorite number is 73. We appreciate a good race car. Here comes another car, racing around the track and speeding right past me, Zeb the Duck.

Racing past me

They are really driving fast. This seems like the rich boys toys. We love this trailer.

Wannabe Ranch trailer

They like Horses and Porsches. And we loved visiting High Plains Raceway. Continuing east, we see this outside corn storage area.

A lot of corn

Looks like there was a good corn crop this year. I, Zeb the Duck, wanted to be sure it really was corn.

It is tasty corn

It is corn, and I am sampling some. Ducks can often eat raw, whole grains. Here is another small town. I am ready to go inside The Grainery Bar and Grill, but the humans do not want to eat yet.

The Grainery Bar and Grill with Zeb on the door handle.

Hey humans, where are we? I guess we are in Idalia, Colorado.

Idalia, Colorado

But, where is Idalia?

152 miles east of Denver

We are 152 miles east of Denver. I like Eastern Colorado, but it is very different from the Colorado I usually see. OK, now we are leaving Colorado and entering Kansas.

Entering Kansas with Tom and mom

Kansas seems very flat and mostly farms. But, next time we will show what we found in Kansas. Not every where is so flat. We hope you will read our next post about Kansas.

November 14, 2016 by coloradotravelingducks

Mineral, Fossil, Gem and Jewelry Show with Colorado Traveling Ducks 2016

I, Zeb the Duck, eagerly entered the car. Mom mentioned the mineral show. I love these shows.

Mineral, Fossil, Gem, and Jewelry Show in Denver, Colorado

Exhibits and booths are in several places in Denver, but we headed to the Denver Coliseum today. Outside I almost flew to this large Rose Quartz.

Rose Quartz with Zeb

Oh, here is another place to sit and view the area.

Amethyst and Citrine Geodes

Resting on large amethyst and citrine geodes is fun for me. This is something new to us. The sign says these are 7 color jade vases.

7 Color Jade Vases

We learned that these vases consist of actinolite (jade) and serpentine, a multi-mineral stone with shades of red, green, yellow, blue, brown, black and white. A block of the stone is cut, hand carved, polished, glazed and heated to make these items. For more information visit http://www.consiliodecor.com I enjoy sitting on this table with hematite.

Zeb with hematite

Now we are going inside the Denver Coliseum, but we will look at more outside displays later. Inside we admire these salt lamps.

Himalayan Salt Lamps

The Himalayan salt products are fun and useful. For more information visit http://www.fantasiamining.com Mom, is this a good idea?

Zeb on alligator head

I seem to be sitting on an alligator skull. There are snake skeletons and other things here also. This is a fossil of an ancient bison from Kansas.

Fossil of ancient bison from Kansas

This exhibit is provided by Hager’s Fossils. They also brought this foot.

Foot of Mammoth–really big!

I am sitting next to a mammoth foot and this one foot is so much larger than me, a small rubber duck. And more.

Tusks of Alaskan female mammoth

We are seeing a matched set of mammoth tusks. These are from a female mammoth, found in our northern state of Alaska. We talked to Lisa Hager at our Denver show, this year. She told us so much about the fossils, and she liked me, Zeb the Duck. For more information on these fossils, visit http://www.hagarsfossilsminerals.com I love seeing all these fossils, but sometimes these ancient items make me a little nervous. I don’t want to break anything, so mom takes me back outside. These fossilized tables are so unusual.

Table with fossils

I especially like this one with pink. These nearby, huge rocks have been carved.

Carvings

Love the dolphins. The iguana makes me smile. Yes, ducks can smile. Blue is a pretty color, so we like this display of the stone, lapis.

Carved Lapis

As we were leaving, I just had to sit among these carved items from Uruguay Amethyst.

Carvings from Uruguay Amethyst

We did purchase and bring home some small carvings, also. I, Zeb the Duck, love purchasing souvenirs of our visits. Ducks love day outings around Denver. There are always exhibits of something and they are so interesting. I hope you visit exhibits and small shows wherever you live. They are fun to see.

November 11, 2016 by coloradotravelingducks

Happy Veteran’s Day 2016

Today, and every day, we thank those brave men and women that have served, and those currently serving, the United States of America. Today, November 11 is the official holiday to honor all our veterans. Please call and thank a veteran today. Perhaps take a veteran for coffee or a meal. Visit a hospitalized veteran. We, the Colorado Traveling Ducks and our humans, pause to reflect on how much we owe our veterans.

Happy Veteran’s Day

Thank you veterans.

November 9, 2016 by coloradotravelingducks

Washed Ashore Has Art to Save the Sea

I, Zeb the Duck, and Soapy Smith Duck, visited the Denver Zoo. Washed Ashore, a non profit organization, has displayed 15 works of art at our zoo. These works of art are all completely made from garbage collected from beaches. Washed Ashore’s mission is the use the arts to educate a global audience about plastic pollution in oceans and waterways and to spark positive changes in consumer habits. This is Lidia The Seal.

Lidia the Seal

Lidia is one of 15 works on display. Meet Rufus the Triggerfish.

Rufus the Triggerfish

There are 40 species of triggerfish swimming in oceans throughout the world. This “American Star” was created from red, white and blue to bring attention to plastics used in Independence Day celebrations (July 4) in the United States.

The “American Sea Star”

Nora the Salmon is big.

Nora the Salmon

We like this turtle, also.

Tortoise

One of the favorites is See More the Sea Lion Pup.

See More the Sea Lion Pup

Sea Lions are curious and often get tangled in trash. Chompers the Shark reminds us that sharks try to eat most of what they encounter.

Chompers the Shark

Scientists say that tiger sharks have been found with tires, license plates and plastic debris in their stomachs. Humans, stop feeding your trash to animals! Gertrude the Penguin sits in front of the Denver Zoo’s Bird World.

Gertrude the Penguin

Gertrude even had an older model cell phone on her beak. Natasha the Turtle, made of garbage, is laying on a pile of garbage.

Natasha the Turtle

Sea turtle have been swimming through the world’s oceans for 100 million years. A large threat to sea turtles is plastic bags. Plastic bags often are mistaken for jellyfish and are eaten by turtles. Each sculpture lists some of the trash used. We saw chairs, coolers, sport balls, umbrella handles, flip flop shoes, toys and much more. Plastic water bottles, plastic lids and plastic bags were so common. Humans, try to do better. And, if you are on the beach and see trash, pick it up and put it in trash containers. Flash the Marlin is the last work of art from garbage that we will show you today.

Flash the Marlin

Marlin even has toothbrushes, beer cans and a toilet seat. There are more sculptures at the zoo and we hope you go to see them. They are interesting and great to see, but remember where all these building materials were found. Washed Ashore has 54 works of art that travel around the country to teach ducks and humans to be careful. For more information visit http://www.WashedAshore.org This display will be at the Denver Zoo until January 16, 2017. We hope you go to the Denver Zoo to see the animals and the Washed Ashore exhibits.

November 8, 2016 by coloradotravelingducks

United States Election Day 2016

Today, Tuesday, November 8, 2016 is election day in the United States. Today U. S. citizens are encouraged to vote in the 58th Presidential election in the United States. We will be electing the 45th President of the United States of America. The US Constitution says the election day is the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. That means that years like this one, with November 1 on Tuesday, the election is the second Tuesday in November. The new president will be sworn in on January 20, 2017, Inauguration Day. We, the Colorado Traveling Ducks, will not talk about the candidates. The whole world has heard so much about these candidates already. We want to encourage all US citizens to vote. Many have already voted early, but if you have not, please go to the polls to vote your preference.

November 6, 2016 by coloradotravelingducks

It is Back. The Colorado Traveling Ducks found the Lost Hour

Today is longer than yesterday. Today, November 6, 2016 has 25 hours. That extra hour of sleep was so nice. Remember in March, Daylight Savings Time started and we lost an hour during the night. Now, Daylight Savings Time has ended and at 2:00 a.m. today, the clocks were turned back an hour. More sleep for the Colorado Traveling Ducks.

Set clocks back one hour at 2:00 a.m. today.

Now it will be light earlier in the morning. That is nice for people that get up and drive to work in the morning. And, especially nice for the human students. They will not be going to school in the dark tomorrow. But mom reminds us the sun will set about 5:00 p.m. tonight. It takes a couple days to adjust to the time change, but we do adjust. This means winter really is coming soon. If you live in the United States, don’t forget to change your clocks. I am not sure what other countries have Daylight Savings Time.

November 5, 2016 by coloradotravelingducks

Zeb and Soapy Love Utah’s Flaming Gorge Dam

Zeb and Soapy Smith Duck are enjoying northeast Utah. Today mom is driving to Flaming Gorge Recreational Area.

Approaching Flaming Gorge Recreational Area. We will cross that bridge soon.

Before we cross that beautiful metal bridge, we must gaze at the Green River.

Beautiful Green River

Naturally, our first stop is the Visitor’s Center.

Visitor’s Center with Frances Turbine Wheel

What are we sitting on here? This sign explains it very well.

We sat on this turbine. It was really used for 42 years

This is exciting. Our resting place was really used here for 42 years. The reservoir is used for many types of recreation for humans.

Recreational area in reservoir

On the right is a fishing pier. On the left, a boat dock. And, straight ahead is Osprey Island. Many Osprey birds live on the island. They build nests from sticks and the nests may be used for decades. Each year a little is added to the nest, and many nests have a circumference exceeding 5 feet. The Osprey is a large bird, with a wingspan often reaching six feet. The Osprey hunts by flying over the reservoir looking for fish just below the surface. When it spots a fish, the Osprey pulls into a brief stall, flaps its wings a few times and plummets–feet first–into the water, often disappearing below the surface. If the dive is successful, the Osprey emerges with a wriggling trout or salmon ensnared in its long curving talons. While boats are plentiful on the reservoir, they must be careful not to get too close to the dam.

Boaters should not get too close to dam

This is the dam.

We can drive over the dam

We drive over the dam and head to the river. If you want to launch your boat in the river, you drive to the river, but must park up here.

Park up here, but launch boats down there by river

The river is way down there. If you drive to the river with your boat, after launching, you must take vehicle back up to the top for parking.

Looking up canyon wall to parking area

Humans usually will drive but then must use the Foot Trail between the vehicle and the river.

Foot Trail between river and parking

Down by the river, we had a great view of the dam. The dam is 455 feet, or 140 meters above the river channel. The cement extends below the river bottom for another 47 feet, or 14 meters, where it is anchored in bedrock. One million cubic yards, 765,000 cubic meters, of concrete was used to build the dam and power plant. We admired the boats on the river and watched the fisherman standing in the river.

Boats and fisherman in river

This is a beautiful place and humans are having fun. It is time for us to leave now, but one last glimpse of the Green River as we leave Utah’s Flaming Gorge Recreational Area.

Leaving Flaming Gorge Recreational Area.

This is another place we would be happy to visit again.

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