Its September and winter is a coming!

The streams, lakes and waterfalls are starting to freeze. Everyday is different..........love having seasons again.

Go Cumberland Pass

Realise that if we are going to see some places its not long before the snow comes and so the time is now. One of our first trips when we arrived was out to Tin Cup. Of course we didn't get very far because all of the passes were cut off by snow. So off we went.

Tin Cup got its name from one of the prospectors that carried out his gold dust in a tin cup. The underworld ruled Tin Cup and there never really was any law. Every time an honest sheriff would arrive, he would be told what to do by the leaders of the underworld. If he didn't comply, he was killed. And so the cemetery at Tin Cup is filled with honest sheriffs and other good people that did not comply with the underworlds demands. Around the turn of the century there was said to be about 2000 people here and shortly after that the population dwindeled. Now its a popular place to have a cabin in the summer months.

We set off over Cumberland Pass - confident we wouldn't see snow............mmmmmmmmmmmm fantastic scenery and scary roads... that's Colorado. Loved seeing the streams starting to freeze up for winter. Mountain tops covered in snow. Roads, suddenly narrowing with precipitous edges and icy patches, conifers with snowy branches. Fabuloso!

Museum of Contmporary Art - Chicago

The BEST part of the museum was the stairwell (sorry to all the artists who exhibited there!) Loved the different perspectives as you walked up the stairs!!!!!!

Bye Chicago - will be back to see the Frank LLoyd Wright architecture!

speedy architectural tour - Chicago

I booked into an architectural river tour on the internet. Unfortunately I didn’t read the small print and so didn’t realise that it was a speed boat trip! Roger was not feeling well and so off I went!

It was freezing, at the ticket box they said they could not refund as I had bought the ticket on the net. Why not just sell to someone who came along. Hey! It felt like -20C with the wind howling and Julie the Scalper was not confident ! No one was going to buy that ticket! But amazingly they did and off we went.

It was a cold, cold but fascinating tour.

Here are the “did you knows” of the trip.

The Mercantile Mart built in 1930’s was for a long time the largest building in the world, stretching several blocks, it was owned by the Kennedy’s for many years – only residential building to have its own post code and post office
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Loved the story of this building North Harbour? The legislation was that no highrise could be built on the land next to the lake which was green space. To overcome this problem the developers found a loop hole. They built the high rise on top of a building that was already there so they did not build on the land. You can see the piles on which joins the high rise to the original building. Another point of greed. The developers managed to fit more people in (all with a view of the lake or river) by lowering the ceilings. Still a waiting list for people wanting to move in.
Lots of other stories of making the quick buck. Like the railway selling the air above it.

A strange weekend because Roger was sick. It was also so cold and the people really didn't seem as friendly or open as everyone else we had met. Could just have been the cold, windy weather. Loved the architecture and art though.

Go back you are going the wrong way

At the start of our the Architectural River Cruise we had to pass through locks and into the Chicago River. The Chicago river used to flow into the Lake Michigan ... But in 1900, they decided to reverse the flow of the river and now Chicago River originates from Lake Michigan and empties into the Mississippi River System ... It's an engineering marvel - A 28-mile canal that controls the flow of water now going from Lake Michigan into the Chicago River, through the Sanitary and Ship Canal, and into the Des Plaines River.

But why ???

As the population of chicago grew there were problems of water pollution ... most waste was simply drained into the river. The residents of the city collected their drinking water from collection facilities just offshore in Lake Michigan. With the influx of waste in the river and in their drinking water, outbreaks of cholera, typhoid and other water-borne diseases were common. In 1854, a cholera epidemic took the lives of 5 ½ percent of the population - so this was the solution.
Why didn't anyone tell me you can't take a movie sideways!

Piggy Flu BEWARE!!!

Oh no! Poor old Roger. Overnight he became really sick, roaring temperature and coughing! Tried to find a doctor or a medical centre. No luck it was Sunday. So off to Northwestern Memorial Hospital and the Emergency Room. ER!!!! Nothing like we expected. Quiet, clean, friendly and super organised.

4hrs later, after Xrays and blood tests - the diagnosis not Piggy Flu but bronchitis. Paid the bill ($3,000) and set off to search for a pharmacist. For the rest of our holiday Roger enjoyed looking out of the window of our hotel room. Thank goodness we got an internet special and such a lovely hotel.

Jules what have you got me into now?

Very funny afternoon with the Blue Man Group. Lots of drumming, paint throwing, gags, strobe lighting and loud music. A short but interesting experience!

Shakespeare in Chicago

Arrived to 54 degrees, which feels like a really warm day in Gunnison but in Chicago it was FREEZING!. Great old hotel, the Tremont, with fabulous, friendly staff who had great stories to tell about the "old days" when the great stars like Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant stayed there!

Lovely walk along the Mitchigan Lake, to the Chicago Shakespeare theatre - really had NO IDEA how big or how lovely the lake was. The theatre was modern but styled on the Globe, but with all modern theatrics. Very American dinner at the wharf including soup in a cob and then saw a BRILLIANT Richard III. The acting and directing was really engaging. The audience really were an intimate part of the whole action and the actors used every bit of the theatre, aisles and boxes extended the stage which gave the whole performance a vibrancy and energy.

Drove over from Gunni - Denver. A bit cool, new snow on the mountains and we stayed over in Denver as we had a 6.00am flight. At 4.30am when we left for the airport we couldn't believe how cold it was and how much ice there was on our car! When we got to the airport all seemed well BUT 2 hours later they were still deicing the wings! Got into Chigago - clear skies and 50 degrees.....whoo hoo!

Devils Kitchen

Love walking out here, the landscape is just so BIG, watched a school bus creep its way up the hill. Truly amazing. Great to walk with Linda and hear all the local histories. As they say, memories are made of this!

Next day - local power even more important as Linda helped me through the not so delicate negotiations of getting my computer fixed!! Loved eating fab meals cooked by John........yum oh! Look forward to meeting up in Sydney hopefully next year.

Just love Grand Junction

Decided to spend a couple of days over in Grand Junction with our friend Linda. She has done a couple of exchanges to Oz and is just full of energy and enthusiasm. She is busy working on a great program encouraging students (and parents) to vote and so I headed off for a morning walk to the the National Monument.... which isn't a monument at all but a fantastic national park with stunning views an vistas that go forever.

Go Broncos G0!

Wow! 75,000 people watching football, what an atmosphere. Marta, the principal of the elementary school, invited us to go to a Broncos game. WE HAD NO IDEA. Wow! the only way to get tickets for this game is to be a season ticket holder. Marta's family have been ticket holders since 1967.... do you get the idea!

So we drive over the mountains (Yep snow weehoo!) Stop at Collegiate Peaks for a cuppa brewed on our little stove (How weird is that thinks Marta!) and then onto Denver. Tailgated for dinner! Fabuloso and then into the game.

Now those who know me will not be suprised to know that I could never see where the ball was! Like i kindof know that if someone is tackling someone they have the ball BUT NO they all just tackle all the time!!! Great fun even if I was totally confused. AND YES it was one of those games where in the last minute our team pulled out all the stops and WON.. How good is that. Thanks Marta... fabulous experience.,. Hey I even enjoyed getting up at 4.00am the next morning to drive back over the mist covered mountains. Memory of a lifetime.

Crested Butte in the moonlight

Hey... here we are with Terry and Laura again... this time up at the ski resort Crested Butte for a charity auction for a mentoring group called "Partners". Right up my street! Fun western night with a great band. So fab to see Crested Butte Mountain in the moonlight. Soon be thick snow but right now just a dusting. Good on yer Terry and Laura.

Dawsons the film stars... hardly!

Terry our next door neighbour works at Western State Uni and we have had some great times with him and his family. His area of expertise is communications and so way back when we first arrived in Gunni he did an interview with the new principal of the middle school (Roger in case you have forgotten!)

BUT they didn't do the filming at the time and we were all gonna do it BUT we or they were always too busy SO like 9 months later we were to do the filming to match the audio. Very funny as we had to try to work out why it was so hard to buy petrol (gas) or to buy stuff at the deli. Of course now it isn't hard at all!

Much fun was had by all - including ducking into the supermarket to borrow a jacket from an unsuspecting shopper - (Kathy) to make the scene look different. Like don't hold your breath!

Kathy has been one of the joys of Gunnison for me. Whenever we can we escape for lunch or to explore the mountain passes, streams, lakes and beauty spots of the local area. It makes such a difference to travel with a local and hear all the history, "goss' and amusing things that have happened. Go Kathy .... she is in Oz at the moment and I can't wait to hear the funny stories about what the aussies do! By the way, just for the record. I DID NOT PUSH HER INTO SPRING CREEK!

O bugger

Saw this car in Aspen and loved it.

After Maroon Bells did a great walk along the river - just looking for a place for a cuppa and discovered waterfalls and fab views. We came back via the South Rim of the Black Canyon, hadn't done this before as there has always been too much snow but this time it was perfect. Love the Autumn colours, but tinged with sadness that soon the roads will be closed and we will be gone.

Wow! Wow! and Wow! what a perfect day, and what a perfect walk. Started off with hoardes of tourists walking around the lake but as we climbed up towards Maroon Bells (mountains) the noise diminished to silence and we were left with the shaking aspens, clear blue skies and the rocky road up. Fantastic. Just timed it perfectly another week and the trees will be bare... a few more weeks and the snow will make the trip impossible.

Aspen and Aspens

Going back to aspen was just great. A bit weird though as the summer season has ended and the snow season hasn't begun. We stayed at Snowmass and NOTHING was open....well its not the snow season HUH!! Fall is really beautiful = amazing how some trees are green, some yellow, others orange and some have lost their leaves altogether...same species just depends where the land lies. Going to miss the mountains and the wide open spaces.

Independence Pass

My oh My! Could not believe it! Ice! Snow. I had only put a really warm jacket in at the last minute as it had been so warm in Gunnison. BUT it was beautiful. There really is a sense here that you have to do it NOW as the weather will not wait for you and it won't be long before the pass is closed. Mmmm I wonder why it is called Independence - a truly amazing piece of engineering. How did they do it?

Oh my goodness found being at 12,000 ft really incredible... thought I had adjusted to altitude but it really messes with your head and body! Peru here we come!

On the road again

First weekend back and it was time to explore before the mountain passes close. Off to Aspen via Twin lakes and Independence Pass. Stopped at this quaint ski inn that had lots of great photos and this fab sign...and of course wonderful views of the lakes and mountains, just dusted with snow ...but not long until the deep snow. Just LUV IT!

Gunni in the Fall

How good is that?

The Lamas of Gunnison

I got back to autumn leaves, lots of horses in the fields around our house and one of the first people I met on my walk the next day was the "Lama Man" He takes his pet lamas Button and ? for a walk around the circuit. I always love seeing them... they are so curious and nuzzle up to you to check you out......mmm smelly breath though!

Catching up with family and friends!

I know I never quite get my blog in order BUT............

before I left England 0ne of the lovely things was meeting up again with my Uncle Albert, Auntie Jean and cousin Christine. Definitely childhood favourites. Somehow, as we all moved around we lost touch and incredibly it had been 30 years since I had seen Christine and about 23 since I saw my aunt and uncle.

So when I found they were living in Sheffield once more, I couldn't wait to see them again. As Christine and I were born only three weeks apart we were like sisters and shared many childhood experiences...holidays, birthday parties so as you can imagine the air was thick with memories.... Do you remember the time Uncle Albert made a special bed so we could sleep in the back of the car... do you remember patting Shetland ponies in the New Forest and so on and so on! So glad we caught up and hopefully we will all meet up next year in UK.

Also managed to organise dinner and theatre with my friend Maria . KT came along too which was great and after dinner in a new swanky Italian restaurant (used to be the boys grammar school!). We saw Rainman at the Lyceum. Fond memories for me as I used to go there with my dad. Still remember seeing Noel Cowards private lives there when I was about 14.............ah memories!

Oh the joys of having world newspapers at the local newsagents!

Back to the US of A

Off to Manchester to meet our lovely niece Laura who was busily preparing for a half marathon. Dinner at a Greek taverna and then an early night before setting off back to Denver. Met at the airport by Roger who had had an extraordinary journey from Montrose ...278 miles.. along the I70 ... wow! what journey through Vail the Mountains and finally to Denver Colorado!!!

Back to Shaun and Janet's place and then to a yummy dinner at Applebees....great fun, and fab company. Lovely to walk the next day and then on to see the Voysey Inheritance at the Space Theatre. Love the performance space that has so many theatre environments. This was a theatre in the round, a traditional play but modern theme about corruption in the financial markets, as topical today as it was in the 1800's.

Great weekend!

Had a fabulous day in Tideswell... a small village which has the "Cathedral of the Peak" It was also one of the joys of my youth as the Travellers Rest had a fab folk club - still has I hear and it is still great. Lunch at the "Horse and Jockey" and then onto the festival of the flowers. This is only held every six years and is amazing! The town chooses a theme . This year it was the book "The Silver Sword" - hey I just loved that book! The church is then transformed as groups take on the task of telling the book's story in flowers.

FANTASTIC!