Pikes Peak or Bust!

[Hermit]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Paul Here's an update from the local political scene ... love this! TELLER COUNTY – The town of Divide has a new mayor. His name is Pa Kettle, and he's a bloodhound. Buster the Cat was considered the frontrunner over the last couple of weeks, but in the final vote – Pa Kettle the dog edged him out. Since the town of Divide doesn't have a mayor, the Teller County Regional Animal Shelter holds a special election every two years to elect a new animal as mayor. The election is considered a fundraiser for the animal shelter. Each vote costs a dollar – and every dollar goes to the shelter. TCRAS is the only no-kill shelter in Teller County. It relies heavily on donations. This year's election brought in $12,091 for the shelter. The town's previous mayor was a three-legged cat. (KUSA-TV © 2014 Multimedia Holdings Corporation) Dog elected mayor in town of Divide

My kind of place! Is a real dog-eat-dog (err - cat?) kind of world when it comes to politics in Divide.

[LoneAspen]

Divide, Colorado...

Talk about a true "wide spot in the middle of the road" I say that in fond memory of the place, I used to live there.

I practiced real estate in Teller County for a couple years when I lived there, and had no idea of the shenanigans that went on in county politics. A dog or cat would truly make for better politicians there.

Hermit, if you haven't done it yet, drive west on Highway 24 until you go over Wilkerson Pass. As you crest over the top, it's one of the most jaw-dropping vistas I've ever seen. First time I saw it was on a clear crisp day with a few clouds in the sky, and you could see forever.

[38Chevy454]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Paul Here's an update from the local political scene ... love this! TELLER COUNTY – The town of Divide has a new mayor. His name is Pa Kettle, and he's a bloodhound. Buster the Cat was considered the frontrunner over the last couple of weeks, but in the final vote – Pa Kettle the dog edged him out. Since the town of Divide doesn't have a mayor, the Teller County Regional Animal Shelter holds a special election every two years to elect a new animal as mayor. The election is considered a fundraiser for the animal shelter. Each vote costs a dollar – and every dollar goes to the shelter. TCRAS is the only no-kill shelter in Teller County. It relies heavily on donations. This year's election brought in $12,091 for the shelter. The town's previous mayor was a three-legged cat. (KUSA-TV © 2014 Multimedia Holdings Corporation) Dog elected mayor in town of Divide

I used to live near the small town of Sunol, CA. This is 100% true story, they did elect a dog named Bosco as mayor of the town; not as symbolic, but as a real election. The best part of the history is to visit the town saloon where a likeness of Bosco lifts his leg to pee filling a beer! See here:
Bosco the Dog Mayor, Sunol, California

[Hermit]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoneAspen Divide, Colorado... Talk about a true "wide spot in the middle of the road" I say that in fond memory of the place, I used to live there. I practiced real estate in Teller County for a couple years when I lived there, and had no idea of the shenanigans that went on in county politics. A dog or cat would truly make for better politicians there. Hermit, if you haven't done it yet, drive west on Highway 24 until you go over Wilkerson Pass. As you crest over the top, it's one of the most jaw-dropping vistas I've ever seen. First time I saw it was on a clear crisp day with a few clouds in the sky, and you could see forever.

Yes, I have been there and your description is right on. You should try an off-road tour. The vistas only get better! This is north of Highway 50 at Texas Creek looking South at the Sangre de Cristos. (You have to click on the picture to get good resolution. The picture still doesn't do the view justice.)

[HFWR]

Love Colorado. May have to move there for the weed when my glaucoma gets worse...

Stayed at a friend's cabin outside Westcliffe a few years back. Sort of a flat valley where the cabin was, but mountains in all directions. Did some hiking near there.

[LoneAspen]

Hermit - Thanks, I'll have to do that next time I'm back there!

38Chevy454 - That was a great article. I clicked on one of the links in it, and also found this, which was a good read. I never knew there was etiquette in touching statues, LOL:

Statue Burnishing - Statue Rubbing

[Hermit]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HFWR Love Colorado. May have to move there for the weed when my glaucoma gets worse... Stayed at a friend's cabin outside Westcliffe a few years back. Sort of a flat valley where the cabin was, but mountains in all directions. Did some hiking near there.

Westcliffe is just down the valley to the left in the picture.
(Maybe I should say just out of the picture.)

[Mr. Paul]

Since the subject of Westcliffe came up

The reason these horses are running is my knucklehead dog just behind them.

[Mr. Paul]

This is our view of Pikes Peak

[Hermit]

The area around Westcliffe is really pretty. The friend who will help me build the house has a lot about half way between there and Texas Creek. He has awesome views of the Wet mountains to the east and the Sangre de Cristos to the west.

[braumeister]

Nostalgia for me, too.
I used to have a cabin near Florissant.
[sigh]

[Dancer373]

Mr,Paul, those are beautiful pictures !

[LoneAspen]

A little bit of trivia for those of you familiar with the Florissant area...

I used to live in Florissant, and always wondered about the little observatory off to the side on Teller County 1. A few months ago, I was doing some Googling and stumbled across it. It's called the Las Brisas Observatory, and found a (seemingly outdated) web page for it at:

Las Brisas Observatory

Also found a YouTube video of a guy accompanying the owner to visit it. Skip to the 5:00 mark for the start of the observatory section, the first part is them driving to the site:

Las Brisas Observatory with Paul W0RW - YouTube

Anyway, I was into astronomy as a kid, and always thought having a small observatory and telescope would be cool. The little one Florissant always fascinated me, I just didn't know anything about it until after I left the area.

[Hermit]

I want to put in a small backyard observatory. It will be a 10'x12' shed with a roll-off roof. I haven't decided on a telescope yet, but my neighbor has one that his father built I think about 40 years ago and he wants to use my observatory so we will at least have something to start with.

[Hermit]

I made it to Colorado! I've been here for a week or so. The weather is typical for this time of year. It's snowing very lihgtly and the sun is shining. I don't have internet so time on the forum will be limited.

[NW-Bound]

I just saw on the Web a "Winter Storm Warning" for Western Colorado, with snow accumulation up to 15" in some places.

Temperature is currently 81F and it's sunny where I am.

[braumeister]

Yes, the snow on the western slopes has been awesome this year.
Went out for a skiing week in January, and was so impressed with the accumulation after coming home that I went out again in February.

Crested Butte closed for the season, but decided to reopen for this weekend due to the amazing depth of snow still on the slopes.

[ajs56]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hermit Yes, I have been there and your description is right on. You should try an off-road tour. The vistas only get better! This is north of Highway 50 at Texas Creek looking South at the Sangre de Cristos. (You have to click on the picture to get good resolution. The picture still doesn't do the view justice.)

Beautiful view and picture Hermit. I have brothers in the Littleton and Conifer/Evergreen area, and love visiting them and the mountains. Took the cog railway up to Pikes Peak a few years back. Nice clear day and the view was beautiful. Gave new meaning for me to the phrase "purple mountain majesties" in America The Beautiful. If I could bring the Great Lakes out and surround Western Colorado and the Rockies with them, that would be just about perfect!

[LoneAspen]

Grats, Hermit - enjoy!

I've read recently where the ski areas in Colorado had a great ski season, and although I'm happy for them, it made me melancholy as well.

I moved to Colorado right before the 92/93 ski season and it was an awesome winter. I learned to ski (and snowboard...kind of) up in Summit County, and Vail, and I loved it. One of the best times of my life.

Once of the things I want to do after I quit in hopefully another year is spend an entire ski season up near Vail and Summit County, just being a ski bum and trying to get in as many days as I can with no job or boss hanging over me.

My fear is that after this great season, it will now be mediocre (or outright terrible) for the next few years, and I'll have missed my chance.

One more reason I want to quit this job and leave this place as quickly as I can. I have this dread that things are "passing me by" and there's nothing I can do about it right now.

So to all of you who live there, get out and enjoy Colorado! Go hiking, backpacking, fishing, skiing, go take pictures of the aspens in fall! Whatever the weather permits - get outside and enjoy it!

[seraphim]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HFWR Love Colorado. May have to move there for the weed when my glaucoma gets worse... Stayed at a friend's cabin outside Westcliffe a few years back. Sort of a flat valley where the cabin was, but mountains in all directions. Did some hiking near there.

Love the Colorado landscape; we considered Salida a contender for retirement. No more, thanks to the drug laws - or particular lack of them. We'll still go to visit, but not to live.