October 6, 2014 by coloradotravelingducks

Central City for Lunch

I, Zeb the Duck, love to go out to lunch. I went back to Central City, Colorado with Soapy Smith Duck, Soapy’s dog Steve, and our moms. Look at this train engine.

Train engine in Central City

It was built in 1896 and ran between Golden, Colorado and Central City. The tracks were along Clear Creek, near highway 6 today. The last run was April 10, 1941. Central City, Colorado now owns this engine.

Near the train engine is the Reserve Hotel and Casino.

Historic building hosting Reserve Hotel and Casino

When gambling was legalized in Central City, the casinos could not build new buildings or change the outside of any existing structure. The casinos are in these great old historic buildings. Here, at the Reserve, we ate lunch. The casino includes the Guitar Bar.

65 foot Guitar Bar

The web site says this is largest themed guitar bar in Colorado, maybe everywhere? The 65 foot long bar is shaped like a guitar, has 14 slot machines and autographed guitars. Also there are big screen TVs and a state of the art sound system. Keeping with the theme, we saw this picture of Jimi Hendrix.

Jimi

We did not sit at the bar, but our moms did try, or should we say, donate, to this slot machine.

Slot machine at Reserve Casino

It was fun, but not profitable. We enjoyed the buffet at the Reserve Casino’s Chef’s Kitchen. There was so much food, but we did have to try these desserts.

We like pie

The pies look so good (and they were), but look at this chocolate fountain.

Chocolate fountain with marshmallows, strawberries and more

Chocolate fountain with marshmallows, strawberries, pineapple and more

Humans and ducks love chocolate fountains. As we left the casino, we learned that they would miss us.

We will come back

We will miss them also and we will come back soon.

Next was Central City’s Coeur d’Alene Mine Shaft House.

Tours available in summer. Closed now.

Remember Central City was a mining town. They have tours here in the summer, but not now. Steve was happy to explore the area.

Steve loves to explore but stays with the humans

Here we are with Steve. She is expecting a treat from Soapy’s mom. Steve is a good girl, so she did get a treat.

We watch Steve anticipate a treat

We like Central City and know you would like it also. You can enjoy the scenery, hike, gamble, shop or eat. Central City is great.

October 4, 2014 by coloradotravelingducks

Making Snow in Colorado

I, Zeb the Duck, and Soapy Smith Duck, went to Arapahoe Basin (A-Basin) ski resort today.

Back o Arapahoe Basin Ski resort

We were here June 20 for the last weekend of skiing for last season. Today they have the snow guns going. A-Basin is making snow now in preparation for the opening of another ski season. Last year A-Basin was the first ski resort to open in North America. A-Basin was established in 1946 and is really high. The base or bottom of the ski runs is 10,780 feet above sea level. The top of the ski run is 13,050 feet. That’s more than 2 miles high! Usually about 2 weeks of snowmaking is needed to make the 18-inch base necessary to open the resort.

This is a working snow gun.

Snow gun at work

Making snow that is similar to natural snow and good for skiing is happening now. The area has received up to 7 inches of natural snow this week and the temperatures are cold enough to make snow. It was 36 degrees this morning when we visited. This photo shows snow guns.

Snow guns making snow today

These are not skiers. Soapy and I sat in natural snow on these tables.

They had some natural snow also and it is cold

We do not know how to ski or snowboard, so we would need to rent equipment and take lessons here.

Everything the beginner needs

Another ski resort, Copper Mountain, is also making snow. When we arrived this afternoon, the guns were off. Snow is usually made at night when it is colder. This is a photo of Dillon Reservoir, between the two ski resorts.

Beginning to look like winter

The snow on the mountains was not there a couple weeks ago.

Then we went to Loveland Basin ski resort.

We have a lot of ski resorts

The snow guns had been working when we passed the resort this morning, but were off in the afternoon. This shows some man made snow on the lower part of the ski runs and natural snow at the top. These ski lifts are ready for ski season.

Getting ready to ski at Loveland Basin

October 3, 2014 by coloradotravelingducks

Red Aspen

Autumn in the Rockies means gold aspen leaves.

Golden aspen along the road

I, Zeb the Duck, and Soapy Smith Duck saw these red aspen trees this week.

Combination of red, gold, green and evergreen trees

We don’t usually see so many red leaves, so we were so excited. Mom took these photos but she did not put us in the trees.

Colors of fall with mountains behind

Thanks mom. We don’t like to be in trees, just to look at them.

Red aspen

We hope you see the fall colors. Don’t wait too long.

We loved this fence by the aspen trees

If you are in Colorado you will love our aspen, evergreens, oak bushes and others.

More red aspen

If you get a day with the bright blue Colorado sky and some mountains in the background, it will be perfect.

A mix of Colorado fall colors

We had some clouds for these photos, but we still love them. We were on Highway 119 not far from Black Hawk going to Nederland, Colorado. Some areas of our Rockies have a new dusting of snow. We hope you enjoy this season. We do!

October 1, 2014 by coloradotravelingducks

Julia Blackbird’s New Mexican Cafe

I, Zeb the Duck, love to go out for lunch. I went to Julia Blackbird’s in Denver.

Julia Blackbird’s New Mexican Cafe for lunch

We met two of mom’s friends and my friend, Channel. Remember Chanel, the cute little bear. I met her in Cuba last winter. She ate at the restaurant with us.

Julia Blackbird’s is set back from the street. This patio is so nice. Channel and I, Zeb the Duck, are at a table on the right.

Nice patio

There is a small bar out here also. Perfect for a summer evening. If you are finished eating and wish to relax with a margarita, this looks like the spot.

Zeb and Channel waiting for an after meal drink

Entering the café this lobby is decorated with items from New Mexico.

Nice lobby

We entered the restaurant and chose a table near another fireplace.

We liked the decorations

It was a warm day so there were no fires burning, as we admired the decorations. Julia told us about trips to New Mexico purchasing the decorations. Yes, the Julia that owns this café. I like it when we talk to the owners because that indicates they really care about customers. Julia has owned and managed Julia Blackbird’s New Mexican Café for 15 years.

The bar looks very cheerful,

Bar for humans

but Channel and I did not order a margarita. Near the entrance to the café, we watched this lady cook our food.

Our food was freshly cooked right here as we watched

Very fresh! Here is our food. It looks great. Two ladies ordered Tres Hermanas, which were 3 blue corn enchiladas: One chicken with green chili, 1 beef with red chili, one cheese with chili Caribe with beans, posole and a warm tortilla. One lady ordered tacos that were 2 flash fried blue corn tortillas with beef and topped with lettuce, pico and queso.

Looks and tastes fabulous

Two ladies drank peach flavored ice tea and one had a diet coke.

We liked Julia and her Julia Blackbird’s New Mexican Café. We think you will enjoy your meal there also. The café is located at 3434 W 32^nd Avenue in Denver, Colorado.

September 29, 2014 by coloradotravelingducks

Denver’s Oktoberfest

I, Zeb the Duck, Soapy Smith Duck, our moms and Soapy’s dog Stevie went to Denver’s Oktoberfest.

Welcome to Denver Oktoberfest

A really great festival! We watched the keg bowling.

We like keg bowling

This man pushes the keg with wheels down the road trying to knock down the empty kegs at the end. He did pretty well, too. Look at these great signs put up especially for this festival.

New signs for Oktoberfest.

Now we can find things. There were a lot of people here and everybody seemed to enjoy this accordion music.

Accordions have a different sound–we like them

After 2 weekends of festivities, Sunday was the last day of Denver’s Oktoberfest. And the day featured the German wiener dogs. There was the Long Dog Derby. This is a wiener dog race. The dogs were divided into categories based on age and also a category for those with disabilities, such a cart for legs. One owner holds the dog at the starting gate.

Getting ready

Then the countdown and the dogs begin to race.

Well, some of them race

This guy is running to the finish line,

Adorable

but watching the crowd also. Another human is at the finish line urging the dogs to run faster and reach the finish line quickly.

Finish fast

Many of the dogs wore costumes. Here are just a few of the many adorable dogs we saw. Click on any photo to enlarge it.

In bikinis. Let’s go to the beach

Lounging at the information booth

Dressed to go out for the day

Patriotic dog with cart

So cute

His hat slid. Fantastic dog

Cute girl

Proud with his green hat

The winner of the costume contest

This dog, with a jockey on his back, won the costume contest. This guy was just too tired to walk further.

How about a ride

They do have short legs.

We saw, and smelled, wonderful food. There were trays of strudel, hundreds of brats, hot dogs, schnitzel, and those wonderful large soft German pretzels. Look at this pizza and those huge pieces of Rice Krispie candy.

We are hungry

This food is ready to eat! Our moms took us to the Ginn Mill.

We like the Ginn Mill

We could take our street food inside, order drinks and eat inside. We went to their covered patio to enjoy food and drink.

Great patio

And, they let Soapy’s dog Stevie come in with us. She ate some of our food and had her own bowl of cold water. This was a great day for us. Don’t wait too long to attend a festival near you.

Refreshments anyone?

Summer is over and soon we may see snow and cold weather. We enjoy being outside when we can and hope you do too.

September 27, 2014 by coloradotravelingducks

Redstone, Colorado

Western Colorado is beautiful. Mom, Soapy Smith Duck and I, Zeb the Duck, drove to Redstone, Colorado. Redstone is on the Crystal River. Yesterday we showed you the coke ovens and today we will show you the town.

The Ruby of the Rockies

We went into town and had to stop at the Redstone Art Gallery.

The art gallery looks so inviting

Look at these items of wood.

Natural Top Tamarish Burl with turquoise by Richard Fitzgerald

This is Natural Top Tamarisk Burl with some turquoise. Richard Fitzgerald created them. We love wood. This oil painting, Fall River Refuge, was my favorite.

Fall River Refuge by Cecy Turner

Cecy Turner painted this one.

Redstone is a great town for tourists and residents. We saw hotels and this house was available.

Can we mom??

The back yard reaches to the Crystal River. What a great place to live. Then we saw the company store.

The Company Store in Redstone, Colorado

This store looks more like a large home.

This looks like a friendly place. Come on in

We like Redstone. Walking through town, the windows in the Church at Redstone sure got our attention.

Great windows in the Church at Redstone

White Stallion, by Vicki Branson, is sculpted from beautiful Colorado marble.

White Stallion of Colorado marble by Vicki Branson

This marble is from the nearby Yule Marble mine in Marble, Colorado.

Redstone, Colorado is a little south of Glenwood Springs, in the once isolated Crystal Valley, on the Crystal River. The mountains are spectacular. This road through town is leaving the area of the art gallery, hotels and company store.

Isn’t this a pretty town?

We think you would like Redstone. We did and we want to return soon. For more information on the Redstone Art Gallery visit www.redstoneart.com

September 26, 2014 by coloradotravelingducks

Coke Ovens in Redstone, Colorado

Soapy Smith Duck and I, Zeb the Duck, saw beehive coke ovens at Redstone, Colorado.

Redstone, Colorado. The Ruby of the Rockies

Coal of premium quality was mined in the mountains at an elevation of 10,000 feet and higher.

Coal was baked in these coke ovens to produce coke, a more efficient fuel.

Coke ovens at Redstone, Colorado

These coke ovens, a few miles from Aspen, Colorado, were built about 1899 and used for 10 years, until the mines closed. At their peak, the 200 ovens were producing almost 6 million tons a year.

The idle coke ovens donated their support steel during the scrap metal drives of World War II. According to Wikipedia, later hippies who moved into Redstone used the ovens as living space.

Used as hippie housing? We know how Redstone got its name.

By the coke ovens we saw this monument. The first paragraph reads: This monument stands in tribute to the miners of Coal Basin, who confronted adversity and proved themselves resourceful, innovative and intrepid. We honor their achievements and their sacrifices, remembering in particular those brave, good men whose lives were lost in the mines.

Monument to the miners. A tribute from Mid-Continent Resources, Inc.

The plaque explains Colorado Fuel and Iron Company mined approximately 1 million tons of coal from 1900-1909. Then Mid-Continent Resources, Inc. mined approximately 28 million tons of coal between 1956 and 1991. The premium quality and unique properties of the coal were the inducement to mining under difficult conditions, including the high elevation, steep terrain, heavy snows and avalanching on the surface. The monument consists of mine roof support shields designed to withstand the massive overburden pressures and mine fan pedestals. This monument was placed here with gratitude and respect by the Mid-Continent Companies.

Coal mining in these mountains

I, Zeb the Duck, did not know about coal in Redstone and I did not know about coke ovens. Perhaps you would enjoy visiting this area also and learn more about the coal mining in Redstone.

September 24, 2014 by coloradotravelingducks

A Glimpse of Vail

I, Zeb the Duck, and Soapy Smith Duck went to Vail. This fantastic ski resort is about 100 miles west of Denver on I-70. We go there for festivals and sometimes just for lunch. We want to show you a few things that make Vail a great destination. You will find great shopping, including this nice jewelry store.

Our moms love jewelry stores

There are many statues in Vail. We love these bears.

Happy bears. Safe for tourists

This bear with a fish is also nice.

Successful fishing trip

Of course, the Rocky Mountains require a statue of a moose.

Moose certainly are big

The flowers are beautiful in Vail.

Flower carts are so cheerful

The higher altitude and many daily hours of sunshine enhance the vivid colors. These skiers seem to be having fun.

Skiing fun

The ram is nice also.

We look good on the ram’s head

Many of Vail’s streets are pedestrian only, so these Pedi cabs are very convenient.

Great taxis

This statue is unique and we like it.

Look at this sculpture

This area is for kids to play ball.

Soccer anyone

A very nice addition to the town. Another way to get around town is the free downtown buses.

Free bus

You will want to visit both Vail Village and Lionshead. After so much walking and shopping, it may be time for a drink and light snack. Yeti’s Grind looks like just the spot to visit.

Have a snack and enjoy the view

September 22, 2014 by coloradotravelingducks

Celtic Harvest Festival in Edgewater, Colorado

Soapy Smith Duck and I, Zeb the Duck, went to a Celtic Festival.

A Celtic Harvest Festival

Many of the Celtic clans had booths at this festival.

Many clans have their own booths

There was so much information! This booth showed weapons used many years ago.

Old weapons

There are rifles, knives and amour. Humans could learn and practice sword fighting. These people demonstrated how to correctly sword fight.

This is how it is done

These humans are practicing.

Takes a lot of practice

One stage had a sailor dance accompanied by a bagpipe.

Sailor dancing to bagpipe music

We felt so Celtic! The puppet show was fun.

A puppet show!

We like Celtic festivals. Soon another group of bagpipe players and dancers were ready to perform.

Dancing around swords before battle

The entertainers are very good. Walking around the festival grounds,

Mom said we cannot buy everything

we admired the merchandise for sale.

Then we found this American Bald Eagle and a barn owl from HawkQuest Raptor group.

An American Bald Eagle–so close to us

These raptors, or birds of prey, are beautiful birds and fabulous hunters. We were fortunate to see them so close. Zeb and Soapy were fortunate not to be prey for the raptors.

We hope you visit a Celtic Festival near you. The bagpipes have a distinctive sound and the dancers are so agile and energetic. There was also a kid’s corner with inflatable entertainment. And, mom had another funnel cake. We hope to see you at a Celtic festival in the future.

Dancers can jump and kick

September 20, 2014 by coloradotravelingducks

Hiking in Roxborough State Park

I, Zeb the Duck, went hiking with Soapy Smith Duck and mom. Roxborough State Park is 25 miles south of Denver and we loved it!

Here we are at Roxborough State Park

Mom picked a trail and we started down the path.

Heading down the trail

Then we saw this sign warning us about poison ivy.

Poison Ivy?? Be careful!!

Be careful mom. We don’t want to spend a few days itching. We looked back at the Visitor’s Center.

Last view of the Visitor’s Center

Great view of rock formations don’t you think? Our trail led us through a wooded area with many wild flowers. Of course we ducks think yellow flowers are the best color.

Peaceful with yellow flowers

An employee told us the wild flowers lasted longer this season because we had more rain this year. They are so pretty—we saw yellow, white, blue and purple flowers. At a break in the trees these rock formations came into view.

Beautiful rock formations

WOW!! Roxborough State Park also has lighter colored rock formations.

Lighter rock formations add contrast to the park

We could not pick a favorite. The trail had this bridge to cross the creek.

We like bridges

When we were driving away from the trails, this male was watching us.

We were being watched

This lady has a young deer by her side.

Mom is protecting her young.

We all loved Roxborough State Park and we will be back for more hiking while admiring the beautiful scenery. We would like to meet you on a trail here.

We will be looking for you

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