Check it out! Canyon traffic snarled after slide

Yesterday my coworker and I went to run some errands in Grand Junction. This happened either as we were shopping, or just after we left the area. We saw road construction as we were leaving, but it could have been form this...

http://www.kjct8.com/global/story.asp?s=11384047

The Heart of Hunting

It has been a very interesting time learning little bits about the hunting traditions of hundreds of people that come out to this area to hunt Elk and Deer. The hunting seasons run about 1 to 2 weeks at a time and have about 2-4 days between them. We are starting season 2 on Sat. Today was the last day of season 1. So we have hunters coming in form their mountain camps and people heading out to set up their camps. So town will full and so will the cafe and hotel. We at the hotel have noticed the difference in bookings due to the economy...but its all coming around. Hunting season ends on November 15.

I have met a lot of people from Wisconsin, Alabama, Louisiana, Washington state, Washington DC, Georgia and Michigan. The photos below are of men from MI.... the one on the left from Grand Rapid and the one on the right from the UP.

Unlike WI where you wear your license on your back and in MN where you have to register your kill at a station... they don't do that here. I find that odd. I have been told that people will go back out and use the tag again for another kill as long as they don't get caught... You have to have the tag go to the processor but not everyone has their meat processed. the local "DNR" may call your party to see what you took, but there is noting official... IF I am wrong, I would like to hear more but this is what I am told.

Now, the photos may be kinda "gross" to many...but this is hunting at its finest and proudest moments. Just look at the size of these things! I saw them taking photos out front of the hotel and I grabbed my camera too.

A Walk in the Park

Today we took Bonita and Freida to the local park on the White River. We had a picnic and went for a walk up the hill side. Its was a beautiful 70 degree day here in Meeker.
This above is the path up the hill to the left in the photo.

There is snow up on the tops of some of the mountains way off in the distance. Denver is getting snow and cold, but we have missed it for the most part... It wont be long I am sure!

Fly fishing. Bonita and Freida want to help

The water moves in different directions... so beautiful.

The "south side" of Meeker

Views as we go up the hillside

The color of the river is teal in places... so beautiful!

Looking back down the path.

From the top of the hill

Bonita has lost a lot of weight being here. She goes up and down the steps 4-6 times a day.

Freida charms all the guests she meets!

They love Colorado!

Ghost Stories...

We are asked all the time if the Hotel is haunted... Yes... it is.

We know we have a cowboy who has been known to put a log on the fire at night. We have an old woman who cooks in the kitchen of the Cafe as well... sometimes you can smell rice cooking in there. We also have a little blond girl.

The ghost stories I have heard are all of helpful things like them moving furniture to help the maids, taking the arm of a woman walking down the steps, and like I mentioned- being seen putting a log on the fire at night.

Lat week one night Phil heard someone knocking on our apartment door... No one in the hotel... and the door was open in the morning.

This Saturday, I had a moment that made my heart skip a beat. This photo below is our laundry shoot.

This is how it has looked since I started here with the top up. Friday night I went to bed... and when I got up... This is what the laundry shoot looked like... not just that it could have fallen shut...


This latch was closed all the way and the circle part was turned so it was locked!

I choose to believe that the Cowboy looks out for the place and he did this because it should be shut to keep in the heat as the laundry room is very cold down there.

Our Apartment

These are the steps coming up to the rooms of the hotel.

This is room 16. The Theodore Roosevelt Suite. He stayed at the Meeker Hotel in 1901 while mountain lion hunting. Very Cool!

This is our home. Number 11!
Our living room back to front windows to main street

couldn't get rid of the extra photo... sorry
From the book shelf to the windows. The front door is to the right of the TV. The room is about 15X15. Behind the brown chair yo see is the door to the dining room.

The dining room. It is an awesome feeling having "our things" around us. It was kinda like Christmas going through the boxes and unpacking.

The beautiful windows...nice view too!

That is the kitchen. Small but very functional. Lots of cupboard space! I was surprised that all our kitchen stuff fit in there!

We also have a nice sized bedroom and a small bathroom. We have a closet and a stairway to main street so we don't have to go through the hotel to take the dogs out at night.

Main Street and around

Main Street! I love little town main streets! Next door is the old Drug Store... its a beautiful gift shop!
Nest door to us is a video store and another gift shop with a coffe shop! A Radio shack, VFW and bakery across the street on that block.

This view is from the big balcony out front of the hotel. This is to the right- its the elementry school. I hear that this is the last year for the school and the county wants to tear it down and build a justice center.... many people not thrilled about this.This view is to the left and across the street. The first place is a framing shop, the next is a floral shop with coffees too, next is a little "mall" that has a sap, hair salon, second hand store, and more. I don't remember the brown building, but the brick building on the far right is our post office. It kinda reminds me of living in Lindstrom in my old little apartment above my old massage business when Phil and I started dating. Its like we are in a bit of a valley with the mountains around us... maybe big hills, I am not sure. But we are near the BIG mountains and its SO beautiful!!This is straight across the street form us. It is the city court house. They have stations that have poopie bags for the dogs. Its a beautiful place to walk the dogs. This is out back of the hotel. Its Hwy 13. Other businesses along this road. Its the road in and out of Meeker.

The Meeker Cafe

It has been fun to come and start changes in the Cafe. Phil is so happy in the kitchen. We have a wonderful kitchen manager and a good staff that are open to change. We have changed the opening time from 7 to 6a.m. Phil also developed a dinner menu and we started that two weekends ago. This week marks the start of rifle season... so for the next 8 weeks we should be crazy busy. Phil doesn't cook every day, so he is also busy doing maintenance on the building. I love this funky old sign!
Neat old counter and these stools

This is the main area of the cafe. The kitchen is behind me. This is the "dining room" off the cafe. I am standing up on the higher level, near the bar.

The bar is on the right, cafe main room straight ahead, and more boots and the hall to the bathroom to the left. I will get better photos soon.

Things to do with Antlers

Our T-shirts

The Hotel Lobby

When you enter the front door , this is what you see. That is our office behind the desk. This is to your left... beautiful etched glass on a half wall separating the lobby into two parts. I call the main part you walk into "the lobby" and the second, larger part "the great room"

This is my view from the desk
This guy.... well, you can read below...
Amazingly BIG!

The big 3 elk. People come in each day just to see them and take photos. This is the Elk Hunting Must Stop place.

Next to the desk going into the "great room" The "Great Room". That is the door to the Cafe as well. The steps to the hotel rooms.

The fire stove

A 34 point buck! (This is for Sassy Lou and B!)

This is a long hallway that goes to the laundry room... there are 4 rooms, a guest laundry room and more storage. This place is HUGE!

A Mountain Lion in the hallway.