The "four muskateers" looking down
on Ouray. FOUR? something is wrong.
A pair of ghostly cowboys, high on their
mounts, came galloping across an unknown
desert, causing dust to rise into the blazing
orange sky. I could not make out the features
on their faces or the fabric of their attire.
Whether it was the sun setting in my line
of vision or the fact they did not wish to
be seen, I cannot say - but the outline of
the dark bodies showed strength. One of the cowboys stopped about 15 yards
from me while the other slowed his horse
to a walk and approached me. His stallion
snorting and kicking dust. He began to speak: "Listen bairn. thaur waur those in thes
coontry, lang efter th' beginnin' ay th'
present century, fa believed 'at ye woods
come against th' will ay mony. tae thes Ah
ask 'at ye place thes slip ay rowan cabre
oan yer bodie tae dispel glamoor an' tam
aw th' powers ay sorcery an' witchcraft". The dark cowboy lowered himself over and
handed me a slip of rowan tied with a red
ribbon. Ye hae bin tauld afair 'at naethin' happens
by chance. Ah am haur tae assure 'at ye kin
thes. ye an' yer companions ur haur tae sit
freedom oan fire. roth is tois days awa'
- fur th' circle ay th' moon will be foo.
ye main begin yer joorney ower red ben pass
oan roth. dae ye kin? I nodded like I
My dream quickly
descended into a nightmare
understood Upon reachin' Silverton, ye will search fur
a wooden cabin wi'
a peeled willow-wain placed
athwart a half-open
duir. ignair tradition
an' enter thes duir.
the owner has seen thee
wee bits ay tea stems
floatin' in a cuppa,
he is expectin' ye.
He turned his horse
and glanced back at me
one time and said,
"Keep a stoot heart
tae a stey brae,
Keep a stoot heart tae a
stey brae" My dream continued and quickly sank into
a flat out nightmare.
None of it made much
sense - just a jumble
of images and sounds
that although were
unfamiliar to me,
terrified
me. I awoke from my dream to the sounds of birds
chirping in the early
dawn and a sunbeam
just beginning to
shine through my
window.
I laid in bed and
went over my dream.
All
my dreams eventually
mean something, I
had
learned, so what
does this mean? I
wrote
down everything I
could remember in
my "Freaky
Dreams and Visions"
section of my diary. I did not want to worry Henry and Ailsa
Henry at the
Ridgway Railroad Museum
over a silly dream, so at breakfast I just
mentioned that it would be kewl to get to
Silverton as soon as possible to ride the
Narrow Gauge Railroad to Durango. I knew
Henry was a big train buff and just planting
the seed of riding the historic train would
get him moving. We decided it would be best to rent a four
wheel drive before leaving Ridgway, so I
headed out looking for a jeep rental (I am
the hostess with the mostess, dontja know)
while Ailsa and Henry checked out the Ridgway Rail Road Museum which is the home of the Galloping Goose, the D&RGW Caboose 0575, and many more relics showcasing the importance
of railroads in taming
the rugged San Juans. I was just finishing up renting us a jeep
when my cell phone
played, "Red
Neck
Girl" letting
me know that Mela
was
calling. "Hello?"
Whatsja doing Tor?"
"MELA...Woo
Hoo, I am so glad
to hear
from you...how is
France?" Tory, listen to me. Look around...do you
see a black Ford
Bronco with New Mexico
plates
anywhere?" What's going on..... Just look around. Do you see one?"
YES...I do, it is
across the street.
I think
it has New Mexico
plates. Look behind you, do you see a man with a
cowboy
Tory's new
favorite jewelry store.
hat following you?" OMGAWD...HE IS THERE, MELA...... Do you know where the Fly and Raft Shop is?"
"I think so" Go there, buy a hook by Montana Fly Company
and ask the clerk
if he has the matching
earring" Hurry!"I'll call you in a bit. I hurried to the Fly Shop and found the hooks,
put one on my left ear and went up to a cute
check out boy who was a bit startled by me
being an Avatar; not to mention the wings
and halo..OH YEAH ...and the hook piercing
my left ear lobe. "Excuse me, sir", I asked. He smiled
and came over. "Yes
maam", he had
a slight Texas drawl.
"Uhmmm, do you
have the matching
earring for this
earring",
I asked him a bit
embarassed as I pointed
to the hook hanging
in my left ear. "Excuse
me maam", the
cute clerk looked
puzzled.
Earrings...you know...for my ears...do you
have the other one that matches this Montana
Hook", I softly tugged on the hook as
I tried again. "No maam, I don't think we sell any
jewelry, least not any fishing hook earrings,
but it is a good idea", the cute clerk
tried to ease the tension. I heard a stifled
laugh and then a snort and a bigger laugh.
I turned around and saw...MELA.....laughing
her a$$ off near the fishing reels; with
Ailsa and Henry lurking around the shelf
of gummy worms (not the yummy kind) - both
laughing almost as hard as Mela. WTF?
The Little
Switzerland of America - Ouray,
Colorado
I was so glad to see Mela and quickly discovered
that Ailsa and Henry had been working on
getting her to Ridgway from France in time
to go on our vacation as a thank you for
me bringing them out to Colorado. I was so
happy and moved by the kind gesture I could
barely speak. We all climbed into the jeep and headed south
following the Uncompahgre River to Ouray
(pronounced you-ray). Situated in a river valley at 7,700 ft.
in the heart of the
Rocky Mountains lies
the spectacular mountain
town of Ouray, known
as the Switzerland
of America. Ouray officially began in 1876 with the eager
stroke of the prospector’s pick. However,the
future brought with it those simply inspired
by its beauty. Because of Ouray’s majestic peaks, cascading
waterfalls, the famous Million Dollar Highway,
Ouray Ice Park , its reputation for being
the Jeep Capital of the World, and the natural
hot
Just one of
the 7 lithium hot springs in
Orvis
springs........ "HOT SPRINGS"? Ailsa interrupted
my Travel Guide lecture. "Can we go",
she quickly asked. I just smiled and nodded.
I had made reservations at the Orvis Hot Springs in Ouray for the night along with spa treatments
for us all. Orvis Hot Springs is a clothing optional natural hot springs
resort that does not heat or treat the water
in any way. They offer seven soaking areas
that range in temperature from 98-112 degrees.
Four of the soaking areas are outside where
you can enjoy the gorgeous Colorado sun and
the star filled evening sky. There is also an indoor pool and two private
tubs which are great for getting out of the
sun or inclement weather. With natural lithium
water , Orvis is all about resting, relaxing
and rejuvenating. Prior to the arrival of the miners, the Tabequache
Indians, a nomadic band, traveled to this
idyllic setting in the summer months to soak
in what they called “sacred miracle waters”.
The same waters the four of us were about
to enjoy. "What does Ore-way mean", asked
Mela. "It is
Chief Ouray
of the Southern Utes. A man of
wisdom and
peace.
prounounced you-ray" I smiled at Mela
as I corrected her, "and it is named
after Chief Ouray of the Tabeguache band who led the Southern
Ute Tribe during
the mid 1800's. Chief Ouray is noted mostly for his unwavering
friendship for the
whites with whom he always
kept faith and whose
interests he protected
even on trying occasions.
When he visited
Washington. D.C.
in 1880, President Hayes
called him "the most intellectual man I've ever conversed
with." He was about five feet seven inches tall,
and as he grew older
he became quite portly.
His manner was refined
and polished, his
face stern and dignified
in repose but lighting
up pleasantly when
he talked. He ordinarily
wore the white man's
broadcloth and boots,
but he never cut
off his long hair which
he wore in two braids
that hung on his chest
in the Ute fashion In 1873, Chief, Ouray, reluctantly signed
a government treaty releasing the Ute’s treasured
San Juan Mountains to encroaching settlers.
Chief Ouray was instrumental in keeping peace
between the Ute Indians and the many settlers.The
town was named in his honor. I had just finished explaining who Chief
Ouray was and was
about to answer Henry's
question on the Tabequache
Indians when I
heard a whoop whoop
of a siren and saw
flashing
lights in my review
mirror. "Oh
SH*T",
I thought to myself
as I slowed the jeep
down and looked for
a safe place to pull
over.
BUSTED!!!!!!
"Were you speeding", Mela asked
me. "I don't think so, I was only going
55", I answered as I searched for my
Nick ID. I found it just as there was a tap-tap-tap
on the jeep window and I saw the Colorado
State Patrol deputy. I rolled my window down. "Yes Officer", I stammered and
I handed him my Nick ID. Please step out of the car Miss", he spoke sternly. I got out of the
jeep. "Was I speeding", I asked. "No Miss...were you in a Fly Shop in Ridgway
earlier"? "Yessir". "Did you forget to pay for some merchandise"? OMGAWD, the hooks! I still had one hanging from my ear as an
earring. "Oh
Officer, I am so
sorry...it
was a joke and I
just forgot and I
would
never......".
"Calm down Miss", the Officer softly said. "I have something for you" and he reached into his pocket and pulled
out a small gift
wrapped box with
a dark
green ribbon. He handed me the small box and I opened it.
It was from the cute clerk at the Fly Shop.
There
On the road
in Colorado
was a note: "Dear Miss Tory, I did not
recognize you right away, but I am a big
fan of Angel Kiss. If you ever play together
again, I hope you will wear your new earrings".
Nestled on some white cotton in the box was
a matching hook to the one I had in my left
ear. The Officer laughed and explained that Dillon
(the clerk), was
his oldest son and after
we had left, Dillon
recognized me. He had
called his Dad who
was on Patrol and asked
him to help. The
Officer, who was a huge
fan of Blue Man Group,
knew who Angel Kiss
was from our collaboration
with BMG in Croatia.
"Could I get an autograph from you and
Mela"? I swear I saw the Officer blush as he tipped
his head in embarassment. After signing blank tickets as mementos (I
had Ailsa and Henry
sign as well), I
gave
the Officer a small
kiss on the cheek
and
asked him to give
that to Dillon for
me.
He smiled.
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Special Edition "The Ouray" Ladies
Keds
We pulled into Orvis and shortly thereafter
checked into our rooms (Orivis is actually
within the Ridgway City Limits). I had reserved
the "Uncompaghre Room" for Ailsa and Henry and since I had
no idea Mela would be with us, had reserved
the smaller "Antique Room" with only a double bed. I was so happy
to have Mela along,
I did not even give the
thought of being
a bit crowded in the smaller
room. Henry and Ailsa came knocking on our door
wanting to know where
the telephone and
TV
were. LOL. I explained
that since Orvis
is
for relaxation, there
were none. Ailsa
was
kinda shocked, but
I saw a gleam and
a twinkle
in Henrys eyes.
Heny and Ailsa's
Uncompahgre Room at Orvis
We all agreed to meet in 10 minutes at the
Lobster Pot (the
hottest spring ranging
from
108 to 114 degrees). Orvis is probably one of the most affordable
luxury get-aways anywhere. Rooms run about
$70.00 a night and the whole property is
operated like a five-star resort. "Do Henry and Ailsa know this is a clothing
optional resort",
Mela asked me as she
unbuttoned her blouse.
"Well Mela, I'll
tell ya... if they
don't know now, they sure
will in about 9 minutes",
I laughed
as I slipped into
the soft plush Orvis robe. We met Henry and Ailsa in the hallway and
I was curious for
a moment if they were naked
underneath the robes.
We walked down to the
Lobster Pot which
only had one other couple
soaking and I dipped
my toe in. It was purrrfectly
hot. I dropped my
robe. I heard a soft gasp and turned around. Both
Henry and Ailsa were in bathing suits and
wearing
Does anyone
wear clothes at a clothing optional
resort? Not
these two Avatars.
a shocked look across their faces. "It's
clothing optional", I quickly explained
as Ailsa looked over at the other couple
who were totally oblivious to our presence.
"Really", Ailsa asked me."Yep,
I answered as I lowered my naked body into
the soothing and healing lithium waters.
Mela got in beside me, followed by Ailsa
and a somewhat shy Henry; and soon the four
of us were drifting off to Utopia - both
our minds and bodies bare butt naked. After our quiet peaceful soak, we headed
over to the Massage
Yurts to chase away
any
negativity that may
not have been removed
by the soak. What
is a Yurt you ask?
The
Yurt is a modern
adaptation of the
ancient
shelter used by Central
Asian nomads for
centuries. The compact
shape of the yurt
and combination of
lightweight members
in
tension and compression
mean that the structure
is highly efficient
in maximizing strength
while minimizing
the use of materials.
Yurts are popular
in Colorado in remote and
unspoiled areas.
Due to popularity of these light impact dwellings
throughout the Rocky Mountains, one of the
most admired Colorado companies, which began
as a teepee manufacturer, now creates Yurts
for customers worldwide.
The Colorado Yurt
Company is considered one of the worlds leading
manufacturers of both yurts and teepees.
By combining the highest quality components
with a strong desire to keep Mother Nature
pure and unspoiled, a Colorado Yurt Company
yurt may just be the new off-the-grid housing
you are looking for during the Great Recession. All of the Orvis massages are performed in
yurts, which have minimal impact on the surrounding
soils and, though durable, can be removed
without a trace. For some reason this
Ailsa was a
photographers dream. Gentle and
beautiful.
seems to make the massages more natural and
makes me feel like I am at one with the Earth.
Yeah I know...I am blond. LOL. As each of our massages ended, we headed
back to the springs
and soaked for a while
longer before the
afternoon shadows told
me we should be getting
ready for dinner.
I had made reservations
at the Bon Ton in the historic St. Elmo Hotel in downtown Ouray. Everything about Ouray is historic it seems.
It really is like
stepping back in
time -
with the exception
of the Harley Davidsons
that frequently rumble
through town as motorcyle
enthusiasts ride
to Heaven on the
Million
Dollar Highway. The town is listed as on the National Historic
Registry due to the wonderful preservation
of the historic building that fill this town
of 813 residents. To just walk the streets
is like being in a huge open air museum.
The historic
St. Elmos Hotel
in Ouray
We arrived at Bon Ton just a few minutes
before 7:00 and we
walked the halls
and parlors
of the beautiful
St. Elmo. The St. Elmo Hotel is a lovingly restored turn-of-the-century
inn offering lodging
accommodations in the
heart of Ouray, Colorado,
a national historic
district. Decorated
with Victorian flair
and full of period
antiques, this 9-room
Colorado bed and
breakfast inn delights guests
with a wine &
cheese social hour every
afternoon in the
cozy parlor and a full buffet
breakfast every morning
served in the sunny
breakfast room We were not kept waiting long and a beautiful
young lady greeted
us and led us to our table.
A person can get
full just looking at the
menu of the Bon Ton - pasta, steaks, veal, chicken, Italian
food - it was all
there and I wanted
it ALL
but I settled for
being a lady and
ordered
just one meal.
Ailsa reassuring Henry that it was okay for
him to get naked with 3 hotties..
We began our meal with two of the best appetizers
on the menu - Escargot
& Crawfish Tails
with brandied demi-glace
and Bear Creek Mushrooms
which are fresh button
mushrooms sauteed
in Madeira wine,
butter, red peppers &
garlic. Mela stayed away from the snails...LOL. We
all had the Bon Ton
salad (mixed greens,
sunflower seeds &
Gorgonzola cheese with
a choice of creamy
Parmesan or balsamic vinaigrette
dressing), but we
each went our own way on
the main entrees. Henry decided on the Mixed Grille (a 4 oz.
Angus beef tenderloin with Bordelaise sauce
& 3 large shrimp marinated in ginger,
honey & soy, served with potatoes and
garden vegetables) while Ailsa chose the
Grilled Rack of Lamb (Colorado lamb chops
served with a jalapeno mint sauce, potatoes
and garden vegetables). Mela, having her
fill of rich food in France went with the
Angel Hair St. Elmo (angel hair pasta with
grilled chicken with a
Ailsa loved
the idea of Yurts. Something
about no corners
to clean I think.
homemade pesto sauce of garlic, fresh basil,
cream, pine nuts & olive oil). I chose
one my favorites, Kitty's Cannelloni (pasta
rolls filled with veal, prosciutto, spinach
& ricotta, baked in bechamel & marinara
sauces). As you can imagine, conversation was non-existent
as we all enjoyed
our slice of culinary paradise.
We ended our dinner
with a wonderful hot
cup of coffee and
some Black Nasty...LOL...which
is a rich, decadent
chocolate fudge cake
with a graham cracker
crust. I ate two. shhhhh. After dinner, we stopped by Buen Tiempo, a Mexican Restaurant and Margarita bar,
for one (?) cocktail before retiring for
the evening. We all ordered a El Jefe Margarita
(Patron Silver, Citronge & Roses lime
juice. Hand shaken & served on the rocks)
and chatted about the wonderful day we had
just enjoyed. I cannot believe you are still wearing those
fish hooks", Mela laughed. "I love
them", I answered flicking one with
my finger as if they were diamonds. "Your
a nut", Mela, Ailsa and Henry all agreed
and we ordered another El Jefe. That was
the last thing I remembered.
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More information
Ouray, Colorado can be found
by: Clicking Here
Information Courtesy of
http://www.narrowgauge.org/ncmap/excursion7_ouray_history.html
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A pair of ghostly cowboys, high on their
mounts, came galloping across an unknown
desert, causing dust to rise into the blazing
orange sky. I could not make out the features
on their faces or the fabric of their attire.
Whether it was the sun setting in my line
of vision or the fact they did not wish to
be seen, I cannot say - but the outline of
the dark bodies showed strength.
