BEACON - Summer Traveler (June 2014)

Senior

Summer Traveler &Festivals

2014

Soak up the sun at summer festivals page 6

BEACON reader Mike Hill reads the March issue of the BEACON on his recent trip to Ireland.

Produced by the Beacon’s Advertising Team

Your Guide to Summer Travel, Recreation & Festivals

Now on the web at www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

2 Summer Traveler

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

2014 ESCORTED TOURS JULY – Colorado Summer Theatre Extravaganza!

Explore, enjoy & be entertained! 5 exciting theatre performances spectacular scenic drives – lunch in the Stanley Hotel and the Garden of the Gods – ride the Georgetown Loop…

Colorado at it’s best !

SEPTEMBER – Wine Country Coastal Cruise

7 Day “Crown Princess”

Cruise the Pacific Coast from Vancouver to Los Angeles exploring FIVE great port cities! JOIN US !

New York Holiday Tour

in November - ONLY 5 spaces left

New Address!

Terry Eakle

751 Horizon Ct., Suite 249 (Skyline Building behind WW Peppers) Grand Junction, CO 81506 • 434-6494

Escorting Custom Tours from Grand Junction Since 1985.

M o n day - T h u r s day u n T i l 6 p M

Early DinE for c ho o se f rom

11 dinners

Happy Hour 4-6

7 days a Week

$2.25 domestic pints $3.25 premium pints

3

$ Original rOcks

99

our original margaritas have three tequilas and are specially blended with our signature sweet and sour, orange juice and agave nectar.

18 oz.

Call ahead seating 243-5700 2870 North Avenue

June 2014

Peer-to-peer travel: 4 ways to travel on a budget

By Jan Weeks

A

h, summertime! The season to travel, hit the beaches, the mountains, or the Big Apple (or maybe a small one).

You drag out the checkbook, check the Visa balance, and sigh. No money for vacation—or at least, not enough to support your plans. That’s where peer-to-peer travel comes in.

From couch surfing (free) to bed and breakfast places (not free, and sometimes as expensive as a hotel, so do your homework) you can find places to stay that allow you to avoid the sterility of chain hotel rooms if you’re willing to sink the spa, ditch the free wafflesand-boiledeggs breakfast, and meet new friends.

Couch surfing, mainly considered an option for younger people, can be done by people of any age who are up for a bit of adventure. Hosts live all over the world, as do their guests.

If you have a couch, air mattress or spare room, you can meet folks who will expand your horizons exponentially. You are not expected to feed, water or transport guests, although you’re free to do so. And who doesn’t like showing off the old hometown?

The website, www.couchsurfing. com, offers five introductory videos that explain how the process works.

Malia, the spokesperson, explains all about couch surfing, but she does tend to drop the F bomb here and there. However, since the site’s geared for younger people, maybe that’s to be expected.

Relay Rides allows you to rent your car to someone who needs it for just a short time, or you can rent someone’s car for a quick trip to the beach or shopping. The site checks out both owners and drivers, and provides a

million-dollar insurance policy to go with. This might be the perfect way to see the sights or have convenient transportation to an event without having to rent a car from a national chain. Check out www.relayrides. com for details.

Vayable highlights locals who immerse you in whatever you’d like to experience, whether you’re a foodie or a photographer. Instead of tour guides who rattle on about sights you’d rather not see, the Vayable insiders allow you to experience just what you want to take away from a culture. From the Midnight Crawl in New York City that introduces you to various ethnic street food and fun, to the Gravedigger Ghost Tour in Dublin that spooks and entertains you, you can tailor a tour to your interests. Visit Alternative Berlin to learn how Berlin came to be what it is now, along with visits to jazz clubs and alternative art venues.

Go to www.vayable.com and check out all the insider tours available in major cities. Prices range from $20 an hour per person to several hundred for up to 99 people. Browse the site and dare to dream outside the “If this is Thursday, it must be Belgium” tour experience.

If the thought of haring off into the great unknown by yourself and depending on the kindness of strangers to sleep gives you pause, yet being herded onto buses, scheduled to death and sharing hotel rooms makes you want to crawl under the covers and never venture out, the Friendship Force might be the answer to your travel prayers.

Friendship Force, an international nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing cultures and people to-

Instead of tour guides who rattle on about sights you’d rather not see, these insiders allow you to experience just what you want to take away from a culture.

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com summer traveler 3

June 2014 gether, was introduced to the world

by President Jimmy Carter in 1977.

The first trip was to Cuba, which had been off limits since the Cuban missile crisis in 1962, to visit with Fidel Castro. Since then more than 360 clubs in 55 countries on six continents have helped travelers connect to locals in those countries on an informal basis. Members can travel just about anywhere: France, Russia, Japan, Australia, Uganda, Taiwan or Greece. You name it and you can find a host family eager to share experiences and lives. Sue Palmer joined the Grand Junction group in 2007, and since then has traveled to Brazil, Turkey and Australia, among other places.

Trips are planned up to a year in advance. The average group size is 18 to 20 people who travel across the globe, staying with host families and getting to know local customs and exploring the towns where they are headquartered.

“It’s kind of like a student exchange program for adults,” Palmer said.

And instead of being crammed onto tour buses and given history lessons over a loudspeaker, travelers are split up among hosts’ homes. The hosts provide a place to sleep and breakfast at no charge, and may even spring for other meals. The hosts love showing off their towns and cities and introducing Americans to their way of life. Visitors hang out away from tourist traps and get to know the real faces of the country.

The Grand Valley is of particular interest to international travelers drawn by the red rock cliffs and alpine forests of the surroundings.

At the end of May, Friendship Force hosted a group from Moscow. Activities included a tour of downtown, meeting the mayor, a trip to Glenwood Hot Springs, a Rimrock Adventures float trip, a tour of the Colorado National Monument, and a “Thanksgiving” potluck at Church of the Nativity. Previously, the club hosted a group from St. Petersburg, Russia.

When traveling abroad, speaking the language isn’t necessary, as many local people speak English. But even without understanding the local lingo, guests manage to communicate with hosts and have a great time in the process. There are also “speaking exchange” trips, in which members learn to speak French, for instance, by being immersed in it.

Members of the club also travel within the U.S. “We’re organizing a trip to Connecticut to see the autumn colors,” Palmer said. “We’ll also take a side trip to New York City.” Within the states, members travel on their own to their destinations, assembling at a central location, then meeting host families.

Members pay their own expenses for travel and incidentals, but pay nothing to the host families for room or breakfast. However, group discounts on travel are available for overseas travel. Travelers must, of course, have passports, visas, and any shots that might be required to visit a country.

Membership in the club is $50 for families and $30 for singles. For more information or to join, contact Palmer at 260-4653 or visit www. thefriendshipforce.org. ■

Over 50 Years of Professionally-Guided Whitewater Rafting Trips in Colorado and Utah.

Take a ride on the Leadville Train Rides Daily

Ask about our special tours, 1/2 day raft & 1/2 day rail trips or engine & caboose rides

Leadville Colorado & Southern Railroad 1-888-386-3936 www.leadville-train.com

NATIONAL PARKS OF AMERICA Sept. 20 – Oct. 1, 2014 Highlights… Lake Powell, Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zion, Grand Teton & Yellowstone National Parks, Old Faithful, Crazy Horse… & More FLAVORS OF THAILAND

OCTOBER 17- 30, 2014 HIGHLIGHTS… Reclining Buddha, Jim Thompson House, Damnoen Saduak, Floating Market, “Bridge Over the River Kwai”…

And travel through the lush jungle to Maesa Elephant Camp, home to one of the largest collections of elephants in northern Thailand..

BRANSON OZARK CHRISTMAS November 10 – 18, 2014 Featuring… Johnny Mathis, Daniel O’Donnell, “JONAH” at the Sight & Sound Theater and MORE GREAT Entertainers!!

It’s been awhile since we’ve had a Branson, Missouri Adventure. Let’s fill a Coach and have some Ozark Christmas FUN!!

“THE BOOK OF MORMON” Returning to Denver’s Ellie Caulkins Theater in August 2015…

“The Book of Mormon” is so popular - Group Sales have been ongoing since Nov. 2013.

Full payment required at time of reservations.

Golden Circle Seats ~ $148.50 (includes service fees) To be included please contact Margaret.

Trip Details & Pricing will follow.

Call for information, reservations, and to receive a free newsletter.

Payment plans available...call for details Margaret Krabbe

For Information call: 970-245-5428 or 800-423-4668 or visit our website: AdventureBoundUSA.com

P.O. Box 2142 • Montrose, CO 81402 Specializing in Escorted Local, National & International Senior Group Travel!

Phone (970)

240-3020

Email: mkrabbe@montrose.net

4 Summer Traveler

It’s worth the drive!

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

“Baby Boomer” Special

Oil chAnge SeRvice

Service hours

19.95

Monday-Friday 7:30-5:30

any make or model

gas engine

synthetic oils slightly higher

54.95 diesel engine

Saturday 8:00-5:00

No appointment necessary

2728 Railroad Ave • 970-625-1680 • www.columbineford.com

Did you know the Beacon has a Facebook page?

Like us! www.facebook.com/BeaconSeniorNews

June 2014

Explore Silverton’s gold mining history at the Old Hundred Gold Mine Tour

By W. R. Jones

M

stopped work long before hitting the vein. Back then, the good gold vein was found to outcrop over 2,500 feet above the valley floor, up at 12,500 feet. But how could the miners get up there 107 years ago, before cars, 4x4s and helicopters? They had to live at the mine tunnel entrance so they could walk to work each day for their 12-hour shift. They needed a boarding house, but where could they build it on the steep cliffs of Galena Mountain? The solution was inspired by the Mesa Verde ruins

ention cliff dwellers and you probably think of the ancient Anasazi ruins of the Southwest built high on the cliff side. Mention gold and you probably think of the beautiful shiny metal. What you probably don’t think of is the mysterious underground world of the gold miners who toiled for the metal lusted after by kings and commoners alike.

On Galena Mountain, gold miners combined cliff dwelling and cave dwelling to extract gold at the Old Hundred Gold Mine, located about five miles southeast of the historic mining town of Silverton, Colorado.

After the last gold mine closed in Silverton in 1991, local assayer Bill Jones and his partners got a crew of out-ofwork miners to reopen the famed Old Hun- Travel into the heart of Galena Mountain to learn about the history of the dred Gold Mine. Old Hundred Gold Mine.

But it wasn’t for discovered only six years earlier—a mining gold—it was opened for “cliff dwellers” boarding house. visitors to tour.

Built in 1907, the Old Hundred After gathering up historic 1950sBoarding House is perched at 12,100 era San Juan mining equipment, feet on a narrow ledge of rock partly cleaning out tunnels, laying new blasted out of the cliff. The two-andtrack, installing lights and rebuilda-half story wooden structure was ing the miner’s “dry room,” the Old literally pinned to the rock face with Hundred Gold Mine Tour was born.

Now in it’s 22nd year, the mine takes wire rope and rock bolts to help keep it standing. Over 30 men lived, slept, thousands of summer visitors into and ate in the boarding house for Galena Mountain to see real mining weeks on end. To get up there, they equipment in a real gold mine. rode in the ore buckets of an aerial The mine has quite a history. The mine tour uses the mine’s lowest tun- tram, like a ski lift, which also hauled nel on the mountain, which was built the gold ore down to the mill to be to access the original mill. The first crushed and to have the gold extract700 feet were drilled in 1907-10 but ed. Last used in the late 1930s, the

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com summer traveler 5

June 2014

missed. But alas, the mountain kept its secrets and its gold. Dixilyn spent millions and found a nice quartz vein but the gold content was too low to make a profitable mine. In 1975, the tunnels were abandoned and tracks and buildings were torn up.

Today, these wide and tall modern tunnels with their excellent ventilation and stable rock provide ideal access for visitors to see the underground world of the gold miner.

After an electric train ride 1/3 of a mile in, the miner-guides walk you through the tunnels, showing you the quartz vein and colorful minerals, and they even fire up the old mining equipment, including jack-leg and lyner drills, an air tugger, slusher and Old Hundred Boarding House, circa 1907. mucking machine. Outside, you can try your luck panning for gold in the old building sat neglected for years.

Old Hundred sluice boxes.

At certain times of the year down High above the tour, still clinging in Silverton, a boardinghouse winprecariously to the side of the cliff, dow reflected the setting sun back to stands the Old Hundred Boarding town like a silent beacon beckoning House, now a Colorado Historic the miners back. Eventually they did Landmark. Open daily through Sepcome back. tember, the Old Hundred can be In 1968, Dixilyn Corporation, a combined with the Silverton Heritage Texas oil company, came back to the Pass, offering a 15 Old Hundred with percent discount to big dreams and a visit the new Silverbig bank account. ton Mining Heritage They reopened the Museum, 1901 Silverold mill level tunnel, ton Jail and the 1929 now conveniently Mayflower Gold Mill. located next to a So head on down to county road, and Silverton for a day of started tunneling. exploring Colorado’s By the time they fingold mining heritage. ished in 1971, they For more inforhad blasted several mation about visitinterconnected tuning Silverton’s Old nels a mile deep into Hundred Gold Mine the heart of Galena Tour, visit www.

Mountain looking minetour.com or call for the “mother 1-800-872-3009. ■ lode” the old timers A tour guide educates visitors as part of the Old Hundred Gold Mine Tour.

breakfast saturday & sunday

7 am-12 pm

lunch & dinner italian grill & bar

monday - saturday 11 am-9 pm

Bill Heddles Recreation Center offers something for everyone.

For more information on all our programs and amenities please visit our web site at www.cityofdelta.net or call 874-0923

 Basketball Gymnasium  Aerobic Classes  Water & Fitness Classes  Silver Sneaker Classes  Racquetball Courts  Weight & Cardio Rooms  Pickleball Leagues  Tot Pool  25 yd. (6) lane Pool & Sauna  Warm Water Wellness Pool & Lazy River

Paonia’s historic Bross Hotel Bed & Breakfast Get away close to home at the Bross Hotel B&B  Lots of outdoor activities  Music and Art  Food and Wine

mimosas & bloody marys (sunday only, open 7 am-2 pm)

Happy Hour from 3 pm-6 pm daily

624 Rae Lynn St. #C ♦ off 24 rd next to Starbucks ♦ 639-9789

Savor Paonia - Stay at the Bross Hotel

6 Summer Traveler

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

Soak up the sun at summer festivals Compiled by Cloie Sandlin

Country Jam June 19-22 Country Jam Ranch 1065 Highway 6 & 50 Mack, Colorado 1-877-569-7767 www.countryjam.com The largest country party of the year takes place only 30 minutes outside of Grand Junction. This year’s Country Jam features entertainment

by Jake Owen, Lady Antebellum, Eric Church, Brantley Gilbert, Joe Nichols, Thomas Rhett, Kellie Pickler, Jerrod Niemann, Brett Eldredge and more.

There will be regional and local bands performing on the side stages in the bar area. Even if you’re not a fan of country music, there are vendors, food and rides for the whole family to enjoy. Tickets for single and four-day general admission, reserved, VIP and sky box seats are available.

Call or visit the website for ticket prices and performance times.

Presents

Fruita Farmers Market

Strawberry Days June 20-22 Sayre Park 1702 Grand Ave. Glenwood Springs, Colorado 970-945-6589 www.strawberrydaysfestival.ning.com Strawberry Days has entertained generations for more than 100 years.

The festival features a FamilyFest area with interactive, entertaining and creative experiences for the grandkids. There will be an arts and crafts fair, food court, an old-fashioned carnival, a parade down Main Street, the crowning of Miss Strawberry Days, and a full entertainment lineup. Of course, there will still be free strawberries and ice cream on Saturday. Admission to the general festival is free.

Paonia Cherry Days July 3-5 Paonia, Colorado 970-527-3886 www.paoniacherrydays.com

A parade, talent show, cherry pie contest and auction, cherry pie-eating contest, coal shoveling contest, live music and dances are among this year’s festivities and will be held at various locations throughout Paonia.

Cherry Days is one of the oldest outdoor festivals and will have a mix of events both old and new.

Deltarado Days July 17-20 Delta, Colorado 970-874-8616 www.deltacolorado.org www.facebook.com/DeltaChamber The 79th annual Deltarado Days festival is still in the works, but the activities are bigger and better than ever. Street vendors line the streets of downtown Delta during this four-day event, which includes a parade, car show, live music in the park, street dances, barbecues, vendors, a 5K and more. Visit the Delta Chamber’s Facebook page for new announcements of events and activities.

June 2014 Telluride Jazz Festival August 1-3 Telluride Town Park Telluride, Colorado 970-728-7009 www.telluridejazz.org Telluride Jazz Festival is enjoying its 38th year of bringing world-class jazz to western Colorado. This event is not to be missed, as the Telluride Jazz Festival has earned national and international favor for featuring the best in blues and jazz music.

Performances are staged outdoors in the daytime, and in intimate clubs and historic concert halls at night. Along with a parade and wine tasting, this year’s performers include Grupo Fantasma, the Nigel Hall Band, Poncho Sanchez, Lettuce, Dragon Smoke, Jon Cleary and more. Three-day park passes are $115, which includes entry to all Town Park performances. Singleday passes are available for $45 on Friday or $55 Saturday and Sunday.

Weekend all-access passes are $165, which includes entry to Town Park performances and participating

14th Annual

SaturdayS June 28 - September 20 8:30 am to 12:30 Pm civic centeR in downtown fRuita

Regional PRoduce live enteRtainment Quality Handmade cRafts local Baked goods uniQue local BRands

970-858-3894

www.fRuitacHamBeR.oRg

www.mountainharvestfestival.org

June 2014 night venues. Patron Passes are $625, which includes special stage-side seating at Town Park performances with food and beverage catering.

Patrons have priority entry to participating night venues and events. Order your tickets online or by calling the number above.

Western Colorado Classic Auto Event August 30-31 Canyon View Park Grand Junction, Colorado 970-244-0439 www.westerncoloradoclassic.com Hilltop is hosting its annual Western Colorado Classic Auto Event over Labor Day weekend with fun events planned all weekend long. The event will feature over 250 classic autos and is open to sports cars, hot rods, muscle cars, trucks, antiques and rat rods, along with motorcycles and specialty vehicles. There are 33 classes with a “best of” award for each class. There will be vendors, entertainment, drawings and specialty trophies that include Best of Show, Best of Marque, Hilltop

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com summer traveler 7 Choice, People’s Choice, and Best of Paint.

Meeker Classic Sheepdog Championship Trials September 3-7 Meeker, Colorado 970-878-0111 970-878-5510 www.meekersheepdog.com The Meeker Classic Sheepdog Championship Trials offers five days of sheepdog herding competitions at their finest, as over 130 top international dog/handler teams vie for a grand prize of $20,000. There will also be food, a craft and fiber festival, educational programs and demonstrations, flyball and dog agility demonstrations, and more. Five-day passes for adults are $30 and one-day passes are $10. For seniors, five-day passes are $15 and one-day passes are $5. Purchase your tickets online until August 20. Tickets can also be purchased at the gate.

Mountain Harvest Festival

Fruita Fall Festival

September 25-28 Paonia, Colorado 970-433-3580 www.mountainharvestfestival.org

September 26-28 Downtown Fruita 970-858-3894 www.fruitafallfestival.com

Paonia’s 14th annual Mountain Harvest Festival is a wonderful community celebration of agriculture, art, music and life on Colorado’s Western Slope.

This festival draws people from around the West to share in the celebration and features locally grown and produced agricultural products. Come learn about and meet local farmers, artists, musicians, craftsmen and performers from the Western Slope.

Enjoy interesting workshops and tours, and support various local nonprofit organizations through your participation in many different activities. New activities this year include the bike parade, harvest carving, an outdoor cinema in the park and more.

The Fruita Fall Festival celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. This three-day festival located on the streets of downtown Fruita started as a celebration of the harvest for the farming community. The festival features carnival rides, live music, food and craft vendors, street dances, a magic show, a bed race, a parade, contests and more. Admission is free.

PRESENTED

BY

FCI

AppleFest October 4-5 Cedaredge, Colorado 970-856-6961 www.cedaredgechamber.com/applefest Cedaredge comes alive with music, food, art and more during AppleFest.

AppleFest marks the celebration of the apple harvest, and thousands of locals and visitors flock to Cedaredge to enjoy over 150 booths, a classic car show, antique tractor show, live music and many other activities. ■ CONSTRUCTORS

Labor Day Weekend 2014 (August 30 & 31) Canyon View Park • Grand Junction, Colorado 400+ Classic Autos & Specialty Vehicles M 33 Classes Car Registration $35 M Featured Marque: Ford Mustang Entertainment M Music M Food M Swap Meet M Vendors Car Sales Corral M See our Calendar of Partner Events Register your car and purchase tickets online at

westerncoloradoclassic.com For more information call (970) 244-0439 or email wccinfo@htop.org P R O C E E D S

B E N E F I T

H I L L T O P

C O M M U N I T Y

R E S O U R C E S

8 Summer Traveler

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

June 2014

High-altitude adventures now offered in Ridgway

A

Call us at (970) 728-9749

www.telluridetours.com

Pickups in Telluride, Ridgway and surrounding areas.

Operating in the Uncompahgre National Forest under special use permit from the Forest Service.

Tours tailored to your tastes & interests We know where to take you… since 1995

The Original Colorado Wine CounTry Tours Tours and Transportation for Colorado and eastern utah americanspiritshuttle.net (970) 523-7662

SH AR ING THe S PI RI T of ADVenT u R e SIN c e 1995

fter 17 years of supplying customers with spectacular 4x4 tours of the San Juan Mountains around Telluride, Dave’s Mountain Tours, under the new ownership of Dave Biser, has expanded its service into Ridgway.

“We are looking at offering a few rather mild but spectacular two- to four-hour journeys around town, with views such as the other side of Mt. Sneffels, Chimney Rock and scenes from famous western movies such as ‘True Grit,’ ‘How the West was Won” and ‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,’” Biser said.

Ridgway is rich with ranch history and has amazing views that any photographer would enjoy.

Dave’s Mountain Tours also plans to offer all-day trips into the heart of the San Juan Mountains, including highaltitude adventures, rock hounding,

history and a picnic lunch. Choose to meet them at their location at River Ranch or they can even pick you up at your door.

“Last year was my first year behind the reins of Dave’s Mountain Tours and I just had a great time,” Biser said.

With the business, Biser inherited two Pinzgauers (exotic Swiss Military troop transport vehicles) and plans to add a new 6x6 Pinzgauer to the fleet with custom-made, forward-facing seats.

Dave’s Mountain Tours has experienced guides that return year after year. The company will also add a couple of new guides this year who are excited to share what they know.

Visit Dave’s Mountain Tours in either Telluride or Ridgway. To reach Dave’s Mountain Tours, call 728-9749 or visit www.telluridetours.com. ■

Tours tailored to your tastes

By Bonnie Richards

M

ike and I came to Grand Junction to start our shuttle company in 1995. We named the company GISDHO Shuttle, an acronym for “Get In, Sit Down, Hold On,” which was a fun, flip name that people remembered once they knew what it stood for. Later we adopted the name American Spirit Shuttle.

I began guiding wine tours in 1996 when there were only five wineries in Palisade. I later worked with the visitor and convention bureau, the growing number of wineries, and a few hotels on Horizon Drive to brand Grand Junction as “Colorado’s Wine Country.” There are now over 20 licensed wineries in the Grand Valley American Vinticultural Area. More recently, I have worked with the Palisade Chamber and town to attract visitors to Palisade for agricultural tours.

Trust American Spirit Shuttle for the premier personal-guided quest of Colorado’s Wine Country in the Colorado, North Fork and Surface Creek valleys. Our tours fit your leisure

time. Join our four-hour Saturday wine tour, or let us help you arrange your custom tour of wineries, breweries and distilleries of the Grand Valley. Experience our two-day gourmand foray into wines, spirits and slow-food in the stunning vistas of western Colorado’s countryside.

You and your guests may want to tour scenic areas of western Colorado and eastern Utah. Perhaps you’d like to visit Colorado National Monument and Grand Mesa, or Arches, Canyonlands and Black Canyon National Parks.

Travelers to outlying areas may rely on our dependable transportation services to and from Grand Junction Regional Airport, the Amtrak or Greyhound stations. River rafters and mountain bikers can trust our efficient car shuttle services. Weddings, reunions, conventions and business party planners can trust your guests with our designated driver services.

For all your tour and transportation needs, call American Spirit Shuttle at 523-7662. ■

June 2014

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com summer traveler 9

Hear it through the grapevine K ick off your summer of music with the Grande River Vineyards’ “Hear It Through the Grapevine” concert series.

Pack a picnic and enjoy a summer evening of music and fantastic wine.

Concertgoers love the setting, the friendly crowds and the chance to kick off their shoes and dance. They also wouldn’t miss out on the chance to support many local nonprofit organizations.

The best way to enjoy this summer series is to purchase a season ticket. For just $123, you can enjoy all seven concerts. Plus, you can enjoy a free glass of wine and a 10 percent discount on wine purchases at each show. There are also food and soft drinks available at every concert for purchase. However, no outside beverages are permitted.

Can’t make every show? The season ticket is transferrable, so if you can’t make it, pass it along to someone who can.

Gates open at 6:30 p.m. and shows start at 7:30 p.m. rain or shine.

Ticket prices vary. Each concert benefits a local nonprofit.

See the ad to the right of this article or visit www.granderivervineyards. com/events-concerts for details.

Purchase your tickets at Grande River Vineyards, Fisher’s Liquor Barn and Roper Music.

The Indigo Girls, a renowned folk/ rock duo, are also coming to Grande River Vineyards for a special concert on July 26 (not included in the concert series). General admission tickets for this show are $39. Tickets can be purchased by calling 243-8497 or at www.ticketswest.com. ■

JULY 14 & 15

8 - $1,000 WARM UP GAMES • 19 - $5,000 GAMES • 1 - $25,000 COVERALL GAME EVENT STARTS AT 11:30 AM EACH DAY PLUS 6 PM SESSIONS EACH DAY!

BINGO ONLY: $224

INCLUDES: • INDIVIDUAL GIFTS • 2 - $10 DINING CERTIFICATES • 2 DAUBERS

ROOM & BINGO (1 PERSON) • $299 ROOM & BINGO (2 ENTRIES) • $529 ROOM PACKAGES INCLUDE: • 2 - $10 DINING CERTIFICATES • ROOM FOR 3 NIGHTS • BINGO ENTRY BOTH DAYS (MON/TUE) • INDIVIDUAL GIFTS • 2 BINGO DAUBERS

10 Summer Traveler

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

June 2014

Explore Utah in Dinosaurland T his summer, make plans to visit the Uintah Basin, where you can experience all Utah has to offer in one place.

Dinosaurland, Vernal, Utah is the only place in the world where you can view and even touch over 1,500 dinosaur bones, all in their original resting place.

Dinosaur National Monument Quarry and Visitor Center is eagerly awaiting the hundreds of thousands of visitors that will enter the park in the coming months. Dinosaurs are not all Uintah County has to offer.

Hitch onto the camper or load up the tent, as there are plenty of camping spots available for a night under the stars. Hiking, biking, boating, swimming, rafting, petroglyphs, museums and more are what makes this area loved by those who live and vacation here.

Enjoy a quiet hike on the Sound of Silence trail, or scream and holler as you experience whitewater rafting down the Green River. Dinosaurland is also about rivers. After all, a river is what created the wall of bones. Rafting the Green and Yampa rivers is

Stay & Play

in Dinosaurland

Visit Dinosaurland-Vernal, Utah You’ll want to stay forever...the Dinosaurs did!

Pre Historic Vacation Packages Package Includes: • 7 day/1 Vehicle Entrance into Dinosaur National Monument • 2 Adults/2 Children entrance into the Utah Field House of Natural History-State Park Dinosaur Museum • Hotel Accommodations at participating hotels • Dinosaur Gift upon arrival Call or visit our website for more details

800-477-5558

dinoland.com

See and touch over 1,500 dinosaur bones at Dinosaur National Monument in Vernal, Utah. one of the best ways to see the area.

It will be an experience you will not forget.

Exploring the monument on foot will allow you to view massive arches and rarely seen petroglyphs.

Vernal is home to three state parks: the Utah Field House of Natural History Dinosaur Museum, Steinaker, and Red Fleet Reservoir State Park.

You can have your boat launched and ready for a day on the water in less than 20 minutes from downtown.

Don’t have a boat? Don’t let this stop you. Steinaker is home of the “Vernal Beach.” Enjoy a day building sand castles, swimming or playing on the swim dock.

Red Fleet has been referred to as “Little Lake Powell” with its gorgeous scenery and huge red cliffs. Don’t forget to watch out for dinosaur tracks as you play and explore the land around the lake. Make sure to inquire

about canoe and paddleboard rentals.

The Field House of Natural History Museum provides a hands-on experience where visitors can learn more about the history of the area, view life-size replicas of dinosaurs, learn about the fossils that are found in the area, and view paleontologists as they work on newly discovered fossils from the observation window in the curatorial facility.

If you really want to ride worldclass trails, you can pick your pleasure: slick rock, alpine forests or desert canyons. With small crowds and great trails, the area is truly a bicyclist’s dream.

Make your next adventure getaway in Dinosaurland, Vernal, Utah. You’ll want to stay forever. The dinosaurs did.

For more information, call 1-800477-5558 or visit www.dinoland.com.

■

Now open every Friday & Saturday evening for dessert and coffee Closed Mondays starting June 2nd.

June 2014

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com summer traveler 11

30 years of food, 4x4 and fun at the Outlaw Mountain Cookout

I

f enjoying a mouthwatering rib eye steak cooked over open coals in a distant mountain location appeals to you, then take a trip with Colorado West Jeep Rentals & Tours to their famous Outlaw Mountain Cookout.

To accompany your cooked-to-order steak, enjoy Outlaw potatoes, corn on the cob, western-style baked beans, fresh garden salad, French bread, fresh seasonal fruit, coffee or lemonade, and marshmallows to toast over an open campfire.

One of the unique features of the Outlaw Mountain Cookout, which is offered every June through September by Colorado West Jeep Rentals & Tours in Ouray, is that attendees can take a mini 4x4 tour from Colo-

rado West Jeep Tour’s office on Main Street in Ouray (or from a Main Street hotel) to the cookout, which is sure to also include mountain lore and tasteful jokes, making it an event the whole family can enjoy.

Chris Bonattii, who owned the

Rentals & Tours took over the cookout in 2005 and moved it to its current location at the historic KHE-Dive level of the rich Bachelor Syracuse mine.

But after a life-changing accident in 2013, Burdick sold Colorado West Jeep Rentals & Tours to his sister and nephew, Judy and Jeff Lindberg, who plan to continue Delicious food, mountain lore and tasteful jokes make the Outlaw Mountain Cookout in the cookout and family-run Ouray something you, the kids and even the business.

Call 1-800-648-5337 to grandkids can enjoy.

RSVP. Cookouts are available for groups of 20 or more, so make sure to call to be added to a group famous Outlaw Restaurant in Ouray, so the minimum of 20 can be met. started the cookout in the summer The cost is $34.95 per person. Tours of 1984. The original location was at start at 6 p.m. and return at 8:15 p.m. the Camp Bird’s hydroelectric plant Cookout guests also receive a $5 disalong Canyon Creek. After helping with the cookout for almost 20 years, count on tours booked with Colorado Bob Burdick of Colorado West Jeep West Jeep Tours. ■

12 Summer Traveler

By Anne Ashley

Y

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

Vacation vexation

ou would think that planning for a vacation was a good thing. You would be forgiven for assuming that being able to get away from it all would fill me with joy and excitement. (Some folks I know even get as much pleasure from the preparations and booking hotel rooms and necessary foreign accouterments as they do the actual getting away part.) However, no, the feeling is quite the opposite for me.

In fact, I get separation anxiety the moment my long-suffering husband mentions anything even remotely associated with us being away from home. You know how adults spell out certain anti-social words in front of children? Even the slightest indication that my husband is contemplating relaxing elsewhere sends me into such an instant panic that he now disguises his intentions to vacation outside the home by using gentle expressions such as a “rest” or “break”

or “breather” in

order to broach the delicate subject without incurring the inevitable fallout.

Poor man. What he wouldn’t give to be married to one of those women you see in movies or advertisements that can throw a hairbrush and an extra pair of underwear into a plastic bag and go without hyperventilating into a paper bag at the thought. What he wouldn’t give for a life partner who surprises him with a romantic stopover in a quaint B&B somewhere just because, without needing to down Valium like M&Ms. I’ve never been one to relax or unwind at the end of my day, even at home. To me, unwinding simply means finding the next thing to do after finishing the last thing I did.

I find it difficult to switch off or to “chill” at the best of times, but a vacation, mini-break or whatever my better half camouflages it as, fills

me with utter dread. The thought of having to choose meals from an unfamiliar menu or having to perform cosmetic miracles in a hotel room where electrical sockets are situated 30 yards from the mirror, or the window is facing in the wrong direction, is guaranteed to hasten a meltdown.

Moreover, you do not even want to get me started on what passes for an adequate iron in hotel rooms these days.

By the time I’ve finished packing my essentials plus the things I might need, plus my “what if” items, my husband’s baggage allowance is reduced to no more than a pillowcase—which reminds me—pillows! I mean, is it asking too much that I’m provided with a pillow that can at least support my head? The last hotel I stayed in offered pillows so thin I had to confiscate all four cushions and leave my husband to fend for himself with the travel pillow. He didn’t mind the discomfort as much as he minded the addition to the list of essential things I have to bring.

Two pillows minimized his space to a little more than a lunch box.

June 2014 I have always been this way. I don’t understand the logic behind setting up a comfortable and familiar home, only to go somewhere uncomfortable and unfamiliar with your free time.

Surely, the place to enjoy your downtime in is the place you just furnished to accommodate your every need.

This last week was further proof, if proof is needed, that vacations are not for me. A short flight and a stay with family resulted in more angst than if I had been planning a high-altitude orbit into outer space.

Between the arguing over what sunblock people on planet California use and which travel sickness pills work the fastest, I fear I might have exhausted my saintly husband’s patience. I am sure that on one of these trips, he’s not going to bring me back. Which, you guessed it, causes me to rethink that essentials list. I mean, if I am going to be abandoned somewhere without my familiar fundamentals, I’m going to need…well, everything, right?

It’s good to stay home. ■