Honestly? I almost didn’t tell you about this one, because I wanted to keep it all for myself.
Welcome to Love-a-Llama Lodge, an 6-acre Airbnb dream in Clark, Colorado where guests can interact with and feed llamas.
According to the lodge description, there is even more fun to be had at Love-a-Llama Lodge: “…horseshoes; a fire circle, bench and glider swings, hammock in the trees, picnic tables and shelters, and a Weber BBQ grill. There’s also a short trail through our lovely aspen grove, and a rustic campsite ‘back in the trees’ with a table and chairs and tents to play or nap in, as well as a fire pit for an old-fashioned hot dog roast (we’ll provide the sticks!).”
But back to the llamas. According to Out There Colorado: “Currently, there are 7 llamas on the ranch. The place is also stylishly decked out in llama decor…”
You know where to find me this weekend while I’m studying up on Clark, Colorado.
Did you know that the City of Fort Collins offers tours of its public utilities? These free “Power Trip Bus Tours” visit Rawhide Energy Station (pictured), local energy sub-stations and more, all with the hopes of introducing the public to the different ways that electricity and water are generated and distributed through the city.
Fort Collins is also interested in how its citizens conserve energy, and provides a list of residential conservation programs for energy and water. According to the city, these programs saved over 200 million kilowatt-hours in 2019, enough electricity to power over 22,000 homes for an entire year — and they can save you a good deal of money at the same time.
Energy Conservation Programs
Efficiency Works Store: Get instant rebates on efficiency products at rebates.eworksstore.com
Efficiency Works – Home: Reduce costs and increase the comfort of your home with efficiency upgrades. Utilities customers can take advantage of a $60 efficiency audit (normally $600). fcgov.com/home-efficiency
Epic Loan: Competitive interest rates and no-money-down financing for up to 15 years on solar and water and energy efficiency projects. fcgov.com/financing
Refrigerator and Freezer Recycling (Efficiency Works): Recycle your old refrigerator or freezer and receive a $35 check and get it hauled away for free. fcgov.com/rfr
Clothes Washer Rebates (Efficiency Works): Purchase an ENERGY STAR-qualified clothes washer and receive a $50 bill credit. fcgov.com/washers
Green Energy Program: Purchase Green-e Energy certified renewable energy for an additional 2.65 cents per kilowatt-hour on top of your normal utility bill. fcgov.com/green-energy/
Solar Rebates: Install a solar PV system and receive up to $1,500 cash back. fcgov.com/solar
Water Conservation Programs
Sprinkler System Audits and Rebates: Get a free sprinkler system audit and equipment rebates. fcgov.com/sprinkler-audits
Xeriscape Incentive Program: Receive rebates to create a healthy, attractive landscape that conserves water and receive a rebate up to $750. fcgov.com/xip
Toilet Rebates: Receive a rebate when you buy a 1.1 gallons per flush or less toilet and recycle your old one. fcgov.com/toilet
Thank you to the City of Fort Collins for providing this information on a recent Power Trip Bus Tour, and for encouraging citizens to save money and resources through conservation!
Today I stumbled on a link I had to share with you: the Cache le Poudre River National Heritage Area video archive. If you are curious about the cities along the Poudre River (specifically Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor and Greeley), these 30+ videos create a wonderful way to learn about the area without ever leaving home.
The moment that school begins, everyone’s calendars seem to flip to autumn. Fall technically arrives on September 23rd, and here are a few upcoming events that have clued me in that Colorado is ready:
Fort Collins Water Lantern Festival. (Sept 21) Picture a clear night and a beautiful lake covered with glowing lanterns. Doesn’t that scene beg for knitted scarves and tall boots?
Rocky Mountain Chocolate Festival. (Sept 21) Maybe it’s just me, but a chocolate festival sounds like a definite fall outing. Aurora hosts a chocolate fest as well; their “Choctoberfest” takes place on Oct 12.
Apple Juicing Day. (Sept 21) From the event page: “Community members are encouraged to bring their own backyard apples (fresh only, no groundfall) to press in Scrumpy’s large mobile juicing trailer. The apples are pressed, pasteurized, and packaged before guests’ eyes.” Yum!
Fall Equinox Marathon. (Sept 22) It’s right in the name! Equinox holds races twice a year, and their fall event is coming up quickly. Not up for a full marathon? This race through the canyon also includes half-marathon and 5k options.
Lore Podcast Live. (Oct 11) This podcast is a personal obsession of mine. Because it “exposes the dark side of history” through creepy true-to-life stories, it definitely belongs to autumn.
Loveland Zombie Crawl. (Oct 19) It’s just what it sounds like: put on your best zombie makeup and prowl Loveland. It’s spooky, but it’s a family-friendly event!
One day it’s music festivals and outdoor yoga, then all of a sudden it’s Pumpkin Spice Latte season! Which autumn events are you looking forward to most? Check back soon for a Halloween-specific event roundup!
In this blog I have highlighted local yoga, food, events and more — but the arts can be an important factor in choosing a city or a neighborhood as well!
I love this video Colorado Field Guide video about the Colorado Creative Corridor. The video tour highlights five iconic western Colorado cities: Carbondale, Paonia, Crested Butte, Ridgway and Salida, quickly showcasing the arts and creativity in each one.
The Colorado Tourism Office has even designed a special map to help you visit all five of these rural destinations as part of a single culture-packed trip. Their trail is 331 miles long and offers “a collective experience of unique event programming and activities alongside mountain-town eclecticism, majestic vistas and outdoor recreation, and authentic Colorado mountain culture.” You can download their map and brochure for free right here. Road trip, anyone?
Red Rocks Amphitheater. Garden of the Gods. Yampa River Botanic Park.
These places all conjure up images of gorgeous landscapes under bright Colorado skies — which makes them wonderful places to do yoga! I am loving this article from UCHealth, “Outdoor yoga: Top spots from Red Rocks to your park or county fair,” which includes yoga spots I’ve never heard of (Dragonfly Paddle Yoga) as well as bilingual yoga (Denver Botanic Gardens) and — a bucket list item for me — goat yoga (Boulder County Fair).
With the school year right around the corner, I’m going to need fun new ways to unwind. Where are some of your favorite spots for an outdoor tree pose?
Did you know that all Colorado State Parks celebrate Military Appreciation Month in August? Here is how you can take advantage of the parks’ free admission this month (details and image courtesy of Lory State Park):
Stop by any Colorado Parks and wildlife locations show one of the following: CAC Card DD Form 2 (reserve / retired) DD Form 2765 DD Form 214 Colorado drivers license with Veteran identifier Military personnel receive a state park annual valid for the month of August.
By the way: veterans and active duty military, are you looking to relocate? I am a certified military residential specialist; reach out if I can be of help, and thank you for your service!
Here’s an interesting development to keep an eye on: Montava! I can’t help but be intrigued by all of these examples of “New Urbanism” that I see popping up. New Urbanism focuses on walkable neighborhoods, diverse types of housing, and environmentally-friendly design. (Read my blog about Longmont’s Prospect New Town for another example of New Urbanism.)
Montava is located in Fort Collins, just north of Mountain Vista (near Budweiser). It calls itself an “Agri-Urban community,” saying, “There is a rich history of agriculture in Fort Collins. We are embracing this history by integrating true urban farming into the DNA of Montava. By setting aside land that can be used to grow a wide variety of produce, we can foster people’s connection with their food at this most basic level. With our partners at Native Hill Farm, Montava will become a sustaining influence for generations.”
I can’t get enough of this 303 Magazine article about the different food halls in Colorado!
Missed the food hall trend? 303 explains:
“The food hall is definitely not a new concept, food and market halls have been around for centuries… [Food halls] have been hubs to house butchers, cheesemongers, bakers, makers and farmers to sell their goods under one roof, usually downtown, for workers and tourists to have a central location to grab lunch and also groceries to take home.”
“Rist Canyon Mountain Festival is the annual fundraiser for the Rist Canyon Volunteer Fire Department. This one-day event features live entertainment, silent auction, book & plant sales, kid’s activities, free admission, free parking, free ice cream and so much more!”
Be honest: when’s the last time you had a chance to soak a firefighter in a dunk tank? And for a good cause, of course — the RCVFD operates 100% by donations and funds raised at their annual festival.
Visit the festival’s Facebook page for photos from last year’s event. Who can say no to goats, games and helicopters?
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