Showing posts with label fraser river. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fraser river. Show all posts

Monday, May 23, 2011

Fraser (Colorado) Writer's Group

Every Monday we meet at the Fraser Library. We socialize, we read our stories, try to stay on task, we talk about writing, and then we part.


Today we had a special guest, Kirk Klanke. Kirk came to the writer’s group to talk about the Moffat Firming project and the Fraser River. He came to ask us to write letters to the Wildlife Commission and ask them for a state position on the Moffat Firming and Windy Gap projects that will require mitigation that will offset the true impacts of taking the high flows from the Fraser River. He asked us to share our experiences with the declining health of the Fraser River and send a letter to Colorado Wildlife Commission.


Our Group: from the left: Linda, Howard, Jean, Kirk, Barbara, Gracie, Fran (not pictured) Judy.
I asked him specifically what wildlife is most endangered by these projects. He said trout. But he also said the riparian zones around the Fraser River supports 90% of the wildlife including moose and bird life.

I love that Kirk came to our writer’s group to help us write letters. Last year, his wife, Marianne came to our group as well to help us write letters and to encourage us to spread the word about letter writing campaigns to fight Fraser River diversion projects. Marianne passed away a few months ago and she was a true supporter of saving the Fraser River.

After Kirk left the group, we read our writing. Jean read her outdoor fiction story about her son in the woods during a full moon. Linda read a chapter in her book about women firefighters. Joan wrote about a neighbor friend who helped her care for her children. Gracie read about her first job in Tennessee and how once she was promoted to a better job, the laughter stopped. Judy wrote about an elderly woman who was taken advantage of by a male companion. Howard showed a drawing he did of a man in the mountain off I-70. Barbara wrote a story about wine.

What a great bunch of men and woman who love to write and read. The average age of most members is about 70 so I’m one of the youngest. If you are a writer and would love to read your work, please come. Every Monday at 10:00 at the Fraser Library. We would love to have you.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Ice Skating, Hockey, and a Winter Place

When you grow up in an outdoor place, snow and ice sports are your existence in winter. I grew up in Plattsburgh, New York, just miles from the Canada border. Some call it “upstate”, some call it “the north country”. I love all those names.

I remember snow storms that never ended, playing in snowplowed snow piles, and ice skating. We weren’t a skiing family, in winter we sledded and ice skated.


When I got older I took ice skating lessons at SUNY Plattsburgh's ice rink. I learned how to do figure eights on one skate, how to do a sit spin, and other fancy tricks. I even had a cute little ice skating skirt.

It's a good place to be from; a good place to remember.

FVHA Youth Practice

I’ve always wanted to get back to ice skating and wanted to learn how to play hockey. I just may be able to now that the Fraser Rec Center completed their rink.

The ice rink opened in December 2010.

At the Fraser Valley Sports Complex in Fraser, Colorado there is a 40 acre park just a mile outside of downtown Fraser on county road 5. The ice rink is partially enclosed and it’s NHL sized. I think I might just start skating again.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Cross Country Skiing Adventure in the Fraser Valley

I've started cross country skiing again this week as active recovery from Ironman Arizona. I’ve been skiing at lunch on the Fraser River Trail increasing time each trip. It is such a beautiful trail with Winter Park Resort’s slopes in the distance and then coming back to the Fraser Visitor Center, I see Byers. The first day out was a sunny, bluebird day, then yesterday I missed the sunshine window and when I got out on the trail, in came the clouds and impending storm. However, I took some good pictures of the Fraser River and the dark foreboding clouds.



While I enjoyed the climate in Arizona last week (it was like a Grand County summer in Tempe), I’m glad to be home and getting out on the trails filled with snow. Since I’m still in recovery mode, no running and don’t have any desire to get back on my bike for indoor riding. I think I’ll stick to skiing (downhill and cross country) and hiking with the dogs.