Few Days With Filly and Wrangler

We arrived at Aspen Filly’s and Aspen Wranglers on Sunday afternoon and spent the next few days visiting with them.

Monday consisted of heading to the shop for me where Filly and I spent the day, chatting and sewing. Gym session in the afternoon before heading back to the house. Jack cleaned the car and the guns and enjoyed a somewhat restful day.

Dinner was had at Clancy’s Irish Pub – spectacular food and we all left there rather full.

Tuesday we started late and later went to Wrangler’s shop where it was sawdust and lacquer smells. Ahhh. Viewed some high end cabinetry these guys build and the went to lunch with his crew at Red Rooster Cafe.

Leaving Jack at the wood shop in Five Points (affectionately known as the ‘hood’) with Wrangler for a bit, Filly and I headed on over to Colorado Fabrics where I scored some fabrics for future projects and was happy to have been able to find them.

Jack got picked up and on the way home we had a ‘drive by’ tour of downtown Denver. Filly took us via the City Park, the City Golf Course, round past the Original old elitch’s gardens and fairground. We went past the theatre – Denver Centre Theatre Company – where Jane did 13 years of theatre productions. (12 shows a year) been a busy lady all these years and that wasn’t the only theatre she worked for at the time. (It’s the glass building in the pic below)

Buzzard Walkin and Lil Chickadee came over for barbecue and the 6 of us sat, talked and laughed til late into the evening.

Wednesday started with a gym session for Filly and I with a quick bypass to Inspiration Point, where we took in the views and got a little more exercise walking the pathway to the point.

The four of us then jumped in the truck and headed west in search of ‘white longjohn’s’ – mountain sheep butt’s in other words. Also deer and elk were on the list to find.

York Gulch road, the way to their mountain property and all along the way is gorgeous little wild flowers of all colours. Their trailer on the property sits up at 9600ft.

Down the mountain trail into Central City, an old mining town that now has casinos, fortunately some have kept the original facades. We saw the old Festival Hall, the Opera House and it’s neat little courtyard, Williams Stables building where opera shows are also held, Teller House still maintains its glory of yesteryear and the famous “face on the barroom floor” is protected under glass.

Had pizza and beer at the Dostal Alley Brewing Co for lunch.

From there we went to Estes Park via the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway.

We saw a moose! Yes a female moose grazing at the waters edge. Can just make her out in the shadows in the photo.

Trivia: moose, elk and deer have blood flowing through their antlers and are tender through May-August. Then they will shed their velvet and the antlers go hard. This occurs just before they start their fight for females and lose them before growing a new set each spring. The blood flow caps off at the base when they go hard and will start again come time for the new growth. If they are injured or a deformation occurs in the antlers, each year after the same deformation occurs.

Arrived in Estes Park 7522 elevation, time for a pit stop and ice cream, winding roads have been making us doze!

Here up on the hill, taking prime position, is the sprawling Stanley Hotel which is supposedly haunted. Built by Freelan Oscar Stanley of Stanley Steamer, it was opened July 4, 1909. He and his wife Flora moved to Colorado for his health. The hotel served as accommodation for wealthy socialites. It even had a hydraulic elevator and electricity!

Since the 1970’s there has been much paranormal activity and Stephen King has stayed there for inspiration for The Shining. Now that was a wicked movie!

Up into the mountains we go to 12,183ft. Along the way we got to see turkey, elk, bighorn sheep, mule deer. What awesome scenery, what an awesome experience on the whole!!