Retreat with Ricky in La Veta in May

[Hannelore N.]

I'm getting excited! Any tips what to do, not to do, what to take, not to take to the actual retreat.

And then I will have a couple of weeks to travel (with friends). What do you all recommend in Colorado - quilting related and not quilting related. We are renting a car, so are 'mobile'. Already planned are stops in Durango/Silverton, Colorado Springs, and Golden.

[Sharon E.]

Wow Lorchen, you will be seeing a lot of Colorado. How long will you be here because you will discover there is so much to see and do and not enough time. Just make sure you take it easy the first few days due to altitude sickness and drink a LOT of wearer. It will feel like the flu. If you want I can give you some great ideas. If you are down in Durango be sure to go mesa Verde and/or the Durango/silverton train. I'll bet Rehak and I would love to come to denver and meet you girls. It would be fun. Feel free to message me if you want more info., I am a Colorado native.

Oh, I hear there is a great quilt shop in Durango.
Hugs, Sharon

[Catherine S.]

Hi Lorchen! Isn't planning a trip fun. Since you are going to Durango, I would go on to Mesa Verde National Park. It has ancient indian cliff dwellings. There hare places to hike or you can take a tour. Be sure to take bottled water with you. You can usually fine a Walmart in most of the average size towns and they have about anything you may need for reasonable prices. You mentioned Durango and Silverton together so I guess you are going to take the train. I have not done that, but would love too one day. Have lots of fun.

[Nancy R.]

I would say visiting with Sharon and me is the most fun thing you can do in Colorado. :woohoo: After that, there are a lot of tourist things. While you're in Colorado Springs, I would visit Garden of the Gods and take the cog rail to the top of Pike's Peak. The cog rail has gotten expensive since the last time I rode it decades ago, but it's a pretty cool ride. If you make it up further north, then Rocky Mountain National Park is spectacular (and very close to Sharon and me). But you'll also see some spectacular mountains in LaVeta so you might be sick of them by then. The Great Sand Dunes are interesting to see -- huge sand dunes nowhere near a desert.

There are several quilt shops in Colorado Springs, but I don't know how good they are since I don't ever get down that far south. Ricky could probably give you some recommendations.

[Caroline A.]

When we were in Colorado Springs a couple of years ago for our grandaughter's graduation, we stopped in Durango for a few days on our way home. There is a nice quilt shop there. We chose to drive to Silverton for the day. The scenery was well worth the trip, and Silverton reminded us of Dawson City, which was a side trip we took on our way back from Alaska several years ago. We were traveling with our RV both trips.
Fi

[Hannelore N.]

Thank you, Sharon. I'm going to the retreat with three UK friends (all TQS members). Two are younger than me and one is older. Us two Silver Foxes fly into Denver a couple of days before the others in order to get used to the altitude. The other three are all bringing their husbands, and we split up after the retreat for some travelling (car is already booked), but meet back up in Golden/Denver for the last couple of days before all flying back on the same plane. I'll contact you privately, Sharon. It would be great to meet!

[Hannelore N.]

We are quite determined to fit in the train trip from Durango to Silverton and back. But right now everything is still in the planning phase. It's not that easy to sort out what 7 people want (or don't want), and still be really close friends. It also isn't easy for me, because the other 'girls' brought in their husbands, and I'm on my own. That can feel a little awkward at times. But ones we are on your side of the big pond, we'll have such a lot of fun!

One of the other is sorting out the cog train to the top of that mountain in Coloradp Springs.

I have my priorities right, and placed a significant fabric order with Equilter, to be sent to La Veta. Together with Ricky's hand-dyes, I should have a big grin on my face when it comes to fabric selection.

[Geneva C.]

It's good to see you Lorchen! I've missed your wit and charm!

How exciting for your trip to Colorado. I know you will have such a good time. Please post a picture when you get together with Sharon and Nancy. And a picture of your workshop creation!

Don't worry about not having a man along. You'll probably meet an attractive young man to escort you around while here in the states!

Take care,

Geneva

[Kathryn S.]

Lorchen, I'm so excited that you'll be at the retreat with Ricky in LaVeta! I drove there from California and didn't spend much time driving around in Colorado. If Ricky takes the group up to their property for a little break, it is around 10,000 feet altitude and I got some altitude sickness, so take it easy and drink plenty of water if you do that. It was a wonderful retreat. I know you'll tell us all about it, right?
Kathy

[Hannelore N.]

You offering to provide me with an escort, Geneva?! :cheer: :silly: :cheer:

Of course I'll tell you all about it, sometime in early June. I'm actually going to celebrate my 63rd birthday somewhere in Colorado on May 12th. I may even be able to hit a quilt shop for a few birthday treats..... who knows?

[Hannelore N.]

I still find this new website slower to use than the old one, and I have very little time right now. I'm just about getting over the jet lag after nearly 4 weeks in Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah. Everything centred around a week with Ricky in La Veta, but the travelling before and afterwards was simply awesome. I managed to pop pictures onto Facebook regularly and it was one incredible experience after another, a real once in a lifetime trip.

[Hannelore N.]

And more...... Even Rita was in La Veta!

[Hannelore N.]

And another three.....

[Hannelore N.]

Just three more of over 2000 (!) pictures I took!

[Sharon E.]

I am glad that I got to meet you and Brenda and that you got to enjoy/see my little part of the world.

Hugs from, its raining again, Colorado.

Sharon