2026 Cripple Creek Ice Festival

 

Song:  Long Train Runnin'

Artists:  The Dobbie Brothers

I went to...

the 2026 Cripple Creek Ice Festival...

at about noon today.

The day was clear and at just a handful of degrees below freezing...

and with but a light wind...

 it was just a perfect day.

I was just expecting a very small venue...

with but a handful of ice sculptures...

and just a couple of street vendors.

However...

I was pleasantly surprised once I got there.

On my way down my mountain towards the main road to the nearby town of Cripple Creek.

I was just down the road from home here.

Still just a short ways from home...

and going down my mountain here.

I was not even halfway down my mountain here.

I was not too far from the main road here.

I was just moments away from the main road.

 I first dropped off my trash at the community center...

and I then went up the main road to Cripple Creek...

which from the main road...

was just four miles away.

I was about halfway to Cripple Creek here.

I parked on an adjacent street and first walked down one part of the main street...

and I then turned around and walked past my entrance point and continued on up

the longer section where most of the vendors and food trucks were.

The ice carvers were still busy working on their ice sculptures.

Judging will take place tomorrow. 

Part way up the street...

they had this free warm up tent...

which had heaters and seats and tables.

The Two Mile High Club had taken a few of the Cripple Creek Donkeys

and set up a petting area for the festival.

The donkeys were very gentle and cute.

I will be visiting them in their winter pasture sometime later.

Almost 20 of them live there in Winter...

and near summer...

they are released in Cripple Creek to freely wander the mountains.

The head lady of this club (I am a member)...

is highly organized and ensures the donkeys are well looked after.

I had come across this Vietnamese food vendor.

She had a very happy disposition...

and I could tell she loved what she did.

I love seeing this in people.

She took pride in her craft...

and in spreading her culture.

But...

it was only after I had spoken to the Vietnamese lady cooking the food

that I decided to try her noodle with chicken and shrimp dish.

I could tell that she had spent a large portion of her life in Vietnam

by her hesitant English and native accent.

I was glad...

for I then knew that her food would be authentic...

and as it would turn out to be...

 so delicious.

It turns out that she is a part time chef at the below restaurant and boutique.

She only cooks from Thursday through Sunday...

and from about noon to four PM.

She only cooks about four dishes on a particular day...

and then switches the dishes every so often...

perhaps by day or by week.

She sometimes cooks Pho...

or a variety of noodle and rice dishes.

But...

so far...

no Banh Mi.

However...

I will be stopping in every so often to eat her delicious food...

and I will pester her to make Banh Mi part of her normal menu items

(I love Banh Mi).

This was their inside seating area.

This lady knows how to cook.

Her sauces and spices were so well balanced with the acidic ingredients.

The pickled veggies added so much to the dish...

as they had just the right amount of vinegar...

so their fresh taste and crunchiness added zest.

Her chicken and shrimp noodle dish was so flavorful.

I felt so happy that I now have some very nearby Vietnamese food...

of which is but a short and pleasant country drive away (15 minutes from home).

I can hardly wait to try her Pho.

I also got a root beer float...

which was also very good.

The lady who owns the boutique...

also cooks Southern Comfort food as part of the menu.

I will also try some of her cooking as well.

I was almost out of the town of Cripple Creek in this photo

(to the left is where the Cripple Creek Donkeys' Winter grazing home is...

and to the right, the road intersects the main road leading back home).

The day was just so perfect...

 I played the above included song all the way home...

as it just matched the buoyant and happy mood I was in...

and yes...

I sang this song all the way home...

with the windows open and with the wind in my hair...

and with my head and body bouncing to the lively rhythm guitar.

I felt so good...

a belly filled with delicious food...

and with the crisp and cold Winter air flowing throughout the car.

This is part of my view from my loft computer station.

Life is just so good here.

_____________

I have some work ahead of me.

But...

I will have to wait for the weather to warm before I can do any outside work.

A few days ago...

high winds ripped up some of my tacked down deck carpeting.

Some of the staples had not held...

and so...

I ordered some much longer and sturdier carpet tacks

so I may hammer them in at selected parts of the deck carpeting.

A few days ago...

the snow was blowing sideways...

and the highway from Divide to Woodland Park...

and from Woodland Park to Colorado Springs was closed for a short while...

as ice had formed on certain downhill sections which led to 

multiple car pile ups.

Whenever the roads get icy...

I just stay home.

It is a rare event though...

as the snow usually just compacts.

But...

when it snows...

and then the sun melts it...

and then the temperature suddenly drops soon afterwards...

that is when the roads can get icy.

But...

life is all good here at home.

If I had to...

I could easily stay at home without ever having to go food shopping

for a couple of years if forced to by any emergency.

I have hundreds of pounds of stored dry foods and frozen meats and such...

as well as dehydrated veggies and sprout seeds...

so I could ride out any emergency...

and do so in complete comfort and safety.

12 String Guitar Maintenance Day

 

BGM

YouTube Channel:  Deep Emotional Music

I had received my guitar string changing equipment a few days ago...

but I had to await the arrival of my fretboard wax and strings

(I had snapped a string on my 12 string guitar last week).

I had found the black string winder to be cheap...

and it frequently bound up when I was winding the keys as I tightened the strings...

so...

...I just ordered this ball bearing string winder as changing strings is frustrating 

enough without having the winder bind on you

(I feel for harp players...

changing strings must really be a pain  :)

I had received my fretboard wax...

and so...

I decided to do the preliminary work on the guitar while I awaited

my strings.

I first loosened the stings before I cut them...

as I didn't want to have a string snap out and hit me in the face.

The bridge pin puller worked very well.

After removing all of the strings...

I waxed the fretboard.

I then put my guitar away until my strings arrived.

Today...

I made roast beef and stuffing for supper...

...and then drove down the mountain to pick up my mail

(my 12 string guitar strings had arrived).

Here they are.

I got busy putting on the new strings.

Although the guitar has been restrung...

I will wait a full day before playing it...

as the stings will stretch out of tune too easily.

I will just pre-stretch them for a day before I even attempt to tune...

and then...

play it.

-------

In a couple of days...

I will be going to the Cripple Creek Ice Festival.

I just hope that it isn't too small.

I will take photos of it this Saturday evening.

Ubin Sushi

 

Song:  Gymnopedie No. 1

Original Composer:  Erik Satie

Bandi is out of the danger zone...

as the canine toxic residuals of chocolate would have all been completely excreted

by now.

And, she had no signs of acute toxicity in the first place...

other than having vomited out all of the chocolate soon after ingestion...

thereby preventing absorption by her system.

I took her on a long car drive yesterday...

and all is fine with her.

I felt a minor celebration was in order...

and so...

I went to a new all you can eat Sushi/Hibachi/Korean BBQ in Colorado Springs.

Their presentation was excellent.

The vaporizing dry ice was a very classy touch.

I had a roll and appetizers to start with.

Takoyaki and tempura mushrooms came out as appetizers.

Then with the Nigiri sushi...

I also got tempura squash and some kind of hibachi meat

(I forgot what it was  :)

And I also got Yakisoba and Bulgogi as extra side dishes...

as well as a bowl of steamed rice.

I must say...

their service was excellent...

as was their presentation...

and their food was good...

and the varied selection very extensive...

and all at a very reasonable price.

They also gave a little gift to each customer as part of their grand opening.

I then drove back home fully satisfied.

-----------

Tomorrow...

there is expected to be a major wind storm with snow...

and the following day...

more snow.

And then...

blue skies for multiple days following.

I am also expecting my fretboard wax for my guitars tomorrow.

I received the other products for my 12 string...

and other guitars...

but as I must have the guitar unstrung to apply the fretboard wax...

I am awaiting the wax before I can restring the 12 string.

----------

Bandi is happily asleep right now.

She is so funny.

For the past few days...

whenever I take her to her forest bathroom area...

she goes to a specific area where some other creatures had tread 

"her" forest area to use the bathroom...

and so...

she guides me to the same spot so she can sniff around...

and then scout her surroundings for more signs of the intruder.

Bandi's sweet nature makes my house a true home.

Poor Bandi

 

Song:  To Zanarkand

Music of:  FF X

Poor Bandi...

I took her to the vet today because she had ingested some chocolate.

I had stored the chocolate in the pantry...

 and I usually keep the pantry door closed...

however, I must have forgotten to close the door...

for I had found dark colored vomit on my bedroom floor

(I have since moved the chocolate to a high shelf...

out of her reach even if she could access the pantry.

Yes...I should have thought of that from the beginning).

At first it didn't make sense...

then I found an empty chocolate bag on the floor behind my bed

(There wasn't all that much chocolate in the bag from the beginning).

Bandi ended up vomiting a total of 10 times before I got her to the vet...

but...

she was otherwise unaffected.

She was neither hyperactive...

nor was she lethargic.

Even on the way to the vet in Colorado Springs...

she hung outside the car window as normal...

alert and happy.

Bandi at the vet.

She was alert and affectionate.

All of her vitals were good...

and the vet administered some fluids, electrolytes, and some medication...

and I then took her home

(approximately $435 in treatment costs...which I gladly paid).

It is good she has a sensitive stomach...

as she will throw up if she eats too much popcorn...

and this time...

it saved her from a toxic amount of chocolate.

She had no symptoms of poisoning...

other than vomiting...

(which the doctor surmised was gastroenteritis or pancreatitis...

from the light toxic reaction to the chocolate)...

and drinking a lot of water...and peeing a lot.

I was advised to keep an eye on her over the next few days.

I think she had thrown up soon after eating the chocolate...

thereby preventing much of the toxic chemicals in the chocolate

from being absorbed (and so...the dark colored vomit).

Cheyenne Mountain on our way home from Colorado Springs.

It is now 9 pm and Bandi has been fine.

She will fast until tomorrow.

She is sleeping comfortably...

and has not vomited since coming back home.

She seems normal now...

but I will be staying home with her over the next few days anyways.

The Cripple Creek Ice Festival will be open next weekend as well...

and that is when I will go.

--------

I was in no way upset with Bandi.

Her whole job in life is to be explorative and childlike in innocence...

fun loving and affectionate...

and guarding home. 

I am like her parent...

I am supposed to prevent the preventable.

So...

no shame on Bandi...

but shame on me.

I am just so glad that my lack of forethought had not led to Bandi becoming seriously ill.

A BBQ Quandary

 

Song:  Gonna Make You Sweat

Group:  C&C Music Factory

I had awakened this morning with a mad craving for Texas BBQ...

and so...off I went.

I played the above song on the way to Rudy's Country Store...

to eat some Texas BBQ...

as I was jazzed in anticipation of a mouth watering meal

(I love Texas BBQ).

It is right near the border between Manitou Springs...

and Colorado Springs...

on the Colorado Springs side.

I had just pulled on to the road from my driveway and rounded the first corner...

as I headed down my mountain.

You can see the mountains of the Continental Divide in the background.

I was in Woodland Park headed to Colorado Springs.

I had never been here before...

but I see it every time I go to Colorado Springs.

It was still late morning...

so...

I beat the lunch rush and crowd.

I had ordered the holy trinity of BBQ sandwiches....

Smoked Sausage...

Beef Brisket...

and Pulled Pork.

I liked that they have the BBQ sauce at each table

(I don't know if their misspelling was on purpose).

What I really liked is that they pile on the meat on each sandwich.

I did the same for each sandwich...

I loaded on the BBQ sauce...

and then I put on some cut onions.

Each of their slow cooked smoked meats had a rich smokey flavor...

and were juicy and very flavorful.

They had buttered and lightly grilled each bun half...

a very nice touch.

My quandary lies in my choice between two different BBQ places...

this one...

and the main one in Woodland Park.

It has been a year since I had visited the one in Woodland Park.

But...

I don't remember how their BBQ tasted...

and so...

I simply must go back soon to see which one will be my favorite  :)

I was also very surprised at how relatively inexpensive this BBQ place was.

It is priced at levels I haven't seen for decades...

especially with the quantity given...

and the quality of the meats.

Heading back home

(I saved a little of one of my sandwiches for Bandi to taste).

Leaving Woodland Park towards home.

On my way to my South turnoff towards home.

------------

Bandi and I are still comfortably tired from yesterday's short trike ride.

Tomorrow evening...

I will be heading into the nearby town of Cripple Creek 

to see their small Ice Festival.

And to...

hopefully...

eat some delicious food there.