A Day at a Colorado Dog Park

Colorado is infamous for its dog culture. I've seen dogs in bike baskets, in bike carts, and in backpacks. They are in the mall, the airport and usually in the front seat of the cars driving by. I've seen them hiking, swimming and running. The dogs tend to be big, active and loving. Truly, they are Coloradoan's first love, as people tend to have a dog before they have a spouse or a family. No joke.

Jackson the Wonder Pup has become a relatively new fixture in our household. He's young, cute and active. The anomaly here is he is also small. Really, he's a big dog trapped in a little dog's body - but he doesn't realize that yet! Jackson draws a lot of attention because he is not your typical lab, golden retriever or other typical family dog mix all too common in Colorado. People have offered to buy him right off our leash because of his distinctive look and spunky attitude!

 

Having Jackson has made us appreciate our doggy neighbors, available activities and access for dog-friendly getaway options. Most recently, we have discovered the blessing of a dog park. J-man is finally old enough to take to the off-leash parks and allow him to run. Being the big-dog-in-a-little-dogs-body kind of guy, he has zero interest in the small dog section of the park. So we let him run lose with the big dogs at the dog park located by the Aurora Reservoir.

The set up here is pretty sweet. There is a double entry gate to prevent dogs from slipping out of the park unbeknownst to their owners. If you aren't quick enough, you may have an extra pup join you in the transition area!

It's clear the state of Colorado and in this case, the city of Aurora, strives to make their canines comfortable. Aside from grassy patches and the amenities above, there is also a water pump for regular refills of the adapted dog bowls placed in the park.

The whole area is fenced in with picnic tables for the folks (or dogs) who need to take a rest.  There is an agility section, a small dog section and even a fire hydrant to encourage typically doggy activities. The park even boasts a shady section for man and beast to step out of the intense Colorado sun!

The park has a pretty strict set of rules - no food, no aggressive behavior, etc. And even better, the people seem about as happy to be there as their dogs. It's like the dog park social hour when you arrive, as everyone has something to say. Even better, you can take your dog off leash and just let him (or her) go!

A dog at the dog park is a happy dog. And after the park, they are a tired dog - which makes for happy owners!

Fall in the Rockies

There is nothing quite like fall in the Rocky Mountains. The days are warm, the nights are cool and the mountains are at their peak (no pun intended). It is my favorite time of year in Colorado and I love to share the beauty of it with others.

Last Sunday we headed out via Honda to cruise the mountains, determined not to miss one of the peak leaf peeping weekends. So into the car went boyfriend, teenager and dog, all because I simply asked if we could! Off we headed up I70, determined to find beautiful patches of aspens changing colors.

We took the road less traveled by heading up the Central City Parkway (http://www.centralcityparkway.com/). At first, I thought we might be a week too early. The trees were just showing a hint of yellow, but nothing like the bursts of color I was seeking. Not to be deterred, we picked up Hwy 119 and headed toward Nederland (http://www.town.nederland.co.us/). On that road, we found what we had been looking for. Gorgeous mountain views, yellowed aspen stands and very little traffic; a perfect combination for the stop-and-go of picture taking.

A little nature lesson... Colorado and Utah are home to the largest segment of aspen trees in the world. We boast enough aspens to cover Rhode Island and Delaware and still have some left over. They turn a beautiful golden color - sometimes with a hint of red - in the fall, altering the landscape of a typical Colorado mountainside.

In Nederland, we stopped for a bite to eat at the popular Whistlers Cafe. Although the day was cool, we opted to sit outside on the patio while the sun shone and so we could leash our Colorado dog to the fence around the patio area. I'm not sure who enjoyed lunch more - us because the food was delish or the dog, because he received love and accolades by the staff, guests and one little girl who went as far as to bring him water in a disposable pan. Talk about customer service! We were impressed. And Jackson (the dog) had a great time.

After lunch, we hopped back into the car, eyeing the front rolling in. Nothing changes quite as rapidly as Colorado weather and this day was no exception. The views were getting even better, but the gray, wind and eventual rain put a damper on the photography efforts at the best stops! We tromped on, knowing it would eventually it would clear out and the rain was to our benefit, as the other leaf peepers would clear out as well.

I made sure to stop at one of my favorite overlooks, a little sad that one of my favorite fall spectacles was not evident. Typically on the peak leaf weekends, there are two young entrepreneurs sitting on the side of the road, selling lemonade and treats. They are social, smart and giving, as a portion of their proceeds always goes to the charities of their choice. They bake everything themselves, handle the sales and generally impress anyone who pauses by their table. I hope their lack of presence was related more to the weather than to anything else!

One of the things I love about Colorado is your round a corner and discover some treasure tucked on the roadside - abandoned mines, wildlife, church steeples... This ride was no disappointment, as we came across all 3!

As we closed in on Lyons, CO, we pulled the car off the road to stretch our legs and walk the dog. The rain was a mist, so felt refreshing as we milled around above the creek. The spot was beautiful, nestled between valley walls with the creek running through. I wish we had stopped there earlier in the afternoon, as I would have enjoyed more than a stroll in that area.

As we headed home, I felt content. While the Rockies don't offer me the colors of my native Appalachians, they are beautiful none-the-less this time of year.

If you are seeking drive options, here is a great site for reference: http://www.thedenverchannel.com/weather/4955659/detail.html

BeetleFest 2009

As some of you may know, Colorado is experiencing a tough time with the Mountain Pine Beetle, (www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05528.html) a pesky little bugger that is singlehandedly bringing down Colorado's evergreen forests. Also called the Rocky Mountain Pine Beetle or the Black Hills Pine Beetle, these little guys can kill millions of trees, effectively changing the landscape and upping the fire danger of previously undamaged areas. There is nothing that can explain the feeling of driving a familiar stretch of road and realizing almost all the trees along it are dead or dying. Or knowing that this death severely affects mountain fire hazards and the Western Power Grid (www.sqlspace.com/viewtopic.php?f+123&t=61506) But Colorado folks being who they are, what do they chose to do? C-E-L-E-B-R-A-T-E that silly bug. Welcome to Frisco, CO, home of BeetleFest 2009! (www.townoffrisco.com/events/beetlefest/)

Set on the picturesque main street of Frisco, BeetleFest 2009 is an awareness event regarding the beetle devastating the area around the town. Walking up, we spy people of all ages bobbing their beetle antennas, emitting a disco-like reflection in all directions. Evidently they had all participated 4k Beetle Stomp in the morning and were proudly sporting their beetle paraphernalia. And I must mention the dogs wandering by wearing their beetle-beads. Quite a site to behold!
We wandered the booths, taking in all the creative ways self-made folks were utilizing the beetle kill wood - dog dish stands, small trunks, chairs, bed headboard, wine racks and picture frames! Music played in the background, locally brewed beer was served and we opted to stick around for the "best lumberjack show in town." It was actually pretty cool, with all sorts of contests including ax throwing, chopping and log rolling! It was a cheap and cheesy (but fun!) way to spend an afternoon.

After leaving the festival, we decided to check out the Frisco Historic Park and Museum. This is probably one of the most pleasant hidden finds I've discovered in a while. Tucked right off Main Street, the town of Frisco has steadily collected original town buildings to develop a historical park. Each building is stuffed with treasures of yester-year and is free and open to the public. We explored the original jail, checked out children's clothes, wandered through the church and learned about how impactful the ladies of the town had been in history, and in recollecting historical elements. If you are ever in the area and have 2 hours to kill, I would highly recommend checking it out! (www.townoffrisco.com/activities/about-frisco/fast-facts/).

The next day, we opted to visit the town of Breckenridge. Known for it’s skiing, the town of "Breck" (http://www.gobreck.com/) as the locals call it is good-sized ski town, offering a plethora of restaurants, shops and the cutest Starbucks I've ever seen. The Blue River runs through it, allowing for a small "river walk" and stunning views. Being a tourist town, there are plenty of places to take a picture, take a dog or take some down time.

We opted to head to the Breckenridge World Market at the Main Street Station Plaza and check out the goodies. I left with the most amazing loaf of bread I have ever tasted. My "girl getting grubby" buddy left with some new tea and all of us left with a mouthful of yummy samples, including Jackson the Wonder Mutt Alexander, who got some beef jerky from the dog lover running that stand. We were all happy. After a delicious lunch at the Quandary Grille (http://www.quandarygrille.com/), we headed home, fully satisfied with our weekend!