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CAMP, GLAMP + EXPLORE 9 INTERNATIONAL FOOD MARKETS 36 GUIDE TO MUSHROOM FORAGING 56 SPIRIT OF THE SAN LUIS VALLEY 66
SUMMER 2023 / ISSUE 24
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• Homes starting at 1800 square foot • 3-6 bedroom • 3 car garage minimum • RV parking and storage on site • Stucco exteriors with optional stone accents • Architectural 30-year shingles • Nature’s Composite fencing A • Pressurized irrigation S • Parks & walking paths • LOTS FOR SALE ON-SITE OFFICE LOCATED AT 2649 Emerald Ridge Lane Grand Junction, CO 81506
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(North, off H Road & 26 1/2 Road)
S = Sold
emeraldridgegj.com
U = Under Contract
CALL JANET TO SET AN APPOINTMENT
UNMARKED LOTS: CALL FOR AVAILABILITY
L = Vacant Lot Available
We look forward to working with you to design and build your new home in Emerald Ridge! For more information, contact New Horizons Development, Inc.
JANET ELLIOTT GRI, CRS, ABR Broker/Owner
REALTOR®, ABR, CRS, GRI 970-250-0765 N1323D@msn.com
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444 Main Street, Grand Junction, CO 81501 970-245-1617 www.mesajewelers.com Full Service Jeweler • Custom Design • Open 7-Days a Week Now in store - Our new John Atencio Collection
CO N T what’s up in the west
lifestyle
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VOICES OF WESTERN COLORADO Locals Weigh in on Endurance
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WHAT’S UP IN THE WEST 3 New Spots to Stay This Summer
COMMUNITY STYLE 6 Fun + Funky Stops Along Palisade’s Fruit and Wine Byway
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WHAT’S UP IN THE WEST Stellar Times: Inaugural Lake City Star Fest
MAKER Camille Wild: Mountain Metalsmith
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WHAT’S UP IN THE WEST Art in the Park Celebrates 50 Years in Steamboat
ART Silverton Powerhouse: Community Resilience Through Art
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BLOSSOM The Beauty — And Science — of Betty Ford Alpine Gardens
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FOOD International Markets on the Western Slope
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WELLNESS + FITNESS Fueling Up for Summer Fun
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ADVENTURE + EXPERIENCE GUIDE
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WELLNESS + FITNESS Western Slope Pickleball Club: Keeping Pace with Rapid Rise in the Sport
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DRINK Tea for Two
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DRINK Billy Goat Hop Farm: Bringing the Cascade Cup to Montrose
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EAT Summer Recipes
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BOOK + BEVERAGE •T he Amazing, Interesting, Dangerous, and Somewhat True Adventures of Prince Tadpole & Princess Clara By VP Felmlee • Tom Cat Gin
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INSTAGRAM + PODCAST PICKS
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features + events
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ADVENTURE Solo Female Travel Road Trip Tips
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A PERSONAL ESSAY Matt Elan on The Regenerative Mindset
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SPOKE Gear for the Season
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SPOKE Gear Profile: Tailwind Endurance Fuel
MESA COUNTY BATTLES INVASIVE JAPANESE BEETLE Pest Could Potentially Devastate the Grand Valley’s Fruit and Wine Industry
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GRAND OUTDOORS Your Guide to Mushroom Foraging
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HISPANIC AFFAIRS PROJECT A Trailblazer for Social Justice in Western Colorado
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TAKE A HIKE Ouray Perimeter Trail
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SOLIDARITY ENDURING BORDERS Efforts to Support Ukraine from Colorado
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FAMILY Family Camping 101
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EVENTS Summer 2023
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STAY + PLAY Colorado’s San Luis Valley: Entrepreneurial Spirit Sprouting
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WHO WE ARE Emily Dowdy, Orchard Mesa Research Station
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GETAWAY Break Clear Away in Yosemite
SPOKE+BLOSSOM
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PUBLISHER’S LETTER
ENDURANCE I’m realizing that a lot of the photos of me where my smile is the biggest are also those in which I’m wearing a bike helmet. It also turns out a number of those photos are with Bobby, and a handful of them have been placed alongside several publisher letters here in Spoke+Blossom. This one probably won’t be the last … There really is something about being on a bike that brings forth such a sense of fun and freedom. Sometimes it’s challenging to pedal uphill, of course, and certain downhills have their tricky turns, yet I believe the bicycle was one of the best tools ever invented, as it offers countless benefits for utility, leisure and sport. This photo was taken right after Bobby and I each took a final lap on the 18 Hours of Fruita course this past May. We were on teams with ample rest between each effort, but the quality of mental and physical endurance the event requires is significant. Maybe our grins are so wide in this photo because the race was finally complete. Finishing feels great, but to begin … that’s often the hardest part. Endurance is about continuing to endure, but stepping to the start line is what takes the most guts. As another stunning issue of Spoke+Blossom has come together for us all here, I’m overwhelmed by the audacity it has taken to push through the uphill climb that is publishing magazines. We keep smiling, and that’s a lot because of you — the readers and partners who believe in the marathon, the long run, the pedal that keeps us pushing. We really wouldn’t have it any other way, and thank you for coming along for the ride with us.
Kim Fuller with Bobby L’Heureux Publishers of Spoke+Blossom Founders of Jaunt Media Collective
Join the Spoke+Blossom Community facebook.com/ spokeandblossom
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Keep in touch with us between issues! Check out our website, spokeandblossom.com, for updates and events, and follow us on social media. Scan this QR code with your smart phone to be taken directly to our website.
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This magazine is shareable and recyclable. Please don’t throw it in the trash.
Founder Robin Brown Publisher Jaunt Media Collective Editor-In-Chief Kim Fuller Managing Editor Lexi Reich Assistant Editor Lauren Farrauto Digital Editor Kristen Grace Art Director Kitty Nicholason Community Engagement Laura Mills Partnerships Bobby L’Heureux Judy Shay Interns Robyn Britt Erin Phillips Riley Tedesco Contributors Sue Bergethon Lisa Blake Shannon Casson Julia Clarke Matt Eland Kim Fuller Barton Glasser Kristen Grace Jayme Henderson Jessica Hughes Aaron Ingraro Gus Jarvis Kristen Lummis Cat Mayer Maureen McGuire Wyatt McSpadden Laura Mills Kimberly Nicoletti Nickolas Paullus Todd Winslow Pierce Lexi Reich Daniel Christopher Rivera Richard Rosenblatt Sharon Sullivan Dave Teitler Michael Underwood Tim Wenger Melanie Wiseman Cover Photograph Courtesy of Dunes Desert Camp Spoke+Blossom Magazine Jaunt Media Collective 2077 N. Frontage Road / D Vail, CO 81657 For advertising, contact ads@spokeandblossom.com 815.414.9642 Get in touch! We would love to hear from you. Please send your comments to letters@spokeandblossom.com. Copyright © 2023 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior written permission. Printed in Colorado.
Camp with us at the corner of Wilderness and Main! 970.929.5029 keblercorner.com
Tiny-home style cabins Full hook-up sites Electric only RV sites Tent sites Pet-friendly Guest wi-fi
30682 County Road 12 Somerset, CO 81434
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contributors
RICHARD ROSENBLATT Richard is an award-winning journalist who lives in Grand Junction with his wife Jenny and Scruffy the cat. He worked for The Associated Press, covering the NFL, college football and horse racing. He is the co-author of JUCO’s Journey: Celebrating 60 Years of the NJCAA World Series. He started playing pickleball in 2018. Loves it.
NICKOLAS PAULLUS KRISTEN LUMMIS
Nickolas is deeply invested in the Western Slope and its local food movement. For both work and play, life tends to revolve around food, nature and their interplay.
Kristen, a freelance writer, is the mom of two now-adult sons. She broke into her writing career through snowsports, founding the website braveskimom.com in 2010 to provide family-friendly tips across a full range of winter topics. She prides herself on unbiased opinions, based on activities and destinations she’s visited.
TIM WENGER Tim is a Palisade-based journalist who often covers the intersection of outdoor recreation, conservation and the economy. After graduating from Fort Lewis College, Tim jumped into a Ford Econoline to play guitar in dark bars and ended up falling in love with adventure travel. He’s been unable to rest his pen (or his feet) ever since.
MATT ELAND Matt is passionate about creating the world he wishes to be a part of. His deep dive into ecological restoration started while he was an emergency room nurse and has led him to pursue a career in regenerative practices to heal our shared world.
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MAUREEN MCGUIRE Maureen (aka Kelly) is a lifelong resident of Western Colorado. She has taught for 12 years and strives to make our part of the world a better place for all. Summers are for long hikes early in the morning, tending to the raised vegetable and herb gardens she and husband Ira created, and planning fun trips.
Regenesis Plastic Surgery, Dermatology & Spa 2515 Foresight Circle, Suite 100, Grand Junction 970.242-8177 | regenesisplasticsurgery.com Monday - Thursday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Friday 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
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he Spa at ReGenesis is a medical spa that holistically serves patients through a fullservice experience in a beautiful and relaxing environment in Grand Junction, Colorado. The Spa at ReGenesis is part of the greater ReGenesis medical practice known as ReGenesis Plastic Surgery, Dermatology & Spa. Fifteen years ago, Colorado West Otolaryngology and Plastic Surgery expanded to create ReGenesis Plastic Surgery and Skin Care. Over the past fifteen years the practice has grown to include a full medical spa, dermatology and three Board-Certified plastic surgeons, Dr. Duane Hartshorn, Dr. Matthew Swelstad and Dr. Jeffrey Pitcher. “The catalyst for ReGenesis was our drive to develop an environment that was comfortable and focused on plastic surgery, specifically aesthetic surgery. Patients want to be in a soothing locale, be able to confidentially discuss their concerns and wishes, and feel they are in the presence of professionals who care about them and their safety,” says Dr. Hartshorn. In creating this environment, Dr. Hartshorn and Dr. Swelstad, founders of ReGenesis, also created the medical spa to complete the full circle of care for their patients. With certified laser specialists, aestheticians and certified massage therapists working together under the guidance of Medical Director, Dr. Swelstad, the ReGenesis team can help patients from head-totoe. Their medical grade aesthetic services include HydroLuxx™ Facials, Microneedling, dermaplane and chemical peels. Laser services with ADVATx®, IPL and CO2 lasers to eliminate veins, sun spots, unwanted hair and resurface the skin. Their physicians also offer Botox® and fillers to help each client achieve their individualized goals and desired outcomes. The team continuously monitors products, treatments, procedures and technology in aesthetics and prides itself on bringing the latest to their patients — treatments that provide proven results, successful outcomes and age management. Kellan Williams, Certified Laser Specialist, emphasizes that “care and treatment at ReGenesis really is a team effort. The spa team has immediate access to our physicians to discuss
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when to customize a treatment or treatment plan for a patient’s long-term success and results.” The Spa at ReGenesis really excels when a custom treatment plan is created for a patient. The custom treatment plan establishes the patient’s goals and needs and is the roadmap for long-term success. For example, a patient that has undergone a facelift will see more taught skin and fewer wrinkles. But when Microneedling treatments are added, which cause the skin to produce collagen, the skin becomes healthier. Then, combined with ADVATx laser treatments to reduce dark spots, hyperpigmentation and pore size, the patient begins to see their skin come alive. Next, they bring the patient back for HydroLuxx™ facials that add moisture and radiance to their skin. Finally, the patient is given an at-home skin regimen with the spa’s own medical grade skin care products to complete the plan. This customized treatment plan provides full-circle care and long-term results. A Spa at ReGenesis patient recently thanked the team for her care. “You ladies are so amazing! You have helped me physically, mentally, and emotionally the past two years. Thank you all!” — C.V.
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