tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297978532693294551Fri, 03 Sep 2010 20:42:23 +0000http://www.coloradoholic.com/fran.farris@gmail.com (Fran Farris)Blogger65125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297978532693294551.post-4522395241154869483Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:39:00 +00002010-09-03T11:45:38.698-06:00By Fran Farris Central City, Colorado Bob and I like to go to Black Hawk.  There, I said it. It's not like we're big gamblers; it's just loads of fun to explore the Old West mining towns nestled in the Rocky Mountains ... and toss a few coins into the slots in case we get lucky ... which isn't too often. :(  After numerous trips to Black Hawk, we were pleasantly surprised to finally http://www.coloradoholic.com/2010/09/central-city-colorado-richest-square.htmlfran.farris@gmail.com (Fran Farris)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297978532693294551.post-876462035594373913Fri, 03 Sep 2010 03:44:00 +00002010-09-02T21:44:38.530-06:00By Fran Farris About, oh ... two weeks ago, Bob and I were driving around Estes Park and spotted a large bull elk running around in the street near the Stanley Hotel.  Albeit, that's not unusual in Estes Park, but elk activity has been on the rise in recent weeks.  I caught a quickie video of him with my cell phone ... Now, if you want to see some real crazy elk activity, check out thishttp://www.coloradoholic.com/2010/09/readying-for-elk-rut-in-estes-park.htmlfran.farris@gmail.com (Fran Farris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297978532693294551.post-4250525815734269557Fri, 03 Sep 2010 01:17:00 +00002010-09-02T19:17:32.546-06:00By Fran Farris Gnarly Barley Brew Festival at the fair The Larimer County Fair, at The Ranch in Loveland, Colorado, is by far the CLEANEST county fair I've ever attended ... and I've been to a lot of county fairs having covered them for weekly newspapers in Colorado and Minnesota.  I'm a tad late posting this ... the fair took place August 6 through 10.  Some of the highlights included thehttp://www.coloradoholic.com/2010/09/2010-larimer-county-fair-and-prca-rodeo.htmlfran.farris@gmail.com (Fran Farris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297978532693294551.post-4962530074213770464Wed, 30 Jun 2010 00:46:00 +00002010-06-29T19:38:02.307-06:00By Fran Farris The ten mile drive up into the Rocky Mountains from Boulder to Gold Hill, Colorado, is a pretty spectacular, steep and scenic ride. Elevation: 8,300 feet. Gold Hill was the first mining camp in Colorado.  It still retains its Old West appearance and flavor. It's a great quick weekend getaway drive.  Scenic lookout points provide beautiful vistas of the mountains.  I found a http://www.coloradoholic.com/2010/06/by-fran-farris-ten-mile-drive-up-into.htmlfran.farris@gmail.com (Fran Farris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297978532693294551.post-3371751432821804371Mon, 28 Jun 2010 01:54:00 +00002010-06-27T20:11:52.871-06:00By Fran Farris She said it was too much dessert for one person to eat ... it needs to be shared.  I know my husband pretty well, however, and had no doubt that he could polish off the GINORMOUS cinnamon roll sundae at Vern's Place in Laporte, Colorado.  He did, of course, and proved the server wrong. "I could go for another one of those sometime," said Bob. I taste-tested it ... my reaction .http://www.coloradoholic.com/2010/06/cinnamon-roll-sundae-on-sunday-at-verns.htmlfran.farris@gmail.com (Fran Farris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297978532693294551.post-6548123788506849921Sun, 27 Jun 2010 06:10:00 +00002010-06-27T00:41:59.285-06:00By Fran Farris Attended the 21st annual Colorado Brewers' Festival in Fort Collins, Colorado today.  Lots 'o cops and security diligently patrolling the grounds.  Keep up the good work, ociffers! Did not witness any outrageously erratic behaviors, aside from the guy by the bandstand who kept insisting I dance with him.  Guess I still got it ;) Am writing in fragments cuz I'm tired ... had lotshttp://www.coloradoholic.com/2010/06/colorado-brewers-festival-images-speak.htmlfran.farris@gmail.com (Fran Farris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297978532693294551.post-2420466556454752971Sat, 26 Jun 2010 14:27:00 +00002010-06-26T08:33:26.606-06:00By Fran Farris Let's see ... three hours equals 180 minutes ... divided by 50 different types of beer equals 3.6 beers per minute.  No wait, that can't be right ... is it the other way around?  Fifty beers divided by 180 minutes equals .27 beers. Oh, who cares ... we'll be taste-testing a whole LOT 'O BEER and listening to some great live bands today - my birthday - at the 21st annual Colorado http://www.coloradoholic.com/2010/06/colorado-brewers-festival-on-my.htmlfran.farris@gmail.com (Fran Farris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297978532693294551.post-2475817152551607460Sat, 26 Jun 2010 14:22:00 +00002010-06-26T08:23:51.113-06:00By Fran Farris Originally posted Sunday, June 13, 2010 COLORADOHOLIC site Check out this in-depth story about Alferd Packer ... the Maneater of Colorado, written by Katherine Ramsland for trutv.com. I gotta check out the museum relics, Packer grave and massacre site in Lake City, Colorado. In the Colorado Rockies Where the snow is deep and cold And a man afoot can starve to death Unless he's http://www.coloradoholic.com/2010/06/alferd-packer-colorado-cannibal-o.htmlfran.farris@gmail.com (Fran Farris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297978532693294551.post-7711616790028402678Sat, 26 Jun 2010 14:18:00 +00002010-06-26T08:18:28.291-06:00Originally posted Sunday, June 13, 2010 COLORADOHOLIC site Geez ... the water levels continue to be high in Estes Park, Colorado, as the Big Thompson River runoff rages through town ... http://www.coloradoholic.com/2010/06/high-waters-continue-in-estes-park.htmlfran.farris@gmail.com (Fran Farris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297978532693294551.post-2261175135331978729Sat, 26 Jun 2010 14:13:00 +00002010-06-26T08:13:52.657-06:00By Fran Farris Originally posted Wednesday, June 9, 2010 COLORADOHOLIC site This is a pretty cool time lapse video of Pearl Street Mall and the Boulder County Courthouse in Boulder, Colorado ... taken during the 2010 Boulder Jewish Festival this past Sunday, June 6. http://www.coloradoholic.com/2010/06/pearl-street-mall-time-lapse-video.htmlfran.farris@gmail.com (Fran Farris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297978532693294551.post-1396122020427324035Sat, 26 Jun 2010 14:09:00 +00002010-06-26T08:12:01.485-06:00By Fran Farris Originally posted Wednesday, June 9, 2010 COLORADOHOLIC site Memorial Weekend 2010 came and went, but in Boulder, Colorado, the 23rd annual Boulder Creek Festival marked the start of summer.  Three days of food, music, entertainment, fun, games, carnival rides, hundreds of vendors selling wares and a rubber duck race were capped off by the annual Bolder Boulder 10K road race on http://www.coloradoholic.com/2010/06/2010-bouldere-creek-festival-kicks-off.htmlfran.farris@gmail.com (Fran Farris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297978532693294551.post-7289763472823607496Sat, 26 Jun 2010 13:55:00 +00002010-06-26T07:55:56.411-06:00By Fran Farris Originally posted Wednesday, June 9, 2010 COLORADOHOLIC site It's been unseasonably HOT lately, but at least it's a dry heat, right? Well ... heat equals melting mountain snow equals LOTS 'O SPRING RUN-OFF raging down the rivers and creeks in mountain canyons.  It may look like a fun venue for tubing or kayaking, but it's actually quite dangerous.  The current is STRONG and the http://www.coloradoholic.com/2010/06/rocky-mountain-high-as-in-water-levels.htmlfran.farris@gmail.com (Fran Farris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297978532693294551.post-6796863685002050422Sat, 26 Jun 2010 13:48:00 +00002010-06-26T07:49:08.423-06:00By Fran Farris Originally posted Thursday, June 3, 2010 COLORADOHOLIC site Well, whaddaya know?  Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado is rated the NUMERO UNO Outdoor and Adventure Destination in the U.S., according to Traveler's Choice 2010 The Best Destinations. Some of the listed "don't miss" attractions include: Estes Park (yay) and Trail Ridge Road, Bear Lake Trailhead, Alpine Visitor http://www.coloradoholic.com/2010/06/rmnp-rated-1-outdoor-and-adventure.htmlfran.farris@gmail.com (Fran Farris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297978532693294551.post-6686738434188568171Sat, 26 Jun 2010 13:40:00 +00002010-06-26T07:45:30.250-06:00By Fran Farris Originally posted Wednesday, June 2, 2010 COLORADOHOLIC site We went to a lot of places this past Memorial Day holiday weekend.  There's just so much going on everywhere in Colorado this time of year.  It's the start of summer and the start of TOURIST SEASON ... Yikes!  I like to write a lot about the fabulous town of Estes Park, CO, because I enjoy "heading up" there on a http://www.coloradoholic.com/2010/06/memorial-weekend-in-estes-park-glen.htmlfran.farris@gmail.com (Fran Farris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297978532693294551.post-7066070335399936226Sat, 26 Jun 2010 07:04:00 +00002010-06-26T01:04:59.911-06:00By Fran Farris Originally posted Wednesday, June 2, 2010 COLORADOHOLIC site There was no shortage of things to see and do throughout Front Range cities and mountain villages in Colorado this past Memorial Day holiday weekend.  Windsor, CO, held its annual Pelican Fest which drew hundreds of participants to a triathlon race consisting of an 800 meter swim, 10 mile bike ride and 5K run.  Whew! http://www.coloradoholic.com/2010/06/windsor-pelican-fest-draws-triathloners.htmlfran.farris@gmail.com (Fran Farris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297978532693294551.post-6334275054917365493Sat, 26 Jun 2010 06:50:00 +00002010-06-26T00:52:02.268-06:00Originally posted Sunday, May 23, 2010 COLORADOHOLIC site Crystal Clear I stare at the mountains. I can’t go there the snow’s too deep, the trip too dear a coyote yelp I hear He will go there his pleasure I will know as he plays in the snow music to my ear echos to my soul I’ll sip my beer smoke a bowl and love the mountains crystal clear. slodog All Rights Reservedhttp://www.coloradoholic.com/2010/06/slodog-poetry-crystal-clear.htmlfran.farris@gmail.com (Fran Farris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297978532693294551.post-8357548235434354508Sat, 26 Jun 2010 06:47:00 +00002010-06-26T00:47:19.518-06:00By Fran Farris Originally posted Sunday, May 23, 2010 COLORADOHOLIC site Horsetooth Reservoir is a very popular recreation destination in Northern Colorado, located in the foothills just west, and above, the city of Fort Collins.  Altitude: 5,430 feet.  Approximately 570,000 visitors come to Horsetooth every year.  On a nice sunny summer day, locals and visitors can be found sunbathing by the http://www.coloradoholic.com/2010/06/horsetooth-reservoir-dogs-boats.htmlfran.farris@gmail.com (Fran Farris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297978532693294551.post-5333151646745285821Sat, 26 Jun 2010 06:17:00 +00002010-06-26T00:51:01.355-06:00Originally posted Wednesday, May 5, 2010 COLORADOHOLIC site Colorado Unexpected Down an old, old ride in the green smell of sage three bumps were on the side two large, one small showing long age in brown prairie nowhere that was all I knew they were graves markers gone, or never there on my dusty knees I sit still in hot trickling wind alone with pioneers and woe buried those many years ago http://www.coloradoholic.com/2010/06/introducing-colorado-poetry-by-slodog.htmlfran.farris@gmail.com (Fran Farris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297978532693294551.post-2857811674737943787Sat, 26 Jun 2010 06:14:00 +00002010-06-26T00:15:25.247-06:00By Fran Farris Originally posted Tuesday, May 4, 2010 COLORADOHOLIC site It's hay fever season in Colorado.  The pollen count is high, and spring wind storms have been carrying desert region dust east over the Rockies from Arizona, New Mexico and Utah causing pink snow in the high country.  Check out the pink ski trails and prematurely melting snow at Vail here.    I went to my favorite groceryhttp://www.coloradoholic.com/2010/06/sunflower-farmers-markets-are-bomb.htmlfran.farris@gmail.com (Fran Farris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297978532693294551.post-3119664472729824297Sat, 26 Jun 2010 06:00:00 +00002010-06-26T00:07:01.741-06:00By Fran Farris Originally posted Wednesday, April 28, 2010 COLORADOHOLIC site OH NO ... not the dude-in-the-cube!  They wouldn't deport him for smoking pot in Boulder, would they?  A week ago, nearly 20,000 people smoked MJ at 420 smokeouts in Boulder and Denver ... surrounded by cops.  Oh, puhleeze ... As reported in the Boulder Daily Camera, April 27, 2010 Boulder fixture, Pearl Street Mall http://www.coloradoholic.com/2010/06/boulder-street-performer-faces_26.htmlfran.farris@gmail.com (Fran Farris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297978532693294551.post-487748982089836000Sat, 26 Jun 2010 05:54:00 +00002010-06-25T23:55:02.710-06:00By Fran Farris Originally posted Thursday, April 22, 2010 COLORADOHOLIC site Bicycle enthusiasts!  There's a new event taking place in August this year at the most famous mountain in America.  It's called the 2010 Assault on the Peak - Ride Pike's Peak in Colorado Springs, Colorado. That's right ... that's ride ... as in bicycles ... UP a mountain.  Elevation: 14,115 feet.  Hummana ... Hummana http://www.coloradoholic.com/2010/06/1st-annual-assault-on-pikes-peak.htmlfran.farris@gmail.com (Fran Farris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297978532693294551.post-6506916941869339503Sat, 26 Jun 2010 05:33:00 +00002010-06-25T23:50:00.600-06:00By Fran Farris Originally posted Wednesday, April 21, 2010 COLORADOHOLIC site I can hear them coming ... the thundering hooves of wild elk, bighorn sheep and mule deer ... or is that the padding paws of elusive mountain lions giving chase? Heck!  That's the rumbling of RVs loaded with tourists.  They're making their summer pilgrimages to Colorado.  Many have Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) http://www.coloradoholic.com/2010/06/colorado-must-see-trail-ridge-road-in.htmlfran.farris@gmail.com (Fran Farris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297978532693294551.post-3925493278813989998Sat, 26 Jun 2010 05:19:00 +00002010-06-25T23:22:54.252-06:00By Fran Farris Originally posted Tuesday, April 20,2010 COLORADOHOLIC site I couldn't let April 20 go by without some mention of the ginormous 420 pot smokeouts in Boulder and Denver today.  It was estimated that approximately 8,000 "happy" 420ers were in attendance at each event.  This is actually lower than last year's turnout of 10,000 on Norlin Quad at University of Colorado (CU) Boulder.  http://www.coloradoholic.com/2010/06/boulder-and-denver-hold-420-pot-smoking.htmlfran.farris@gmail.com (Fran Farris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297978532693294551.post-7556830942096905500Sat, 26 Jun 2010 04:54:00 +00002010-06-26T00:20:18.026-06:00By Fran Farris Originally posted Monday, April 19, 2010 COLORADOHOLIC site Boulder, Colorado, has got to be one of the coolest cities in the country.  It's just so very hip and fun and full of surprises. Ever seen a bronze statue sweat?  We did Sunday.  He was one of a large number of street performers out on Pearl Street - musicians, singers, a juggler, Tarot card reader and the http://www.coloradoholic.com/2010/06/statues-singers-et-al-pearl-street-in.htmlfran.farris@gmail.com (Fran Farris)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6297978532693294551.post-6842621469255235987Sat, 26 Jun 2010 04:47:00 +00002010-06-25T22:48:01.155-06:00By Fran Farris Originally posted Monday, April 12, 2010 COLORADOHOLIC site We spent Sunday afternoon at Black Hawk.  Elevation: 8,537 feet.  It's a little bit of Las Vegas literally carved into the Gilpin County mountains west of Golden, Colorado.  Actually, it reminds me of Deadwood, South Dakota, but it's a LOT higher in altitude and a lot KeWLeR.  It's the local mecca of Colorado gaming http://www.coloradoholic.com/2010/06/black-hawk-sabbath.htmlfran.farris@gmail.com (Fran Farris)0