Fireside Chat

Newsletter of the Rocky Mountain Revelers: Chapter 3922 April, 2014 Volume 3, Issue 4

UPCOMING DATES April 25 - 27 May 15th 18 July 7th 11 Field Staff Workshop Campout Fort Collins Spring Fling, Brush National Campvention Essex Junction, Vermont

El Jimador March 8, 2014

PRESIDENT: VICE PRESIDENT: SECRETARY: TREASURER: BOARD MEMBER: SPC OFFICER: FIELD DIRECTOR: Sue Wieland Larry Martin Linda Baker Anita VanDerEyken Mike Ienna Colin Peecher Kent and Sally Schroeder Bob and Anna Peduzzi

Marchs meeting of the Rocky Mountain Revelers was held at El Jimador restaurant in Lakewood. Everyone enjoyed the great Mexican food. We celebrated St. Patricks Day early, and most people were seen wearing the green. Green pencils and post-it note pads were given as favors. Robert won the raffle (again) after assisting Anita with the ticket distribution. Is that fair?! It was great to see everyone, and looking forward to the return of the snowbirds next month for our first campout of the season. Thanks to Kent and Sally for co-hosting. Sue Wieland

Next Event
May 9th 11th Lakeside KOA

Check out the new Rocky Mountain Revelers Webpage! www.rockymoutainrevelers.weebly.com

A Note from the President

Well Ive conducted 2 meetings so far, and have only made a few mistakes, but whos counting? So far, its been great being your President. As most of you know, I retired from Arapahoe County on March 3 after working there 24 years as a Financial Analyst. They gave me a great retirement party. As you can imagine, I had seen a lot of changes over the years. When I started there in 1990, my younger son was 4 and hes now 28 and married! There were only 3 County Commissioners, then the voters increased that to 5. Although I had a PC, the software was all on the mainframe. So many changes in 24 years! At my retirement party, I gave my top ten reasons to retire, some of which were: Although Ill miss all the people, I wont miss getting up an hour earlier when the time changes on March 9. Ill be free to take a nap any time I want, and wont have to in the Tuesday afternoon weekly meetings. If I want to go to a movie, I can go to the matinee on a weekday and get the senior discount. Im giving up work for Lent (which started March 5). I had a lot of fun at my retirement party, so now its almost time for the Rocky Mountain Revelers to have fun camping starting in April at Cherry Creek State Park. That will be a great weekend, although Ill only be there for Saturday, due to church choir commitments on Friday evening and Sunday morning for Easter. I look forward to seeing everyone at Cherry Creek State Park!

Sue Wieland

EASTER HUMOR Send travel stories to [email protected] to be included in Scenes and Stories from the Road. A Sermon at Any Price: One Easter Sunday the Reverend Jones announced to his congregation, 'My good people, I have here in my hands three sermons...... A $100 sermon that lasts five minutes A $50 sermon that lasts fifteen minutes And a $20 sermon that lasts a full hour. Now, we'll take the collection and see which one I'll deliver.

Our members spoke up on the members survey in 2012 and therefore Spring Fling will be extended an extra day, making it a three day campout! Also provided will be a free dinner to all campers. Plus some great entertainment has been planned. The dates are May 15-18 at the Morgan County Fairgrounds. To attend, look for the registration form in the March/April edition of the Fireside Embers. Come celebrate springtime in the Rockies with your FCRV friends!

Easter One-liners:
What did the Easter Bunny say to the carrot? Its been nice gnawing ya.

What do you call an Easter Bunny with fleas? Bugs Bunny. What do you call a dumb Easter Bunny? A hare brain! What do you call ten 10 Easter Bunnies marching backwards? A receding hareline! Why was the Easter Bunny so upset? He was having a bad hare day! Why cant the Easter Bunnys nose be 12 inches long? Because then it would be a foot!

COLORADO CLIPS

The History of Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Two Part Series- Part One
Red Rocks Park was purchased by Denver in 1928 and was one of the last Mountain Parks to be acquired. It is 640 acres of remarkable landscape, with red sandstone monoliths that have been a regional attraction since the 1900s. Beautiful views can be seen from road and trail, with new scenic wonders around every corner.

From the Past to the Present

John Brisben Walker purchased the Park of the Red Rocks in 1906 and renamed it the Garden of the Titans. Tourists could travel to Morrison on the railroad, walk west through town to the Gateway Stables, right at the entrance to the Park, and hire donkeys to take them through the rocks and up for a picnic at the natural amphitheater.

Over the years, many of the rock formations within the park have been given names, from the mushroomshaped Seat of Pluto to the inclined Cave of the Seven Ladders, and the Spring. The most visited rocks, around the amphitheater, are Creation Rock to the north, Ship Rock to the south, and Stage Rock to the east.

The Seat of Pluto

Creation Rock Ladder Cave Park

Ladder Cave Park Ladder Cave Park

The Spring of Rhea

In 1928, Denver finally purchased Red Rocks Park! John Brisben Walker had forfeited the park during the 1920s for defaulting on tax payments to the county as he lost his last fortune. John Ross, a colleague of Walkers and head of Bear Creek Development Co. had purchased much of the land. A young student from East High School, named George Cranmer became fascinated with the natural acoustics of Red Rocks when he took a field trip to the park. Years later, when Denver Mayor Benjamin Stapleton appointed him Manager of Parks & Improvements, Cranmer began planning what he had only imagined as a boy,,,,a natural amphitheater.

Mayor Stapleton was not a big fan of the theater. In fact, the Mayor believed theater was evil and that actors and actresses were generally evil as well. Mayor Stapleton really envisioned this site as a large rock garden, and in fact the area where the seating is now was filled with huge red boulders. But Cranmer and architect Burnham Hoyt had a different idea the one we see today.

That idea required removing the boulders, and that couldnt be done without breaking them up. So, over a period of time the workers from the Civilian Conservation Corps drilled holes in the bases of all the boulders and inserted dynamite in order to blow them all within a few minutes. The building of Red Rocks Amphitheatre is one of the greatest achievements of the Civilian Conservation Corps. The CCC existed for nine years and three months and has remained one of the most popular of President Franklin Delano Roosevelts New Deal programs.

The amphitheater was completed in 1936, but was not officially dedicated until June 15, 1941. Even after the dedication, construction continued over the next 12 years. In 1947, the first annual Easter Sunrise Service took place. Since then, Red Rocks Amphitheatre has attracted some of the worldsthe best performers to its stage.

Scenes and Stories

From the Road

LAS VEGAS TRIP WITH BOB , ANNA,RICH AND PATTY. ALSO TINKER BELL CORKY AND BAXTER We left on the 6th of March to attend the Nascar races. We drove to green river Utah to spend the night at the RV campground. Left the next morning after breakfast and arrived at Las Vegas RV resort at the east side of Vegas (a limited time offer for $29 a night (a very nice place). Patty and Rich spent the night in our motorhome and then Rich rented a car because their condo was at the other end of Vegas. They would drive to our place and then we would go together in our car to the race track. Friday we got to see the garage from above on walk around where the race cars are worked on. Sat morning was time trials and then the sprint race. Sunday we got to the track and had time to play Farkle. We took some tables and chairs both days to pass the time before and after the races. A lot of people set up grills and canopies. Almost like camping but no dogs or campers. We had very good seats could see the whole track and all the motorhomes parked in the infield and around the outside of the track. So many people and a lot of venders selling food, beer, water and souvenirs. The weather was windy and not too hot and Saturday, Sunday was hot but pleasant. (Better than cold and snow in Denver)

Monday evening we went to Excalibur for a dinner show, tournament of kings, a comedy about knights, kings, jesters with horses. Dinner served (no silverware) soup, game hens, potato, broccoli and desert. Very good! We went to Clark county museum- very interesting. We went to different restaurants and casinos. On Wednesday we went to south point to meet with Anita for breakfast. Robert was at a meeting. Still no luck gamblingPatty and Rich have been going to the races in Las Vegas for the last 13 years (Richs birthday) and this was our first time. Had a very good time, so thanks to Patty and Rich for inviting us.

We got ready to head home on the 12th of march. Weather changed to cool as we traveled. About 50 miles from campground in green river, Utah and had strange noise in engine, sounded like something being shredded. Pulled over and took engine cover off only to find a shredded serpentine belt with 2 of 6 groves left on the belt. Middle of nowhere, hoped we could get to green river. We made it and camped at the campground. Next day went to auto parts store but didn't have right belt but had another store 1 1/2 hours away that had the right belt. So on to Castle dale, Utah to get new belt. With a lot of help from Rich on the top and Bob under the motorhome, they got the job done. Got on the road again and got to Grand Junction area (Clifton) to spend the night. Next day on the newssnow in Silverthorne, the tunnel, also Vail. We decided to stay another night. We have friends in Cedaredge so we called them and went to visit them (Jerry and Liz Heffner). They have land above the small town and started building a house in 2004 and it is a very nice home. They lived in Palisade before and used to bring a lot of peaches to Denver and visit Bob and Rich at the garage. We don't get them anymore as he doesnt make the trip now. Next morning, roads were cleared so head for home. No more trouble home safe and sound..Sound?