A Few of FR's Finest...Every Day...08-18-04...Colorado ~ "Nothing Without the Diety"

Mama_Bear

[Mama_Bear]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in need; and congratulate those deserving. We strive to keep our threads entertaining, fun, and pleasing to look at, and often have guest writers contribute an essay, or a profile of another FReeper.

On Mondays please visit us to see photos of A FEW OF FR'S VETERANS AND ACTIVE MILITARY

If you have a suggestion, or an idea, or if there's a FReeper you would like to see featured, please drop one of us a note in FR mail.

We're having fun and hope you are!
~ Billie, Mama_bear, dutchess, Aquamarine,

We're
"On the Road Again"...

Please join "A Few of FR's Finest" as we make a cyber-visit to another state in this great Union of ours.

Over the past year each "Finest" hostess has profiled her home state for the Finest Thread. The remaining states are being presented, about one a month, in random order. We hope you are enjoying these visits to our beautiful United States. Please FReepMail me if you would like to participate in spotlighting your Fine state. I would appreciate your ideas and suggestions on what you would like to see highlighted.

These are the states
we have presented to date:

05-23-03 Alabama 06-27-03 Maryland 07-11-03 Vermont 07-25-03 Utah 08-05-03 Texas 08-22-03 Nevada 08-26-03 Wash DC 09-05-03 Tennessee 09-17-03 Florida 09-19-03 Minnesota 10-03-03 New Mexico 10-14-03 Georgia 10-17-03 Louisiana

10-22-03 Michigan 11-04-03 South Dakota 11-14-03 California 01-09-04 South Carolina 02-06-04 West Virginia 02-20-04 Oregon 03-09-04 Pennsylvania 03-30-04 Wyoming 04-13-04 Mississippi 04-27-04 Missouri 05-25-04 Indiana 07-21-04 Virginia

Today we are visiting Colorado, the "Centennial State", and we salute the Fine FReepers who call Colorado home.

Called the Centennial State because it was admitted to the Union on Aug. 1, 1876, 100 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Dinosaurs once roamed North America, and what is known today as Colorado was no exception. Evidence of fossils of oysters, shellfish and crustaceous fish have been located in southeastern Colorado; fossil insects, seeds, and leaves in perfect detail as well as petrified stumps of sequoias have been located near Florissant (Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument);

and of course perhaps Colorado’s most famous monument attesting to the presence of dinosaurs, is Dinosaur National Monument, located north of Grand Junction where a variety of dinosaur skeletons have been located and are on display.

The cliff dwellers, ancestors of the Pueblo Indians, were among the first civilized inhabitants of Colorado, and what remains of their culture can be seen at Mesa Verde National Park located in Montezuma County in the extreme southwestern section of Colorado.

They were called Anasazi, an Indian word for "Ancient Ones". What became of them remains a mystery, but the Anasazi disappeared from their cliff dwellings about the year 1300 A.D.




History of Colorado in Brief....

First visited by Spanish explorers in the 1500s, the territory was claimed for Spain by Juan deUlibarri in 1706. The U.S. obtained eastern Colorado as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, the central portion in 1845 with the admission of Texas as a state, and the western part in 1848 as a result of the Mexican War.

IMPORTANT DATES IN COLORADO HISTORY
1803: The United States acquired most of eastern Colorado as part of the Louisiana Purchase.
1806: Zebulon M. Pike explored Colorado.
1848: Mexico ceded western Colorado to United States.
1858: Gold discovered in Denver.
1861: Congress established the Colorado territory.
1867: Denver chosen as permanent capital.
1870: Railroad connections established with the East.
1876: Colorado became the 38th state on August 1st.
1899: First beet-sugar refinery began operating at Grand Junction.
1906: Denver Mint issued its first coins.

Colorado Facts

Colorado has the highest mean elevation of any state, with more than 1,000 Rocky Mountain peaks over 10,000 ft high and 54 towering above 14,000 ft. Pikes Peak, the most famous of these mountains, was discovered by U.S. Army lieutenant Zebulon M. Pike in 1806.

Once primarily a mining and agricultural state, Colorado's economy is now driven by the service industries, including medical providers and other business and professional services. Colorado's economy also has a strong manufacturing base. The primary manufactures are food products, printing and publishing, machinery, and electrical instruments. The state is also a communications and transportation hub for the Rocky Mountain Region.

The farm industry, which is primarily concentrated in livestock, is also an important element of the state's economy. The primary crops in Colorado are corn, hay, and wheat.

Breathtaking scenery and world-class skiing make Colorado a prime tourist destination. The main tourist attractions in the state include Rocky Mountain National Park, Curecanti National Recreation Area, Mesa Verde National Park, the Great Sand Dunes and Dinosaur National Monuments, Colorado National Monument, and the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Monument.

and Trivia

• "Beulah red" is the name of the red marble that gives the Colorado State Capitol its distinctive splendor. Cutting, polishing, and installing the marble in the Capitol took six years, from 1894 to 1900. All of the "Beulah red" marble in the world went into the Capitol. It cannot be replaced, at any price.
   
• Colorado is the only state in history, to turn down the Olympics. In 1976 the Winter Olympics were planned to be held in Denver. 62% of all state Voters choose at almost the last minute not to host the Olympics, because of the cost, pollution and population boom it would have on the State Of Colorado, and the City of Denver.
   
• The United States Air Force Academy is located in Colorado Springs.
• The LoDo region of Denver stands for Lower Downtown.
   
• Denver, lays claim to the invention of the cheeseburger. The trademark for the name Cheeseburger was awarded in 1935 to Louis Ballast.
   
• Colorado means "colored red".
   
• Colorado contains 75% of the land area of the U.S. with an altitude over 10,000 feet.
   
• The 13th step of the state capital building in Denver is exactly 1 mile high above sea level.
   
• Leadville is the highest incorporated city in the United States at 10,430 feet elevation.
   
• Katherine Lee Bates wrote "America the Beautiful" after being inspired by the view from Pikes Peak.
   
• Hundreds of thousands of valentines are re-mailed each year from Loveland.  
• Pueblo is the only city in America with four living recipients of the Medal of Honor.
   
• Every year Denver host the worlds largest Rodeo, the Western Stock show.  
• Dove Creek is the "Pinto Bean" capital of the world.
   
• The World's First Rodeo was held on July 4th, 1869 in Deer Trail.
   
• Lieutenant Zebulon Montgomery Pike explored the southwest portion of the Louisiana Territory in 1806 and though he never climbed the peak that bears his name, he did publish a report that attracted a lot of interest to the area.
   
• The slogan of "Pikes Peak or Bust," painted across many of the prairie schooners, was born at a time as fortune hunters headed west. Although only a handful of those who flocked to the region ever found gold.
   
• At 14,110 feet above sea level over 400,000 people ascend Pikes Peak each year.
   
• Colorado has the highest mean altitude of all the states.
   
• Mesa Verde features an elaborate four-story city carved in the cliffs by the Ancestral Pueblo people between 600 and 1300 A.D.
   
• Colorado has more microbreweries per capita than any other state.
   
• The highest suspension bridge in the world is over the Royal Gorge near Canon City.
   
• There are nearly 20 rivers whose headwaters begin in Colorado, with the Continental Divide directing each river's course.
   
• The Colorado Rockies play at the 50,000 seat Coors Field, located in downtown Denver.
• Colorado's first and oldest military post, Fort Garland was established in 1858 and commanded by the legendary frontiersman Kit Carson.
   
• John Henry "Doc" Holliday's brief and tumultuous existence led him to Glenwood Springs where he succumbed to tuberculosis and died at the Hotel Glenwood on November 8, 1887.
   
  Thanks to: Colorado Travel & Tourism Authority

Wondering what to see and do?
These links should help you
map out your itinerary.

	Backpacking		Hang/Para Gliding		Rafting
	Ballooning		Hiking/Walking		National & State Parks
	Biking		Horseback Riding		Boating
	Hunting		Rock Climbing		Camping
	Ice Climbing		Scenic Driving		Glider Soaring
	Caving		Ice Skating		Golf
	Cross Country Skiing		Kayaking		Skiing
	Dog Sledding		Sledding		Wildlife Viewing
	Motorsports		Sleigh Rides		Snowshoeing
	Fishing		Mountain Biking		Snowboarding
	Mountaineering		Picnicking		Snowmobiling

Thank you to the following websites for
Colorado information and graphics....

Info Please - Colorado
Colorado
Colorado History

I know there is so much more to say about this great state, and I hope our Colorado FReepers will come and tell us what makes them proud to be a "Coloradan" (Coloradoan?).

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 08-16-04 Military Monday 08-17-04 Blame it on St.Louie (What was your worst date?)

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' The guy's good, folks!

Thanks, Mixer!

1) Click on the graphic to open the Calendar.
2) Once there you can click on any month and even click to the right to go into next year. Once you are in the month that you joined FR you will need to click on the number in the calendar and then an add item screen will come up.
3) In the next box enter your name in the "Calendar Text" field and then click on submit.
4) If any of the screens fail to load simply click on refresh in your browser and that will usually fix it.
5) If all else fails or simply if you want me to do this for you send me a FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. ~Mixer

CLICK

[Mama_Bear]

FRIENDLY FREEPER PING! Your beautiful state is being featured at "A Few of FR's Finest".

Come by and say hello and tell us about your state and why you are proud to be a Coloradan. We also are saluting our Colorado FReepers today, many of whom have been working hard supporting our troops and our President and trying to turn back the tide of liberalism.

Unfortunately, the list of Colorado FReepers has disappeared from the state message board so I couldn't include everyone. Please bring along your friends and neighbors.

[Aquamarine]

Good morning Mama Bear, great intro!
Colorado is a State that I've wanted to visit for so long and will visit one of these days.

[ST.LOUIE1]

Dove Creek is the "Pinto Bean" capital of the world.

Pinto beans! I love 'em! : )

Morning, dollbear! Wonderful thread. Can't say I read every itty bitty word, but did read most of it. : )

Beautiful state, Colorado.

[Mama_Bear]

Hi Aqua. I've never been there either, except for a short layover at Denver airport, and that doesn't hardly count. LOL.

It looks like a beautiful state. So colorful!

I have long admired the dedication of the Colorado FReepers who have been rallying to support our troops in Fort Collins and other areas of the state. Unfortunately, after the last big FR crash, the list of freepers on the state message board pages has disappeared, so I can't ping them all. I hope they find us today.

You have a good day, Sis. :-)

[Mama_Bear]

Morning (((((((wolfie)))))))!

Can't say I read every itty bitty word

LOL! You DIDN'T!? :-(

That's okay, reading every other word works too. Hey, you found the pinto beans, so I know you at least 'skimmed' it.

Leave it to wolfie to find the food, which, BTW, GailA didn't bring any of today. No biscuits and gravy, no nuthin'.

Guess we'll have to survive on SMOOOOOCHES!

[mondoman]

If you come for a visit, make sure to make it a trip in the late summer. Our Mountains and prairies are best enjoyed with the top down, cruising the highways, or better yet, on the back of a mountain bike.

Though I love to ski, I find most visitors enjoy the summer wild flowers in Grand Mesa the best.

BTW, aside from downtown Denver and the PRB (Peoples Republic of Boulder) people are sane and polite here (read: Conservative).

mm

[Billie]

Good morning, Lori. What a beautiful job you did presenting the state of Colorado today. Counting those already presented, we are half-way through now! Each state has so many beautiful features - it's really nice to get to know more about each one.

I *have* been to Colorado - at least the southern part of it, and it was cool and green and beautiful in the summer, with the clearest streams - for trout fishing! I'm not a lover of fish, but we cooked it on the grill with lemon butter, and it was actually delicious!

Thanks for being such a great tour guide. :)

[Billie]

Pinging you to today's thread - about once a month Mama_Bear features another one of the Beautiful United States of America.

Welcome to the Finest! :)

[MeekOneGOP]

Whoops! I missed it. By a mile, too. Just now seeing your post about O'Neill.

[Billie]

Hi, Meekie - it's good to see you this morning. :)

[ST.LOUIE1]

Can't say I read every itty bitty word

LOL! You DIDN'T!? :-(

Wolves have a short attention span. : )

That's okay, reading every other word works too. Hey, you found the pinto beans, so I know you at least 'skimmed' it.

A big 'ol pot of pinto beans with corbread can't be beat. : )

Leave it to wolfie to find the food, which, BTW, GailA didn't bring any of today. No biscuits and gravy, no nuthin'.
Guess we'll have to survive on SMOOOOOCHES!

Although wolfie loves smooooches....he still wants his breakfast. I just whipped this meal up. Enough for everyone!LOL

[dutchess]

Hi Lori. Wonderful presentation as always. We were in Colorado (Aspen) in the fall when the Aspens were golden. It was absolutely awesome! Now I want to go back!!!! Thanks for another great cybertour! ((((mama_bear)))))

[dutchess]

Hi lovely sistahs and finest friends. First day back to work after a lovely vacation. Yikes...my desk is stacked so high, a new computer and programs installed when I was gone...I DON'T DO CHANGE WELL!!!!

Thanks for the breakfast wolfie! Missed my wolfie brotha when I was gone (((((wolfie))))))

Break is over...back to work! See you all later!

[ST.LOUIE1]

Thanks for the breakfast wolfie!

Enjoy!

Missed my wolfie brotha when I was gone (((((wolfie))))))

Awwwww....wolfie sure misses *you*. Hurry back! : )

(((((((((dutchess))))))))))

[Mama_Bear]

What a beautiful job you did presenting the state of Colorado today.

Thank you, Sistah. It sure is a pretty state. Looks like the only thing is doesn't have is ocean.

I've never been there, but my parents took a trip to Colorado. They stayed in Ouray. Said it was one of the prettiest places they have ever been.

Surrounded by peaks up to 5,000 feet higher than town, Ouray is also blessed with sulphur-free hot springs. One visit and you'll see why Ouray is often called "the Switzerland of America." Imagine relaxing in a flowing hot mineral spring, watching the sunset on the snow-covered peaks above. Ouray is blessed with many good hot springs bubbling to the surface in town. Several of these have been developed into excellent spas and health facilities.

[Mama_Bear]

Oh, yum! That sure beats the heck out of the bowl of Cherrios that I was going to have!

[Mama_Bear]

Hi dutchess! We sure missed you! Glad to have you back where you belong.....although I know "back" means back to work. *sigh*

Sometimes it isn't worth leaving when you come home to a mountain of work. In a perfect world someone would have taken care of it while you were gone. LOL. And people shouldn't be allowed to make changes while you're gone either. It's very sneaky, IMO. :-(

[Pippin]

(((Dutchess)))!

[Pippin]

((((LOUIE))))!

[Pippin]

(((MEEKIE)))!

You're back! :o)