Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Colorado Springs - Denver & Great Weather

Hello & Greetings from Denver:

We've spent the last 2 weeks in Colorado Springs and Denver and have enjoyed some wonderful weather, good golf and great sights.

The Springs is chocked full of things to do. We visited the Air Force Academy, a cave dwelling museum and walked around some really neat, eclectic small towns with interesting shops. Saw Pikes Peak and the US Ice Skating Hall of Fame.

Air Force Academy Chapel.




Pike's Peak.








Cliff Dwelling Museum.

There's a park here called Garden of the Gods and is much like Sedona with red rocks and beautiful vistas.



The area is only 60 miles south of Denver and the sprawl is beginning to work it's way together. The weather has been fantastic with low humidity, warm days and cool nights. After a week in the Springs we moved onto Denver.


Denver is a sprawling metropolis with spectacular views of the Rocky mountains and an active and vibrant population. Denver and the surrounding 'burbs are honeycombed with bike and jogging paths as well as open space parks in the shadow of the great mountains, still snow covered this early in the season.

We'll actually be in Denver for just over 2 weeks, but will fly back east for a visit with family over the Memorial Day weekend.

Downtown Boulder pedestrian Mall



The tulips in full bloom.


At the summit above Boulder.

Denver has a world renowned Art Museum and we enjoyed a fun afternoon exploring the exhibits. Of course, Denver is home to Mile High Stadium and Coors Field. A side trip to Boulder (only 30 miles away) brings you to the home of Coors beer. Boulder is the home of Colorado University and a young college town with a great pedestrian mall in the middle of downtown.



The Denver Art Museum

Nearby in the foothills of the Rockies is a small town called Black Hawk and home to a dozen casino's amid the abandoned gold and silver mines. Quite neat and none are owned by Native Americans.

I was fortunate to get in two rounds of golf and the front nine last Friday earned me a personal best 38.

We leave in the morning for Philly. We'll stop at our daughter Kristin's place in Allentown and then onto LI for a visit with Katie and Kenny and the grandkids. A wedding and fire department dinner will round out the weekend. We'll be back on Monday and head north to Calgary on Wednesday.

We'll talk again soon.


Gene & Laurie

Monday, May 18, 2009

Santa Fe - Taos - Enchanted Circle

Hello:

Well we arrived in Santa Fe on April 21st and it was an exciting time. First off, some "dirtbag" accessed our identity and got into some of our accounts, including our credit card accounts. We've had to reinvent ourselves financially. Change bank account numbers, passwords, user ID's, etc. etc. It's been a real pain and the stress level was off the charts.

In between, we did get in some sightseeing and we took a 3 day road trip by car up to Taos and the Enchanted Circle and the Taos Pueblo. The drive up to Taos takes you through a long winding mountain road up to 10,000 ft. The fields are still snow covered and it looks more like Vermont in the winter then springtime in New Mexico.
Mountain range, enroute to Taos.

Rio Grande Gorge outside of Taos.

Old church and grave site at Taos Pueblo

Most have been converted to shops..



....but some are still living quarters.

Taos is a liberal artist's community with many of the 60's hippie culture now turned into shop and hotel owners. Some really fine galleries and some amazing sights. The Taos Pueblo is over 1,000 years old and is still home to many residents although most of the units have been converted into shops where the Indians sell their artistic creations. The Enchanted Circle takes you through several towns, including the major ski resort of Angel Fire and the first Vietnam Veteran's Memorial.
Vietnam Vets' Memorial in Angel Fire.


We stopped at some historic churches who claim to posses healing powers as well as a painting of Christ which displays different properties when the lights are turned off.
Can't take photo's of actual painting, but these are in the church hall. Notice the cross in the pic on the left. Only visible when the room is in complete darkness. Artist denies putting it in painting.


Lot's of photo's of some really fabulous countryside.

Off to Colorado Springs and Denver next.

We'll talk again soon.
Gene & Laurie