Friday, July 16, 2010

Estes Park, MY Westminster Walk, Westminster Elks

On Wednesday the Th of July Mary took me to Estes Park a small town that is the entrance to Rocky MT. Nat. Park. There we walked through a Bird sanctuary and viewed some water fowl. We could here small birds but they stayed in the brush and we didn't see them.

There were many Canada gees in the water and on the golf course that was next to the lake.

A group of puddle ducks were feeding in a shallow back water.


Kids were drifting down the river using life jackets. There was about half a dozen of them. They were taking turns as it was a short drift.

This is the famous Stanley Hotel that is located above the town.



We then visited Mary's favorite golf coarse where she was going to humble me.


She had good form but I had to exert my skill at this game (with a lot of luck) beat her by four strokes.
The thing we did that was the most fun was the bumper boats at the local water park. We had a blast. Squirting each other with water guns. My boats gun shot high and I could only hit her n the head. She how ever could hit me any where she wanted to. And She did. No photos of this fun as we were alone and couldn't take any. The camera was with the attendant. But trust me it was great.


Then we took a ride on the Tram that goes to the top of a steep hill on the edge of town. It was a short ride with great views of the valley and town.


The Stanley hotel and most of the town is visible from the peak.




In the center of this photo is the water park where Mary's hairdo came undone. We were still soaked when we got to the top of the ride and went inside and had hot dogs for lunch.


We bought some peanuts to feed the squirrels. They had Chipmunks in this photo and Golden Mantel Ground squirrels.




Mary tried to feed them all but there were way to many of them. One Golden climbed up her leg to her knee to get a nut. Of coarse I failed to get a shot of that. We were about 100 ft. from the building when a thunder storm hit us and we were soaked again before we could get under cover.
After a great day in Estes Park we went to Steve and Kris's for dinner and a game of wii bowling. Once again I was humbled by every one. It was a very good dinner and a lot of fun and again I failed to get photos.
WESTMINSTER WALK

This is the most pleasant area to walk in. They have paved a stream for erosion control and put a paved path along it.

This gentleman I see each day. He is sixty four and walk /runs seven miles a day. (I am a wimp with my three mile high speed walk)


There is wild life along the trail.


The trail is very well maintained. Two days ago there was a computer smashed on the trail and litter in the stream. A store cart and blister packing. All gone today.



This fall is at MP .94 with nice trail around it.


The trail passes through some very nice neighborhoods with well maintained lawns. I think these are retirement homes.







I had to do some pruning to get a photo of this sign. Telling us what this trail is all about.



This couple was kind enough to let me take their picture after I told them what I was doing. They walk here often. Didn't ask them how far the walked.


This guy was by me so fast I had to get his back side. There are many riders on this trail also.


This is where a side drainage joins Dry Creek. They put two bridges in so you can get around this area.


Two more walkers. They were the most elderly people I met on this trail they were slow but they were out there walking.


On the way back I came across this Mallard hen and her brood of eight.


Also this Coyote Look out mama duck.

This is one of the nicest lodgers I have ever visited.


Well maintained grounds and a large picnic area where Steve's family and I had brats and fifty cent beer on the fourth of July. Also they met Mary here.


They also have thirty RV sites with full hookups 30 AMP is $16 and 50 AMP is $18. Much better than the $30+ that the Co. park system demands.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Another fun day at Steve and Kris's

This is the problem. Three dead Aspen in Steve's back Yard. That posed a danger of falling unannounced into the yard.




This was the solution. Steve filmed this with his camera. I had no idea he was filming or I would have had a hard hat on.

http://www.youtube.com/user/Fathergoosegeo




After all the work was done (including sharpening the dullest saw in the world) The neighbor came over and picked up all the wood and Steve put the limbs in the trash. Yard was looking good.














Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Another tennis match and dinner with Steve's family.

Steve and Kris fixed this ice pack to help the swelling on my fore head. Not as pretty as the one at the aid station but it did work. Didn't help the black eye that is developing around my right eye.


Delaney returning a serve. To day she was playing two sets as a single.
Here you can see the ball is clearly going over the net. Not to be returned. Go Delaney!

My pretty dinner companion. I also had the pleasure of her company at lunch after her tennis match.


Dinner was prepared by Steve and Kris. Kris prepared a Pasta salad with tomato's from the plant behind the table and Basel from her herb garden. Steve grilled different styles of sausages, some were spicy and others had cheese in them. Kris also made garlic toast to push with. All were good. Today Steve and I are going to remove some trees from his back yard. (small ones Terry, not to worry.) It was a good day all around.








Monday, July 12, 2010

A day at the ball park

Today Mary, her friend Terry and I wet to Coors Field for another ball game. They were having Fantasy Day and my fantasy was to hit an inside the park home run. How ever when I was sliding into home plate I miss timed my slide and did a little damage to my face knees and left elbow. (Italics are a lie) but a good story. I tripped on the stand holding a road construction sign that stuck out over the side walk as I was hurrying to mail a letter. I was checked out by the stadium Dr. and given the ice pack to keep the swelling down. Got a lot of sympathy and attention from Mary and Terry. Today we sat facing the score board and just right of home plate. It was a good game but the Padres won by one point. It was very hot until the seventh when we had thunder and lighting and some rain. WE toughed it out and didn't get that wet. It felt good.

This is actually a shot of a two run double that put the Rockies up by one run. Mary and Terry missed it as they were on a mercy beer run.

One more shot of the Mascot

WE had a good time at the game and after we went to Mary's sister Rita's place for dinner. Rita had prepared a nice green salad and chicken and dumplings. It has been a long time since I have had dumpling and I probably over eat but they were really good. Of coarse I didn't take any pictures. After dinner we played some cards.



Sunday, July 11, 2010

More Red Rock,Dinner at Steve's and Ball game

When Mary took me on a tour of Red Rocks Park the first stop was the grave of her late husband. We shared a six pack of "Bud Light with him. This is a tradition that her family has. He had four we had one each.
This is a view of the entrance to the amphitheater that I didn't post the first time.

This is the tunnel leading into Red Rock

Dinner with Steve's family. Steve fixed stuffed chicken breast, Blue cheese potato's and steamed carrots


Michael was able to come down for dinner. It was a good time with the family'


Kris and Micheal hamming it for the camera





Delaney prepared an Apple pie just like her Grandma taught her. It was very good.


On Saturday evening Mary her sister Rita, Steve, Kris, Delaney and I went to see the Rockies play the San Diego Padres. We couldn't get seats together. Steve and Kris were about fifty feet from us. WE had a great time at the Game. It was Delaney's first and she sat with us and Mary taught her all the moves and when to clap and stamp her feet, yell charge and boo the umps.


This is the Bud Light vendor that works this section of the stands. Mary and her husband had season tickets in this section.

The Rockies mascot
Before the game they had "Photo day" All the fans could go down on the field on the warning track and have their picture taken with the players. There was one helluva crowd around this player as he is the leading pitcher in all of baseball. Mary told me who he is but my "sometimers" has kicked in.

It wasn't easy getting a shot of him alone as he was doing his best to make the fans happy and moved from one to another very fast.

Bummer I did get some shots of the game but didn't get them uploaded. Not to worry we are going to another game today. Film at eleven

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

A LONG POST

This is a long blog because it took for ever to get it done. The following photos are of the last few days I spent at the house in Bend.

This is the hole where we had a "water feature" that I felt was too big a liability to leave for renters. So I removed it and sold it and all the stuff you needed to take care of it. I buried Gloria's rubber ducky in this hole with my last cigar butt.


This is the "estate sale" that Renee organized and ran with the help of Terry and Ali. We took in just over $2000. What didn't sell went to St. Vincent De Paul and good will. Haven't found how much we got for the furniture at the second hand store but they sold it all.
The following pictures are of the wild flowers that grow along my walk.I don't know what most of them are but they are all pretty.



Lupine







Indian Paint Brush













Wild Pansies


Wild walker on her return trip.


The Snow Ball bush in our back yard.


The large Pine that I knew would fall on my coach some day. Guess not.


The last of the Peonies.



When I got to Parker we went to a tennis match. The star was Delaney of course. She and her partner didn't win the match because of some questionable calls by their opponents. They did win two sets.


Getting ready to serve.


Another Ace


The next afternoon Mary took me on a tour of the Red Rock Amphitheater. This is a very famous venue and is a favorite of many stars.


Here they are setting up for a movie. It was probably rained out as we had thunderstorms moving in. We then went to Buffalo Bills Grave and museum


Mary Oakley

Buffalo Lloyd


Coors Brewery in Golden Colorado



William Cody's grave


and head stone
I had a great time seeing the history of this area and will be getting another tour soon.