Sunday, November 17, 2024

Clash of Seasons

The first snowfall usually comes early every fall in Colorado. This fall, Denver’s September weather was the warmest recorded since 1872, according to an analysis from the National Weather Service in Boulder, and Southern Colorado hit new heat records in early October. The biggest factor for early-season snow is elevation, with the high Rocky Mountains and towns receiving their first snow earlier than the lower Colorado Front Range. 

We finally had our first light snowfall on November 4th; the latest I remember having since I moved West 11 years ago! It made all the fall foliage look even prettier with a mantle of white.

Our next snowfall on November 6th  almost broke a record! Denver International Airport and the southeast metro, including Highlands Ranch and parts of Aurora, saw around 20 inches of snow over 36 hours, almost tripling the November average of 7.3 inches. 



We measured 24 inches of snow in our backyard, but the air temperatures soon rose and it began to melt very quickly. The moisture was very welcomed, as we had been in drought for most of September and October.


My husband and I had fun watching a squirrel forage for food in one of our trees. He found some tree seeds and spent the morning devouring them.

Our neighborhood mule deer are still in their rut season and there have been more bucks than usual roaming around our yards, undeterred by the snow.



Something exciting in our area is that a few large elk have settled in our neighborhood during their fall migration. All the photos above are neighbors' photos shared on our neighborhood Facebook page. I haven't personally seen them yet, but hope to!


"When I no longer thrill to the first snow of the season, I'll know I'm growing old."
~ Lady Bird Johnson

We hope for more snow this week--how has your weather been?


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Monday, November 11, 2024

Cycling Without Age


Last  week my husband and I had the wonderful opportunity to participate in a "trishaw" bicycle ride in Hudson Gardens in Littleton, Colorado with volunteers in an organization called "Cycling Without Age Littleton."  They provide free rides locally by appointment. We signed up through a neighborhood senior resourse called "Aging and Unstoppable," which we attend once a month, hosted by a Senior Real Estate Specialist, Kali Hepker.

Information about the organaztion from the CWA Littleton website:

"Cycling Without Age is a movement started in 2012 by Ole Kassow, in Copenhagen, Denmark. Ole wanted to help the elders get back on their bicycles, but he had to find a solution to their limited mobility. The answer was a trishaw--and electric three wheel and cart bicycle --and he started offering free bike rides to the local nursing home residents. Ole felt everyonre should feel the wind in their hair/'

He then got in touch with a civil society consultant from the City of Copenhagen, Dorthe Pedersen, who was intrigued by the idea and together they bought five trishaws and launched Cycling Without Age, which has now spread to all corners of Denmark, and since 2015 to another 50 countries around the world." www.cyclingwithoutage.org



Our driver, Lisa, ensured we were comfortably settled in our trishaw, making sure our seatbelts were fastened and covering us with a blanket. Lisa is a retired school teacher from Iowa who moved to Colorado two years ago to be closer to her two daughters. We enjoyed a delightful conversation with her as she skillfully navigated the streets.

My husband and I are in our early 70s and are still able to ride bicycles ourselves. However, it was enjoyable to sit back and take in the sights this way. I want to use my blog to encourage everyone who reads this to check if there is a local chapter of Cycling Without Age. Consider signing someone up who would enjoy a ride, or perhaps even volunteer as a driver yourself.



From Hudson Gardens, we enjoyed a beautiful view of the foothills. As shown in this photo, our neighborhood, situated in those foothills, experienced its first snowfall of the fall season the day before.



Hudson Gardens is always a favorite place for us to walk, and it was beautiful in its autumn splendor.

If you'd like to view the garden in its summer glory, click on this link which will show two posts about the garden from earlier times.

 
Workers were taking down the Halloween displays from the annual " "Magic of the Jack O'Lanterns" event.  We enjoyed attending this a few years ago with our grandchildren.


Next, Lisa went outside Hudson Gardens to ride the bicycle path along the South Platte River Park. South Platte Park protects two-and-a-half miles of the South Platte River along with the surrounding riparian (streamside) habitat of cottonwood forests and wetlands



We had views of the river as we rode beside it.


Lisa explained to us that this metal sculpture depicts the height of the South Platte River during the disastrous flood of 1965!  Informational placards tell the story, which you can read on this website. The Chatfield Reservoir and Dam was built between 1967 and 1975 to help prevent flooding of the river in this area ever again.


We followed another Cycling Without Age volunteer driver, Blaine, back to the Hudson Gardens Parking lot.  We really enjoyed our comfortable trishaw ride and all the pretty views we saw.  

The Littleton Cycling Without Age volunteers provide almost 1,000 rides a year. To view a short PBS video about the Littleton Cycling Without Age Organization -- click here.

If you live in the Littleton, Colorado, area, and would like to schedule a ride for yourself or someone you know, click here.

To donate to this wonderful 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization click here for further information.

Thank you, Kali, for arranging this wonderful outing, and to, Lisa, at CWA for a very enjoyable ride!
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