Lisa & Whitney visit and our wrap up at Snow Mountain Ranch

Wednesday,August 27

My niece, Whitney, came for a visit and we drove to Denver to pick her up at the airport, a 2 hour one way drive.  On Thursday we took Whitney to Rocky Mountain National Park, where Whitney and I walked to “the top of the mountain”, 12000 feet.  

We stopped at Grand Lake for dinner and dined at this wonderful little bistro called O-A Bistro.  There was a single man sitting next to us and he overheard us talking about the wines and cheeses.  He made a few recommendations and we invited him to join us.  His name was Michael Thomas and he was chef at a local resort.  We had a most enjoyable dining experience and of course I had my picture taken with the owner, Christina Pedersen.

Christina Pedersen owner of O-A Bistro

Michael the chef in center

Friday, August 29

Whitney and I drove to Denver to shop a little and to pickup Lisa at the airport. Whitney met a friend there and went off with her friend to spend the weekend in Fort Collins.  Lisa’s flight got in on time, but her luggage didn’t.  After waiting around to file the claim, she and I headed back to Granby.  

Saturday, August 30

I showed Lisa around the Rawley Homestead, where I was an interpreter and then we went into the “big town” of Granby. We hiked a little around Snow Mountain Ranch and just enjoyed each other’s company.

Sunday, August 31

Lisa and I went to Rocky Mountain National Park and walked to the top.  That day it was really cold.  The temperature was 37 degrees with winds of 20 to 30 miles an hour, making the wind chill in the 20’s. After  leaving the Alpine Visitor’s center we drove through the park to Estes Park. There we happened upon a street festival.  Unfortunately, we got there too late to take it in. We shopped a bit and wandered around, found a river walk and while strolling came upon an outdoor venue with a young fellow playing music.  We had dinner at Mama Rosa’s restaurant sitting on the balcony, while enjoying the music.  We tried to come up with a way to not go back through the national park to get back to Granby.  Lisa thought she had found a way.  Just to be sure we knew which way to go we asked the manager of the restaurant and thank goodness we did.  The alternate route would have taken us four hours to get back to camp, due to the roads having been flooded out last year and still not repaired.  We got back home safely around midnight.

Whitney,Lisa & Glo @ Red Rock

Monday, Sept 1

We headed into Denver once again to pickup Whitney and take in the street festival, “Taste of Colorado”.  We all had a great time and headed back to Granby around 1:00pm.  Having left Denver a couple hours ahead of schedule we decide to take in Red Rocks Amphitheatre.  

“Red Rocks Amphitheatre is a rock structure near Morrison, Colorado, 10 miles west of Denver, where concerts are given in the open-air amphitheatre.” 

The first concert there was in 1910. What a magnificent place for a concert. The park was beautiful.  It was a quick visit, due to our having been invited to enjoy marshmallows by the fire with our neighbors who wanted to meet Lisa & Whitney.  We got back in time for a quick bite to eat before joining our neighbors for a farewell fire.

Carolyn, Don & Kiwi Sparks

Carolyn & Don Sparks and Linda & Buzz Clarke will be friends we’ll remember for sometime.

Linda, Buzz & Suzi Clarke

Tuesday, September 2

This was the last day Lisa & Whitney were to be with us. T chose to work, so the three of us

Whitney,Glo & Lisa @ Cascade Falls

decided to hike Monarch lake.  We got started a little late but had plenty of time to do a 4.4 mile hike around the lake.  We had wanted to hike to the Cascade Falls, but the ranger said it was 9 miles round trip.  So we decided we didn’t have time to hike to the falls and be off the mountain before dark.  We enjoyed wandering and taking pictures, chatting and seeing the scenery.  We were enjoying ourselves so much that we missed the sign  that would have pointed us around the lake and ended up hiking to the falls.  We kept going thinking we would eventually get back to the lake. We even a stopped and asked some campers.  We finally realized we were hiking up the mountain, not down, so we turned around and headed back.  All the while thinking, “It is getting dark and it will be cold on this mountain after dark.”  We had no cell phone coverage, so we couldn’t call T and let him know what was happening.  We kept hiking and hiking and hiking.  We finally got off the mountain at 7:00 pm.  We’d been hiking since 1:20. What an adventure.

Lisa & Whitney @ Monarch Lake

The three of us almost to the top.

Whitney & Lisa loved being outdoors

We called T to tell him where we were and that we were going to dinner at A-O Bistro.

We had a wonderful meal and recovered from our adventure.  After resting for awhile we got up to go and could hardly walk.  Our muscle were so tired.  

The next day, Lisa & Whitney left for home.  What a  delightful visit we had, one we won’t soon forget.

Snow Mountain Wrap Up

As I always do, I want to recap and add a few pictures of our stay at Snow Mountain Ranch.  We had a great time in Colorado.  My job as an Interpretive Guide at the Fred Rawley Homestead gave me the opportunity to learn about the Homestead Act and about the hardships of homesteading.  I then got to share my knowledge with people who came from all over the world to see the homestead that was founded in 1919 with all of the original buildings still standing.

I met an old codger, named Dusty, who was the chuck wagon cook.  Dusty prepared a Cowboy breakfast almost every morning and I often shared coffee with him.

The views around Snow Mountain were magnificent and we got to see them everyday.  Though we were ready to leave when the time came, we had a great experience during our 2 1/2 months in Colorado.

Dusty the Cowboy Cook

Glo the Interpretive guide @ Rawley Homestead (1919)

View from our campsite

View at Snow Mountain Ranch

What whirl wind months July & August were!

I can't believe I let two months go by without posting an update.  To say the least we are enjoying Snow Mountain Ranch and the people we are meeting.  My job here is Interpretive Guide at an old Homestead.  I've learned a great deal about the Homestead Act and about the hardships people suffered in this area back in the early 1900's.  T's job is in maintenance where he does anything from pickup garbage to service cabins that might have a problem.

This posting will cover both July and August.

We arrived at Snow Mountain Ranch on the 2nd of July, got checked in and were given a quick tour of the place.  Wow! What a difference from Keyhole State Park where we were one of seven volunteer couples to Snow Mountain where we are one couple among over fifty volunteers.   The first night here we participated in “game night”, which was held every Tuesday evening.  


YMCA of the Rockies, Snow Mountain Ranch is just outside the town of Granby, Co.  Granby holds an annual 4th of July parade that they bill as the “best small  town parade in Colorado.”  I of course had to see it.  I was quite impressed.  The parade started with a fly over of some vintage airplanes.

I spent the entire morning at the parade taking pictures.  I got carried away taking pictures of dogs.  I’m just putting a few pictures here.  I can only image what they were thinking.

 

Jill Miles, owner of Grand River Coffee Co.

I also met the owner of a little coffee chop called Grand River Coffee Company. Jill, has owned and operated the coffee shop for fourteen years.  She made visiting Granby fun and T and I often went to her place for coffee and a scone in the morning while here.  A great place to meet the locals.

Since the months went by in a flash, I’ll just cover the highlights.

Milner Pass

We of course went to Rocky Mountain National Park at the first opportunity.  All I can say is, “WOW!”  It rivals the Grand Canyon for beauty, though my heart will always be in Arizona.   My pictures of the Rockies will not do it justice.  

I knew the Continental Divide was the midway point between the Atlantic and the Pacific, but I did not know that it "separates drainage to the Atlantic from drainage to the Pacific. It traverses America from Alaska almost to Cape Horn."

We had the opportunity to go on a Zip Line.  The way to the top was either climb a ladder or a pole.  Those of you who know me, know I didn’t do it the easy way.  I went up the pole and zipped down.  What a thrill!

Our granddaughter, Sammy, came for a week.  Some of the things she got to do for the first time are listed below. T & I get to do these kinds of things on a regular basis, living here in Granby, Co.  Her visit was way too short.  Alas!  She had to leave due to starting kindergarten the following week.

Sammy coming down from the top of the Rocky Mountains

• Go to the top of the mountain- We took her to Rocky Mountain National Park and she walked part the way to the top.
• We drove Berthoud Pass, a winding, curvy road with many switchbacks.  She loved it.

Look closely, you'll see Sammy's name on the stick.

• One of the many highlights of being at Snow Mountain Ranch is that you get to make your own walking stick.  Sammy worked hard at it and has a very unique stick to show for it and Granddad burned her name on it. 

Waterfalls @ Snow Mountain Ranch

• Hike to the waterfalls - There is a waterfall trail at Snow Mountain.  It is a mile and a half one way with a significant incline, or so T & Sammy thought.  We made it to the falls and Sammy got to use her walking stick.

• She went to “work” with me one day and saw humming birds up close and loved the ground squirrels one of which posed for us.
• We had s'mores by the fire.

After a week of fun, it was time for her to fly home, alone. She was thrilled beyond belief and had an uneventful flight.

Grandma and Sammy Canoeing

Some other things T & I have done while here are:

Drive Rollins Pass, also known as Corona Pass. 

Rollins Pass, Elevation 11,600 feet

“John Quincy Adams Rollins established a toll wagon road through this pass in the mid 1860’s.  David H. Maffot’s Denver, Northwestern & Pacific Railway crossed the Continental Divide at this point in 1903.  First know as Bolder Pass, then Rollin's Pass, the railroad workers dubbed it “Corona”, the crown of the “Top of the world.”  

 It is incredible and hard to believe that wagons used to traverse that pass.  In later years track was laid and the train used to come across the pass.  I’ve seen pictures where the train was buried in snow.  Around 1928 the Moffet Tunnel was built and the track across the pass was abandoned.  Now it is a rocky rough drive to the top, but well worth the drive ONCE.

Top of Rollin's Pass

T & I went to Winter Park Resort and road the Alpine Slide.  What a thrill!  I think it is the longest alpine slide in the US.  We rode a chair lift up to the top and looked out over a magnificent view.  I can only image what it must look like in the winter.  I even tried my hand at getting through the human maze.

Top of Winter Park

I hiked the Monarch Lake Loop, a 4.4 mile loop around Monarch lake.  While on the loop, my friend, Andrea, and I came upon a moose.  I’d been told they will charge at you, so I of course backed away and waited for the moose to make up his mind as to which way he wanted to go.  I wanted badly to step onto the trail and get a good shot of the moose, but I thought better of it and stayed out of his way.

Moose up close and personal

Andrea & Glo hiking Monarch Loop

Osprey nest

Along with all the activities here in Colorado, I flew back to Myrtle Beach for four days.  Our son, Thomas, came to the visit the "grannies", on his way to Quebec for a speaking engagement.  I couldn’t pass up the chance to see him when he was so close. (For those of you who don’t know, Thomas lives in England.)  So I drove to Denver, two hours away, to catch a flight to Myrtle Beach.  Got back on a Thursday, drove the two hours back to Granby, worked on Friday and on Saturday drove to Santa Fe, NM (8 hour drive) to pickup Sammy for her week with us.

Oh! And during all of this, I traded my Miata for a Mini Cooper.  Call me crazy, but it was time for me to have a car that would allow me to carry more than myself and one other person.  Plus my body said it was time to get something a little easier to get in and out of.  I do miss “Red”, but life goes on.

We have another month here before we head to southern Arizona for a few months to work at Kartchner Caverns in Benson.  That is if the weather holds out. The weather here has been wonderful.  We’ve had highs in the 70’s and lows in the 40’s all summer.  However, fall is fast approaching.  Today the high was 59 and the low tonight is forecasted to be 38.  The next few days are forecasted to be the same.  We will be on the road as soon as snow is forecasted if that is before October 3rd.  

Cheyenne & Laramie

June 30

We left Moorcroft and headed south to Cheyenne.  We spent two days there and took in the sites before heading to Laramie and on  to Colorado.

Cheyenne Depot

The Cheyenne Depot is a National Historic Landmark,  the former Union Pacific Depot.  In front of the depot and scattered around town are these 8 foot tall boots beautifully decorated by local artists.

We took a trolly tour of the town to get a  quick overview of the history and the sites.

The Plains Hotel

The Plains Hotel, built in 1911 was “the first hotel in the US to have a telephone in each room.”  It is a five story structure with a solid marble  front desk.

The Capital Building was built in 1888, two years before Wyoming became a state and Cheyenne was named the state capital.

Wyoming was the first state to grant women the right to vote and the first female Justice of the Peace was from Wyoming. She is honored with a statue in front of the Capital Building.

Esther Hobert Morris, first Justine of the Peace

Laramie

After leaving Cheyenne we went through Laramie and visited the Territorial Prison.  The prison was a former federal government prison built in 1872 and is one of the oldest buildings in Wyoming.  It operated as a federal penitentiary and state prison from 1872 to 1903.  “It held the most notorious outlaws in the territory - including Butch Cassidy.”

Butch Cassidy

While there we interviewed for a possible volunteer position there next summer. We had lunch at a cute little restaurant and fell in love with the town of Laramie.

The last days at Keyhole State Park.

So what did we do the  last two weeks we were at Keyhole State Park?  We've grown closer to the people here. I think one of the best things about the life we live is we get to emerse ourselves in the culture and see how the people in the area live. The folks in this area a good, down to earth people who enjoy the simpler things in life. They value friendship and are warm and caring. I've enjoyed getting to know them. The remoteness and the cold I did not enjoy, but I am glad we had the time here.

Wednesday, June 25

Glo & Kelly

I went into Gillette and met my friend Kelly for lunch and a little girl time. Though Kelly lives here at Keyhole she is new to Gillette. So, who better to show her around than me, the gal who is always checking out the area. I was amazed at how much I knew about where things were and what to see in Gillette. We went to historic downtown Gillette and walked around. T and I were there the week before, but all of the street was torn up. The week I met Kelly only half was in disarray.

Kelly and I found the best coffee shop, Brother's Coffee Co. We sat on a cozy sofa and chatted with Twila and Sara, a couple of the baristas and learned a bit about the shop and the owner. Twila & Sara made the visit so pleasant. Of course I had to meet the owner, Judy, and get a picture.  Judy named the restaurant for her brother. She has his picture on the wall. The walls are covered with pictures of people and places. Makes it feel quite comfortable.

Judy the owner in center, Sara & Twila on each side.

Glo with owner of Cheese House

After leaving Brother's Coffee Co., Kelly and I went to the Gillette Cheese House. Wow what a selection of cheese and meat. Their cheeses come from Wisconsin and South Dakota. I didn't know they made cheese in a South Dakota. I bought some to try and was pleasantly surprised at the quality.

We went to Mufa for lunch. Wonderful meal and the company made it even better. Then to shop at Walmart, of course, since it is truly the only place in town to shop.

Later that day the volunteers and staff got together for a barbecue. They bid us farewell and gave us a couple of neat gifts to remember the park. As always we had a great time. 

Thursday, June 26
I went Kayaking with my friend, Kelly.  Having been here for two months, this was my first time on the water. What a wonderful morning and how magnificent the view of the rocks from the water. My photos were taken with my phone from the kayak so they aren't the best, but you can get a sense of the view. 

Kelly Lee

Glo

Ted Davis

June 28
I was up early to meet a group in Sundance to go bird watching. The day started off rather gloomy and cold, but it got sunny after a bit. After birding I went into Sundance to spend a little time at the Wild West Espresso in the hopes of meeting some of the locals. I was rewarded by meeting Ted Davis.  He is a local politician who is running for Representative House District 1. Even though he knew from the get go that I was not local and could not vote for him, he stayed and talked. We had a great discussion about politics and our differing points of view. Ted seemed to be genuine in his passion and open to other viewpoints. I learned a great deal from him about the system of Wyoming politics and the local community.

After my discussion with Ted, I went down the street to a car show and I got to see quite a few old cars. T would have enjoyed it had he been with me. One of the most interesting was an amphibian car.  Earlier I stated I didn't have a photo of the amphibian car.  I found my photo.  

Amphibian Car

June 29
Our last night at Keyhole we went out to dinner with Kelly & Terry Lee and Kelly's daughter Miranda.  We ate at the Buffalo Jump Saloon in Beulah, population 33.  Yes!  The Buffalo Jump is the only good restaurant for miles and a great way to end our stay in Wyoming.

Miranda, Kelly, Glo,T ,Terry