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GREAT WOLF
LODGE
NOW OPEN
By Kathry
Eriksen
The amazing Great Wolf Lodge
in now open and another tourist jewel has been added
to Grapevine’s growing crown of resorts. Located
directly across the street from the Gaylord Texan,
Great Wolf Lodge announces itself as soon as you
walk up to the main entrance. The northwoods theme
begins with the large lodge poles holding up the
roof to the entrance. But it is the unique
ornamentation that boldly declares “We are different
and proud of it.” Gynormous (my daughter’s word)
wolves guard the front doors, adding an imposing
element to an already impressive property.[
Full Story
]
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Trip Photos
 Fall
Release Tour
By Kathryn E. Eriksen
“The unexamined life is not worth living.” - Plato
When life comes at you from all sides, close enough to suffocate you
with responsibilities, it is time to take a step back and let go.
I recently took a step back and found my release in Colorado. I had
never seen the aspen leaves change from brilliant green to joyous
yellow. Photographs of golden mountains sprayed with light had always
intrigued me; but school and other responsibilities confined my
“Colorado Time” to the summer.
So when a friend called and said she was going to Florissant, Colorado
to check on her land, I immediately raised my hand and said, “Pick
me!”
And I had the time of my life.
Crossing the Threshold
We flew into Colorado Springs and lunched on the stone terrace of the
Broadmoor Hotel, overlooking the pristine lake and graceful swans.
Flower-lined sidewalks, people strolling (instead of the usual frantic
gait seen at home) and the mountains standing proudly in the
background completed the scene. By the time we walked around the
perimeter of the lake, I knew I was in a different place.
An archway leading to the pool beckoned me with the wonders on the
other side. Although I did not step through (for guests only), it
symbolized a doorway opening inside me – to stop and listen to that
quiet, inner space that knows I am O.K. and life is an adventure.
My perspective changed instantly and my heart lifted in joyful praise.
After lunch, we drove to Woodland Park, a small city about thirty
miles outside of the “Springs.” As we left the city, the mountains
took over the view. A continuous rush of cars traveled west to make
their escape from the city life. The air smelled sweeter and cleaner
and the pine trees began to dominate the landscape.
As we climbed in elevation, we spotted the first burst of yellow set
among the green pines. Aspens! The golden yellow leaves beckoned us
deeper into the mountains, whispering of mysteries and solitude. Since
it was getting dark, we had to wait until the next day to explore.
The Yellow Brick Road
After breakfast, we took Teller 1 to the mining town of Victor. Since
both my friend and I love to take photographs, we probably stopped
more than 15-20 times. If our husbands were there, they would have
gone crazy! But it was just the “girls” and we enjoyed every minute.
Each bend in the road presented a new treasure. Either a stand of
aspens, or just the view would be enough to bring the car to a stop by
the side of the road. At one point, we came upon a deserted stretch of
road, with two lonely horses standing near the fence. We stopped so I
could take their picture, and one of the horses meandered over to say
hello.
The next turn in the road gave us the most special gift of the entire
trip. We came upon a tree tunnel made of aspens. The wind had picked
up, and aspen leaves were raining from the trees. The entire highway
was a ribbon of gold, lined with brilliant white trunks that stood as
sentinels, watching over the scene. Sunlight filtered through the
trees and danced on the golden ground. It was almost as if the aspens
were alive and trying to tell us something. Instead of Dorothy
learning the truth from the Wizard of Oz, I heard it whispered in the
wind.
Of course, we had to get out and admire this magical scene. A large
SUV saw us and stopped to see what the fuss was about. Several people
piled out of the vehicle and gaped in disbelief when they saw the
scene. Something basic and elemental was present in that space to
which we all instinctively responded. For that moment, time stood
still and I was at peace.
We continued to Victor and then to Cripple Creek. Both towns exist
because of gold – the kind you dig out of the rocks instead of what
dots the mountains in the fall. The hand of man was very apparent in
the harsh cuts of the mines into the sides of mountains. Portions of
the mines still operate, and men scurry around like ants looking for
crumbs of treasure.
Cripple Creek was the site of the largest gold rush in history. At the
height of the gold camps, it boasted 45,000 residents, all seeking
their fortune. Now, the town attracts a different kind of gold.
Casinos are prevalent in the downtown area and busloads of people are
brought in to try their hand at the slot machines. Human nature has
not changed over the last 120 years – today people seek their fortune
in a lucky pull of the lever instead of breaking open rock and shale
to reach the treasure. The quest is the same but the methods have
changed.
We completed our drive, ate a wonderful dinner and went to bed, eager
for tomorrow’s adventures.
A Hike to Remember
The next day, we went to Mueller State Park, a 5,000-acre paradise for
outdoor enthusiasts. We explored several miles of the 50 miles of
hiking trails, and did not want to leave.
One trail took us to a high meadow, rolling and flowing towards the
mountains. Aspens lined one side and looked like a bracelet of golden
jewelry. We had lunch at an old miner’s cabin that sits in quiet
contemplation of life, waiting patiently for the next season. A
mountain jay decided to try my lunch, and snatched it straight from my
hand! Since the birds had found us (and obviously were not afraid) we
decided to press on.
Hiking in the wilderness always brings me back to myself. The swinging
motion of my legs, combined with the glorious scenery and crisp air,
lead me to consider my life’s direction and purpose. Life is simpler
when confronted by nature – basic needs must be met and anticipated,
dangers avoided, and appreciation for God’s handiwork is always
present. My senses come alive and make me feel more vibrant. Nature
has a way of reconnecting you to the basic essence of life.
Fall was all around us. Nature had transformed the scenery from the
lushness of summer to the last burst of color before winter’s solitude
took control. The aspen leaves seemed to be say, “I have lived my
purpose, now I must go and make room for new growth.” A new and
startling thought occurred to me – why couldn’t I be more like the
aspen?
I pondered that concept for the next mile. Nature does not limit
herself or her bounty, she just lives as she was created to live.
Negative thoughts and artificial limitations are not part of Nature’s
vocabulary. Grievances, worries and anxiety do not exist in her world,
why do they exist in mine?
The answer that came to me was simple and direct – because I allow
negative thoughts and feelings to disturb my inner peace. And if I
chose the negative, I can change my choice for the positive!
The mountains, trees and streams do not have a choice to be negative
or tightly hold imagined slights; they just ARE. Clouds of doubt or
ripples of insecurity never obscure their true nature. Perhaps that is
why we feel so renewed when we return to nature, because it reconnects
us to our essential selves.
My hike that day was a lesson in physical exertion (shortness of
breath and tired muscles prevailed), but it was also a journey inward.
I realized that time spent looking inside was worthy of my energy and
focus. And I vowed to continue the inward exploration after I returned
home.
Time to Go Home
Our flight did not leave until mid-afternoon. Instead of taking the
highway back to the “Springs,” we decided on one more adventure.
Gold Camp Road is a dirt and gravel road that runs from Victor,
through the mountains to Colorado Springs. We followed the same path
as the miners did over one hundred years ago, but we were much more
comfortable! My appreciation for the hardships they faced as they
battled the weather and the terrain grew tremendously as we drove up
and over mountain passes. What determined people they must have been,
to focus on one goal to the exclusion of everything else.
We saw patches of snow and even a frozen pond. There were aspen, of
course, but the magic had faded since there were less leaves on the
trees. As we descended the last mountain, a glimpse of the city made
us both sigh.
“Do we have to go back?” I asked with a plaintive whine in my voice.
My friend just looked at me, knowing that she was not expected to
answer. And then we began the unwinding process of returning home.
The lessons I learned during my Fall “Release” Tour have stayed with
me. I have only to look in admiration at the aspens to remember the
serenity I felt when I took that picture. My mind’s eye can clearly
see the golden road of discovery and I know in my heart that I will
return. Trip
Photos
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GALVESTON, TEXAS, WHERE TO STAY, WHAT
TO SEE AND WHERE TO EAT
By Mary A. Flowers
 My
husband and I recently spent a wonderful weekend in Galveston, Texas.
In planning our trip, the hardest decision to make was – where to stay
with the dog?
Finding “dog-friendly” lodging can sometimes be daunting. I wade
through myriad lists on Google looking for a place that is neither too
shabby nor too expensive. Thank goodness many of the web sites show
pictures of what they have to offer. We make our choice, call to
reserve and then hold our breath until we get there and see the place
for ourselves. Sometimes we are pleasantly surprised.
Needing a place to stay on Galveston Island, I
called Cottage by the Beach after seeing their web site,
www.cottagebythebeach.com Offering several locations that
sleep from four to ten; they also welcome dogs with open arms – no
extra dog deposit either. We were lucky enough to reserve the
Bungalow, which sleeps eight. It was a little worn on the outside but
had a fenced yard. The pictures on their web site were legit. The
inside was absolutely beautiful. Its only drawback, but not terribly
important to us, was that it only had one bathroom. We could work
around that. The rooms were large, the beds comfortable, and the cable
TV enjoyable. It was not terribly expensive either.
The location was great too. The two main roads that run the length of
the island are the Seawall Blvd. that runs along the beach, and
Broadway Blvd. that goes through the historical residential area.
Everything narrows down to a point at the east end of the island. Most
of the properties managed by Cottage by the Beach are in this east end
area and are just a hop off both main thoroughfares and just a few
minutes’ walk from Stewart Beach.
We were lucky
enough to be in Galveston during the AIA Sandcastle Competition. Held on
East Beach each year, architectural and design firms, as well as many
colleges, take part. Awards were given for everything from Most
Hilarious to Most Complicated Design. Team members and their creations
are judged on originality of concept, artistic execution, technical
difficulty, carving technique and utilization of site. For more
information on next year’s event, visit
www.aiasandcastle.com
Located adjacent to Scholes Intl. Airport, the Lone Star Flight Museum
houses an extensive collection of working aircraft spanning the history
of flight. Designated as the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame, an exhibit
hall honors people as varied as Gene Autry to Herb Kellerher of
Southwest Airlines. Admission is $8.00 and includes an impressive
collection of aircraft paintings.
www.lonestarflight.org
Going harborside, we toured the 1877 Tall Ship Elissa and the Seaport
Museum associated with this era in Galveston. For $6 per person, we
crawled all over and below deck on this beautiful ship. Tall ships are
classified by the configuration of their sailing rig. In Elissa’s case,
she is a 'barque' because she carries square and fore-and-af t
sails on her fore and mainmasts, but only fore-and-aft sails on her
mizzenmast. This ship is also all about ropes. Ropes were everywhere.
The Seaport Museum has many interesting exhibits pertaining to life
along Galveston harbor, the shrimping industry and immigration to
Galveston. Click on
www.galvestonhistory.org to find out about the Elissa and
more.
Next
door to the Elissa, at Pier 22, is Fisherman’s Wharf, a fantastic
seafood restaurant offering many fresh fish and shrimp selections. We
found nothing wrong here and can heartily recommend it. Lunch for three
with appetizer was approximately $60. This is a popular restaurant so
expect to wait in the bar for a few minutes. Also, be sure to get your
parking ticket validated. Otherwise, parking is $15.
Near the harbor, the old business district is a colorful mix of many
historic commercial buildings housing shops and cafes of all kinds as
well as memorable art galleries. With wide covered sidewalks, one could
spend hours shopping or catch a horse and carriage for a leisurely ride
around the area. Parking is mostly street side and this area is crowded
on the weekend. If shopping is not your thing, at least drive these
streets to see the many beautiful buildings.
www.thestrand.com
Galveston was a
prosperous seaport during the late 1800’s. Many wealthy businessmen
built magnificent homes here, the most notable among these is the
Bishop’s Palace, a private residence designed by Nicholas Clayton and
built for Walter Gresham in 1886. It is built from native Texas granite,
white limestone and red sandstone, all cut and shaped on the premises.
Many rare woods, like rosewood, satinwood, white mahogany, American oak
and maple were used for the interior, hand-carved woodwork. In 1923 it
was purchased by the Catholic Diocese of Galveston to become the
official residence of the bishop. But only one Bishop ever lived there.
Reverend Christopher Byrne stayed there until his death in 1950. In
1963, the Catholic Church opened it to the public, making it the first
of the Galveston mansions to be turned into a museum. To see more rare
items and treasures, visit The Bishop's Palace at 1402 Broadway. The
entrance fee is $5.00 per person. www.thecityofgalveston.com
We could not leave Galveston without eating at Gaido’s Seafood Inn,
located on Seawall Blvd. Gaido’s is a Galveston institution, having been
in business since 1911. Gaido’s is classier than the Wharf, with white
tablecloths, an impressive wait staff and elegant dining areas, but the
menu is pricey and not as tasty as the Wharf. Gaido’s does offer small
or large “full” meals, which include the entrée, one vegetable and
choice of dessert. With all three of us choosing a shrimp dinner, our
total bill with tea and water was about $72. www.gaidosofgalveston.com
Whether you are a beach person, a shopper, or a history buff, Galveston
has plenty to entertain everyone in the family, including the dog.
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