Exploring Golden, CO

Wow, it was great sleeping weather last night here in Golden, Colorado.  This morning we even popped the heat on in the RV to take the chill out of the air.  This cooler weather has given Bear a burst of energy and at 6 a.m. he’s ready for his walk around the “mountain”.  With sweatshirt on, coffee in hand, we’re off to tend the morning business.

Turns out this weekend (Aug 18-19) is the annual Golden Fine Arts Festival, as well as Saturday (today) is the weekly Farmers Market.  Well, it’s pretty obvious what Al and I will be doing.  We couldn’t have planned this any better.  AND the weather….oh, my absolutely perfect.

Although Golden is a super friendly dog town, we leave Bear behind for his much-needed morning nap and head into town.  First stop, the Farmer’s Market.  This Farmers Market is three times the size of the Farmers Market we frequent in Canon City.  Al, Mr. Socialite, engages in conversation with several vendors prior to making any purchases.

We enjoy some fresh squeezed lemonade and head on over to the Fine Arts Festival.The Farmers Market is held near Golden’s Library on the north side of Clear Creek and the Fine Arts Festival is on the south side of Clear Creek.  We take the pedestrian bridge across the creek, but not before stopping to watch all the folks enjoying the water.

Tubing….I love tubing, whether in the water or on snow.  I soooo wanted to do this but was not prepared.  Later in the day, daughter joins us and she and I promise to set a date to tube Clear Creek….fun!

Golden is full of outdoor adventure from tubing or kayaking Clear Creek, to paragliding off Lookout Mountain, to being a bicycler’s paradise. Golden is also home to the Colorado School of Mines.  Thus the large ‘M’ on the mountain in the background.

However……..Golden, for many of us, is known as the home to Coors Beer and still remains home even though our friends to the north (Canada) now own a stake in the company.  In 2005 Coors officially became Molson-Coors Brewery and in 2007 they partnered with Miller now marketing under the label Miller-Coors.  But, Coors is still brewed in Golden with the same cold, crisp, mountain waters.  I remember back in the 70’s when Coors Beer was “smuggled” across State lines.  All of us, under age Illinois kids fought over this famous mountain beer.  This smuggling of Coors Beer was even featured in the movie “Smokey and the Bandit“.  Distribution back then was very limited and the possession of this infamous beer was a status symbol.  It was such a big deal that when Air Force One was stocked with Coors Beer, it even made the news.

Tomorrow we’ll go see Buffalo Bill’s Grave……