Just wanted to share. With my 60th birthday coming up at the end of the month & fathers day just around the corner. My daughter purchased a round trip ticket for me to go visit her in Colorado in September. When I reminded her that she's already planing to get me a new computer for my birthday/fathers day she responded "Yeah but this is a special birthday for a special father". Did I mention how terrific she is?
The Most Happy of Birthday's to you Rick...! Let me know if the BIG 60 is any less painful... I do hope you get up to Colorado Springs. I remember what a blast you had last time. The clean air up there, is the stuff that opens minds to a new world. If you can go upon Pikes Peak during a Meteor Shower, you will indeed hear the hissing and popping of meteors, no shit. As well as see them give off all the colors of the rainbow, no kidding, I've seen it many times first hand. Or as JD said: "Talk to God and listen to the casual reply". I don't think he was smoking a joint either, just the high elevation great air, gives on that natural high unlike and better than aynthing else.
Many years back when I was a lot healthier (before my by pass) I actually went to the top of Pikes peak with the help of a lift that went up the mountain. I couldn't believe how cold it was up there (14,000 feet) it was 65-70 on the ground & -5 at the peak. But what an amazing experience.
Amen, Pikes Peak is heaven on earth... My Aunt and Uncle have lived at the foot of Pikes Peak, since I was born. One summer I camped atop of Independence Pass, 1 hour south of Aspen. The campground is at 12,500 feet, and atop of the Continental Divide. Amazing those meteor showers, piercing, screaming popping. It's sad how many people have never heard of been up high enough to hear & see a Meteor Shower, high mountains style. I recall a hot summer day in The Springs, at 90 degrees. Atop the Peak that day, it was 42 degrees, windy as hell, and freezing. -5 is serious cold my friend, hope you took a winter coat. If you ever get a chance to drive atop Independence Pass, keep in mind, its only 1 and 1/2 lanes wide. The highest deepest cliffs I've ever seen alongside the road; with NO guard rails. Yet, the view is 2nd to none, in this great Nation. NO Big Semi-trucks are allowed up there, yet came at me head on, rounding a hairpin. Good thing I was on a motorcycle. I got a freaking ticket for passing with a faded median line. The cop, who looked like the Old Dodge Boy Sheriff, never turned on his siren, he just yelled at me out his window, and I bout jumped off my bike. I argued the line with him, to no avail. so he told me He could follow me back down the Mt. to the next town (Twin Lakes) and I could go to jail, til the Judge was in 3 days later, or pay my ticket. It wasn't worth arguing the 90$ ticket, tho' that was a lot of cash in 75. F'king Dodge Boy CO. Sherrifs. "go back to making commercials.
Had a couple of buddies from Ouray (SP) Colorado when I was in the Army, who told me that if they ever heard that I went through Colorado and didn't look them up they'd kick my a@@. So far so good, I haven't made it. but having lived in California, and up the Coast to Oregon and Washington I saw the mountains for sure. Nothing like these little Eastern Side bumps. Always remember that poster showing a cat at the bottom of a stool surrounded by Coors Cans with the caption "Rocky Mountain High".
Yep... I remember a kid, visiting my Dad's family in KS, & CO. Being given Schooner's of Coors and Tomato Juice...still the breakfast of champions, for kids and Cats...LOL.
Another thing I recall as a kid, was the two Scottish Terriers, looking around the side of a bottle of Dewars Scotch...Now that same poster is considered an Antique. No shit I saw one from WWII era, in the Antique Shop, and the dumb shits wanted $250 for it....go figure. $250 will buy a few cases of Dewars. Altho' I only drink Beer, and a bit of Vino....!
One of the sites I'll miss in Colorado was an authentic western town called "Buckskin Joe's" I believe it was in Canon City. It was an amazing place to walk around in. And me loving westerns as much as I do I felt like I was in heaven. And I've got some great shots of me in the town. Parts of many westerns were filmed there like John Wayne's The Cowboys & True Grit. The Sacketts. And Cat Ballou to name a few. Sadly a few years ago some rich bastard, I think it was William Koch bought the site & had all the structures & the antiques moved to his ranch for his own personal pleasure & is no longer a tourist attraction. Enjoy....https://www.google.com/search?q=buc...movielocationsplus.com%2Fbuckskin.htm;437;289
I remember your emails after that Great Trip to your Daughters. As well as your in depth excitement and depiction of the Old Western Town. Hell, I even remember the firestorm on the EPSN boards over your anger at having to watch, that queer cowboy flick too. The shit you received for speaking your mind, over the sick "Brokeback Mt.", was uncalled for on other Posters parts.....Sad.....the ESPN boards you would think were based in Frisco, with as much flack as you got for speaking your mind, over that crappy film was un-called for by the posters. Hell, you've got a right to speak your mind, or do only those deviants have a right and we don't. We touched on Racism not long ago, and seems any straight laced person who calls a spade a spade is bombasted publicly, yet its ok for Farukhan to encite riots to kill whitey? Or Sharpton and Jackson to be racist? WTF...! As someone said "You can't be racist if your black" WTF....!!! In Cal. Caucasian's now make up for only 28 percent of the state's population. When Caucasians get minority status, then our nation will find the right track. Anyway, I will come down off of my pulpit..... A nice Western Town still preserved, since it was built in the mid 1800s, and still appears as if it was just built, a throwback in time, is Bisbee AZ. The town's buildings to this day, have constantly been maintained, to look brand new. One can even go into the Copper Queen Saloon and Hotel, and sit in the same Chair Teddy Roosevelt frequented there, during the Mexican American War. Quit a site, as well as the 2nd largest Open Copper Pit Mine, exists there. Have you ever heard of Bisbee Blue Turqouise? Still the rarest, and most sought after premium Turqouise on the Market. Bisbee is 7 miles north of the MX. Border, with a sleepy little MX town Naco.
I've always been fascinated with the old west & still long to this day to see some real western ghost towns. Not likely to ever happen but I can dream.
60? Is that all, jeez I thought you were 80. Remember what Lewis Black said, 60 is the new fucking 40.
Congrats to you both Tom and Rick. Our son's was the 9th, Kim's the 23rd. Our son's birthday every 7 years falls on Mother's day. A great Mother's Day gift, the birth of a child. this month beyond any other is fraught with friends birthdays. My 2 best friends of old, last week, and Today. Sheeet, its just loaded with delight....! Joy Joy, drink some punch for me guys....!
Heck, have a bucketful of those delicious Rocky Mountain Oysters....(I wouldn't know how delicious they are, as I have NEVER tried one)....tho' I've heard they are good. What Chevy Chase Movie was that, where he set the record for eating the most RM-Oysters? A hilarious scene... does anyone recall the lawsuit against The Rockies ball club and Coors Field. A true story: A lady ordered some Rocky Mt. Oysters at a Home Rockies game. When she found out what they were, she threw a fit, (tho' she had no qualms with the flavor or taste, not until she was told what they were. She filed a lawsuit for a Million Dollars, (with what grounds or legal loophole, I don't recall). She won her suit convincingly, and Coors Field was ordered to change the ages old name for those delicacies. Basque Caviar, what would one call them otherwise???
