G. Eldon Smith's Blog: My Thoughts, page 2

My Thoughts

Palisade, Colorado

In the "Banana Belt" of Western Colorado we find the "The Peach Capital of Colorado," terrain creates near-perfect mild climate and unique peach growing conditions. Winds moving through DeBeque Canyon are compressed and warmed to prevent crop killing frosts in the spring.
The climate, a 182-day growing season, and average 78 percent of sunshine makes Palisade “The Peach Capital of Colorado.”

The town motto is "Life Here Tastes Good All Year." Fourteen varieties of organic peaches allow harvest continuously from late June thru mid-September. Cherries come in three varieties: Benton, Black Pearl, and Rainier. They are ready from early June to the first weeks of July. And don't forget about Nectarines, Plums and Pears. Visitors often time their trips according to the kind of fruit they want to buy at local stands.

The first inhabitants of the Grand Valley were Ute Indians, followed by white settlers who began arriving in l881. By l894, the first peach, pear, apple and grape orchards appeared in the area now known as the Vinelands. Water for the young trees had to be hauled in barrels by horse drawn wagons.

A system of irrigation canals to support agricultural efforts was got under way in 1913. Water from a 480 ft. wide roller dam across the Colorado River diverts water into the 80 miles of irrigation canals which comprise the Highline Canal and Price and Stub Ditches.

Canyons of the Ancients
Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke has announced the review of the Canyons of the Ancients has been recommended to be taken off of the list. "The history at this site spans thousands of years, and the federal protection of these objects and history will help us preserve this site for a thousand more years,." Zinke wrote.

The Monument had been on the list of monuments to be reviewed for possible downsizing or privatization. Any monument greater than 100,000 acres is to be reviewed. Canyons of the Ancients stands at 178,000 acres.The Canyons of the Ancients appears to be safe because of lack of controversy.

Twenty National Monuments remain on the list to be reviewed.

Eclipse
August 21, 2017 is less than a month away, and people all along its predicted path are anxious about the coming event. The path includes Salem Oregon; Casper Wyoming; Kansas City; Nashville Tennessee; and Charleston South Carolina. Those cities will witness the moon blocking 100% of the sun. In Denver the Sun will appear to be 90% covered by the moon.

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Please leave your comments in the form below in the "Contact Us" tab in the menu. Questions, Suggestions?

Canyons of the Ancients
Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke has announced the review of the Canyons of the Ancients has been recommended to be taken off of the list. "The history at this site spans thousands of years, and the federal protection of these objects and history will help us preserve this site for a thousand more years,." Zinke wrote.

The Monument had been on the list of monuments to be reviewed for possible downsizing or privatization. Any monument greater than 100,000 acres is to be reviewed. Canyons of the Ancients stands at 178,000 acres.The Canyons of the Ancients appears to be safe because of lack of controversy.

Twenty National Monuments remain on the list to be reviewed.

Eclipse
August 21, 2017 is less than a month away, and people all along its predicted path are anxious about the coming event. The path includes Salem Oregon; Casper Wyoming; Kansas City; Nashville Tennessee; and Charleston South Carolina. Those cities will witness the moon blocking 100% of the sun. In Denver the Sun will appear to be 90% covered by the moon.

Comments
Please leave your comments in the form below in the "Contact Us" tab in the menu. Questions, Suggestions?

Canyons of the Ancients
Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke has announced the review of the Canyons of the Ancients has been recommended to be taken off of the list. "The history at this site spans thousands of years, and the federal protection of these objects and history will help us preserve this site for a thousand more years,." Zinke wrote.

The Monument had been on the list of monuments to be reviewed for possible downsizing or privatization. Any monument greater than 100,000 acres is to be reviewed. Canyons of the Ancients stands at 178,000 acres.The Canyons of the Ancients appears to be safe because of lack of controversy.

Twenty National Monuments remain on the list to be reviewed.

Eclipse
August 21, 2017 is less than a month away, and people all along its predicted path are anxious about the coming event. The path includes Salem Oregon; Casper Wyoming; Kansas City; Nashville Tennessee; and Charleston South Carolina. Those cities will witness the moon blocking 100% of the sun. In Denver the Sun will appear to be 90% covered by the moon.

Contact us if you have questions or suggestion

Thoughts and Opinions

Quotes
When you win, nothing hurts. ~Joe Namath
If it doesn't matter who wins or loses, then why do they keep score? ~Vince Lombardi
The reason women don't play football is because eleven of them would never wear
the same outfit in public. ~Phyllis Diller

Bronco History
With the football draft just finished, we thought it would be an appropriate time to remember some of the highlights (and lowlights) in the history of the Denver Broncos, this year's Super Bowl Champions.

1960, The Broncos won the first AFL regular season game ever, 13-10 over the Boston Patriots.
1966, Houston beat the Broncos 45-7. The Broncos did not make any first downs and had 26 yards of total .
offense.
1967, Broncos played against the NFL Detroit Lions in a preseason game.Before the game Alex Karras said,
"If the Broncos win, I'll walk back to Detroit." Denver won 13-7.
1967, In the bidding war with the NFL all of Denver's number one draft choices decided to sign with the NFL.
But in the '67 draft, the Broncos signed Syracuse running back Floyd Little, their first, first round choice. . Little was the best running back in pro football until he retired in 1975.
1974, The Broncos ended with a 7-6-1 record. Their first winning season.
1977, The Orange Crush (a popular soft drink you probably don't remember) was also the name of the
Denver defense that went to the Super Bowl. Craig Morton was soundly beaten by his former team, the
Cowboys.
1983, John Elway was drafted by the Baltimore Colts as the first pick of the draft. Elway refused to play for
Frank Kush, the coach of the Colts, and was traded to the Broncos.

The Denver Broncos have a long Super Bowl record:
'77 Dallas L
'87 New York L
'88 Washington L
'90 San Francisco L
'98 Green Bay W
'99 Atlanta W
'13 Seattle L
'16 Carolina W

All three times they won, the Bronco's had quarterbacks they obtained from the Colts, Elway and Manning

Super Bowl Quiz
1. Who is the only player to rush for three touchdowns in a Super Bowl game?
2. Who is the only player to score three touchdowns in a Super Bowl game twice?
3. Which team set the record at 602 for most yards gained in a Super Bowl?

Shakespeare by the Rockies
Imagine 5,000 Shakespearean actors in costume and brandishing wooden swords in one location. Rain and snow did not dampen the enthusiasm of over 5,000 students from Denver Public Schools who took part in the annual Shakespeare Festival. The festival started Friday morning at 10:45 with a parade through downtown Denver. The parade ended at the Denver Performing Arts Complex. Fourteen mini stages were set up around the complex for the performances of Shakespeare's scenes and sonnets, along with dances with music from the era. An eyewitness account reported there was a high level of excitement and talent.

At 4:00 PM AfterFest started with regional groups like Black Actors Guild, and PHAMLY performing their versions. There was also art and music from Tom Hageerman and the Colorado Symphony Orchestra.

From the World of Books
Kim McMahill, proud Wyoming native, recently relocated to Colorado. Her A Taste of Tragedy is an exciting adventure.

Answers to the quiz
1. Terrell Davis, Denver vs. Green Bay, Super Bowl 32
2. Jerry Rice, San Francisco vs. Denver Super Bowl 26 and vs. San Diego Super Bowl 29
3. Washington Redskins, with 6 touchdowns vs Denver, 1988, Super Bowl 22

Comments
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Thoughts and Opinions

Quotes
Taxation with representation ain't so hot either. ~Gerald Barzan
The taxpayer — that's someone who works for the federal government but doesn't have to take the civil service examination. ~Ronald Reagan

Lindsey Vonn

Lindsey Vonn from Vail, Colorado says goodbye to the World Cup ski season for this year. She was in first place for the overall championship, and then what appeared to be a hairline fracture turned out to be three fractures.

She said, "Today I am making the difficult decision to end my season and leave the World Cup circuit due to an injury I suffered last Saturday. Because I am currently leading the Overall World Cup standings, this is one of the toughest decisions of my career. After the Super Combined on Sunday, I went to Barcelona where more precise MRI and CT equipment was available and scans were performed on Tuesday morning. Those images showed that there was not just 1 hairline fracture, but in fact 3. Further damage to any of the fractures could result in a serious surgery that would risk my future in ski racing. With the World Championships in St. Moritz next year and the Winter Olympics in South Korea the following year, I cannot take that risk."

Excerpt from Murder in the Rockies
“Uncle Lee is taking bets on the trial.”
“Betting for me or against me?”
“Everybody wanted to bet that Mr. Conway will be found guilty, so to make the odds come out his way, Uncle Lee is making all the bettors pick whether Conway will hang or go to jail for life.”
“You tell Uncle Lee that a wise man will make all the bets he can that Will Conway will be found innocent. I guarantee it.”

Coyle squinted as he walked out into the bright sun. He wished he were as confident as he sounded. He hoped Uncle Lee would not end up losing a lot of bets based on Coyle’s bragging. On the other hand, Will Conway had a lot more to lose than Coyle did. Coyle remembered the old saying, “You bet your life,” and his stomach felt a little squeamish. He didn’t like that bet, even in a gambling town like Denver.


Adolph Coors
Adolph Kohrs was born in Barmen in Rhenish Prussia on February 4, 1847. Adolph was apprenticed for a three-year period at a brewery and worked there after the apprenticeship to pay for the training. Then he worked at various German breweries until 1868. In 1868 he came to the United States as an undocumented stowaway. Some time, but probably at New York immigration, Adolph's name changed from Kohrs to Coors.

He moved from New York to Chicago. In Chicago he worked in various odd jobs until he caught on with a brewery. Coors became foreman at the brewery in a few months and worked there for three years. He moved to Denver and with a partner started a brewery in nearby Golden, Colorado in 1872. In a short time Coors bought out the partner and Adolph Coors Golden Brewery was born.

The Coors Brewing Company managed to survive Prohibition relatively intact. The brewery itself was converted into a malted milk and near beer production facility. Coors sold much of the malted milk for the production of candy at the Mars Company. However, Coors and his sons relied heavily on their porcelain company as well as a cement and real estate company to keep the Coors Brewing Company afloat. By 1933, after the end of Prohibition, the Coors brewery was one of only a handful of breweries that had survived. In 2005, Coors was rated the third largest producer of beer in the United States.

Unfortunately Adolph did not live to see the ultimate success of the brewery. At the age of 82, Adolph Coors committed suicide on June 5, 1929, when he jumped to his death from a hotel window in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Nobody can say why another person commits suicide but speculation is that he was depressed due to Prohibition adversely affecting his business.

In Conclusion
Telluride is where billionaires build/buy homes to get away from the millionaires in Aspen. ~Marilyn Slee

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Thoughts and Opinions

Quote
"Three weeks into spring training and the Colorado Rockies have not been eliminated from the wildcard chase yet." ~G. Eldon Smith

Mesa Verde News
Officials at Mesa Verde National Park have decided to close the cliff dwellings at Spruce Tree House to visitors indefinitely. Visitors to the park will still be able to observe that particular group of dwellings from an overlook near Chapin Mesa Museum. The third largest cliff dwelling was closed because of rockfalls and dangers to visitors. There have not been any announcements about plans or schedules for repairs.
Officials explained, "In November 2015... the arch crack system above Spruce Tree House was inspected and any loose material was removed," park officials said. "However, other rock fall concerns were identified during this process, and Mesa Verde has determined to keep Spruce Tree House closed for the foreseeable future, until a full geotechnical assessment can be performed."


More Movies Filmed in Colorado
Because of reader interest and suggestions of missed movies that were left out, we have decided to add to the list of movies made in Colorado. We hope some of your favorites old and new have been included in the second group.

The Hateful Eight (2015)
Filming Location in Colorado: Telluride
The 8th feature film by Tarantino follows the story of several bounty hunters who are trying to survive during a terrible blizzard in 1870’s post Civil War Wyoming. The cast of “The Hateful Eight” includes Tarantino go to favorites Samuel Jackson (“Pulp Fiction”) Michael Madsen (Reservoir Dogs) as well as Kurt Russell, Channing Tatum, Tim Roth and Jennifer Jason Leigh.


Table 47 (2015)
Filming Location in Colorado: Castle Rock, Greenwood Village, Franktown
Directed by Jeff Kingery and written by Michael Brody, Table 47 is the first feature for Double Play Films, a Colorado company, and boasts an all Colorado cast and crew. In Table 47, a bar owner falls for a married woman with an abusive husband and plans to murder him, but soon discovers he’s the victim of an elaborate con…one he may not survive.


Imagine That (2009)
Filming Location in Colorado: Denver
Eddie Murphy stars as a corporate executive who is at the end of his rope until his young daughter’s imaginary world provides him with the inspiration he needs to manage his career woes. With Eddie Murphy and Thomas Haden Church.


For Love of the Game (1999)
Filming Location in Colorado: Aspen, Glenwood Springs
A washed up pitcher flashes through his career.


Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
Filming Location in Colorado: Alamosa, Cortez, Pagosa Springs, Cumbres & Toltec Railroad in Antonito
Indiana Jones embarks on an adventure to find both “The Holy Grail” and his father, Dr. Henry Jones Sr. (Sean Connery), who is also searching for the Grail. Together, the two fight the Nazis as well as many other obstacles in order to reach it.

Christmas Vacation (1989)
Filming Location in Colorado: Breckenridge
Chevy Chase stars again as Clark Griswold, whose family Christmas celebration turns into a disaster as he tries to entertain and accommodate his challenging family guests.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
Filming Location in Colorado: Durango, Telluride, Silverton
In this classic film, Butch (played by Paul Newman) and Sundance (played by Robert Redford) are a pair of Western robbers as well as best friends. The two are followed through the West by a special posse who seem to lurk around every corner.



IN CLOSING
At what age is it appropriate to tell my dog that he’s adopted?
I intend to live forever… or die trying.
Murder in the Rockies a real rough and tough (with love and history thrown in) murder mystery..

Thoughts and Opinions

Cave of the Winds

Colorado Places to Visit
The cave goes back millions of years. About 70 million years ago, the seas that covered most of Colorado receded and the remaining limestone was uplifted, forming part of the present Rocky Mountain region.

The Cave of the Winds’ system of rooms and passages began to form approximately 4-7 million years ago, when the limestone was below the water table. Rainwater mixed with carbon dioxide and formed a weak carbonic acid. The acid solution dissolved away portions of the limestone, leaving behind small passageways that filled with water. As more limestone dissolved over thousands of years, the passageways grew larger and the rooms were formed.

The Jicarilla Apaches, who lived in the Pikes Peak region around 1000 AD, passed on legends of a cave where the Great Spirit of the Wind resided. In 1869, a settler named Arthur B. Love noticed a cleft in the canyon’s wall. When he investigated, he discovered a large limestone archway that would later become the attraction known as Cave of the Winds.

In 1880, brothers John and George Pickett scouted for new caves in Williams Canyon. They discovered a small cave near the limestone archway. They noticed that the flames on their lit candles flickered in the wind coming from somewhere within the cave. They crawled through a small opening and emerged into a large chamber that promised an amazing world of exploration. It has been open for public exploration since 1881 - more than 130 years.

Cave of the Winds is in the Colorado Springs - Manitou Springs area. From I-25 in Colorado Springs, take Exit 141. Go west on Highway 24 about six miles. The entrance to Cave of the Winds is on the right, just past the billboard sign. Parking is free! There are many man-made attractions in addition to the natural caves. Check the rides and attractions online in advance to be aware of the fees and hours. Various levels of tours are offered in the caves, and in some cases tickets can be ordered in advance.

Thoughts and Opinions

Quote
"I did the best I could and God did the rest." ~Hattie McDaniel

Colorado High School Mascots
Last week some readers questioned East High School's mascot. When the new building was built (1925) the sculpture by the entrance lacked a face. The sculptor looked at multiple models until he found a young girl who he said looked like an angel. The name and the mascot stuck, and they are still called the East High Angels.

In later years, the other Denver High Schools that followed adopted geographically appropriate mascots. West High-Cowboys, North High-Vickings, South High-Rebels.

In the discussion concerning unusual Mascots, we are not making fun of them. We applaud individualism and unconventional mascots.

When Longmont High School was picking a mascot in the 1930s, the students voted for the Gorillas. The story goes that somehow when the results of the election were released by the faculty committee, the winner was the Trojans. Name changes are not unheard of. When my Trojans competed with Fort Morgan, we played against the Maroons, now known as the Mustangs.

The popular favorite is Brush High School-Beet Diggers. On the subject of digging, Clear Creek High (Idaho Springs) are the Gold Diggers, a name often used as slang with a different meaning. Going along with Beet Diggers, another mascot in the agricultural vein is the Rocky Ford-Meloneers.

Alamosa-Mean Moose (Plural Mice?), and Steamboat Springs-Sailors (an odd name for a landlocked mountain town) make one smile.

The Colorado State University Rams are in Fort Collins. The Fort Collins high school students hoping to emulate their college role-models took the name Lambkins. Supposedly little lambs not only eat ivy but grow up to be Rams.

Ward Bond
Ward Bond was a graduate of Denver's East High School. (an Angel) He met Marion Morrison (John Wayne) at USC where they both played on the football team. The entire USC team was hired for football scenes in a John Ford movie. Both Wayne and Bond became friends with Ford and the three of them made many movies together.


In about a month, on Saint Patrick's day, many movie channels will be showing The Quiet Man, John Ford/John Wayne's Irish classic. Not as Ireland was, but as it should have been. Watch for Father Peter Lonergan the fishing priest. Of course Maureen O'Hara stars as the Irish lass who makes Wayne's quiet retirement in Ireland ...eventful.

Thoughts and Opinions

Quotes
The view of the Rocky Mountains from the Divide near Kiowa Creek is considered one of the finest in Colorado. ~Bayard Taylor

I think the Colorado Plateau is the most scenic area in the world - let's begin with that. Not just the United States. ~Stewart Udall

Did you know
Thunder is the stage name for the horse who is the live animal mascot for the Denver Broncos. Three purebred Arabians have held this name, all gray horses whose coat has lightened to be completely white.

The most recent, "Thunder III", appeared at Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014. The first Thunder was a stallion whose registered name was JB Kobask. He was the mascot from 1993 until his retirement in 2004, and continued to make community appearances until his death in 2009. He was succeeded by the gelding Winter Solstyce, born in 1994, who took over as "Thunder II" in 2004 and still continues to perform. "Thunder III", whose registered name is Me N Myshadow, was the under study to Thunder II, performed at preseason games in 2013 and made some of Thunder's other public appearances. Because he was younger than Thunder II and better able to handle being shipped by air to the east coast, he was the mascot selected to appear at MetLife Stadium for Super Bowl XLVIII and will be at 2016 Super Bowl 50.

The Super Bowl is supposed to be at a neutral site, so Thunder probably will not be allowed to run down the field each time the Broncos score. Be assured Thunder will make an appearance.

Winter X Games

The competition schedule for the 2016 Aspen Winter X Games at Buttermilk Mountain:11 a.m. Mono skier X finals
Noon Men's snowboard slopestyle final
2 p.m. Men's and women's skier X heats, semifinals and finals
6:15 p.m. Men's snowboard superpipe final
8:15 p.m. Ski big air final

10 a.m. Men's ski slopestyle final
10 a.m. Snowboarder adaptive X semifinals and final
Noon Men's and women's snowboarder heats, semifinals and finals
1:45 p.m. Women's snowboard superpipe final

Can't believe a snowmobile and rider turning a compete backward summersault 10-15 feet in the air? A skier making like a helicopter. Keep up with the X Games for the unbelievable contests and tricks.

Routt County, Colorado
You may aware that Buddy Warner and his sisters Skeeter and Bugs were Olympians from Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Or, you might know Howelsen Hill near Steamboat has the nation's highest natural ski jumps. You also may know that Steamboat Springs is the County Seat of Routt County.

But do you know where Routt County got its name?

John Long Routt was the last Governor of the Colorado Territory and the first Governor of the State of Colorado. Routt was Governor when Colorado became a state in 1876 (38th). He was elected first Governor of the state. He served as mayor of Denver from 1883 to 1885, and was reelected as the seventh Governor to the governor's office in 1891 . During his second term, construction started on the long-delayed state capitol. When he left office after his second term, he campaigned for woman's suffrage. When suffrage was passed in 1893 Mrs.Eliza Routt was the first to register as a voter.

Thoughts and Opinions

Quotes
The good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge. ~Bertrand Russel

Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them.
~Dalai Lama

Playoff Football
We will not know which team, Cardinals or Panthers, is the best
NFC football team at the end of their game. We will just know which is
the best team playing in horrible weather conditions.

In the Brady vs. Manning contest, it comes down to this."Total package,
best tight end I've ever seen play the game," Aqib Talib said in
describing Rob Gronkowski. Gronk is possibly going to be the deciding
factor in the game.

Bronco cornerback, Bradley Roby, said his strategy for tackling
Gronkowski is to "wrap him up and don't let go."

Excerpt from Murder in the Rockies

Then Newman added, “You can also check the scrapbooks kept by Detective Sam Howe, as long as you keep them here in the police station. Sam keeps all the newspaper accounts about crimes and criminals. They go back a number of years, and will fill you in on any background information you may need. Better information in the scrapbooks than the police reports will provide, I’ll bet.”
Coyle did not realize the significance of “I’ll bet,” but soon learned that gambling was a major industry in Denver in the 1800s. In fact, most of the names on the list of witnesses gave “In care of” gambling halls and saloons as home addresses. The majority of the men in Denver came to the Rocky Mountains to go to the gold fields and get rich quick. Gambling provided the second best way to get rich fast. Unfortunately most ended up broke either in the gold fields or gambling halls and had to get a real job or go back to where they came from.

Murder in the Rockies is available on Amazon and Barnes & Nobel

Thoughts To Think About
We hang the petty thieves and appoint the
great ones to public office
~Aesop~

The problem with political jokes is they get elected.
~Henry Cate, VII~

Thoughts and Opinions

Quotes
Football combines the two worst things about America: it is violence punctuated by committee meetings. ~George F. Will

Football is not a contact sport; it's a collision sport. Dancing is a good example of a contact sport.
~Duffy Daugherty

Wild Card Weekend

Saturday, Jan. 9

4:35 p.m. ET - Kansas City at Houston (ESPN/ABC)

8:15 p.m. ET - Pittsburgh at Cincinnati (CBS)

Sunday, Jan. 10

1:05 p.m. ET - Seattle at Minnesota (NBC)

4:40 p.m. ET - Green Bay at Washington (FOX)

Divisional Weekend

Saturday, Jan. 16

4:35 p.m. ET - Kansas City at New England (CBS)

8:15 p.m. ET - 3/4/5 at Arizona (NBC)

Sunday, Jan. 17

1:05 p.m. ET - 4/5/6 at Carolina (FOX)

4:40 p.m. ET - Pittsburgh at Denver (CBS)

Championship Weekend

Sunday, Jan. 24

3:05pm ET - AFC Championship (CBS)
Picture
William F. Buffalo Bill Cody
The Buffalo Bill grave and museum are popular places of interest for visitors. Buried at Lookout Mountain just west of Denver with a wonderful view of the city and the great plains to the east. A cement mound over the top of the grave and a iron fence around it protect the site from intruders.

The question is, why was Cody buried at Lookout Mountain instead of Cody, Wyoming, a town he founded to accommodate tourists departing form Yellowstone National Park. An early will instructed his heirs to bury him in the Wyoming town bearing his name.

A later will left the burial details up to his wife. Some say she was coached, and coerced into picking the Colorado burial site. When rumors surfaced that the Wyoming group planned to move the body to Cody, Colorado placed armed guards around the grave until a deeper hole could be dug and the present security measures could be added.

Legend has it that his wife said, "It was the only way I could keep him at home."

Lindsey Vonn
Vail, Colorado's premier woman skier won the Woman's World Cup downhill at Altenmarkt-Zauchensee Austria for her 36th career win in the downhill. She tied Annemarie Moser-Proell's 36-year-old record for downhill victories. Earlier this season Vonn broke Moser-Proell's record for overall career World Cup wins.

Did you know?
Bristlecone pine trees, believed to be some of the world's oldest living things, are found in the western states of California, Utah, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona.

The lowest temperature ever recorded in the United States was at Prospect Creek, Alaska on January 23, 1971. The temperature was -80°F (-62°C). The coldest temperature in the contiguous 48 states was at Rogers Pass, Montana on January 20, 1954. The temperature there was -70°F (-56°C).

The deepest lake in the U.S. is Crater Lake located in Oregon. At 1,932 feet (589 m) it is the world's seventh deepest lake. Crater Lake was formed via snowmelt and precipitation that gathered in a crater created when an ancient volcano, Mount Mazama, erupted about 8,000 years ago.

Colorado covers 104,093 square miles (269,600 sq km). If the mountains were flattened out Colorado would have greater land area than Texas, the second largest state.

Thoughs and Opinions

Quotes
Some of the best times I've spent in Colorado have been in the back-country with my mom and siblings, and more recently, with my own kids. That is why I'm concerned to see today's kids spending more time browsing the Internet than exploring nature. ~Mark Udall former Colorado U.S. Senator

This year, we must address the Colorado Paradox. We have more college degrees per capita than any state. Yet we lag the nation in the percentage of students who go on to higher education.
~Bill Owens former Colorado Govenor


Colorado Makes Even More Music
Red Rocks Park is a mountain park in Jefferson County, Colorado, owned and maintained by the city of Denver as part of the Denver Mountain Parks system. .Within the park boundaries is the Red Rocks Amphitheater, a world famous venue used since 1941, which hosts many concerts and other events. Upon the full construction of the amphitheater to its present form by the Civilian Conservation Corps, the venue was formally dedicated on June 15, 1941. It has held regular concert seasons every year since 1947. The amphitheater is an award winning venue for concerts.

Red Rocks Amphitheater is a geological phenomenon – the only naturally-occurring, acoustically perfect amphitheater in the world.

From Sting and The Beatles, to opera stars,U2, John Denver, Sonny & Cherr, The Carpenters, Pat Boone, Seals & Crofts, and Carole King, and The Grateful Dead, every artist aspires to play on this magical, spiritual and emotional stage.Their pictures adorn the walls of the Hall of Fame in the Visitors Center. More recently Bonnie Raitt and Lyle Lovett have appeared at Red Rocks.

The summer season opens with the traditional Easter Sunrise Service. The service is nondenominational and offers a beautiful view of the sun rising over the eastern horizon. (It is generally pretty cold at that time in the morning in early spring.)

This summer season runs from May 2 to September 14 with at least two concerts a week. Such as Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Elephant Revival, and Greensky Bluegrass.

you think of Red Rocks Park as just a beautiful place to see a concert, think again! Around you are 868 acres of deer, dinosaurs, pines and prairie, geological wonders and spectacular vistas. At 6,450 feet above sea level, Red Rocks Park is a unique transitional zone where the Great Plains meet the Rocky Mountains. The diverse environment allows visitors to see plants, birds and animals of both regions

Trivia
Colorado is the only state in history, to turn down the Olympics. In 1976 the Winter Olympics were planned to be held in Denver. 62% of all state Voters choose at almost the last minute not to host the Olympics, because of the cost, pollution and population boom it would have on the State Of Colorado, and the City of Denver.

Colfax Avenue in Denver is the longest continuous street in America.

Leadville is the highest incorporated city in the United States at 10,430 feet elevation. Because there was lots of "silver" named towns at the time, the founding fathers suggested Leadville.


Ski News
Almost all ski areas are open and 70% to 100% of their trails are open. Heavy snow storms over the past week have insured good skiing any place where you go in the Colorado mountains.

Wolf Creek 19" new snow with a base of 48 inches 100% of trails open

Steamboat 56" base; Copper Mountain 113 of 143 trails open; Keystone, 19 of 20 lifts open etc. etc.

And more new powder on the way. Enjoy! Be aware of the avalanche danger and stay in bounds.

Murder in the Rockies
Murder in the Rockies a historical mystery about Denver in the 1890s. Available at bookstores or they can order it from Ingrams Distributing. You can also get it from Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Murder-Rockies-...


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