When we moved out to the west end of the metroplex, I soon began to realize that this was as close as I would ever come to living in the mountains. In seven minutes I can be in Coal Creek Canyon, and pushing right into the heart of the Rockies. Exploring my surroundings has taken on the ‘ahh factor’ that people spend thousands of dollars and drive lots of miles to enjoy. In forty minutes I can be in the quirky burg of Nederland.
Nederland is an old mining town that has now become a landing place for artists, hippies that belong in a 60’s museum, wealthy Boulderites with too much money, and the usual collections of places to shop and dine. One of the highlights of life in Nederland is “Frozen Dead Guy Days”. The winter celebration includes coffin racing, ice turkey bowling, costumed polar plunging, a frozen T-shirt contest, and finally, human foosball.
On our first meandering drive seven years ago, we stumbled on The Carousel of Happiness. It is contained inside of a large wooden tent-like structure. It has been the project of a Viet Nam Vet.
The mechanical part was rescued from being junked. All of the horses from the original carousel were in decay. One by one the horses were replaced with animals—pig, fish, ostrich, llama, moose, elephant, cow, rooster, gorilla, swan, cheetah, eagle, peacock, and many others. Each of these were hand carved and painted with exquisite details. From my experience as carousels go, it has no peers. Every ride is accompanied by music from a Wurlitzer organ, complete with horns, a drum set and cheesy music.
Each season the music changes. At Halloween time you get everything from “Thriller”, to “In the Hall of the Mountain King”. Christmas brings everything you can want, as you spin around riding the carving of your choice… unless a seven year old beats you to the camel and you have to practice seasonal “letting go”.
Our daughter Stephanie, (see picture) is 51 and she is mom to Sofia aged five, and Conor who is one. She loves the return trips home to Colorado every few months. Yesterday was Sofia’s fifth trip to the carousel. Like many kids, repeat performances are very important. Conor got to ride on the elephant, which is stationary, and designed for little ones. Sofia managed four rides, each time picking the animal of her choice. Some went up and down, while others provided a more docile cruise. I managed to ride once on the bear bench with MK and then I became an audience. Watching can be as much fun as riding. One thing is guaranteed—every thirty seconds I got another look at the kids.
If you have a Colorado Bucket List I would highly recommend this experience. It is both fun and a memorial—to two of the Vet’s buddies who died at his side in Nam. Their pictures and stories hang on the wall, where each day, visitors are reminded that ones’s grief can be transformed into gifts of grace.
The Wurlitzer ‘ear worm’ from yesterday is “You’re a Grand Old Flag”.
Onward and Upward,
Mark
Lyfting Me Up 