BOULDER, Colorado Pt.1

I'd like you to meet my new HERO!  This guy is who I want to be when I grow up! (More about him later.)

I just got back into town last evening after a recent trip out to BOULDER, COLORADO to visit with my eldest daughter, JENNI!  I took so many more pics than I will force upon you through this blog...these are some of my favorites.   I will also post a bit later with "Part 2"...the sketches I drew while on my trip.

Below is yours truly, as I am putting to the test the oft uttered phrase, "West of Hays, Kansas...there is nothing...nothing but flat, empty plains!"

I beg to differ.  There are several things out there in the wide open spaces!  There is a tractor!  There are giant windmills!  There is a flying saucer pretending to be a little silo!

Speaking of the giant wind turbines...I happen to LOVE those things.  If I had a bunch of farmland, I'd have some of my very own.  Though I might make them look more like pinwheels with long, flowing streamers.

And there are CLOUDS out there above the plains of Kansas! Big fluffy clouds...fortunately for this trip.  These skies are also known for twisters that will send you straight to OZ. (And as these photos force me to have to admit...it IS pretty dang flat west of Hays.)

As I was just east of Denver, I started noticing a bunch of old Hot Rods!!  I snapped away as I passed them.

As I was leaving the gas station a few miles down the road, I noticed that these old guys and their great looking cars had pulled into the same station!  Personally, I think that awesome blue Chevy truck is looking enviously at my little red Ford Focus. (yeah...right...)

The next big panorama views are of the ROCKY MOUNTAINS as I'm getting closer to Denver!  The city of Boulder is nestled just up against the foothills.  Simply gorgeous out there!

The next day after arriving, Jenni took me to the Denver Botanical Garden.  It was so rich and green, with lots of little paths off to the sides of the main trails.

For lunch, Jenni's boyfriend, Brad, drove in from Colorado Springs where he is working on a construction project for his sister.  The three of us met up at the Denver ZOO and had a great afternoon.  Brad is sporting a mustache and big sideburns, instead of his usual beard.  He had to trim it so the air-filter mask would fit snugly on his face at the job site.  Jenni made fun of his new look with her own cotton candy mustache.

I would love to personally congratulate the artist who sculpted the bronze viper below...job well done!!  It scared the poo out of me (and Brad, too) when we left a little bird aviary enclosure!!!!  I jumped back about 5 feet...all those years hunting with my Dad being on the lookout for water moccasins! The bronze python is also not to be trifled with!

Here are a few random photos of some of the creatures we saw at the zoo...a very fun day which ended with some wonderful Indian cuisine for dinner!

The next day, we stayed around Boulder...mostly downtown on PEARL Street.  It is filled with colorful people, musicians, and street performers.  These two guys I refer to as "Ebony and Ivory"...they should have gotten together and jammed. I am now inspired to get myself an outfit and mask like the guy playing the drums...I want to wear them when I play percussion with the band...at church!  :)

This next guy just totally made my day!!  I have always had a soft spot in my heart for the "one man band" musicians...especially since I love building contraptions and whatnots out of junk.  Notice the little "troll dolls" inside the back of the bass drum.  Nice little flourish.

We saw this giant blow-up photo near the parking garage of old Boulder from 1894.  The old church bell tower that you can see in the upper left background is still standing today. I love the sculpted elements.

The final day of my visit with Jenni was largely spent up in ESTES PARK, about an hour from Boulder.  Once again, we had perfect weather for wandering about.

There were just so many wonderful views all around us up there.

Before we headed back down to Boulder, Jenni and I rode these giant slides...wheeeeeeeeee!  I don't have the ones Jenni took of me...will add a couple of those later.

UPDATED 6-22-2013

Here are Jenni's pics of ME on the slide!

That's it for this part of my post.  Next up...some sketches I did while there!