Winter Park Tres Day 5-6

The last full day in Winter Park and we're getting sad.   We went to The Ditch tonight to get the last awesome dinner on our trip (no dinners in Denver).  BUT NOOOOOOOO!  They are closed until Friday for a employee rafting outing.  I'm thinking Mullins should have a employee rafting party down the Crawfish . . . . . might not be the same I suppose.

This was the last chance for days off here as school is out Wednesday and Ride the Rockies is next week.  Even in my long distance biking stage I NEVER contemplated Ride the Rockies. 
Tuesday we went to breakfast at Sharky's to fill up as we would forgo lunch for a bigger dinner.  When we're traveling it seems when we have a bigger lunch we're sort of full for a big dinner. So it's a choice  . . sometimes.

The 2nd breakfast was just as good as #1.  THE goto breakfast place.

We drive up to Grand Lake, Colorado's largest natural lake also called Spirit Lake by the American Indians.  The town of Grand Lake has a population of a little under 500 and was a outfitting and supply spot for mining communities in the mountains.

FUN FACT - The growing season in Grand Lake is 49 days. 

There is just a lot of STUFF here - touristy but not expensive at all.  We purchased this candle holder carved from dead Aspen . . .$24.

The town is all boardwalk and old westy. I gotta think the place is PACKED in the summer but there is still school so this is really the season between seasons. I feel we are the vanguard for the coming hordes.  And it seems we are doing our best to help the economy. 

   The lake itself was formed 30,000 years ago (give or take 3 years) from glaciers. It's the headwaters of the Colorado river with a depth of 265 feet.

 
You really can't see the mansions on the other side. They are HUGE but little spec against that hill.

Before you get to Grand Lake you come to Granby. The town was formed by pioneers who received the land in the Homestead Act of  1862 (called immigrants now).  Largest town in the county at about 1,500 in population.  Back then they felt a growing population helped the economy.  Now the government feels making America SMALLER will help the economy.

FUN FACT - in 2004  DMarvin Heemeyer took a modified bulldozer and bulldozed the bank, a hardware store, a concrete company, a utility service center, the town hall, the police department, and a former mayor's home.  He was pissed off at the city council over a zoning deal.  7 million dollars in damage.

Granby also has a great lake.  It's weird seeing cars pulling boats up into the mountains.

Peak Brewery

Got home, went to the Peak for the BEST big Pizza and a couple beers and called it a night.                                                                        Today was golf day at The Pole Creek Golf Club.  Winner of many awards (except for the food . . at least what we had).   DJ was a ride along and we teamed up with 2 other guys.

I only played 9 holes on the Ranch course. Wanted to play the Ridge but that was the next 9 holes and I wanted to see what the course was like before I forked out THAT much money.

The greens were in spring condition - like 3 weeks ago with sand so putting was odd.  Putting downhill and the ball slows down.

That ball track (below) is mine.  Drive of 212 with 278 to go.  80 yards out of the trap and from 190 I  hit AND held the green.  I got lucky as I JUST got over a greens side trap.  Ended with a 48 on this unique thinking mans course. 

Chilled out and did laundry and so forth as tomorrow (today) is get away day as we move operations to downtown Denver two blocks from Coors Field. 

As I said we TRIED to go to The Ditch but NOOOOOO  so we went to a pizza/pasta place right near by.  The interesting thing about this is that the entire building, inside, is covered with money. 

There is going to be a whole lot of people going to jail for damaging Federal Property.  But if they launder the money it you can get out of jail for free with a pardon . . if they know any reality stars or Fox News Propaganda Machine.

That is it for now - Brit Floyd tomorrow night and the Rocky Game Friday.  Denver has had two record highs the last 2 days and it should be warm again.  

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I don't know what is going on in Wisconsin but the big news here is the FBI guy that accidentally shot a guy in a nightclub in Denver.  Never do a back flip with a loaded gun.  Probably was sick that day for that lesson. 

There is HUGE storm in the Eastern Plains tonight. They are showing photos of PALM size hail.  Seriously?  

And TV?  LITERALLY (I mean really!) 70% of all advertisements are political.  Have I said that in a previous blog?  hmmmm  Well, it's crazy, in your face, no holds barred.  Mostly about how to pay for schools and immigrants.  

AND I see Columbus is getting a Wood Fired Pizza place, opening in August.  

That's it 

See ya