Carousel of Happiness

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Eldora and Nederland, Colorado with Zeb and Chanel

I, Zeb the Duck, and my friend, Chanel the Bear, took three humans to the mountains today.   Chanel and I had a plan.   It was cold in the morning and driving through Coal Creek Canyon we loved these frosted trees.

Trees frosted on drive to Nederland, Colorado

Isn’t it beautiful?   Just like a post card.   Shortly before our destination of Nederland, we turned and found the small town of Eldora.

Eldora. Glimpse of the past

And we mean small.   Look at that population.  Only 170 full time residents.   Here is the Gold Miner Hotel.

Gold Miner Hotel in Eldora

We think it would be fun to spend a night here and explore this town.  Look at that bright blue Colorado sky.  We would wander along the river, look for moose, and appreciate the scenery.   Maybe in the summer, said our moms.

Building, probably private residence across from hotel in Eldora

Across the street from the hotel you can see that the old buildings are well maintained and still used.   We love that.  The road is parallel to the river, as usually happens.   The river is frozen with a light cover of snow.

Frozen river in Eldora

So peaceful and quiet here today.   While we were driving, we were watching for moose.   We have seen them here before.   However, no moose for us today.

Coyote in Eldora

But this coyote was fun to see.   Coyotes and humans don’t always get along in town, but here, in the mountains, we loved seeing this one wandering along.   Driving further, we arrived in Nederland, just in time for lunch.

Lunch at Pioneer Inn in Nederland

Nederland has several restaurants, but we returned to Pioneer Inn, a favorite.

Our food looked and tasted delicious

We ordered three sandwiches; all were delicious and the portions were very generous.   Yum!   After eating, we wandered into another dining room, usually just needed in the evening.

We love fireplaces

We love fireplaces.  Especially in rustic mountain restaurants.   Maybe some evening?  Next stop was a great “rock shop”.

Geodes, Crystals and Fossils here. Fascinating store

The geodes, crystals, fossils and jewelry were beautiful.   But none of the humans were shopping today, just looking.   Next stop, the Carousel of Happiness.

Carousel of Happiness in Nederland

This is the stop Chanel and I planned.  We love this carousel.   Here we are.

Zeb and Channel riding ostrich

Riding an ostrich is great.   Remember that we have been here before.   There was a young Marine, Scott, that served in VietNam, received a music box from his sister.   While the war was around him, the music box inspired him to create a Carousel of Happiness when he returned to the US.   Scott choose the mountains near Nederland, Colorado as his home and also the home for his Carousel of Happiness.   Scott learned to carve, purchased the necessary parts, and what you see here today, is the result.   Scott had carved all the animals here.   Now look at this one.

Zeb and Chanel on Kangaroo

Zeb and Chanel are riding a kangaroo.   This is not a normal carousel animal.   This kangaroo has her baby, her joey, and is holding a globe of our world.   If you look carefully, you will see that the globe is showing Australia, the home of the kangaroo.   This place is so much fun.   And the Carousel of Happiness is for everyone.   The price of a ride is only $1.00.   Now that is a bargain.   And Scott is still carving.   Here we are, on a tiger.

Perching on a tiger. Not even on the carousel

And this tiger is not even on the carousel.   There are great carvings all over this building.   Whenever we go to Nederland, we always stop for a ride on the Carousel of Happiness.   We hope you will also.   We love this place.

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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

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

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.

Sign in

Sign in

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

I am on the moose, near a pink flying 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

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

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

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!

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

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

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

Traditional carousel horse

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

Puppet stage

Puppet stage

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

Play area behind the puppet stage

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.

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Carousel of Happiness in Nederland, Colorado

Last Friday Zeb and Eider Duck and two humans went to Nederland, Colorado.  We wanted to see where the Frozen Dead Guy Days events would occur and look around this quaint mountain town.

There is a Carousel of Happiness in Nederland and we want to tell you about it.

Carousel of Happiness in Nederland Colorado

Carousel of Happiness in Nederland Colorado

This carousel is open year round.  The enclosed pavilion contains the carousel, a fully restored 1913 Wurlitzer Band Organ, a puppet theater and a gift shop.

There are a variety of animals on the Carousel of Happiness.

Riding on a peacock

Riding on a peacock

All 58 of these animals were hand carved by Scott Harrison.  Zeb and Eider rode on several.

Riding on an ostrich in Colorado

Riding on an ostrich in Colorado

The carousel is a restored 1910 Looff carousel.

We can sit anywhere

We can sit anywhere

There are also paintings of animals on the walls.

Painted pandas on the walls

Painted pandas on the walls

You have to see this!

When Scott Harrison was a Marine serving in Viet Nam, he envisioned building a carousel in the mountains.

Zeb and Eider with a new friend

Zeb and Eider with a new friend

And he really did it!!  He is still carving and each new addition is wonderful.  This is one of the recent additions to the pavilion.

Polar bear and others on wall

Polar bear and others on and through wall

We don’t know what will be next.

We talked to a nice man named John that explained everything to us and then started the carousel so we could ride.

Riding on a bear followed by a zebra

Riding on a bear followed by a zebra and dog

The rides cost just $1 per person.  If you can, give them a little extra to help meet expenses.

The Carousel of Happiness is a 501 © (3) non-profit organization dedicated to spreading joy to those who visit the carousel.  Profits go to charities that benefit children and people with special needs.  For more information and more photos visit www.carouselofhappiness.org  This place is fantastic and fun!

Carousel of Happiness serves smiles

Carousel of Happiness serves smiles

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Nederland, Colorado with Zeb

Zeb visits a mountain town

 Quaint and quirky describe Nederland.  Now adored by tourists, humans and ducks, Nederland was just a tiny mountain mining town; then in the ‘60s it became popular with the hippies.  Now Nederland is a popular mountain town near Boulder, Colorado.

We visited the Nederland Visitors Center, located across from the Blue Moon Bakery, one of my favorite stops.  We didn’t enter the souvenir shops today, but we have other times.  I like the shops.  We entered the pedestrian bridge,

View of river from bridge

View of river from bridge

crossed the river and continued to the Carousel of Happiness.

Entrance to Carousel of Happiness

Entrance to Carousel of Happiness

It was a lot of work restoring the antique carousel.  All the animals were hand-carved by Nederland resident Scott Harrison.

A rabbit on carousel sign

A rabbit on carousel sign

Everyone has fun here.  Ducks, too.

We had mini donuts at Buffalo Bill’s Coffee and Confections.

Up ramp to train car and a snack

Up ramp to train car and a snack

This snack shop is in train cars that have been adapted for customers.  My first time in a train car.  Other train cars are also used.  The donuts were very tasty.  We had the ones with cinnamon and sugar.  Yum!!  Is all food from train cars this good?  While eating we chatted with a few people.  Everyone seemed happy.  Definitely not a complaining group.  We enjoyed the stop.

Other side of Buffalo Bill's Coffee and Confections

Other side of Buffalo Bill’s Coffee and Confections

When we left it was raining.  With a longing look at the Alpaca store, we headed back to our car.  I love the rain, but mom prefers dry days to wander around towns.  Back through the pedestrian bridge, which really is a covered bridge over the creek.

Covered bridge over Boulder Creek in Nederland

Covered bridge over Boulder Creek in Nederland

Nederland has several festivals, including High Peaks Arts Festival the last weekend of June, Miner’s Days the third weekend of July, Nedfest Music & Art Festival the last weekend of August and Holiday Mountain Market the first weekend of December.  But the most famous is Frozen Dead Guy Days the second weekend of March.  I’m looking forward to this one, but only with mom’s protection.  I don’t want to be frozen or dead.  You will enjoy the many activities and festivals of Nederland.

I like Nederland and you will too.  It is in a beautiful location in the Rocky Mountains, has shops, a variety of restaurants, even a few featuring food from the Himalayas and outdoor activities for all seasons.

We visited Nederland last week, before the flooding arrived in the area.  We went on a road trip this week, so I will tell you about it on Monday.  Nederland is a wonderful town and you will enjoy your time here.  Please check the road conditions before you go.  It is still raining as mom types this, so all damage is not yet known.  Go in a few weeks and you will have a great time.  Look for me Monday and see where we went.