travel tuesday: hoodoo you think you are?

The hoodoos north of Debeque, Colorado, on the way to the Little Book Cliffs Wild Horse Area, are a sweet surprise if you aren’t expecting them. Hoodoo rocks are often fantastically shaped, naturally carved rocks or earth pedestals, pillars or columns. The word hoodoo probably derives from voodoo, a West African-based religion in which magical powers can be associated with natural features. Hoodoos conjure up images of strange events. (Thanks, Canadian Encyclopedia!)

Mar 22

travel tuesday: cider tasting in hotchkiss, co

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Delicious Farms in Hotchkiss, Colorado, is a must-visit when we do a daytrip on the Grand Mesa Loop. You can camp in the orchard, eat at the café, shop at the store, play like a kid on tree swings, listen to live music and pick your own fruit. You can also grab a stool at the Cider Bar and sample Big B’s Ciders. The food at the café is very good, so step up and order your meal. I recommend the tamales, and my husband likes the pulled pork. Then, order a flight of hard ciders and dig in.

Note: The website says they are not offering tastings due to COVID-19, but we were able to order this flight last summer. You can always choose a single cider in larger sizes. Be sure to take some home along with goodies from the store.

Mar 20

where to eat on Anna Maria Island

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First of all, you should eat where you can view this sunset, which is at the Gulf Drive Café on Bradenton Beach. Two of my all-time favorite sunsets have been here; our first night on this trip and two years ago on Valentine’s Day. Both times, I had the shrimp tacos. I think that must be the good luck charm because this was the only real sunset we saw this year. Our days were mostly sunny, but low-lying clouds moved in around 5 the rest of the week.

Mar 15

travel tuesday: dreamin’ of the beach

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This was just 5 DAYS AGO! The view from our table at The Beach House on Bradenton Beach, Anna Maria Island, was as wonderful as the food. I keep clicking my heels together and chanting, “There’s no place like the beach, there’s no place like the beach, there’s no place like the beach.” But, unlike Dorothy, I have not been magically relocated. Watch for a long post or two about our trip coming soon. In the meantime, check out my post from our last trip there, Do’s and Don’ts when visiting Anna Maria Island.

Mar 08

travel tuesday: jack london state historic park

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We explored this beautiful park three years ago this month during a trip to Napa and Sonoma. The park, Jack London’s former home and ranch, is spectacular. It was mud season, so we didn’t get to walk the trails and focused our time on the museum. His history, and that of his wife Charmian, is fascinating and beautifully represented there. Read more about the park and our day in Sonoma here.

Mar 01

travel tuesday: carlsbad caverns

romantic getaway in ouray

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Month two of my year of getaways is a wrap! We almost always go somewhere for Valentine’s Day, and this year was no exception. We spent three Val Day weekends in a row in Arizona; five years ago it was Riviera Maya near Playa del Carmen and two years ago we were on Anna Maria Island.

We have a big trip coming up in March, so this time it was a quick, romantic night in Ouray. It’s one of our favorite spots in the state, but only our second visit during the winter. Last time, it was on the frigid side with snow blowing horizontally. This year, Mother Nature was on our side, which was good since I forgot to bring a coat.

Feb 22

travel tuesday: camping on the flat tops

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Love where we live! This was one of our first camping trips with the Lance truck camper that we bought in 2017. We always try out our new campers close to home in case we forget something. This spot is in the Flat Tops Wilderness Area just an hour from our house. The Flat Tops are part of the White River Plateau with an average elevation of about 10,000 feet. Approximately 110 lakes and ponds, often unnamed, dot the country above and below numerous flat-topped cliffs. Roughly 100 miles of fishable streams are in the Wilderness.

Feb 15

travel tuesday: north clear creek falls

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This came from the archives! We were camped just outside of Lake City, Colorado, in July 2005 and took a day trip to Creede. The falls are located within the Rio Grande National Forest. North Clear Creek is a tributary of, and not far from the headwaters of, the Rio Grande River. The scenery in this part of the state is spectacular.

Feb 08

travel tuesday: riveria maya

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Five years ago, we spent a luxurious week at Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera near Playa del Carmen. It was our only visit to Mexico so far, but we hope to go back one day. The resort, the food, the entertainment, the service, we’d give everything 5 stars. Not a single complaint! The only time we left the resort was for a catamaran snorkeling trip to Isla Mujeres, which was a great experience. Highly recommend!