[October 2013]
BAT Stats
[contents]
October 2013
[cover] A male silver-haired bat is photographed in flight by @ Merlin D. Tuttle, Bat Conservation International batcon.org. Illustration by Donna Wallin.
4
18
24
4 Viewpoint
18 Bats in the Belfry
24 Gardening
5 Letters 6 Calendar 7 Co-op News 12 NewsClips 14 The Cooperative Code
22 Recipes Get creative in the kitchen with this
25 Energy Tips
Celebrate National Co-op Month by thanking those who keep the lights on
Colorado’s 18 species of bats need help to stay healthy and productive
year’s Halloween surplus
Gadgets can save money and water while providing a hot shower
Fly-fishing enthusiasts will fish Colorado lakes, regardless of conditions
29 Funny Stories 30 Discoveries
Colorado’s electric cooperatives connect with their communities Co-op members experience flooding and outages along the Front Range
$450,000
Visually appealing gardens don’t always need blossoms
26 Outdoors
16 Floods Hit Co-ops
30
the amount raised at the 2013 Colorado Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Junior Livestock Sale
18
the number of bat species that live in Colorado
600
million
the number of pounds of Halloween candy purchased by Americans every year.
COMMUNICATIONS STAFF: Mona Neeley, CCC, Publisher/Editor@303-455-4111; mneeley@coloradocountrylife.org Donna Wallin, Associate Editor; dwallin@coloradocountrylife.org • Amy Higgins, Editorial Assistant/Writer; ahiggins@coloradocountrylife.org ADVERTISING: Kris Wendtland@303-902-7276, advertising@coloradocountrylife.org; NCM@800-626-1181
The official publication of the Colorado Rural Electric Association || Volume 44, Number 10
OFFICERS: Bob Bledsoe [Tri-State] President; Bill Midcap [Fort Morgan] Vice President; Don Kaufman [Sangre de Cristo] Secretary; Jack Schneider [Poudre Valley] Treasurer; Kent Singer [CREA] Executive Director BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Bill Patterson [Delta-Montrose]; John Porter [Empire]; Don McClaskey [Grand Valley]; John Vader [Gunnison]; Jim Lueck [Highline]; Megan Gilman [Holy Cross]; Dan Mills, Tim Power [K.C.]; Jeff Burman [La Plata]; Stan Cazier [Mountain Parks]; B.D. Paddock [Mountain View]; Debbie Rose [San Isabel]; Eleanor Valdez [San Luis Valley]; Dave Alexander, Kevin Ritter [San Miguel]; Randy Phillips [Southeast]; Jim Jaeger, Ron Asche [United Power]; Bill Jordan [White River]; Stuart Travis [Y-W]; Scott McGill [Yampa Valley]; Basin Electric, CoBank, Moon Lake Electric, Wheatland Electric [Associate Members]
EDITORIAL: Denver Corporate Office, 5400 Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216; Phone: 303-455-4111 • Email: mneeley@coloradocountrylife.org • Website: coloradocountrylife.coop • Facebook: facebook.com/COCountryLifw • Twitter: @COCountryLife Colorado Country Life (USPS 469-400/ISSN 1090-2503) is published monthly for $9/$15 per year by Colorado Rural Electric Association, 5400 N. Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216. Periodical postage paid at Denver, Colorado. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Colorado Country Life, 5400 N. Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216 Publication of an advertisement in Colorado Country Life does not imply endorsement by any Colorado rural electric cooperative or the Colorado Rural Electric Association. Editorial opinions published in Colorado Country Life magazine shall pertain to issues affecting rural electric cooperatives, rural communities and citizens. The opinion of CREA is not necessarily that of any particular cooperative or individual.
[viewpoint]
Celebrate National Co-op Month
Take time to say thanks to those friends and neighbors who keep the lights on BY KENT SINGER || CREA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR || KSINGER@COLORADOREA.ORG
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It was an extraordinary summer for Colorado’s electric co-ops. These local utilities faced forest fires earlier in the summer and floods in September, and overcame significant challenges to keep the lights on in their service territories. As I write this column, the line crews of several electric co-ops in northern and northeastern Colorado are working around the clock to restore electric service to their memberowners affected by flooding. These efforts follow some of the most devastating forest fires in Colorado history, fires that caused extensive damage to co-op systems in several areas of the state. Then, too, co-op crews worked around the clock, in conditions that were less than ideal, to turn the power back on as quickly as possible. All electric utilities work hard to restore power after extreme weather events, but we think co-op crews have a little stronger incentive to do the job as quickly and safely as possible. They are turning the power back on for their neighbors and family. Our crew members know most of the people who are on the line. They understand how important it is to get the power flowing and restore the one essential commodity that their community can’t live without — electricity. Recently, a group of electric co-op leaders from around the country examined the co-op program as they proposed to chart a course for its future. This effort was initiated by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and it resulted in the publication of the “21st Century Committee Report.” The essential conclusion of the 21st Century Committee Report was that the purpose of electric co-ops is more than to be the electricity supplier for rural America. It is to improve the quality of life in rural America. That’s because in many communities across the country and in Colorado, the local electric co-op is the lifeline of the community not only in terms of electric service, but also in terms of being a significant employer, taxpayer and community supporter.
Every time I attend a co-op annual meeting or meeting of the local board of directors, I am struck by the commitment of the men and women who run the co-op and their constant concern for what is best for their community. While that usually translates into efforts to keep electricity bills affordable, Kent Singer it also means that the co-op makes decisions based on what is best for the community and not always what is best for the bottom line. This could result in keeping a satellite office open to serve a small number of member-owners or mean paying to sponsor a local young person on the Washington, D.C., Youth Tour. October is National Co-op Month and provides an opportunity to take a moment and reflect on the benefits of being an electric co-op member-owner. You benefit from having a locally-owned, locally-operated electric company. You and your fellow members determine the path your co-op takes as you vote for whomever you want to represent you on the board. That board, which speaks for you as a member, hires the general manager who oversees day-to-day operations. When you call in, you talk to someone from your community, not a distant call center. It’s all local when it’s a co-op. And when there’s a storm, the employees of your electric co-op, your neighbors, maybe the local Little League coach or scoutmaster, maybe that 4-H leader or town council member, maybe the guy next door, will do what it takes to restore the power for their local community.
Kent Singer, Executive Director
FOLLOW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR KENT SINGER’S BLOG AT COLORADOREABLOG.WORDPRESS.COM. ColoradoCountryLife.coop 4 October 2013
[letters] Thank You to the Linemen
The recent Black Forest Fire was an event that bought out heroes of many types. After the fire, it was common to see signs and hear cheers for all of our first responders, which is greatly appreciated. We are both members of the emergency responder community representing both fire fighting and law enforcement. As such, we have been the recipients of a lot of this praise. But we, too, have our heroes. Our heroes are our utility workers, those of Mountain View Electric Association and Black Hills Energy. Our heroes were in the fire area on day one, shutting down power circuits and gas mains and clearing downed power lines so that we and fellow emergency responders could get into the neighborhoods to fight the fire and check on residences. These utility workers worked diligently, day in and day out, to help us, and did it without all the protective equipment that our firefighters have. After the fire was contained and controlled, they continued to work long hours to restore our utility infrastructure. Hats off to all of you at MVEA. Thank you to all of our heroes.
Anita Dunning, Rick McMorran, Black Forest
Familiar Face
I taught at Wheat Ridge High School when Freddie Steinmark (August ’13) was a student. Freddie was the junior class president and the class elected me class sponsor so I worked with him the whole year. What a great kid he was. The Saturday that was to be spent decorating the cafeteria for the (junior-senior) prom night, Freddie had several boys help him move an easy chair out of the teachers lounge to the center of the room so I could sit comfortably and supervise the decorating. The students knew I was expecting our first child and Freddie wanted me to be comfortable. He was the most remarkable young man that I had during my teaching career. Bobbie Douglas, Fort Collins Got a comment? Something to say? Send your letter to the editor by mail to Colorado Country Life, 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216 or email mneeley@ coloradocountrylife.org. You MUST include your name and full address. The full address will not be published. Letters may be edited for length. ColoradoCountryLife.coop October 2013 5
[calendar]
[October] Through October 31 Boulder Pumpkin Patch Fall Festival Cottonwood Farms 10 am-6 pm • cottonwood farms.com Through November 3 Calhan Fall Festival Wishing Star Farm 719-244-7252 • wishingstar farm.com October 11-12 Colorado Springs Reynolds Ranch Harvest Festival Western Museum of Mining and Industry 9 am-4 pm • 719-488-0880 October 11-13 Littleton Pumpkin Festival Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield 9 am-5 pm • botanicgardens. org October 12 Castle Rock Harvest Day CALF’s Lowell Ranch on Plum Creek 303-688-1026 • thecalf.org October 12-13 Cortez Jones Farm PumpkinFest Jones Farm 11 am-5 pm • 970-759-4502 October 12, 19 Durango “Cabaret” Theater Performance Durango Arts Center 5 and 9 pm • durangoarts.org October 12-13 Durango Peanuts™ The Great Pumpkin Patch Express Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad 970-385-8801 • durangotrain. com
ColoradoCountryLife.coop 6 October 2013
October 12 Grand Junction Family Fun Bowling Tournament Orchard Mesa Lanes 2 pm • 970-245-6175 October 12 Southwest of Holly Plum Creek Trail Ride Horseback or wagon 9 am • 719-688-3869 October 15 Denver Denver Mountain Parks: 100 Years of the Magnificent Dream Lecture • Auditorium at History Colorado 1 and 7 pm • history colorado.org October 18-19 Falcon Falcon Craft Fair The Patriot Learning Center 719-641-0841 October 19 Durango Bark & Wine Silent Auction La Plata County Fairgrounds Exhibit Hall 6-10 pm • lpchumanesociety. org/bark_wine.html October 19 Pueblo Dancing with the Pueblo Starz Pueblo Convention Center 5:30 pm • 719-584-9977 October 19 Pueblo “Diary of a Worm, a Spider and a Fly” Theater Performance Sangre de Cristo Arts Center 11 am • 719-295-7200 October 25 Granby Trick or Treat & Costume Contest Town Parking Lot Between Ian’s Bakery & Brickhouse 40 4 pm • 970-887-2311 October 25-27 Loveland Fall Book Sale Larimer County Fairgrounds & Events Complex friendsofthelovelandlibrary. org
October 26-27 Beulah Fall Into Christmas Craft Show Beulah Community Center 10 am-4 pm • pjsmith1120@ November 1 yahoo.com Pueblo “Backstage Pass” Theater October 26 Performance Denver Pueblo Performing Arts Guild Paranormal Palace 855-543-2430 • pueblopag.org Hyatt Regency DTC paranormalpalace.org November 2 Walsenburg October 26 Quilt and Craft Show Fort Collins United Church of Walsenburg Halloween Enchanted Garden 9 am-3 pm • 719-738-3023 Gardens on Spring Creek 10 am-2 pm • fcgov.com/ November 3 gardens Calhan St. Michael’s Bazaar & October 26-27 Turkey Dinner Golden Calhan School Trick or Treat Train 11 am-2 pm • 719-510-1508 Colorado Railroad Museum 303-279-4591 • colorado November 7 railroadmuseum.org Grand Junction Turkish Silk Presented by October 26 Michelle Akcar Manitou Springs Center for Independence Emma Crawford Coffin Races 6-8 pm • mesafiberartsguild. & Parade org Downtown Manitou Springs 12-3 pm • 719-685-5089 November 8-10 Pueblo West October 26-27 Christmas House Boutique Monument Pueblo West Women’s League Creative Crafters 719-547-7477 • pwwlinfo@ Fall Showcase gmail.com Lewis Palmer High School ccsshows.com November 9 Bayfield October 27 Arts & Crafts Bazaar Denver Pine River Senior Center Bat Encounter: Live! Program 9 am-2 pm • 970-884-4886 Denver Botanic Gardens 1:30-3 pm and 3:30-5 pm • November 9 botanicgardens.org Elbert Christmas Bazaar October 31-November 3 Russell Gates Mercantile ComColorado Springs munity Hall and Elbert School Fall Arts & Crafts Show 9 am-4 pm • 303-648-3118 Black Forest Community Center November 9 719-495-3035 • bfacg.org Georgetown Bighorn Sheep Festival Various Georgetown Locations 10 am • 303-569-5065
[November]
SEND CALENDAR ITEMS
TWO MONTHS IN ADVANCE TO:
}
Calendar, Colorado Country Life, 5400 N. Washington St., Denver, CO 80216; fax to 303-455-2807; or email calendar@coloradocountrylife. org. Items will be printed on a space available basis. For more information on these and other events, visit coloradocountrylife.coop.
ColoradoCountryLife.coop September 2012 11
[newsclips]
Electric Co-op Fund Collects $20,000
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This summer, the Black Forest Fire was the biggest disaster facing electric co-op members, having burned 488 homes northeast of Colorado Springs. All of the burned area was within Mountain View Electric Association’s service territory and all of the homes lost were owned by electric co-op members. So the electric co-ops across Colorado and across the nation came together with individuals and donated $20,336 to the Black Forest Fire Electric Co-op Relief Fund. Among those who donated to the fund was Mountain View Electric’s delegate to the annual Washington, D.C., Youth Tour, Tiffanie Johnson. Tiffanie, a high school student who was selected for this all-expense paid trip through essays and interviews, lives in the Black Forest area and her home was evacuated while she was on the Youth Tour. When she found that at the end of the Youth Tour she had $46 left from her daily food allowance money, she donated that money to the Black Forest Fire fund. Mountain View Electric Association and the Colorado Rural Electric Association donated the entire amount raised to Black Forest Together, which has been established to coordinate relief efforts. No new fund has been set up for those affected by the more recent flooding as there are several programs already established to help those in need. More information can be found at helpcoloradonow.org.
Why Does This Magazine Arrive From the Co-op? Your local electric co-op sends you a copy of Colorado Country Life each month because it is the most convenient and economical way to share information with you as a co-op member. As a co-op, your electric provider wants informed members. It wants to make sure that you, as a member, have information on co-op services, director elections, member meetings, rate changes, energy- saving options and more. Sending all of that information in individual mailings would quickly and add to your electric bill. By bundling everything into an interesting magazine, and working with other Colorado electric co-ops, your local co-op is able to send all of this information to you for only a little more than 37 cents a month. And, sending Colorado Country Life to you helps your co-op fulfill one of its basic principles — to educate and communicate openly with its members. You will also find information on Colorado’s electric co-ops at crea.coop and coloradocountrylife. coop. Or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/ ColoradoREA or facebook.com/COCountryLife or on Twitter at twitter.com/ColoradoREA or twitter. com/COCountryLife. ColoradoCountryLife.coop 12 Octoberber 2013
Tiffanie Johnson donates money left after the Youth Tour to the Black Forest Fire fund.
TRAINING FOR POLITICAL CANDIDATES
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We’re looking for a few good candidates. If you’ve ever thought about running for office but didn’t know where to start, join us at the 2013 Campaign Academy, sponsored by the Colorado Rural Electric Association and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. Individuals who are interested in running for public office — local or state — will have an opportunity to learn the “nuts and bolts” of running a campaign. The two-day event, which will be in Denver December 6-7, will empower citizens with the basic framework of what it takes to run for office. Informational sessions will include expert speakers on the basics of writing a campaign plan, fundraising, grassroots organization and message development. Experts will be available to help prospective candidates learn how to navigate the complex campaign finance laws and reporting requirements. Registration is $50 and includes program materials and meals during the twoday session. The Campaign Academy is open to all interested individuals, regardless of party affiliation and regardless of the office they are planning to run for. For more information, contact Jeani Frickey Saito at candidateschool@colorado rea.org or at 303-981-8176.
[newsclips] Austin Vieselmeyer of Amherst with the grand champion market hog.
Kyndal Reitzenstein from Kersey with the grand champion market beef.
Baylor Buck of Wray with the reserve grand champion market beef.
Co-ops Sponsor Livestock Sale
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Buyers paid a total of $451,750 for 132 animals sold at the Colorado State Fair’s 50th Junior Livestock Sale sponsored by Colorado’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives. Young people from around the state, who have worked all year raising beef, hogs, goats, lamb, rabbits and chickens, benefited from this annual sale, sponsored for the eighth year by 18 of the state’s 22 electric co-ops, the Colorado Rural Electric Association, Colorado Country Life, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association and the Colorado Rural Electric Member Services Association. This year’s grand champion market beef was sold by Kyndal Reitzenstein, 19, of Kersey, whose family’s ranch is on Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association lines. It went for a record $57,000.
Macy Collins of Meeker with the first place market goat.
Question for Readers Since October is National Cooperative Month, we’re asking: What do you appreciate about your electric co-op? Is it the scholarship program? The support for schools? Sponsorship of local events? Getting the lights back on in a storm? Providing electricity to you wherever you’ve decided to live? Rebates for energyefficient products? Or something else? Send your answer to info@coloradocountrylife.org.
TOUCHSTONE ENERGY COOPERATIVES
INVESTOROWNED UTILITIES
84%
77%
ELECTRIC CO-OPS RATE HIGHEST SCORE!
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Touchstone Energy Cooperatives are the highest rated utility group, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index. The second quarter ACSI score was recently released and electric co-ops scored an 84, up one point from the first quarter of 2013 and up seven points from investor-owned utilities’ average score. ColoradoCountryLife.coop October 2013 13
[industry]
The Cooperative Code
Colorado’s electric co-ops connect with their communities BY AMY HIGGINS
The people at your electric co-op are passionate about their members’ needs and the communities they live in. As a matter of fact, as one of the seven cooperative principles, “Concern for Community” is a creed they live by. October, which is National Cooperative Month, is a good time to take a look around at the events in your town. You’ll see electric co-op employees involved in the community through fundraising efforts, contributions, volunteering and more. Going local
For example, every October, Mountain Parks Electric employees serve free hot dogs and sodas at the annual Granby Chamber of Commerce Halloween Trick or Treat. MPEI sponsors this event, which brings in more than 400 guests of all ages, donning their latest Halloween costumes. On October 26, White River Electric Association will be the major sponsor of Haunted Happenings in Meeker and will pass out candy for trick-or-treaters and provide T-shirts, snacks and water for Zombie Run competitors. Working together each year at the annual Colorado State Fair, 18 electric co-ops, Tri-State Generation and Transmission, the Colorado Rural Electric Association, Colorado Country Life, and the Colorado Rural Electric Member Services group participate in the Colorado Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Junior Livestock Sale. At the 2013 sale, more than $450,000 was raised for kids in Colorado co-op communities. In another example of co-op community support, employees from Gunnison County Electric Association volunteer their time for fundraisers throughout the year, including building a float for the annual Night of Lights parade. “We have a distinct advantage with so many skilled volunteers available to build the float. Each year that we have entered, we have won Gunnison County Electric Association’s the first place prize,” team raises money for Relay for Life. said GCEA Manager of ColoradoCountryLife.coop 14 October 2013
External Affairs Vicki Spencer. “That MVEA’s employees removing scorched money, trees as part of the restoration efforts after the Black Forest Fire. along with what we raise selling refreshments, is donated to the Adopt-A-Family program to buy gifts and holiday meals for local families. “GCEA is also active in our local Relay for Life event held each summer to win the fight against cancer,” Spencer said, adding, “GCEA is typically one of the top fundraisers.” The San Isabel Electric Association community events committee is a group of employees from every department of the Pueblo West co-op that volunteers time in several ways. “From participating in parades, educational fundraisers and other community activities, these employees serve as ambassadors in their communities to improve the quality of life for SIEA members,” said SIEA Communications Manager Ashley Valdez. “The group will often times sell popcorn, snow cones and cotton candy at events and donate the funds raised to a worthy cause in the community.” For the past two years, the co-ops have pooled resources for Colorado’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Golf Classic and raised $5,000 for Feeding Colorado, an association of the five Feeding America food banks in Colorado. The Touchstone Energy co-ops also support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through KYGO’s “Country Cares for St. Jude’s Kids” radiothon.
And the list goes on and on
• Y-W Electric Association donates and feeds county fair goers juicy, homegrown watermelon every year. It also gives annual donations to the area 4-H Clubs and Future Farmers of America organizations. • Highline Electric Association has given 12 donations to the HEA Cares fund and is active in the Holyoke Chamber of Commerce and its events. HEA donates annually to 12 FFA chapters, six county 4-H councils and 24 fire departments. • The Dutch oven cook-off at the Lincoln County Fair is co-sponsored by K.C. Electric Association. The co-op also helps finance the Cheyenne County Fair and Rodeo, the Lincoln County Fair and Rodeo, the Kit Carson County Fair and Rodeo and the Colorado Championship Ranch Rodeo. • Grand Valley Power is a main sponsor of the Plateau Valley Heritage Days and the Fruita Fall Festival and the title sponsor of the Fruita Parade of Lights. • WREA is a major sponsor of the popular Meeker Classic Sheepdog Championship Trials where several WREA employees donate their time. WREA is also one of the major sponsors of the annual Community Fall Festival, the WREA Cowboy ShootMeeker High School girls team at the out high school basketball Cowboy Shootout. tournaments and the Pedal the Plains bike tour. • Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association participates in Berthoud Days, Loveland Loves BBQ, Windsor Summer Concerts, Larimer County Fair, Loveland Corn Festival, Windsor Harvestfest, Evansfest, and the Sustainability Fair. • Empire Electric Association supports local clubs and events, such as 4-H livestock sales, team-building activities, sports activities and many social enhancement programs.
Members matter
While this list could be much longer, electric co-ops’ concern for community goes beyond the fun and excitement of fairs and festivals; it also supports and organizes local programs to help those in need. For example, the co-op’s statewide association set up
Logan is working on strengthening his core, which affects all his daily activities, at Pikes Peak Therapeutic Riding Center.
the Black Forest Fire Electric Co-op Relief Fund to help those affected by this summer’s Black Forest Fire. That fire, the most destructive wildfire in Colorado history, was all within Mountain View Electric Association’s territory. The more than $20,000 raised went to Black Forest Together, an organization whose goal is to “facilitate and coordinate a quick and effective rebuilding process for the neighborhoods devastated on June 11, 2013, by the Black Forest Fire.” MVEA Member Services Specialist Sarah Schaefer said concern for community is at the top of the co-op’s priority list. MVEA demonstrates this cooperative principle through support of programs, such as the Pikes Peak Therapeutic Riding Center, an organization that provides those with disabilities with therapeutic horseback riding. In addition, MVEA is a Hope sponsor of the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life in Lincoln County, partnering with K.C. Electric and Tri-State. “The Relay for Life of Limon is an incredible and inspiring opportunity to unite as a community to honor cancer survivors, raise awareness about what we can do to reduce our cancer risk and raise money to help the American Cancer Society fight the disease,” Schaefer said. Colorado electric co-op representatives know that some folks in the community struggle day to day. Knowing this, several co-ops support programs to help those in the community who are in need. Every year, Morgan County Rural Electric Association’s employees campaign to raise funds for families in their service territory that have fallen on hard times; La Plata Electric Association is among the co-ops that sponsor Energy Outreach Colorado, an organization that raises money for those who can’t afford to pay their electric bills; and Tri-State is a partner and supporter of Food Bank of the Rockies and has sponsored its Mobile Pantry programs in eastern Colorado for the past few years. MCREA Director of External Affairs Dave Henderson summed up the co-ops’ commitment to community by saying, “Supporting our communities is not just something we do, it’s part of who we are as an electric cooperative.”
ColoradoCountryLife.coop October 2013 15
Morgan County Rural Electric Association crews encountered washed out roads near Goodrich when they repaired outages Saturday, September 14.
FLOODS HIT ELECTRIC TERRITORY BY MONA NEELEY || PUBLISHER/EDITOR
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While September’s flood wreaked much of its havoc outside of electric co-op territory, thousands of co-op members were affected. Members along the northern Front Range and out onto the plains of northeastern Colorado experienced flooding and outages. However, within a week of the torrential rains, only a couple hundred members remained without power. Most of those were in places that were either inaccessible until the water receded and roads were repaired or they were services where repairs will need to be made before service can be hooked up. United Power, which serves a mountain territory that includes Coal Creek Canyon, and Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association in Fort Collins were the two co-ops that had members and services quickly caught in the flash floods. The deluge of rain started September 11 and quickly filled Boulder Creek and the St. Vrain, Big Thompson and Cache la Poudre rivers and washed away dams. Flash floods hit Estes Park, Lyons, Boulder and the mountain communities above them. By Friday, September 12, PVREA had up to 3,000 meters without service, including about 800 in the hard-hit Lyons area. As the rains continued, the communities of Erie, Broomfield, Evans and others were flooded. The waters reached as far as Morgan County Rural Electric Association’s territory by Saturday, where a few services were affected Saturday, September 14.
ColoradoCountryLife.coop 16 October 2013
United Power crews work to get the lights on near Bella Rosa Golf Course in Fredrick.
Electric equipment was quickly submerged by the water at Colorado and Weld County Road 20 in Fredrick.
With more rain on Sunday, September 15, the flooding on the plains got worse. At one point United Power also had about 3,000 services out of power. But that number quickly dropped and by Wednesday, September 18, that number was down to fewer than 300 services and by Friday, it was down to about 50. PVREA reported that it had restored all but about 500 services by Thursday, September 19, with most of the outages in Left Hand Canyon, Button Rock, Shelly’s Cottages and Big Elk Meadows. However, by September 17, the South Platte River had carried the water to Sterling and flooded the river bottom areas. That included a Western Area Power Administration substation that serves Highline Electric and MCREA loads. Water got within 3 inches of forcing the shutdown of that substation. Highline had already removed what equipment it could from areas expected to flood while maintaining power to its members. The co-ops have been working long hours since the first outages were reported. Once the waters have subsided in all co-op areas, all of the poles and services will be inspected and necessary repairs made.
Water came 3 inches of shutting down the WAPA substation near Sterling.
The South Platte River floods Sterlings’ industrial area.
Flooded Co-op History One of the victims of the flood was the Overland Trail Museum in Sterling where the electric co-ops helped build the Dave Hamil building. The building houses displays showcasing how electricity brought to farms and ranches by electric co-ops changed people’s lives. It also honors the late Mr. Hamil, a former Highline Electric director who served in Washington, D.C., as the Rural Electric Administration’s administrator. At deadline, the museum was closed. Photos of the area showed the grounds had flooded on the 17th, but reports noted that the city’s parks department had done some sandbagging and artifacts had been moved to protect them.
Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association crews found this crumbled road near Masonville as they worked to restore power to members
Flash floods took out Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association power poles near Masonville during the September floods.
ColoradoCountryLife.coop October 2013 17
BATS
Photo by Jennifer Kleffner, Colorado Parks and Wildlife
in the
Belfry
is a
Good Thing
ColoradoCountryLife.coop 18 October 2013
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An outflight of Mexican (aka Brazilian) freetail bats leave a cave in the Orient Mine in the San Luis Valley. This mine houses a bachelor colony.
BY SHARON FRICKEY
Bats, those silent, ghostly creatures that fly out of the night and scare us in creepy, dark Halloween movies, are not the real thing. Real bats, including the 18 species that live in Colorado, are not scary or bloodthirsty vampires that suck on human blood. Those bats come from myths that go back centuries and often proliferate this time of year. But those stories that scare and misdirect our attention don’t help bats, and bats need help today. They are in trouble. Despite comprising almost 23 percent of all known species of mammals and existing in many diverse forms worldwide, these night-flying mammals are declining in numbers. People fear them due to unfounded beliefs and kill them without realizing how the loss of these bats is hurting the surrounding ecosystem.
One Bat Man to the Rescue
One Colorado man who has come to understand the importance of bats is Dave Betts. He is committed to helping bats survive in the Centennial State. He knows that the state’s fluctuating fall temperatures and early snows are hard on bats and send most of the winged bug-eaters looking for shelter. They either migrate to warmer climates or find a place to hibernate before early frosts or a hard freeze ends their food supply. Hibernating can be a risk for Colorado bats as they try to survive in our four-season state. Just finding a place to roost during the summer can also be a challenge. That’s where Betts comes in. It is the mission of this Front Range-based bat man to help bats find a place to call home. He designs and builds top-of-the-line handcrafted houses for bats. No stranger to the trade, Betts was a house builder (for humans) until recently. Now these incredible winged, insect-eating creatures we call bats benefit from his craftsmanship.
Building Bat Houses
So how did this Colorado bat man become so interested in these flying mammals? “I was soaking in the spa tub,” Betts recalls. “My wife opened the outside door in our bedroom and in flew a bat. We had no idea what to do. We watched it fly around while I got dressed and for 45 minutes we tried to shoo it out the door by waving towels. We finally grabbed a couple of fishing nets, scooped it up and released it outside. We realized we didn’t know anything about bats.” Betts did what millions of us do to get information; he Googled it. A hit for Bat Conservation International, a nonprofit organization (batcon.org), piqued his curiosity about bats’ role as good neighbors. On the BCI website, he learned a variety of interesting facts about bats. For instance, big brown bats, year-round residents of Colorado, prefer roosts in towns, cities and buildings. He also learned that nectar-feeding bats are critical pollinators for a wide variety of plants in a variety of ecosystems, from deserts to rain forests. Peaches and agave cactus are just two plants dependent on bats for pollination. And he learned that a small colony of as few as 150 big brown bats can eat 1.3 million pests each year. One little brown bat can eat up to 1,000 mosquitoes an hour. Insectivorous bats are the primary predators of night-flying insects, and many damaging pests (like the corn worm) are on their menu. Could these insect eaters help stem the over-whelming use of pesticides? Betts wondered. He thought about how his daughter’s horses were susceptible to the mosquito-transmitted West Nile
Dave Betts designs and builds bat houses for his company NUWTIQUES and can be reached at betts_construction@yahoo.com.
virus and how his neighbors fought seasonal hoards of miller moths and mosquitoes. Could bats be part of the solution to some of these issues? Betts joined BCI and learned more about bats, including how installing bat houses could help the local bat population. A craftsman and cabinetmaker who worked with wood, Betts thought, “I can do that.” He did more than build one house; he became the only Bat Conservation International certified bat-house builder in Colorado. And he built these “luxurious handcrafted bat houses” from reclaimed and refurbished woods — cedar and redwood. His Black Forest company, NUWTIQUES (betts_construc tion@yahoo.com), fills orders for single-chamber bat houses to serve 25 bats; a two-chamber house to serve 75 bats; and a four-chamber or “quadbox” that holds 150 bats. Bat houses can be mounted on existing structures or on poles in a location away from trees and bright lights. Betts consults with clients about the size and location for the bat house. Early spring when the bats’ food source emerges is the best time to install a bat house. Bats losing previous summer roosts are at their greatest need for new roosts as new offspring are born. Safe and well-located bat houses can help. Ordering before the May-June rush puts a bat house in place to be enjoyed for the full summer season. [continued on page 20] ColoradoCountryLife.coop October 2013 19
@Merlin D. Tuttle, Bat Conservation International, batcon.org.
Photo by Joe Lewandowski Colorado Parks and Wildlife
A gray myotis captures a mayfly for dinner.
Active throughout the year, canyon bats emerge, sometimes before sundown, to feed on small moths, beetles, mosquitoes and flies. Winds above 10 mph halt foraging; the slightest breeze blows this bat off course or causes it to stall. Another Colorado bat is the thumb-sized western smallfooted myotis at 3¼ inches in length. It wings through the Western Slope’s canyon country and rocky areas of northeastern and southeastern Colorado. In summer it roosts in buildings and mines, on the underside of bark on trees and ColoradoCountryLife.coop 20 October 2013
@Merlin D. Tuttle, Bat Conservation International, batcon.org.
By October, some of Colorado’s 18 species of bats have already migrated south, having left when the temperature started to drop below 42 degrees. As warm-blooded mammals, bats are sensitive to temperature, which determines the exact time they migrate or hibernate. This year there were 40-degree nights in some higher elevations in early August. One of the dozen or so species that live year-round in Colorado is the canyon bat, formerly the western pipistrelle. It is Colorado’s smallest bat, weighing a little more than what a penny weighs. Its slow, erratic, butterfly-like flight is distinctive. A desert bat’s short black ears, grayish brown coat and black mask is attractive. Roosting in dense brush and beneath rock slabs, it chooses a different roost for night and day. Nonmigratory and sedentary, its only known hibernation roost, was sighted in a gold mine in the La Plata Mountains 9,500 feet above Mancos. One or two young are born and live in nursery colonies of 20 to 50 females.
@Merlin D. Tuttle, Bat Conservation International, batcon.org.
Colorado Bat Stats
@Merlin D. Tuttle, Bat Conservation International, batcon.org.
@Merlin D. Tuttle, Bat Conservation International, batcon.org.
[continued from page 19]
A pallid bat perches on a rock.
beneath stones. In winter it stays to hibernate alone or in small groups in caves and mines. Even though it is small, it may winter in open tunnels at low A biologist examines the spread of temperatures and low humidwings of the Yuma myotis. ity at elevations up to 9,500 feet, sometimes hibernating near other bats, including the Townsend’s big-eared bat. Townsend’s big-eared bats sport remarkable ears reaching a length of 1½ inches, with a body size between 3½ and 4½ inches. The availability of roosts seems to determine where they summer. They do not make major Yuma myotis roost migrations and hibernate from under a wooden bridge. late October through April in hibernacula (locations chosen by bats for hibernation) with low and stable temperatures. During hibernation they roost in the open, sheltered with their ears coiled back like a ram’s horns, probably to conserve body heat. Silver-haired bats, one of the few species that produce two young a year, are attractive with black A fringed myotis roosts on a cave wall in Antiojo Cave in Mexico. hair tipped in silver or yellow. A medium-sized bat (a little over 4 inches) often sighted in late spring and early fall, it roosts in tree hollows, behind loose bark on dead trees, under rocks or in open sheds or garages. It feeds on moths, flies, beetles and wasps, foraging near the ground around ponds and woodland streams. An unusually Two spotted bats take flight in slow flyer, these bats are hooked opposite directions. occasionally by anglers fly-fishing. On occasion silver-haired bats have been sighted hibernating in mines. In hibernation, a bat’s heart beats 17-20 times a minute; when aroused it beats 300 to 400 times per minute. When it takes flight its heartbeat rate per minute can reach more than 1,000 beats. When aroused during hibernation, a bat burns stored fat, facing starvation before spring. A safe place to hibernate is critical for the survival of these ecosystem friendly mammals. But there is tough news for our bat populations: whitenose syndrome. While not yet found it Colorado, this fungus
@Merlin D. Tuttle, Bat Conservation International, batcon.org.
is moving west. Colorado Parks and Wildlife received a $41,500 grant to get ready for when this newly discovered fungus does arrive. The fungus, named after a white, frosty-looking dust on the nose, ears and wings of infected bats, appears during hibernation. Over a dozen of Colorado’s bats hibernate in state, mostly in mountain or canyon areas in small groups in small spaces — even in cracks and crevices. Today, about 50 percent of American bat species are in severe decline or already listed as endangered. The good news is that people are recognizing that bats are a fascinating and critical part of our ecosystem. People, such as bat house builder Betts, are stepping forward to help bats. Others are ordering houses and finding ways to help bats flourish in Colorado. People are realizing that while strings of bat lights hanging from front porches on Halloween are festive, they are only decorations. Real bats swooping through the back yard or over the fields, eating thousands of insects each night and keeping Colorado’s ecosystem healthy, are more important. Having bats in the belfry (or nearby bat house) is a good thing.
A female hoary bat in flight.
Sharon Frickey, a retired teacher, lives in Arvada. She loves to spend time with her grandchildren and now, with her research on bats, will be able to teach them all about flying mammals.
Having bats in the belfry (or nearby bat house) is a GOOD thing.
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ColoradoCountryLife.coop October 2013 21
[recipes]
Crazy Candy Concoctions
Get creative in the kitchen with this year’s Halloween surplus BY AMY HIGGINS || AHIGGINS@COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.ORG
H
Halloween is creeping up, tiptoeing its way, quietly and stealthily. The bats, spiders and pumpkins are gradually working their way around your home. And it won’t be long until the big bowl of Halloween goodies takes over your cupboards. Eek! That stockpile of sweets doesn’t have to scare you into tossing it all in the garbage. Instead, take a different approach, like we did. Mix, mash and blend them beyond recognition and turn them into a completely different monster. Testing has never been so frightfully fun.
Swap the Sweets You can substitute candies with similar consistency in these recipes and many others that call for candy. For example, you can use Baby Ruth or 100 Grand in place of the Twix bars in the banana bread recipe.
Cooking With Kids Pull your kids away from the video games and television by asking for help in the kitchen. Let them measure, mix and taste test. The best thing about cooking with Halloween candy is there is lots of it, so no need to fret if the recipe goes awry.
Banana Bread With a Twix 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 cup sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 1/2 cup flour 1 cup mashed banana (about 3) 1/2 cup sour cream 2 cup chopped Twix bars Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat the butter and sugar until creamy. Add the eggs and the vanilla and beat again. Stir in the salt and baking soda. Slowly stir in the flour to the mixture. Do not overbeat. Fold in the bananas, sour cream and Twix bars by hand. Make sure candy is evenly distributed. Pour into a 9-by-5 pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray and lightly floured on the bottom only. Bake for 55 minutes. Check with a sharp knife or toothpick. If it’s not done, bake another 5 minutes. Let cool for 10-15 minutes in the pan, then remove and cool the rest of the way on a wire rack.
ColoradoCountryLife.coop 22 October 2013
White Chocolate Bark With Candy Corn 10 ounces white chocolate chips 3/4 cup miniature pretzels 1/3 cup candy corn 1/4 cup dried cranberries Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. In a double boiler, heat the chocolate until melted and smooth. Spread chocolate in the prepared pan and sprinkle with pretzels, candy corn and dried cranberries and pat down with a rubber spatula. Chill for 1 hour, or until firm. Break into pieces to serve.
[recipes]
Kit Kat Cookie Bars
Melting Chocolate Chop up chocolate before melting. The chocolate will melt more quickly and the consistency will be more even.
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 1/2 cups margarine, melted and cooled to room temperature 1 cup light brown sugar 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 large egg 1 large egg yolk 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips 1 cup Kit Kat bar pieces (chopped in small chunks) Heat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 9-by-13 pan with nonstick spray then coat with flour. Set aside. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, salt and baking soda. Set aside. In a larger bowl combine the melted butter and sugars together. Add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla and mix until well combined. Slowly combine the dry and wet ingredients and mix on low, just until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and Kit Kat bars. Press the cookie dough into the greased pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top of the bars is light golden brown and the edges start to pull away from the pan. Cool, cut into squares and serve.
ColoradoCountryLife.coop October 2013 23
[gardening]
Growing a Foliage-Rich Garden
Creating a visually appealing garden doesn’t always require blooms BY EVA ROSE MONTANE || ABUNDANTEARTHGARDENS.COM || GARDENING@COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.ORG
A
A lot of people out there want brightly colored floral displays all season long in their gardens. This is, without a doubt, a cheerful and lovely approach to gardening. Flowers attract the all-important pollinators and offer up invigorating fragrance, but many flowers require deadheading and other fine-tuning maintenance. Another gardening style relies on the foliage to create interest. In many cases, plants whose predominant feature is their foliage tend to require less maintenance and general attention, yet they will command attention with their show-stopping display throughout the season. Combining groupings of plants with different types of leaves can create great appeal and lusciousness in your landscape. Think of variegated leaves, coarse broad leaves and fine ferny foliage. Colored foliage, such as yellow, red and purple can pack a punch as well. The key to a successful foliage bed is to put groupings of different plants side by side so each stands out from the other, looks unique and is highlighted by its surroundings. Pay attention to shapes, forms, textures and color. When seeking contrasting shapes, take a look at the leaves. Are they simple like an elm leaf, palmate like a maple leaf, lobed like an oak or compound like a locust tree? The form of a plant refers to its habit and architecture. Examples are mounding vase-shaped and columnar forms. Plants with large, broad leaves are considered coarse texture. An example would be the catalpa tree or rhubarb. Fine textured plants have small leaves or delicate ferny leaves like a honey locust or a fern. These examples to the right are some great plants for Colorado. They not only offer striking foliage, but are also garden ready. Just remember to group them appropriately for the water and sun exposure needs of the plants. Many of the plants in the examples do flower. However, the beauty of a foliage-rich garden is that it is not dependent on the flowers for the show; rather, they are the bonus.
Colorado blue spruce
Honey locust
Canada red chokecherry
Eva Rose Montane is a landscape designer and hosts a cutting-edge series on gardening in Colorado. Read more gardening advice at coloradocountrylife. coop. Click on Living in Colorado and then Gardening.
ColoradoCountryLife.coop 24 October 2013
[energy tips]
SHOWER POWER
Gadgets can save water, energy use BY JAMES DULLEY
W
What types of shower devices can save water and energy use?
facebook.com/ COCountryLife
A CCL SUBSCRIPTION IS A GREAT GIFT Did you know that you could get a Colorado Country Life subscription for $9 in-state and $15 out-of-state? Just call the nice people at CCL at 303455-4111.
Thanks, my sister is in Arizona and always wants the news from home. I’ll get her a subscription for her birthday.
Source: ShowerStart
Find us on
Bathing uses a lot of water per month for most families and hot water drives costs up. Low-flow showerheads can help cut down on both. There are significant differences in showerhead sprays even for ones with identical flow rates. The most efficient ones are as low as 1.5 gallons per minute, and the savings in water and energy use can pay back their cost in just a few months. There are two inexpensive add-on devices that can help reduce water use on any showerhead. One is a tiny push-pull trickle valve (also called a lathering valve) that’s mounted between the shower arm and the showerhead. When you don’t need water, push the button to slow the water to a trickle without having to readjust the temperature at the faucet each time. Another water-saver is a Lady Bug valve by ShowerStart, also known as Evolve Showerheads. People often turn on the hot water and walk away, waiting for the hot water to reach the shower. Gallons of water may be wasted down the drain before you actually get into the shower. With the Lady Bug, when the water temperature at the showerThis showerhead uses only 1.59 head reaches gallons per minute and produces a full spray pattern. It 95 degrees, the includes a device to save water flow is autoas you warm your shower. matically slowed to a trickle so very little hot water goes down the drain. When you’re ready to get into the shower, pull the string on the handle, and the warm shower starts flowing at full force. For more information on saving water and energy, visit coloradocountrylife.coop. Click on Energy Tips. ColoradoCountryLife.coop October 2013 25
STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT & CIRCULATION 1. Publication Title: COLORADO COUNTRY LIFE 2. Publication No.: 469-400; 3. Filing Date: 09/23/2013; 4. Issue Frequency: Monthly 5. No. of Issues Published Annually: 12; 6. Annual Subscription Price: $9; 7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication: 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216; Contact Person: Mona Neeley; Telephone: 303-455-4111; 8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of Publisher: 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216; 9. Full Names and Complete Mailing Addresses of Publisher, Editor, and Managing Editor Publisher: Mona Neeley, 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216; Editor: Mona Neeley, 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216; Managing Editor: Not applicable; 10. Owner Full Name: Colorado Rural Electric Association; Complete Mailing Address: 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216; 11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees, and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages or Other Securities: None; 12. Tax Status (For completion by nonprofit organization authorized to mail at special rates). The purpose, function, and nonprofit status of this organization and the exempt status for federal income tax purposes: Has Not Changed During Preceding 12 Months; 13. Publication Title: Colorado Country Life; 14. Issue Date for Circulation Data Below: September 2013; 15. Extent and Nature of Circulation - Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months; a. Total Number of Copies (Net press run): 191,981; b. Paid Circulation (By Mail and Outside the Mail): (1) Mailed Outside-County Paid Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541 (Include paid distribution above nominal rate, advertiser’s proof copies and exchange copies): 190,790; (2) Mailed In-County Paid Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541 (Include paid distribution above nominal rate, advertiser’s proof copies, and exchange copies): None; (3) Paid Distribution Outside the Mails Including Sales Through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter Sales, and Other Paid Distribution Outside USPS: 630; (4) Paid Distribution by Other Classes of Mail Through the USPS (e.g. First-Class Mail®): None; c. Total Paid Distribution (Sum of 15b (1), (2), (3), and (4)): 191,420; d. Free or Nominal Rate Distribution (By Mail and Outside the Mail): (1) Free or Nominal Rate Outside-County Copies included on PS Form 3541: 95; (2) Free or Nominal Rate InCounty Copies Included on PS Form 3541: None; (3) Free or Nominal Rate Copies Mailed at Other Classes Through the USPS (e.g. FirstClass Mail): None; (4) Free or Nominal Rate Distribution Outside the Mail (Carriers or other means): 462; e. Total Free or Nominal Rate Distribution (Sum of 15d (1), (2), (3) and (4)): 557; f. Total Distribution (Sum of 15c and 15e): 191,977; g. Copies not Distributed: None; h. Total (Sum of l5f and g.): 191,977; (i) Percent Paid (15c divided by 15f times 100): 99.7%. - No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date; a. Total Number of Copies (Net press run): 193,334. b. Paid Circulation (By Mail and Outside the Mail): (1) Mailed Outside-County Paid Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541 (Include paid distribution above nominal rate, advertiser’s proof copies and exchange copies): 191,935. (2) Mailed In-County Paid Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541 (Include paid distribution above nominal rate, advertiser’s proof copies, and exchange copies): None; (3) Paid Distribution Outside the Mails Including Sales Through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter Sales, and Other Paid Distribution Outside USPS®: 637; (4) Paid Distribution by Other Classes of Mail Through the USPS (e.g. First-Class Mail®): None; c. Total Paid Distribution (Sum of 15b (1), (2), (3), and (4)): 192,572; d. Free or Nominal Rate Distribution (By Mail and Outside the Mail): (1) Free or Nominal Rate Outside-County Copies included on PS Form 3541: 102; (2) Free or Nominal Rate In-County Copies Included on PS Form 3541: None; (3) Free or Nominal Rate Copies Mailed at Other Classes Through the USPS (e.g. First-Class Mail): None; (4) Free or Nominal Rate Distribution Outside the Mail (Carriers or other means): 660; e. Total Free or Nominal Rate Distribution (Sum of 15d (1), (2), (3) and (4)): 762; f. Total Distribution (Sum of 15c and 15e): 193,334; g. Copies not Distributed: None; h. Total (Sum of l5f and g.): 193,334; (i) Percent Paid (15c divided by 15f times 100): 99.6%. 16. Total circulation includes electronic copies. Report circulation on PS Form 3526-X worksheet. 17. Publication of Statement of Ownership: If the publication is a general publication, publication of this statement is required. Will be printed in the October 2013 issue of this publication. 18. Signature and Title of Editor, Publisher, Business Manager or Owner: /s/ Mona Neeley Date: 09/23/13 I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading information on this form or who omits material or information requested on the form may be subject to criminal sanctions (including fines and imprisonment) and/or civil sanctions (including civil penalties). PS Form 3526, September 2007
ColoradoCountryLife.coop 26 October 2013
[outdoors]
Fanatical Fall Fishing Fly-fishing enthusiasts will fish, regardless of conditions BY DENNIS SMITH
A
A few years ago a friend of mine who had moved to Alaska called to say he was flying back to Colorado to fish the autumn brown trout run on North Delaney Buttes Lake. Now this isn’t anything like the big king, silver and sockeye salmon migrations in Alaska where vast numbers of ocean-run salmonids swarm into fresh water tributaries North Delaney Buttes Reservoir is home to to breed every two to four years. some of the largest brown trout in the state. It’s just a kind of annual, hormonally induced ritual the brown trout go through every fall in Delaney Buttes. In fact, because there are no sufficiently oxygenated tributaries feeding the lake and any eggs the fish might lay would fail to hatch, it’s considered a “false” spawn. Regardless, the fish still take it pretty seriously and gather in the lake’s shoals and submerged sandbars to get romantic. The males grow big hooked jaws, establish territories and chase off any and all trespassers: crawfish, minnows, other trout and, of course, fishermen’s flies and lures. But you can catch some really nice fish during the run. Byron said he planned to be here the second week of October and wanted to know if I’d go along with him. Personally, I thought he was nuts. I couldn’t imagine anyone leaving Alaska to fly-fish in Colorado, but he had his reasons: “We don’t have any brown trout up here,” he said. “Plus, I really miss Delaney Buttes.” Fair enough, I thought. I agreed to go. As luck would have it, a nasty cold front came howling out of the Mount Zirkel Wilderness that week, and we found ourselves casting into bitter 25-mile-an-hour gusts of wind laden with sheets of stinging rain, sleet and snow. Skim ice formed in the shallows, and freezing spray from the wind-whipped lake turned everything within 20 yards of the shore into bizarre-looking ice sculptures. “You’re definitely insane,” I said. The Colorado Division of Wildlife (now Colorado Parks and Wildlife) biologists who were there collecting eggs from the spawning browns told us we were crazy to be out there too, but they also said they’d seen good numbers of browns staging in the shoals along the north shore. Reaching them involved a quarter-mile hike through a herd of cattle guarded by three monstrous range bulls who eyed us like we were rodeo clowns. We gave them wide berth, leaning hard in to the wind all the way. I kept telling Byron he was crazy. He just laughed. Madman. We were bundled in layers of wool, down, neoprene and Gor-Tex so our bodies stayed warm, but our faces and fingers were numb as stones, and we had to break ice from our rods every two or three casts. We caught fish in spite of it all, and when Byron finally landed what we guessed was a 7-pounder on one of his big, ugly “foo-foo” flies, he was positively ecstatic. “Still think I’m crazy?” he asked, splitting his frozen beard with a big, toothy grin. “Absolutely.” “Wanna leave?” “Hell, no,” I told him. “I’m having too much fun.” The oddest thing is I try to get back there every October now. Crazy.
Miss an issue? Catch up at coloradocountrylife.coop. Click on Outdoors.
[marketplace]
ColoradoCountryLife.coop October 2013 27
[classifieds] TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD Please type or print your ad on a separate paper. Indicate how many months you would like your ad to run and which month to start. There is a minimum of 12 words at $1.63 per word/month. Be sure to include your full name and address for our records. Check MUST accompany this order or call to pay by credit card. Send your ad before the 10th of the month to: mail: Colorado Country Life 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216 phone: 303-902-7276 fax: 303-455-2807 email: classifieds@coloradocountrylife.org
ANTIQUE RESTORATION ANTIQUE RESTORATION STUDIO – Antique conservation. Quality craftsmanship since 1974. Bayfield, CO, www.antiqueresdurango.com 970-884-1937. (988-12-13) CHAIR CANING, hand caning, machine caning, fiber rush caning. Pueblo West, 719-547-0723. chaanita@q.com (858-10-14)
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES (These opportunities have not been investigated by Colorado Country Life.) ***$$$*** BUILDING, maintenance, restoration professionals are needed. New start / add-on. AztecCoLLC@socket.net 573-4899346 (856-10-13) LEGITIMATE WORK AT HOME opportunity. No sales, investment, risk. Training/website provided. Monthly income plus bonuses, benefits. Call Carrie 303-579-4207, www.workathomeunited.com/ ourabundance (932-10-13) PIANO TUNING PAYS. Learn with American School home-study course. Tools included. Call for info. 800-497-9793. (158-01-14) REALISTIC HOME BUSINESSES – HOW TO SELECT, start, operate. Over 80 businesses detailed from actual owners. www.patsbookshop. com (075-12-13) WORK LESS & LIVE MORE! MiaBellaNation.com Department #745 (831-11-13)
CARS/TRUCKS/BOATS 50 SUBARUS! (1995-2013) Outbacks, Foresters, Imprezas, Tribecas & more! Great prices! Warranties available! Dealer: www.Monu mentMotors.com 719-481-9900 (574-08-14)
ColoradoCountryLife.coop 28 October 2013
CLOCK REPAIR & RESTORATION DURANGO AREA. CLOCKS of all kinds repaired. Antique and modern. Clocks bought and sold. Call Robert 970-247-7729, bob.scott@ usa.net (109-01-14)
ENERGY SAFELY, CONVENIENTLY, BURN wood fuel pellets in potbelly stoves, fireplaces, BBQ’s, and campfires. See www.pelletlogkits. com. (098-12-13)
FOOD BIGGEST LITTLE CORNERSTONE CAFÉ in Eaton, Colorado. Super green chili !! 130 1st Street. (09410-13)
FOR SALE FIREWOOD – Blocked 15-17” (not split). Average load $50. You pick up, West Loveland area. 720-3523580 (939-01-14) GRASSFED YAK AND BISON MEAT for sale. Delicious and nutritious. Delivery available. Fourth, half, or whole. 720-256-3364 (029-11-13) OXYGEN CONCENTRATORS - $380 with warranty. Also sell portable concentrators and oxygen supplies. Repair and service of equipment. Aspen Concentrator Repair Service 719-471-9895 (040-12-13) T&R HORSE TRAILER, excellent condition, iron construction, $3750. Brand new horse blanket, $60. 719647-9211, Pueblo West, CO (127-10-13)
FREE FREE BOOKS/DVDS. Soon the “Mark of the Beast” will be enforced as Church and State unite! Let the Bible reveal. The Bible Says, POB 99, Lenoir City, TN 37771. thebiblesaystruth@yahoo.com 888-211-1715. (814-12-13)
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QUILTS
RELIGION
PIANO: WELLINGTON upright with bench — HEAVY. Located in Flagler, CO, 720-291-0476, 303-427-2768 (126-10-13)
AWARD WINNING LONG-ARM QUILTING Services - Karen Niemi, 303-470-9309, http://creative. stitching.home.comcast.net, creative.stitching@comcast.net (846-02-14)
BECOME AN ORDAINED Minister by correspondence study. Founded in 1988. Free info. Ministers for Christ Outreach, 7558 West Thunderbird Rd, Ste 1 - #114, Peoria, AZ 85381. http://www.ordination.org (44112-13)
HEALTH OPTIMIZE LIVING from the inside – out ! Nutrition. Beauty. Experts. From local, small business owners – Jongema Enterprises 866-392-1981, www.JongemaEnterprises.com. (132-01-14)
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REAL ESTATE CORTEZ in-town house, ranch, 2001, AC, forced air. 12 minutes to shop / worship / golf / rec center / parks. Show anytime. 970-565-7867. Leave message. (134-10-13)
$400 WEEKLY ASSEMBLING PRODUCTS FROM HOME. For free information, send SASE: Home Assembly – CC, Box 450, New Britain, CT 06050-0450.
DURANGO, CO., see all listings, residential and land. Call Linda Crowther, Keller Williams Realty, 970-749-2088. DurangoColorado. com (107-10-13)
EARN $55,000/YR PART TIME in the farm equipment and livestock appraisal business. Ag background required. Classroom and home study courses available. 800-4887570 or visit www.amagappraisers. com (935-10-13)
GRAND JUNCTION HORSE FARM, 3130 A 1/2 Rd, 3550+ sq. ft. home on 14 acres. Newly remodeled, new central air, new boiler, new water heater, new roof, half brick ranch w/new vinyl siding. 5 bedroom, 3 1/2 bath, living room, dining room, large kitchen, large family room. New carpet/tile/wood floors. Full horse barn w/indoor stalls & outside runs. All steel fencing, arenas, loafing sheds on large pastures. Additional fencing around home & in-ground heated pool. RV building (50x28’), two large ponds, etc. $625,000. Ginny 970-260-9629, Terry 970-261-3001, Gtraudt@ edbozarth.com 3% to 6% to any REALTOR w/buyer (946-12-13)
HOBBIES & CRAFTS BOOKS, PATTERNS, CLASSES, knitting, felting, crocheting, weaving, spinning. www.tablerockllamas.com Colorado Springs, 866-495-7747 (791-01-14) QUILT & CRAFT SHOW/SALE — Free admission. Nov. 2, 2013, 9a-3p. Lunch available. United Church of Walsenburg, Colorado. Main St., 719-738-2407 (135-10-13)
HOUSEHOLD HELPS LOOKING to replace AMWAY products? Lose your distributor? I can ship to your home. No hassle, no salesman. Monika Cary 970-7242912 (982-01-14)
INSURANCE ARE YOU PAYING TOO MUCH? Insurance policy review: • Health • Life • Medicare • Complimentary service. 970-385-4763 Would you like to keep more of your $$$? ColoradoLifeInsurancewJCC.com. (128-01-14)
MACHINERY & PARTS CATERPILLAR IT28 loader, grapple bucket, 10’ snow blade, forks. Good condition. Extras. 970-531-2215 (130-10-13) SAWMILL EXCHANGE: North America’s largest source of used portable sawmills and commercial equipment for woodlot owners and sawmill operations. Over 800 listings. THE place to sell equipment. 800-459-2148 www.sawmill exchange.com . (267-09-14)
TICKETS NFR & PBR RODEO TICKETS – Las Vegas. All seating levels available. Call 1-888-NFR-rodeo (1-888-6377633) or www.NFR-Rodeo.com. *BBB Member; Since 1990. (912-11-13)
VACATION RENTAL KAUAI VACATION RENTAL, 2bdr, full kitchen. Minutes from beaches. $600/wk. 808-245-6500; makana crest.com; kauaiweddings.com. (756-05-14) KONA, HAWAII, Paradise Villa condo located on the 18th fairway of Kona Country Club with sweeping ocean views; 3bdr, 2ba specials. (503) 369-2638; www.konacondo. info (116-11-13)
WANTED TO BUY NAVAJO RUGS, old and recent, native baskets, pottery. Tribal Rugs, Salida. 719-539-5363, b_inaz@ hotmail.com (817-12-13) OLD COLORADO LIVESTOCK brand books prior to 1975. Call Wes 303757-8553. (889-02-14)
LAJUNTA -- 1.6 acre beautiful country home, 1850sf, 3bd, 2ba, 5-car garage, orchard, drip irrigation, extraordinary yard, $198,000. 970-310-6659 (122-01-14)
OLD COWBOY STUFF–hats, boots, spurs, chaps, Indian rugs, baskets, etc. ANYTHING OLD! Mining & railroad memorabilia, ore carts! We buy whole estates. We’ll come to you! Call 970-759-3455 or 970-5651256. (871-11-13)
LOVELY VICTORIAN IN Ordway. Completely remodeled in recent years but flavor preserved. $110,000. 230 Colorado Ave. Call Betty 719-263-4773 or cell 719251-1554. Jake Norton Realty Inc. (25-10-13)
OLD GAS AND OIL items: Gas pumps, advertising signs, globes, etc. Pieces, parts, etc. considered. Also 1932-34 Ford cars and trucks, parts and pieces, too. Any condition. Brandon, 719-250-5721. (519-11-13)
PAGOSA SPRINGS – Vacation Home Management, “Need someone you can trust to care for your home while you’re away?” Call Pagosa Home Manager, LLC. A family owned & operated company with over 25 years property management experience. Licensed, bonded, insured. Call Rod Manning 970-946-0626 www.PagosaHome Manager.com (111-11-13)
OLD POCKET WATCHES – working or non-working and old repair material. Bob 719-859-4209 watch doctor@hotmail.com. (870-12-13)
POUDRE RIVER, Rustic, Colorado — 1,500sf, 3bed, 2ba, winter access. $360,000. 303-464-1260, 970-2145242 ( 133-10-13)
VINTAGE FISHING TACKLE. I buy rods, reels, lures, creels, etc. Gary, 970-222-2181. (960-02-14) WANT TO PURCHASE minerals and other oil/gas interests. Send details to: PO Box 13557, Denver, CO 80201. (402-03-14) WE PAY CASH for minerals and oil/ gas interests, producing and nonproducing. 800-733-8122 (099-02-14)
[funny stories] A Minneapolis couple decided to go to Florida to thaw
MONDAY
OCTOBER 28 Exhibitor opportunities are available. For details and to register, go to www.crea.coop or call 303-455-2700 ext. 700.
Save the Date Please join the Colorado Rural Electric Association and dozens of electric industry experts at CREA’s fourth annual Energy Innovations Summit on Monday, October 28, 2013, at the Embassy Suites Convention Center Hotel, Denver. Like past Summits, the conference will feature individual speakers and panels that will examine the latest issues and innovations in the world of power generation. Some of the topics to be featured this year include:
n The prospects for continued low-cost natural gas and its impact on
the viability of renewables and other non-gas technologies
n New developments in energy storage and whether they will enable more
renewable integration into the grid
n Community solar gardens and other solar projects in electric co-op
service territory
n An examination of cutting-edge energy technology by NREL, EPRI and others
n Challenges and opportunities for small hydro projects
n An exploration of the possibilities and limitations of micro-grids
Plan to attend the summit.
out during a particularly icy winter. They planned to stay at the same hotel where they spent their honeymoon 20 years earlier. Because of hectic work schedules, it was difficult to coordinate their travel schedules. So, the husband flew to Florida on Thursday, with his wife slated to fly out the following day. The husband checked in to the hotel. There was a computer in his room, so he decided to send an email to his wife. However, he accidentally left out one letter in her email address and, without realizing his error, sent the email. Meanwhile, somewhere in Houston, a widow had just returned home from her husband’s funeral. He was a minister who was called home to glory following a heart attack. The widow decided to check her email expecting messages from relatives and friends. After reading the first message, she screamed and fainted. The widow’s son rushed into the room, found his mother on the floor and saw the computer screen, which read: To: My Loving Wife Subject: I’ve Arrived Date: July 19, 2013 I know you’re surprised to hear from me. They have computers here now and you are allowed to send emails to your loved ones. I just arrived and am checked in. I see that everything has been prepared for your arrival tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing you then! Hope your journey is as uneventful as mine was. P.S. Sure is freaking hot down here! Gayle Volz, Fort Morgan
An older, tired-looking dog wandered into my yard. I could tell from his collar and well-fed belly that he had a home and was well taken care of. He came over to me and I gave him a few pats on the head. He then followed me into my house, slowly walked down the hall, curled up in the corner and fell asleep. An hour later, he went to the door and I let him out. The next day he greeted me in my yard, walked inside my house, resumed his spot in the hall and slept for about an hour. This continued off and on for several weeks. Finally, I pinned a note to his collar that read, “I would like to know who the owner of this wonderful, sweet dog is and find out if you are aware that almost every afternoon your dog comes to my house for a nap.” The next day he arrived for his nap with a different note pinned to his collar that read, “He lives in a home with six children, two under the age of 3. He’s trying to catch up on his sleep. Can I come with him tomorrow?” Anonymous We pay $15 to each person who submits a funny story that’s printed in the magazine. At the end of the year, we draw one name from those submitting jokes and that person will receive $150. Send your 2013 stories to Colorado Country Life, 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216 or email funnystories@coloradocountrylife.org. Don’t forget to include your mailing address, so we can send you a check. ColoradoCountryLife.coop October 2013 29
[discoveries]
Lickety Stick
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Luvbug loves the fresh breath that she gets from Orapup.
Getting rid of your dog’s ghastly breath in between cleanings doesn’t have to be a complicated task with Orapup. Orapup is like a giant toothbrush that your pup will love to lick on. Just squeeze on a dab of cleaner (aka Lickies) on the soft bristles and while the licking frenzy commences, the odor-causing bacteria wears away. The secret? Lickies come in flavors your pup can’t refuse: beef & bacon, cinnamon chicken and cherry chicken. The Orapup starter pack costs $20 and comes with one Orapup brush, one bottle of Lickies Beef & Bacon and two Orabrushes for humans. For more information, visit www2.orapup.com.
DRESSING UP DOGGIE
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Steamboat Springs-based Spiffy Dog Air Collars are so lightweight your pooch will hardly recognize she’s wearing it. Made of the mesh found in running shoes, Air Collars are breathable and durable and repel odors better than leather or webbing. What’s more, Air Collars come in several colors and patterns so you can pair your pup’s personality with the perfect collar. Air Collars cost $15.99 and are available in pet stores throughout Colorado and online at spiffydog.com.
Fetch With Fire Hoses
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Get your canine moving with Katie’s Bumpers fetching toys. Made of recycled fire hoses, these toys are durable – but not indestructible – and able to handle doggie dentures of all sizes. From novice to master, dogs of all skill levels can benefit from these colorful fetching toys. Pick a Puppy Trainer for the beginner pup and work your way up to products such as the Heave Hose or Sqwuggies. They even have the XYZ Fire Hose Dog option to teach your pooch shapes. Katie’s Bumpers fetching toys range from $8 to $21 and are sold at several pet stores throughout Colorado. For more information, call 800-523-7979 or visit katiesbumpers.com.
Puppy Puzzle
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Dog Games Puzzle Toys stimulate your dog’s mind with puzzle challenges that flip, lift and spin. Stick a sampling of dog food or treats in the compartments to get your dog excited, and then watch as he attempts to solve the puzzle. The puzzle is complete when he successfully removes all treats from the compartments. Dog Games Puzzle Toys start at $14.99 and are available at pet stores throughout Colorado and online at shop.kyjen.com.
Luvbug (left) and Henry aren’t pups but they love treats. ColoradoCountryLife.coop 30 October 2013
October Contest
Ted (left) and Zoe catch on really quickly when treats are involved.
This month, enter our contest for your chance to win a Dog Games Puzzle Toy. Visit coloradocountrylife.coop and click on Contests for directions on how to enter. The winner will be chosen on October 21.