Highlighting the Talent of Colorado

First Up: Doris McCraw’s Inspiration:

As a writer, I take my inspiration from many sources. One source that constantly brings me joy and ideas is where I live. I walk out my door and look upon Pikes Peak and Cheyenne Mountain. If the weather is cold, I can also see them from my window. There is something so comforting about their presence.  Helen (Hunt) Jackson adored Cheyenne Mountain.

Here is the beginning of her poem of the same name:

 By easy slope to west as if it had
No thought, when first its soaring was begun,
Except to look devoutly to the sun,
It rises, and has risen, until, glad,
With light as with a garment, it is clad,

The history of my adopted state is also high on the list. When they found gold in California, many headed that way, but went around what would become Colorado. Their reason, the mountains were impassable. As a result, Colorado was settled late compared to some places. Of course, there are always exceptions. The southeast section of the state had a portion of the Santa Fe Trail pass though. The Bent brothers had their trading post along the Arkansas River in the early 1820s.

In the 1830-40s, the eastern plains saw a number of trading post (forts) pop up to take advantage of the fur trading business. Those impassable mountains for wagons were the ‘gold mine’ for the trappers who plied their trade in those same high peaks.

When gold was found in the late 1850s, those same mountains saw an influx of adventurers that changed the face of the region. Railroad building became the second ‘gold mine’ for many. Again the Eastern Plains saw much of this activity as the railroad strove to access the gold and the western coast.

Many forget the early days and towns of those Eastern Plains, but they have stories to tell too. My first novel was sparked by the idea of a woman doctor moving to one of those early railroad/ranching towns. The second novel came into fruition by the story of a southeastern town that grew quickly, being near the border of Oklahoma and Texas, and died in a blast of flames.

Karol W. Smith, Colorado’s first film commissioner, the first in the nation, once said, and I paraphrase ‘Colorado offers locations that can be doubled for almost anywhere in the world. If you wanted the plains of Texas, go to the area around La Junta and Lamar. If you wanted desert, there was The Great Sand Dunes. Colorado has buildings that could pass for buildings of the future, mountains that could pass for the Alps, and the Great Plains was the area between Pueblo and La Junta.’. As you can see, my adopted state offers inspiration, no matter where I am.

For those who comment on this post, I will be giving away the two e-books, “Josie’s Dream”, and the January 30, 2018 release of “Chasing a Chance”.  May all find inspiration where you live, for life and the world around us is beautiful.

Doris McCraw writes under the pen name Angela Raines. She is a novelist, poet and historian specializing in Colorado and Women’s History. She is a member of the National League of Pen Women, Women Writing the West and publishes with Prairie Rose Publications along with self-publishing.

 

Angela Raines – author: Where Love & History Meet

For a list of Angela Raines Books: https://www.amazon.com/Angela-Raines/e/B00N0HJOVG/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

Angela Raines FaceBook: http://bit.ly/2b7okij

Pamela Nowak’s Favorite Getaways:

One of the great things about living in Colorado is the endless number of fun get-away spots. Rather than sharing on the larger “things to see” in this gorgeous state, I thought I’d talk about just a few of the great places to spend a couple days.

On the Western slope of the Rockies, just eleven miles east of Grand Junction, lies a small community called Palisade. It’s a small town with basic amenities and a whole lot of fruit orchards and wineries.  Our favorite place to stay is the Wine Country Inn with its two restaurants, front-porch style rooms, pool, and late afternoon wine tastings. There are also B&B's, other hotel choices, and camp grounds.

Wine lovers can visit any of the eighteen vineyards and tasting rooms—just don’t plan on any more than a fraction of them on a single day. Fruit stands and markets abound, nearly all of them offering the area’s renowned peaches.


Nature and animal lovers can enjoy area trails, a wild horse area, and alpaca farms.

Small shops and galleries beckon shoppers. Bikes and scooters are available for rental and river trips can be arranged. Carriage rides can add romance. Big city Grand Junction is a ten minute drive away. Pick up a map of wineries and orchards at your hotel and create your own itinerary or take one of the many tours offered and avoid driving yourself. For a special treat, schedule a trip during a festival weekend but be sure to book early.

A totally different get-away can be found at Glenwood Springs.  This mountain community is home to multiple hot-springs and pools. Pool passes can be purchased at most hotels and many of them offer special packages with pool entrance included. The largest and best-known pool is the

Glenwood Hot Springs Pool which features a gigantic main pool, always 90-93 degrees, and a smaller hot therapy pool, plus a wading pool and slides. Play is encouraged with many bringing float toys. If you want a lounge chair, plan to arrive early in the day—there are a lot of them but they fill fast—and bring sunscreen. The pool is open year-round. We’ve stayed in several places but love the boutique Denver Hotel across the interstate from the pool and don’t mind the walk across the pedestrian bridge to get there. There are a host of great restaurants in town to wrap up the day.

Another favorite spot is Estes Park. Located at the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park, the town has a delightful main street filled with good places to eat and tiny shops that merit exploration. In the fall, it is home to herds of elk. A visit into RMNP is a must, whether to hike or just to see the   We enjoy the atmosphere of the Appenzell Inn with its peaceful gardens but a stay at the Stanley Inn (The Shining ) should not be missed. For large family gatherings, try Solitude Cabins. On our list to try for a romantic trip is Della Terra Mountain Chateau.
views and wildlife. Motels abound as do condo rentals, cabins, and campgrounds. There are trail rides and an aerial tram; museums and tours, rafting and tubing and zip-lines. The Scottish-Irish Festival in September is fun-filled and a huge Christmas parade is held every Thanksgiving weekend. If you come for special events, or during elk season, reserve a room in advance.

If you have a favorite Colorado get-away, please chime in and comment. In celebration of Colorado, I will randomly gift a digital copy of Escaping Yesterday, set in 1905 in Denver’s original Elitch Gardens to one of you.  

Find me on my website/blog and Facebook at: www.pamelanowak.com or www.facebook.com/pamela.nowak.142.

You can find my books on Amazon.com Author Page- Pamela Nowak  or at your local bookstores. 

(Info provided by Authors and author sites and Helen Hunt Jackson )