Fall in Colorado: A Most Colorful Time of Year

View from My Deck: First Day of Fall

View from My Deck: First Day of Fall

Heading Out on My Walk

Heading Out on My Walk

Along the Galloping Goose

Along the Galloping Goose

Happy fall to all!

I am so excited about the beauty that surrounds me right now–the colors are really going off. As usual, it came upon us very fast and I see a change in the foliage every day. We’ve been spoiled with summertime temperatures the past week so in some ways, fall has taken us by surprise. At least that’s the case for me.

Good news is that according to the forecast, glorious Indian summer weather will continue to light up the leaves and our spirits for the upcoming ten days or so as we inch toward peak viewing times. (In truth, it’s typically gorgeous around here in southwest Colorado through mid October, especially if the mountains are frosted with fresh fallen snow.)

more »

18 Sep 2015, 3:03pm
Art & Culture Colorado Music & Dance Telluride Telluride Festivals:
by
Comments Off on Telluride Blues & Brews in the Park and on the Radio

Telluride Blues & Brews in the Park and on the Radio

A Spectacular Setting for the Telluride Blues & Brews Festival

A Spectacular Setting for the Telluride Blues & Brews Festival

Greg Allman: One of this Year's Headliners

Greg Allman: One of this Year’s Headliners

ZZ Top: Another Headliner

ZZ Top: Another Headliner

This Year's Poster

This Year’s Poster

There are still some single day (for Saturday and Sunday) and juke joint passes left for the twenty-second annual Telluride Blues & Brews Festival that kicked off just hours ago! This is a fun-filled musical extravaganza well lubricated with good brews, wine and cocktails. OK, some coffee, too.

This world renowned festival takes place in an unparalleled setting in Telluride Town Park and the weather right now is fantabulous! Really gorgeous and it’s supposed to stay that way all the way through Sunday. If you’re anywhere near T-ride, c’mon down. If not, I highly recommend you earmark this crazy good event for next year; it will be happening the third weekend of September as always.

Either way, log onto KOTO.org right now to listen to the show. Yes, we’re fortunate to have Telluride’s homegrown radio station broadcasting Telluride Blues & Brews all weekend long. They’re conducting some great interviews as well, so tune in every day and I’m sure you’ll stay tuned well into the evening. Check out the lineup to find out about who’s playing. This year’s is one of the best, according to many.

I’m listening to the festival right now and am digging the driving beat. Hope you can get in on it, too.

For more on the Telluride Blues & Brews Festival, read Steve Gumble Brings Us Telluride Blues & Brews and More.

This Year's KOTO Team

This Year’s KOTO Team

A Local’s Take on the Telluride Film Festival and How to Do TFF on the Cheap

TFF: Great Films in a Spectacular Setting

TFF: Great Films in a Spectacular Setting

“Aren’t you tired of seeing movies?” my Hunny asked me as I rolled in last night after the last film of the After the Festival Telluride Film Festival viewings.

“No, you know how I love movies, Hun. Plus, I only saw eight over the span of five days. Some people see that many within the first two days of the festival.”

Still, I’m happy that Film Festival has passed. Just like every other festival in Telluride, it represents a workout of sorts. There’s always so much to take in and experience, whether you’re working it or attending it or doing some combination of both (as is the case with most Telluridians); it’s physically, mentally and emotionally exhausting. But it’s still pretty fantastic.

more »

Bike Riding In and Around Our Beautiful Mountain Towns

Biking in Telluride

Biking in Telluride

Family Bike Adventure in Crested Butte

Family Bike Adventure in Crested Butte

Penelope Gleason from Bootdoctors in Telluride

Penelope Gleason from Bootdoctors in Telluride

The hills are alive with the sound of cyclists clicking their way over all kinds of bike trails from single track to old railroad grades to paved bike paths to smooth and bumpy swaths cut through our forests for your recreational pleasure. Our towns and valleys are popping with cyclists clad in brightly-colored garb, too. Whether you’re looking for a scenic ride along one of our rushing rivers or interested in snagging a momentous climb or a descent of World-Cup order, Colorado’s mountain towns offer some of the best bike riding options in the United States. Young or old, skilled or amateur, mountain biker or road rider, there’s something for everyone set within some of the best drop-dead gorgeous scenery in the world.

Below is a rundown of a few of Colorado’s major mountain destinations and some of the cycling options they offer. Read them over, make some enquiries and/or reservations, then enjoy the ride. Most of the mud has dried up and the wildflowers are beginning to bloom, so there’s no better time to freewheel it through and around our mountain towns.

more »

Telluride Bluegrass Festival: Escapism at Its Finest

Oh Yeah!

Oh Yeah!

Yonder Mountain String Band

Yonder Mountain String Band and Sam Bush

Good Pickin'

Good Pickin’

Superior quality music, a stellar natural setting, sunny days, clear nights, fine fiddle playing, booze, the smell of weed wafting over the scents of barbecue, fried fish and garlic, old friends and new acquaintances, colorful costumes, lyrical ballads, savory eats, tie-dye tops, penetrating instrumental solos, strappy sundresses, bare foot dancing, shorts, face painting, straw hats, jamming, T-shirts of every ilk, color and message imaginable, a heart-stirring lonesome chorus, flip flops, hula hoops, a carnavale-like parade, dusty cowboy boots, melodious breakdowns as quick as an Irish reel. This is just a sampling of what makes the Telluride Bluegrass Festival so much fun and so mentally, physically and spiritually transcending.

more »

29 May 2015, 11:58am
Colorado Hotels & Lodging Outdoor Adventures Telluride:
by
Comments Off on Terrific Telluride Golf Getaway at a Great Deal

Terrific Telluride Golf Getaway at a Great Deal

Telluride Golf Course

Telluride Golf Course

How would you like to play a round of golf at Telluride Golf Club, one of the world’s most drop-dead gorgeous golf courses for half price? And to make your Telluride golf experience even sweeter, you can stay–also at half price–just a zinger away from the course at the Inn at Lost Creek, Telluride Ski & Golf’s boutique hotel. A golf cart will pick you up in the morning from this lovely property located in the heart of Telluride Mountain Village and bring you back at the end of the day in time for a frosty drink on the deck to toast your après golf. (How about that for coining a new phrase?)

Both the round of golf for two at the Telluride Golf Club and the night at the Inn at Lost Creek can be yours for $300.–that’s half the $600. value. Whoa, if you’re not going for it–tell your friends! Best of all, all proceeds go to KOTO, Telluride’s homegrown community radio station. Thank you Telluride Ski & Golf Resort for your most generous donation to our fundraising efforts.

more »

19 Apr 2015, 5:40pm
Beauty Colorado Girl Talk Mountain Living Skiing & Snowboarding Telluride:
by
Comments Off on Girl Power Extraordinaire: Women from the Telluride Ski & Snowboard School, Part One

Girl Power Extraordinaire: Women from the Telluride Ski & Snowboard School, Part One

Marti, Cristina and Me on a Ski Break

Marti, Cristina and Me on a Ski Break

As I ease into off-season mode, I find myself almost sentimental about all the camaraderie I share at Telluride Ski & Snowboard School. Indeed, I’m now shifting into a more solitary existence, left to fend for myself–as a lone freelance writer–instead of being part of the team that helps to make magic at Telluride Ski Resort. Within Ski School, we’re very much like a family; we’re part of a tribe that speaks the same language and shares many of the same passions even though we are a mix of astonishingly unique human beings.

The women at Telluride Ski & Snowboard School feel like sisters to me and over the years I’ve come to love many of them in my own special way. They are strong, beautiful ladies that radiate a sense of well-being that’s surely the envy of many. They’ve chosen a lifestyle that embraces the outdoors and the physical and a profession that focuses on how to share their remarkable love of the mountains with others. These gals are hot–not so much from what they wear (although a new pair of shades is always remarked). But rather their sizzle comes from how they turn their skis and boards; or even better, from the self assuredness that those skills give them, on and off the slopes. They exude a self confidence and authenticity far superior to anything you might see on the runway or red carpet. Solid and grounded, our band of Telluride Ski & Snowboard instructors serve as terrific role models for women of all ages.

There are many gals that standout at Ski School. So I thought it would be fun to start highlighting them in posts here at my blog, a series that I plan to continue next year. This lineup is by no means all-inclusive. The idea is to spotlight some of the girl power in our special club and also perhaps to provide a few beauty tips along the way.

more »

17 Apr 2015, 10:44am
Colorado Mountain Living Skiing & Snowboarding Telluride Writing & Books:
by
Comments Off on Transitioning from the Mountain Into My Writer’s Life

Transitioning from the Mountain Into My Writer’s Life

My Fortune

My Fortune

I came across the above fortune a few weeks ago in our local Chinese restaurant here in Telluride, Colorado. That was when I was in the throes of spring break craziness and the end of ski season was drawing near. It seemed most à propos since I was already contemplating my flip side, or how I would soon transition from a predominantly physical existence–that of a ski instructor–to the more cerebral ponderings required of a writer.

Indeed, at that point I was craving a good read and near desperate to sit still for a while and give my body a rest. As hard as I may try, reading and writing during ski season is always a challenge, especially from February on when I go full tilt. I’m just too tired at the end of the day to do much more than swill a glass of wine from my couch, and so the stack of books on my nightstand piles up as high as the writing assignments awaiting me at my desk.

more »

  • Follow A Tour of the Heart

     Follow A Tour of the Heart
  • Email Newsletter icon, E-mail Newsletter icon, Email List icon, E-mail List icon Sign Up Today for My Email Newsletter
    For Email Marketing you can trust
  • Categories

  • Recent Posts

  • Ads



  • Meta

  • Disclosure

    This blog is a personal blog written and edited by Maribeth Clemente. This blog sometimes accepts forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation. The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or posts made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post may not always be identified as paid or sponsored content. The owner of this blog is sometimes compensated to provide opinion on products, services, Web sites and various other topics. Even though the owner of this blog receives compensation for certain posts or advertisements, she always gives her honest opinions, findings, beliefs or experiences on those topics or products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the blogger's own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question. This blog does not contain any content which might present a conflict of interest.
  • Permission

    Please note that unless otherwise attributed to someone else, the content that appears on this Web site/blog is the property of the author, Maribeth Clemente. Written permission is required if you choose to use or excerpt any of this material.