Colorado Autumn
From Golden to Grand Junction, then from Steamboat Springs to Estes Park, Steve and I spent nine gorgeous fall days visiting friends and cousins in beautiful Colorado. Edwards in the Vail Valley was our first stop. That’s where Bill and Claire Stitt spend the warmer months. For our drive from the Denver Airport to their home, Bill recommended a route more scenic than I-70. It took us to a wonderful deli in Golden, then through Clear Creek Canyon and over Loveland Pass. As soon as we arrived I was attracted to the window where Claire reads. Yes, her view is that spectacular.
Bill and Steve worked together in the Pentagon, 1968-69, and were partners in a consulting firm, 1971-76. As we raised our children in Northern Virginia, Claire and I explored many common interests. It was a such a pleasure to have time to catch up on our children and grandchildren and recall the trips that we took together.
Did you see all the books stacked up on the table in front of Claire’s window? She reads more than I do. We had much to discuss. These bookmarks Claire made for her reading group in Fort Myers inspire me to do the same for one of my groups.
While the guys played golf, as they have before in many places, Claire took me on two wonderful excursions. Thursday we drove two hours west through Glenwood Canyon to Colorado National Monument, near Grand Junction, where Eagle Creek joins the Colorado River. Along the way we saw dry butes topped with rows of Cretaceous sandstone that looked like books on a high shelf. Indeed, they are called the Book Cliffs. Once we entered the Monument grounds, run by the National Park Service, the scenery took our breaths away. Claire was kind to stop often for me to aim my camera. We picnicked near huge red rocks and dark green conifer trees. Click here for more photos of Colorado National Monument.
On Friday morning, after Bill fixed another delicious breakfast, Claire took me southward from the dry microclimate of Edwards, across Eagle Creek to the verdant Vail Valley. As we visited the Chapel at Beaver Creek, the bells struck the hour and played the hymn, “Once to Every Man and Nation.” The beauty of music, sun, flowers, and old/gold friends, made me very happy.
Next Claire introduced me to Pickle Ball, a very popular sport in Vail Valley. Steve reports that Quail Ridge will have new Pickle Ball courts soon.
We ended our morning at the Colorado Mountain Museum, where we learned more about the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division that fought in Italy in 1945. Five years ago, Claire had taken Steve and me to Camp Hale, where the Division trained in 1943-44. As we were leaving the museum, two veterans of this unit, both in their nineties, were arriving to talk about their experiences. Of the 8000 men in this unit, over a thousand lost their lives in battles that earned the admiration of the opposing German general. Many of the veterans returned to Colorado and developed ski resorts and improved skiing technology–bindings, boots, skis, and lifts. One veteran, Bob Dole, now 96, became a leading Republican Senator.
We hated to leave the Stitts, but cousins Maxann and Jay awaited us two hours north in Steamboat Springs–another lovely drive. Soon Mary and Geoffrey Thomson from Perth, Scotland, and Allene and Jim Cooley, from Charlotte NC, would be arriving for a week of fun the Collins had planned.
While the guys played at Rollingstone Ranch Golf Club, Maxann conducted us to the fresh air Saturday market on the banks of the Yampa River in downtown Steamboat. Amid booths selling fresh peaches, fall vegetables, and marijuana, we found fishermen, children, and artists. It was a clear, sunny day for lunch at Winona’s.
Maxann arranged for us to visit the studio of her friend Sandy Graves, a nationally-known sculptor. We had already seen several examples of Graves’ work in the Collins’ house. Sandy showed us more and explained the bronze casting process she uses. We got to see both the model and the completed work commissioned by the Steamboat Springs Chamber of Commerce for the lawn of the county courthouse in the center of town. The children represent the three main industries of Steamboat–mining, ranching, and tourism. There are symbols hidden throughout the surfaces of the sculpture which tell a deeper story, too, if you can find them.
Jay and Maxann are expert planners. They planned our family trip to Kauai in 1987, Grand Canyon in 1989, Alaska in 2013, and hosted many Christmases, too. Characteristically, they pulled out all the stops to make us comfortable and well-entertained: warm fires, massage appointments, charming dog Leo, brunch at Antler’s Cafe in Yampa, a hike to Buffalo Pass in the Mount Zirkel Wilderness, home entertainment by Cowboy John, a Mexican food feast, thick steaks grilled to perfection, stargazing in the clear mountain air–we saw the Milky Way! Here are a few photos to illustrate; many more are in my Google album, Steamboat Springs.
The aspens were just beginning to turn; every day was bright and beautiful. After the Thomsons and the Cooleys departed, I spent the last day walking Leo and working this wooden jigsaw puzzle, the only rainbow trout I’ll ever catch. Can you see the rainbow and all the little creatures?
On the way back to Denver airport, Steve somewhat nervously drove through the high altitude switchbacks of photogenic Rocky Mountain National Park, where the Colorado River has its headwaters. I thought of how our grandkids would enjoy the mountains, waters, animals and plants in this place. We had lunch at Nicky’s in Estes Park, where we saw an elk with a full rack calmly walking down the street beside four lanes of traffic. Thank you, Bill, Claire, Jay and Maxann for a fabulous nine days in your amazing state. It was great fun to be with you, Allene, Jim, Mary and Geoffrey. We love you all!
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