A Day in the Mountains

I hope everyone had a very Happy 4th of July! We had a beautiful day here and celebrated with a barbecue at our house. As part of the month-long celebration of my special "double 30" birthday, we had another ice cream cake for dessert, and my grandchildren helped to blow out the candles. Afterward, the boys went to a fireworks display. Older brother lasted till the end, while little brother fell asleep in his stroller. The baby granddaughter also fell asleep in my arms that evening, and as often as that happens, as I watch her during the day Monday through Friday, I still never tire of the joy of holding her.

Last weekend my husband and I decided we needed a break from house chores and decided to hop into the car and take a day trip drive up into the mountains. We had no set agenda---we just wanted to sightsee!

After the multitude of forest fires that occurred in Colorado this summer, it was nice to pass beautiful, thick pristine pine woods along the way.

We stopped in a town called Evergreen, at the Country Road Cafe, to try one of their legendary breakfasts.  They are a popular place, full of rustic charm and funny signs. Their menu was extensive, and it was hard to decide on what to order, but I finally decided to try something different and had the "Wildwood" (photo bottom left) which was two potato pancakes, topped with two poached eggs, pulled pork, avocado slices, Hollander sauce, cheese, crispy onions, and sweet jalapeno jam.  My husband went all out and ordered the "Holy Cow," which was a platter of mashed potatoes, topped with scrambled eggs, ham, bacon, cheese, country fried steak, and sausage gravy--it was all surrounded by french toast! His eyes were bigger than his stomach, and although he enjoyed it, he only ate half.

Well fortified, we started on our way again and passed Evergreen Lake.

I admired the houses built on hillsides that captured mountain views

On State Highway 103, at Squaw Pass Road, we passed the beautiful "Noble Meadow Preservation," which is 408 acres of a scenic wildlife corridor, preserved in 1994.

This land is important for the elks to graze and for calving, and their story is told on informational placards on the site. To enlarge this photo collage, and all photos in this post, click on them once,  and then again when they open larger, to see more detail.

There were rolling ranges of mountains in the background of this peaceful meadow.

This old log barn-like structure stands in the preserve.

We continued to climb higher on the road, with mountains looming in the distance, their heads in the clouds.

My husband and I were amazed by a large number of bicyclists we passed on the way, peddling heartily uphill!

As we rose in elevation I began to feel as if I were on top of the world and could touch the sky!

Even though clouds were steadily building up, the views and vistas we saw were awe inspiring.

The Rocky Mountains seems to ripple on and on forever.  Notice the abundance of pine cones on the tallest subalpine fir tree in the foreground.

The road twisted and turned with ever-changing mountain scenery .....

.....whose colors changed with the light between sunshine and clouds.

We decided to take our next break at Echo Lake Park, which at 10,600 feet is Denver's only subalpine park.

The 24-acre lake was formed by glacial moraine. It is popular as a fishing spot and for views of Mt. Evans, although the cloud cover obscured that view the day we were there.

The historic Echo Lake Lodge was built in 1926.

Click on the photo above to enlarge it to read more about this structure. Initially built as a shelter house for mountain park visitors, it is now a gift shop and restaurant.

The skies opened up and it began to rain heavily. We could not begrudge any rain that falls after the severe drought Colorado has been experiencing.

Even the bicyclists did not let the rain stop them!

Delicate alpine flowers were blossoming alongside the roadway.

Just look at the colors of these Mountain Bluebells!

Marsh marigolds were also in bloom.

I especially loved a field of poppies that we came across near a stream.

Their long stems and ruffled petals made them dance like faeries in the breeze.

They certainly added a bright touch to a cloudy, rainy day!

Due to the inclement weather, we decided not to continue on towards the summit of Mt.Evans, that has an elevation of 14,260 feet and instead headed back towards the town of Idaho Springs. I'll write more about that well preserved Colorado gold rush town on a future post!

 

Historic Arkansas Riverwalk of Pueblo, Colorado

I visited the scenic Historic Arkansas Riverwalk in Pueblo, Colorado early one-morning last year, when I accompanied my daughter on a business trip to the area.  The historic Riverwalk of Pueblo is a 32-acre urban waterfront experience that is opened to the public daily.

Information from the Riverwalk web site:

"The Riverwalk returned the river to its historic location in the heart of downtown Pueblo, after being diverted in the 1920s due to a devastating flood that destroyed much of Pueblo. The Riverwalk’s current location serves the community by revitalizing a segment of the downtown area that was previously unsightly and unusable. This urban development transforms the community and has been vital in attracting new businesses, thereby helping to stabilize the economic base of the city.

The Arkansas River has been the lifeblood of Pueblo for over 300 years. Native Americans followed the river for hunting and trapping. Early settlers came as sheepherders and cattlemen. Agriculture blossomed in Pueblo’s warmer climate and the steel industry used the bountiful water resources to build a massive manufacturing center. Four nations have claimed ownership over the Arkansas River at the current location of the Riverwalk; Mexico, Spain, France and the Republic of Texas."

The Riverwalk is two miles long and loops around in a continuous path, so it is easy to navigate by walking. Double click on the photo above to see a map of its points of interest.

One can buy a ticket in season, May through September, to ride along the river on an excursion boat, a gondola, or paddle boats.

I enjoyed walking along the entire Riverwalk pathway to see all the wonderful mosaics...

...and to read all the informational placards about the history of the Riverwalk

Please double click on the photo collage above to enlarge it, to read the information and quotations.

There are many sculptural exhibits, entertainment venues, interactive fountains, as well as restaurants on the Riverwalk, as well as nearby retail shops.

I already showed you the inspiring Center for American Values, that honors the American Medal of Honor recipients, which is located on the Riverwalk, in a prior post. (click here to read that post)

This beautiful sculpture on the Riverwalk is by David McGary, is modeled after a native Lakota woman who is displaying her treasured heirloom quilt. It is entitled "Walks Among the Stars."

Please double click on the mosaic above to enlarge it to see all the wonderful detail in the sculpture.

There are also quite a few placards on the Riverwalk that tell the story of Lieutenant Zebulon Pike's discovery and attempt to climb the mountain they called "Grand Peak," later known as Pike's Peak.

Please double click on the photo of the placard above to read more about Pike's discovery.

A view of Pike's Peak in the far distance.

More beautiful mosaics and sculpture on the Riverwalk that tell the story of the area.

Double click above to learn the interesting story behind the Arkansas River that begins its flow from the highest peak in Colorado, Mt. Elbert, elevation 14,433 feet.

A portion of the Riverwalk has a natural embankment. There you can see native Cottonwood trees

 I enjoyed sitting on this bench on the Riverwalk as I waited for my daughter to finish her business meeting so that we could return to Denver, about a two-hour ride away.

If you ever visit Pueblo, Colorado, I think you'll find that it is definitely worth making a visit to the beautiful Historic Arkansas Riverwalk. It is one of the highlights of the city!

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