Reasons to love Lake Travis

Summer is approaching rapidly. Central Texas is likely to hit a scorching 100 degrees in mid-May. So what is the best antidote to the heat? The cooling waters of Lake Travis!

Located on the western edge of Austin, Lake Travis is a reservoir formed in 1942 when the Lower Colorado River Authority constructed Mansfield Dam to contain floodwaters in a flash-flood prone region. Although the average depth is 62 feet, the deepest part of the lake extends to 210 feet. Today, the lake is popular for various recreational opportunities. And there’s a special magic in watching the sun set over glistening water.

Boating is the first activity that comes to mind, primarily because it doesn’t require any special athletic skills. Of course, knowledge of safe boating practices and lake terrain are imperative. That said, everyone can enjoy a ride on the winding 64-mile long lake. If you add in the myriad coves, the coastline stretches to 271 miles of peaceful spaces to explore or just drop anchor and enjoy a relaxing swim.

If you have a boat, there are about two dozen ramps where you can put in. If you don’t have a boat, check at any of more than 20 marinas and businesses for rentals. While you’re at it, rent a large tube and take the youngsters for a ride behind the boat. It’s a little bouncy, but they love the challenge of hanging on when the boat driver spins a few figure eights in the water.

Water sports. Once you have a boat to access Lake Travis, there are numerous water sports to try. Start with water skiing, which is probably the basis for newer sports like wakeboarding, knee boarding, or wake surfing. Water skiing is fairly easy to learn, especially with two skis. It’s such a thrill when you learn to cross the wake of the boat, then jump the wake, or just hang on for a multi-mile ride. If you become proficient you can advance to slalom skiing (one ski). 

Lake Travis is well suited for great wakeboarding since the water is generally smooth and traffic light, especially early in the morning or towards evening. There are plenty of open stretches for learning and practicing tricks, if you’re so inclined. If balance is an issue, consider knee boarding, since there’s a lower center of gravity and a tow rope to hang on to--great sport for kids who are still testing their water bravery.

Once these sports are mastered, it’s time to catch a wave. With the right boat and board, you can actually surf a wave on this inland lake, no rope needed. Yes, it takes good balance, but it’s a premier sport for those with access to the right equipment and no fear.

Fly boarding is gaining popularity with young people. Wearing a pair of boots attached to a board, the fly boarder is propelled into the air via power from thousands of gallons of water exploding through a tube. It’s like being on stilts above the water. Expert fly boarders get propelled high in the air to do amazing flips and tricks. It does take practice, but after a few lessons you may decide fly boarding is an incredible experience.

Scuba diving. Because Lake Travis is very deep, there are many hidden treasures below the surface. Grottoes, shipwrecks, old cars, even underwater trees attract scuba divers to the lake’s depths. Submerged areas such as Oasis Wall, Fiesta Haus Wall, Wreck Alley, and Starnes Island intrigue scuba divers, but you can also dive from shore at Mansfield Dam Park and Windy Point Park.

Although the lake is buttressed by tall limestone walls, if the water level is low, you might find a few spots of sandy beach at Pace Bend Park. The important thing to remember when in the water is that land can drop off suddenly, so you should wear a life jacket if you’re not a strong swimmer (required at all times for children under age 14). 

Always practice caution and common sense and you'll have hours of fun on beautiful Lake Travis.

Photos by Larry and Beverly Burmeier

 

 

Try these new adventures in Grand Junction, Colorado

Among Grand Junction's spectacular red cliffs and winding canyons are the 11,000-foot Grand Mesa and the breathtaking 7,000-foot Colorado National Monument. Surrounded by an abundance of public lands – in fact, over 70 percent of the county is public land, Grand Junction is also a mecca for hunting, fishing, dirt bike and ATV riding.

You can expand on this stunning scenery with other attractions including three national scenic byways, rafting, boating, golfing skiing, extensive public art displays, museums, 23 nearby wineries, and a vibrant downtown featuring creative culinary options and shopping.

If you’re thinking of a summer visit to Grand Junction, Visit Grand Junction has announced many things to do in Colorado’s Grand Valley for 2018.  New mountain biking trails, water sport activities, summer events, and a sports shooting facility expand on outdoor recreation activities for which the Grand Valley is known.

Trails:

Opening this spring is a new segment of the One Riverfront Trail. Mountain bikers, hikers, equestrians and trail runners can start their journey on the nearly 30-mile-long Riverfront Trail in Palisade, travel through Grand Junction and now connect in Fruita to the Kokopelli Trail, which extends to Moab, UT.

Powderhorn Mountain Resort’s lift-assisted, downhill mountain biking attraction features a new 5-mile green trail – a smooth, all-level ride called the “Mutton Buster.”

Water Sports:

Colorado’s first cable wakeboarding park, Imondi Wake Zone, will open in summer 2018 on a 30-acre lake in Fruita. Imondi’s five-tower cable system will pull up to seven wakeboarders in a counterclockwise circuit featuring obstacles and ride rails. New learners can access a separate two-tower system.

Jet Boat Colorado offers “the most exciting boat tour on the Colorado River” with fishtails, speed runs and “cowboy spins” on the custom New Zealand-style jet boats. Additionally, a scenic option lets riders slow down and take in the beauty of the mountain scenery.

Summer Events

The Museums of Western Colorado’s Dinosaur Journey in Fruita will unveil a new exhibit, “Horns & Frills”, May 18 to Sept. 16; this exhibit will tell the secrets of dinosaurs’ combat and courtship and features new specimens, skulls and skeletons.

Dinosaur Journey will also offer “Dino Digs” from May 22 to Aug. 15. Guests can join professional paleontologists on half-, full- or four-day excursions and help discover ancient life-forms.

Music is part of the summer landscape as well. Two Rivers Winery in Grand Junction will present “Music in the Grapevines” at its outdoor pavilion one Tuesday a month from May to September. In Palisade,Garfield Estates Vineyard and Winery will offer a music series, “Wines, Vines & Harmony,” two Saturdays each month from July to September. Outdoor concerts are also planned at the Las Colonias Amphitheater in Grand Junction throughout the summer.

The Mountain Bike and Ultra Marathon/Relay Kokopelli 100 & 140 will take place September 7 and 8 on the entire 144-mile trail from Fruita to Moab.

Sports Shooting Facility:

The new Cameo Shooting and Education Complex will feature world-class shooting facilities, safety education and law enforcement training as well as competitions. The complex broke ground in March and will be partially open to the public this summer.

Grand Junction, the largest city in Western Colorado, is located at the junction of the Gunnison and Colorado Rivers, between Salt Lake City and Denver on Interstate 70.

Information and photos courtesy of Gaylene Ore, Ore Communications, Visit Grand Junction, www.visitgrandjunction.com)

 

Staying safe when boating

If water activities are in your vacation plans--anything that involves riding in a boat-- please read and heed these safety tips from the Sea Tow Foundation. Life jackets are especially important for children, but adults would do well to follow the  advice on this infographic. Stay safe to have fun!

Don't call it off-season: Visit Grand County, Colorado in spring or fall

When visitors think of northern Colorado, two seasons come to mind: summer and winter. But there’s a great time to visit after the music concerts and festivals of summer have ended and before snow-packed activities of winter begin. If the opportunity to savor the scenery and hike or bike in relative serenity is more your style than shuffling through crowds, consider visiting towns in Grand County during the fall.

Aspens around Winter Park, Colorado glow in autumn
as leaves turn golden

Fall is an absolutely glorious time to enjoy the amenities—natural and manmade--of the Winter Park-Fraser Valley region, located 65 miles west of Denver. Golden aspens glow in the sunlight during late September when temperatures are cool in early morning and shirt-sleeve warm in the afternoon. There’s still time before snowfall to enjoy the lakes, either boating or fishing, or to check hot-air ballooning off your bucket list.

Here are some favorite activities to try before the snow returns (or after it melts):

Arrive in Grand Country from Denver by driving Berthoud Pass, a scenic highway that twists and turns its way through thick forests and past gushing waterfalls, summiting at the Continental Divide.

Water flows to both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans from
the Continental Divide in Colorado.

There’s a reason the region is called “Mountain Bike Capital U.S.A. It doesn't matter if you are a serious gear head or just interested in seeing the mountains in a new way, there are 600 miles of mountain bike trails that will satisfy beginner to expert bikers.

Saddle up. In Grand County, horseback riding isn't just a hobby — it's a way of life.

Grand Lake offers many recreational opportunities.

Sail on Grand Lake, Colorado's largest natural lake,which is known for spectacular views of peaks in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Spend a night outdoors and get reacquainted with nature at one of Grand County's many public campgrounds.

Play a round at Pole Creek Golf Club in Winter Park, which has 27 holes on three courses. You’ll love how your game improves in the thin air. Golf balls not only travel further at higher altitude, but they spin less, too, meaning straighter approach shots (in theory anyway!).

You won't worry about where the golf ball lands when you have
scenery on the golf course this beautiful to grab your attention.

Paddle a canoe or kayak or cast your line on Monarch Lake, a small, scenic lake at the foot of the Indian Peaks southeast of Lake Granby (which is also a great fishing spot). On some days, your only competition for fish will be nesting ospreys.

Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park is an exquisite
drive in fall--before it's covered with winter's snow.

Head to Rocky Mountain National Park and drive Trail Ridge Road. It’s a postcard in your windshield, a breathtaking view at every turn. Hike trails along the way, or bike down Trail Ridge Road when it is open.

Wild Horse Inn is an excellent place to relax and enjoy any
season in Winter Park, Colorado.

On the other hand, if your idea of the perfect vacation is peaceful relaxation in a rustic setting, check into Wild Horse Inn, an intimate bed and breakfast just outside Winter Park. A little further down the road you’ll find the larger Devil’s Thumb Ranch Resort and Spa with more amenities—a great place if you prefer restful fun with a bit of zing for your holiday.

Think of Grand County as a four-season destination, with lesser-visited late spring and fall among the most glorious times to arrive.

Photos by Larry and Beverly Burmeier

 

Drive the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia

On a recent trip, we discovered the beautiful RoanokeValley in the Blue Ridge Mountain region of Virginia. The city of Roanoke is the largest metropolitan area along the Blue Ridge Parkway, but there are plenty of small towns to visit with wonderfully friendly people.


View of Abbott Lake at Peaks of Otter Lodge

Although we  checked out several counties over four days, we didn’t cover the entire Blue Ridge Parkway. I’d love to come back and explore the full 469 miles of picturesque scenery that runs through Virginia and North Carolina. This thin ribbon of road on the ridge of mountains that are older than the Alps or Himalayas connects two national parks--Shennandoah and Great Smokey Mountains.


Mountain reflections in Abbott Lake.

With a 40 mph speed limit, the Parkway is designed for leisure travel. To really enjoy the views, visitors should take their time and schedule numerous side trips on foot, horseback, or bicycle or by boat. That's the best way to understand why the Blue Ridge Parkway is called America's Favorite Journey.

Hike and Bike


One of the bridges on the Roaring Run hike

Opportunities are plentiful for breaks on your road trip. Explore, discover, and renew your spirit on trails, at overlooks, and also  at concerts. Hike through serene natural areas and learn about historic sites. Trails vary from short jaunts that are great for stretching your legs to longer excursions in the mountains. Well-known trails include Peaks of Otter, Rocky Knob, Humpback Rocks, and along the James River.  At Roaring Run, a six-tenths mile trail featuring scenic bridges, overlooks, and a waterfall, an old historic furnace is the focal point.

Learn about coal mining at the
historic furnace at Roaring Run.

Bicyclists have a little more difficulty as elevation ranges from 649 to 6,047 feet, and there are no dedicated bike lanes on the Parkway. But, if riding is your thing, the Blue Ridge Mountains in southwest Virginia provide some of the best mountain biking on the East Coast.

Parks like New River Trail State Park, which runs parallel to the New River for 39 miles, offer excellent biking trails. Virginia’s Explore Park, at milepost 115 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, just east of Roanoke, offers terrain for bike riders of all skill levels.

Get on the water

Despite its name, New River is reputed to be the oldest river in North America. It’s designated as an American Heritage River, and small boats can easily navigate its class 1-3 rapids. The James and Roanoke Rivers are also suitable for paddling by canoe or kayak.

Spend a day swimming or boating at Smith Mountain Lake, the “Jewel of the Blue Ridge Mountains.” Located in a state park in Franklin County, it is the second largest and most popular freshwater lake in Virginia.



Smith Mountain Lake is a prime place for all kinds of
water fun--swimming, fishing, house boating, sailing, and more.
 

Tackle the Appalachian Trail
More than one-fourth of the Appalachian Trail lies in Virginia. The AT roughly parallels the Parkway from mile 0 at Rockfish Gap to mile 103 and can be accessed from numerous locations in the Blue Ridge region. If you choose to hike the AT for a few hours or for weeks, you’ll enjoy some breathtaking views.

One of the most photographed spots on the AT is McAfee Knob with excellent views of Catawba Valley. It’s easily accessible just west of Roanoke on Rt. 311 and will take a couple of hours to complete round trip.

Stay awhile

Fishing is a popular activity at rivers along the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Horseback riding, farmers' markets, and music concerts are other attractions.

The Roanoke Valley offers a variety of lodging choices for every budget including historic hotels, luxury waterfront suites and cottages, small hotels, and camping spots. Stay at one place and take day trips, or drive along the Parkway each day, stopping for various activities along the way (That’s what I’d like to do).

During our mid-September visit, leaves were just hinting of color, so I think October would be a perfect time to return. Cool temperatures, trees splashed with brilliant fall foliage, and great hiking weather would make this a memorable drive.

To help plan your trip, get the official publication of the Blue Ridge Parkway Association, which includes suggestions of places to pause or stay and their milepost locations.

Photos by Larry and Beverly Burmeier