Sometimes a place gets into your blood, and no matter how
much you may try to deny it, you are in love. My adopted state of Colorado is
just such a place. Having vacationed here in1975, I returned with friends from
college in 1976. I will confess, I wanted to head to Boston, I loved its
history, but they insisted. Funny thing, they all left and I'm still here.
This, my adopted state, is my inspiration for my photography, haiku and
historical western romance in addition to my research and writings in the non
fiction field also. The below is just a brief overview of what grabbed and has
kept me here. 
In elevation, Colorado is the highest state in the nation.
There are over fifty mountain peaks over 14,000 feet. Where I live, it's around
6,000 feet. For years, those same high mountain peaks were seen as an
impassable wall. As people headed to California or Washington/Oregon, they went
around those high peaks. Lest you think they weren't traversed, the Ute tribes
were mountain dwelling people. General Juan
Bautista de Anza, of New Mexico, came over Ute pass in the late 1779 and
of course there were fur trappers and traders. There was a line of
trader/business forts all along the front range of Colorado, beginning with
Bent's Fort, through Fort Pueblo up to Fort Vasquez and Fort St. Vrain, through
the early 1800's.
Colorado also has the Great Sand Dunes, the Eastern Plains,
Dinosaur Monument, and the Comanche Grasslands. The variety of scenery was
enough to bring Hollywood here to film, for Colorado was sure to have the
equivalent of any country in the world. Some of the early films, 1900-1920's
were shot in Colorado and from 1972-1992 there was a burst of on location
filming. And yes, “The Lone Ranger” with Johnny Depp, was filmed in part in
Colorado.
Colorado was one of the early states to give women the right
to vote in 1893. Women were licensed as doctors from 1881 when the state
started to license all physicians. They were part of the medical society.
Although late to be settled, due in part to the concept of the impassable
mountains, Colorado welcomed and brought women doctors to the state.
Of course there is the gold and silver that created
millionaires and scandals. Colorado still has one of the highest producing gold
mines. Towns with the names of Leadville, Glenwood Springs, Trinidad, Gunnison
and Cripple Creek were magnets for the likes of Doc Holliday, Wyatt Earp, Bat
Masterson, Mary Helen Barker Bates, Susan 'Doc Susie' Anderson, 'Baby Doe'
Tabor. Margaret 'Molly' Brown and many other names that have made the pages of
history.
The below link to an older line-up of the Flying W Wranglers
with a song, Colorado Sky. Such is the inspiration Colorado has on a person. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-jlTOKDlAE
Doris offers a terrific prize to one lucky person who comments: A choice of one of her EBooks and one of her handmade scarves. Good luck!
Angela Raines is the pen name for Doris McCraw. In addition to
Historical Romance, Doris also writes haiku, posted five days a week at: http://fivesevenfivepage.blogspot.com. She has
posted over one thousand haiku."One Christmas Knight" Medieval Anthology
http://amzn.com/B017Z2BLH6
"Angel of Salvation Valley" http://amzn.to/1P4JVV8
"A COWBOY CELEBRATION" http://amzn.to/1GzwJhw
HOME FOR HIS HEART http://amzn.to/1GJhpSu
Author Page:http://amzn.to/1I0YoeL
http://amzn.com/B017Z2BLH6
"Angel of Salvation Valley" http://amzn.to/1P4JVV8
"A COWBOY CELEBRATION" http://amzn.to/1GzwJhw
HOME FOR HIS HEART http://amzn.to/1GJhpSu
Author Page:http://amzn.to/1I0YoeL
(ALL INFO PROVIDED BY AUTHOR)
This passed summer I had the pleasure of another visit to Colorado. We drove trough the Rocky Mountain National Park and the setting demanded classical music so I had a Mahler CD on. It was a glorious day, high above the world, patches of pristine snow still in view. WOW! Life couldn't be better. Then in a meadow a herd of elk, some grazing and others just lying down to rest. What a thrill. The rest of the trip was great, too, but that was one of those peak-of-life moments.
ReplyDeleteWe once yearned to live in Colorado instead of Texas, but it was never to be. Later, we learned the choices we made were best for us and we gave up our dream of being a Coloradoan. (?) Now, I'm especially glad because we're native Texans and feel at home here.
ReplyDeleteBut in the early sixties, our two children and we spent two months at Colorado State University so my husband could learn about computers. (That's when a computer filled an entire room.) We were housed in the empty girl's dormitory, along with other families. We slept there and played, etc. and ate all our meals in the cafeteria. In our free time, we roamed the mountains and enjoyed every minute.
Your descriptions and photos of your adopted state are very nice. Thanks for sharing all those with us. Celia
Ken, That's the wonder of Colorado. No matter where you go, there is something to take your breath away. So glad you had that experience and Mahlenr is perfect. Doris
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I have loved visits to Colorado. Thanks for this re-visit and introduction to your writing. Given all the recent publicity about marijuana and Colorado, the opening line of the article made me giggle. (The highest state in the union.) Of course you meant and said elevation--but I still giggled. Radine
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed learning more about your adopted state and seeing the photos. Colorado is one state I have never visited and now I'd like to. Your books sound interesting and I wish you much success with your writing.
ReplyDeleteI was born in a small town near Bent's Fort , of which you speak, and enjoyed living there as a child. I had relatives all over the state and so in visiting them we got to go to every corner of the state and see the diverse landscapes. In my later years we used to go to Colorado on ski trips..the best skiing in the West. It really is a beautiful state
ReplyDeleteJFWisherd(at)aol(dot)com
I enjoyed your vivid descriptions and about your life which sounds interesting and lovely. When we went on a road trip from NM to Colorado I was enthralled and enjoyed every minute of the beautiful landscape, towns, and sites. I was particularly charmed by the town of Leadville and we were fortunate to see a performance the day we were there. What a beautiful memory I will always have of this memorable road trip. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteAn informative and fascinating post about I state which interests me. Aspen is a town which I had the opportunity to visit during a short vacation and then Twin Peaks. Lovely setting and area. Your books look so intriguing and special. Wishing you many adventures and continued success.
ReplyDeleteI understand completely where you're coming from with this, Doris. Colorado is a fabulous, beautiful state and was the setting for my first novel, LOVELAND. But, in actual fact, my great love is Wyoming. Funny how these places truly get under your skin!
ReplyDeleteColorado is definitely on my to visit list!
ReplyDeleteGreat post.
Good luck and God's blessings.
PamT
The history you portray is exciting. I passed through a portion of Colorado when traveling with a couple of friends in 1981. I had the strangest strong feeling of wanting to stay. I will be back there one day.
ReplyDeleteI've only been to Colorado once, about thirty years ago, but I'm still talking about it. Your magnificent state made quite an impression. I'm always telling my kids we'll get back there someday. It can't be soon enough! Thanks for a nice post.
ReplyDeleteCelia, Colorado does get into your blood, but I also think we end up where we should be. I still remember those big computers. Oh the memories. Thanks for stopping by. Doris/Angela
ReplyDeleteRadine, I laughed when I wrote it, but high is high...smile. Thanks for stopping by and sharing my love for my state. Thank you for the encouragement on my fiction. Doris/Angela
ReplyDeleteDoris, I can always count on your posts being so very informative and more than fascinating. I feel like I have a much welcomed history lesson. What beautiful pictures besides. And some of the facts about Colorado, I hadn't known.I've longed to visit Colorado, Montana and Wyoming for years and still haven't made it. Those three states call to me and someday soon I hope to get there. Thanks again for a great post. Wishing you the best. Always, Bev
ReplyDeleteLinda, Thank you. Colorado has so much to offer, even if you don't want to do mountain driving. Although I confess, it is fun. Thank you also for your kind words on my fiction. I hope you enjoy the stories. Doris/Angela
ReplyDeleteJackie, so you know of what I speak. I would love to hear more stories of you early years in Colorado. It sounds like you were able to see a lot of what makes me love this state. Good luck on the drawing. Doris/Angela
ReplyDeleteTraveler, thanks for stopping by and sharing your Colorado adventures. Leadville is one of a kind and I also enjoy traveling to that altitude. Cripple Creek and Victor also have a special place in my heart. I did a season at the Imperial Hotel when they had the melodrama. Oh the memories. Doris/Angela
ReplyDeleteI have visited Colorado several times. I have cousins there. The first time I went for cousin Leah's wedding in Este's Park. I fell in love with CO. at that time. We were at the timberline in a van driven by my father and waded in mid calf length snow early in the day. Later that day Dad and Bernie were in their swimsuits outside the hotel sun bathing before the wedding. I was walking around a small lake in the area enjoying the rugged landscape. I really liked the mountains and saw why my son headed west right after high school to snowboard the "big" hills. Thanks for the facts about this fascinating state. I really like your book covers and titles.
ReplyDeleteHusband and I both have cousins that moved out to Colorado from the boring flatlands of the Midwest. We've always meant to head out there to camp, but until we retire, we never get enough time off to do it justice, since we'd drive to haul our camper along to camp. Someday...
ReplyDelete