Colorado Rocky Mountain High

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Colorado’s Rocky Mountains

When I say “Colorado Rocky Mountain High” I’m not talking about their legalization of Marijuana. In fact when I thought about going to Colorado it was just because I haven’t been there yet! I have a co-worker who used to live in Colorado. She has only good things to say about the state but every time I say I might go and suggest a place she says ” Oh that’s a great place to visit but…it’s really hard to get there“. Now that we’re all stuck at home I’ve started thinking and planning for a vacation that might not happen but planning is almost as much fun as the trip itself . So lets talk about Colorado.

Colorado Weather

When I first started looking into a Colorado vacation I had to narrow down the time frame. I’m not a winter sports buff, unless I’m watching it on TV. Love downhill racing from my armchair. It’s a great Olympic sport. But I never learned to ski. Too many of my friends wrecked their knees skiing when I was growing up. Plus its cold. So I don’t think I want to go in the winter. Since it’s mountains snow can come early in the fall. I came close to getting stranded in Wyoming in October due to snow so looks like summer is my vacation of choice.

Steamboat Springs, Colorado

Next step was to decide which part of the state I wanted to visit. Colorado is a big state. I started out by checking availability for  my time share.  This was before the quarantines and travel bans so there wasn’t much to choose from. If I wanted to book now there are 62 resorts available throughout the state! But back when I first thought about Colorado there was Vail (too touristy), Telluride (Where Butch Cassidy robbed his first bank) or Steamboat Springs ( Big Ski Area). Except for Vail my friend said nice to all and tough to get to for all. No help with my choice.  But finally the hot spring in Steamboat Springs tipped the scale. So I’m booked into The Steamboat Grand Resort in August. Time to figure out what to do there in the summer. Just in case I really get to go. 

Taking Back my Condo

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Taking Back My Condo

I’ve been living with a cat for more years than I can count. Seems like forever. I bought this condo in Taunton in 2006 and moved in with 3 cats. Over the years one by one they have passed on but I made little effort to change anything since I still had cats until finally there was one.

Now that Rocky has passed away I decided to take back my condo. It’s harder than I thought. I’m attached to his cat trees. I expect to see him sitting there when I walk by. He would tap me with a paw whenever I was near. There are no more taps. I went into the bathroom to open the vanity and realized I could take the child safe lock off the door. Those Bar stools- they can be placed back by the breakfast bar. They don’t have to block closet doors any more.

Rocky’s Favorite Toy

I found Rocky’s favorite toy today. It was missing for about a week before I called the Vet for that fateful visit . I was going to send it to be cremated with him. He’s had it as long as I’ve had him. Seemed appropriate that it should go with him but I couldn’t find it. Its a little worse for wear but still intact. A 19 year old toy. Imagine that! I’m going to save it. Maybe I should have it bronzed. Do they still do that?

Shelters and Friends

Some of Rocky’s things have been shared with my friends. My neighbor’s cat “Moochie” was thrilled with a catnip kick toy I gave him today. I found a shelter to take some of the other toys and ceramic cat dishes. I didn’t realize how many I had. Although they may have accepted the cat trees they are just too heavy for me to move. I found a man with a truck to come pick those up. It’s so quiet and empty. I never knew a little cat could leave such a big hole!

 

The Hana Highway Finale

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 The Hana Highway Finale

As you know by now The Hana Highway aka The Road to Hana is a repeat adventure. I seem to end up taking that trip either by tour or by accident on every visit to Maui. When I got stuck on my rock on a one lane road I was looking for a beach on the Road to Hana that I had seen on a previous tour. We were nearing the end of this tour and I almost missed it. The tour bus drove right by. I blinked and tried to look quick as we shot past. Was it the same beach? I thought so but why weren’t we stopping? Time for the Hana Highway Finale.

Hana Highway Windsufers

We were well past the turn off when the tour bus finally pulled over. I had to ask. Was there a beach with lots of vendors behind us? The driver said yes but new ordinances prevent tour buses from stopping there now. It was such a popular stop that it just got too congested so the tour buses were banned. Violators received hefty fines.  When he saw the room on the road shoulder to pull over he did so we could watch the windsurfers. The last time I was here it was all about surfing but today it was windsurfers.

 

Windsurfing Competitions

Jeff, the driver, went on to tell us that large windsurfing contests were held here every year and these windsurfers were here to practice their moves. Sometimes they went far out and came racing back. Jeff said they were practicing their speed runs. More fun was watching them ride the waves like surfers with sails. They would be on a crest of a breaking wave and pull the sail over. This made them flip sometimes completely over. It was awesome when they were successful but there were far more failures. That’s when we watched the brightly colored sails splash into the water and the wave break over it. But like a phoenix the surfers got back up and tried again. This was a colorful wrap up to our daylong tour of the Hana Highway and back.

Hookipa Beach Park

I’m not sure but I think this is Hookipa Beach Park. Now I’ll need to return to Maui and the Hana Highway to confirm this for you. See how easy it is to convince me to go back! And you can see why I always end up on the Road to Hana- so much to see.

The Legend of Sweetheart Rock

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Sweetheart Rock , Lanai

We were on our way to spend the morning on Lanai. As we passed a large cliff we could see waves crashing on a smaller rock at its point. Small is a relative term because this little rock is actually 80 ft. tall! Named Puu Pehe in Hawaiian, Sweetheart Rock is s recognizable landmark even for tourists like me. Like so many of Hawaii’s landmarks, this one has a legend attached to it too. 

The Legend of Sweetheart Rock

Once upon a time a beautiful young princess from Maui was captured by a young warrior from Lanai. He was so taken with her looks that he made her his wife and brought her back to his home island of Lanai. But the warrior was so jealous of her beauty that he was afraid to let any other man see her. To keep her secluded he confined her to a sea cave near the rock.

One day while the warrior was away a huge storm came up with the sea pounding the rock and flooding the sea cave. Frantic the warrior rushed back to the cave but it was too late. His beloved bride had drowned. With the help of the gods the heartbroken young warrior retrieved her body and took it to the top of the steep rock island. There he made a tomb to lay her to rest. Then, overwhelmed with grief, the young man jumped off the top of the island to his death. 

Puu Pehe’s Tomb

Puu Pehe is located between  Manele Bay and Hulopoe Bay .  If you look closely you may see a small mound at the top of the rock that could be a tomb. We were too far out in the channel to see but I’m told its there. Archaeologists who have studied the sea stack say the only bones are those of sea birds.  The legend is romantic and tragic but don’t let that draw you into exploring the rock. The sides are steep and treacherous and the waters surrounding the island are filled with strong currents and swift waves. 

Good Bye My Rocky Rock Star

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The last Good Bye

My Rocky Rock Star crossed the Rainbow Bridge this morning at 11:15 am. I had a house call vet, Dr. Ross from Raynham, come to the house so Rocky could make the trip peacefully. It was the best decision ever. Rocky was asleep when she came in. He woke up and she petted him and talked to him. He seemed to like her and was very relaxed. She gave him the first shots right there in bed and he just went to sleep. She then gave him the last and final shot and his heart stopped. It was the most peaceful and gentle euthanasia I’ve ever experienced and I’ve had to do this for a number of my pets.  I will never have it done in a Vet’s office again!

Rocky

Rocky was a pretty amazing cat. Right from the first he was a fighter. Rocky was born feral and a neighbor’s young son found him when he was a tiny kitten. I saw the son throwing something up in the air and catching it like a ball. As I watched I realized it was a tiny animal. I went racing outside to intervene and the kid threw the creature into a shopping cart. It was so tiny it fell through the grid to the ground. The tiny creature stood up, shook his head and meowed. Then it did that wobbly kitty walk right up to me. That was my introduction to Rocky.

Named after Rocky Balboa

Rocky isn’t much of a cat name. But I had to think on my feet. When I took the little scruff of fur to the vet to get checked out he wouldn’t treat him until I named him. All I could think of was the scene from the Rocky movie where poor beat up Rocky is calling for Adrienne. That’s what it felt like the kitten had done when he came to me after falling out of the shopping cart so Rocky he became. 

My Rocky Rock Star

Even as a tiny kitten Rocky knew his name and came to me when called. That was good because he got himself in some pretty crazy predicaments. If he couldn’t  get to me he would meow so I was always able to find him. Rocky was good with other cats and until fairly recently he was always in a multi-cat household. He would play fetch, walk on a leash, ride in a baby carriage and greet me at the door when I came home. And boy if I was late or when I’d been away I’d hear about it. He had a very loud meow to scold me with. 

When I had my hip replaced Rocky never left me. My Pet Sitter would come in to feed him and take care of him while I was immobile. She’d always say “Where is my little man” and I’d point to my lap. He was my buddy until the end. 

It was time

Although medicine helped Rocky along, he actually died of Chronic Renal Failure. Not uncommon in senior cats. He was in pain and on fluids. He was barely eating and drinking. It just wasn’t a good quality of life. He deserved so much more. It was time to let him go. I will miss you my Rocky-poo. You will always be my Rocky Rock Star.