July 3^rd

8PM – Firefighters Dance – Community Center

9PM- Fall Baby at Backstreet Bagel corner of 6^th and Main, $5 cover.

9PM -Live Music at Papillon featuring Til Willis – 9pm-Midnight

July 4th

6AM – Pancake Breakfast, Community Center – Ouray Mountain Rescue (fundraiser)

8AM 10K Race walk/run race around benefits KURA Radio, $5 entry, $15 w/ T-shirt. Register at City Hall between 7 am and 7:45 am.

10AM – 4^th of July Parade on Main Street

Immediately following parade – Children’s games at Fellin Park at the Hot Springs

OURAY ELKS BBQ, after the parade.  Lodge open to the public.

Painting Marmot:  Make your own T-shirt $12.00 and face painting all day. 325-7232

11:30 AM to 2:30 PM San Juan Mountain Guides announces Zip Line runs across the Uncompaghre Gorge. After the parade and before the water fights.  The cost is $10per ride.  970-325-4925

2PM – Water Fights at corner of 6th & Main St.

4PM – Rock Creek Bluegrass band @Backstreet Bagel corner of 6th and Main

Dusk – Flare Parade coming down into town from the South

Dusk – Fireworks

9PM -Live Music at O’Brien’s Pub featuring Til Willis – 9pm

Don’t forget to pick up your Jeep Raffle Tickets!

Jeep Tickets support fireworks!

The Bistro at Billy Goat Gruff’s is now offering nightly Happy Hour from 5-7pm! Join us for great BBQ chicken wings and $2 drafts and $4 wells at the bar! The Bistro will also be opening for lunches at 11am, Thursday-Sunday. Our lunch menu will feature our fabulous burgers, salads and appetizers, as well as our slow-smoked BBQ Ribs. If you are looking for a great gathering place outside, try the Biergarten, which opens at 11am daily, and offers our indoor seating area with pool table, shuffleboard and foosball.  

Feature and other notices: Weehawken has added many classes to their summer schedule. We can not list all of them in the chat, but would like to suggest you check out their website for a full list so you don’t miss your dream class! www.weehawkenarts.org Here are just a few examples of what they are up to:  *Belly Dancing for ages 8-15 will run on Thursdays from June 18 to July 9th from 4:30 until 6 pm.  Belly Dancing for adults (ages 16 and up) will run the same days, but from 7:00 until 8:30 pm. *Wildlife Photography Seminar with Richard Durnan on June 28th in Ridgway from 6:30 – 9 pm.

The Biergarten is now serving lunch daily, opening at 11am! Our indoor seating and game room are also open, and we have pool, foosball and shuffleboard available. We’ll also be featuring our slow-smoked pork ribs every Monday night in the Biergarten, and of course “Thirsty Thursdays” are up and running

I’m hungry and it’s late… what to do:

Ouray Convenience is opened late.                                                                                   
Papillon on Main:  Join us for Happy Hour Monday through Friday, 2 – 5pm: Half price beer, wine, & well drinks!  Enjoy our full bar and appetizers each night 9pm till Midnight!

Outlaw kitchen is open until 10: 00 pm. Begins Fri. 6/19 Happy Hour 3 pm -4:30 Dinner begins, 4:30.  325-4366                   
Billy Goats Gruff: 325-4370

Trail Update: Sneffels trailhead is closed!!! Fallen trees have been removed by Ouray County R&B.  The upper portion of the road to the Sneffels Hiking trailhead is closed due to snow.

June 19 & 20 – ANNUAL RUMMAGE SALE!! Sponsored by the Ouray Woman’s Club.  Friday, 10am-5pm; Saturday, 9am-2pm.  Fantastic bargains!  Clothing, antiques, furniture, books, and many more treasures.  Ouray Community Center.

June 21:
Free Concert in the Park! On Sunday afternoon, June 21, the Jeff Solon Jazz Trio will perform a concert at Ouray’s Fellin Park starting at 4:00 p.m.  This concert will be the first free Summer 2009 concert sponsored for the community by the Ouray County Performing Arts Guild.  Jeff Solon and his Durango-based group perform classic jazz composition, blues, boogie woogie, and also original compositions.  Their instruments include guitar and keyboard as well as Jeff Solon on tenor saxophone, harmonica and flute. The Jeff Solon Trio has produced several CDs, which are available for purchase on their web site, www.jeffsolon.com.  So bring your lawn chairs or blankets and picnic (no alcohol permitted) to the park in Ouray for what is sure to be a lively and entertaining concert by this regional band.  If needed, the rain venue will be the Ouray School.

June 23 – Tom Hillhouse, Evening of History
“The Mesker Iron Fronts on Ouray’s Main Street”

June 26 – Trio Solesti – world renowned chamber music trio from New York, 7:30pm, 4-H Event Center, Ridgway, CO  Info: www.ocpag.org

June 30 – Karen Griffiths, Evening of History “Lake Lenore”, Ouray Historical Society

Papillon on Main Daily Specials

Monday Red Beans & Rice     $9.95

Tuesday Liver & Onions     $9.99

Wednesday Rocky Mountain Trout     $12.95

Thursday Chicken Fried Steak     $9.99

Friday All You Can Eat Catfish     14.95

WEDNESDAYS until Aug 26 OURAY ELKS BINGO, 7 PM at the Ouray Elks lodge.  Open to the public.

July 4 – Old Fashioned 4^th of July Celebration – Parades, kids games, fire hose water fights, Elks Club BBQ, and spectacular fireworks display!  Fun for the whole family!

*Painting Marmot:  Make your own T-shirt $12.00 and face painting all day.

*San Juan Mnt. Guides: offering zip-line rides again on the 4th of July.  We will be offering the rides from 11:30 am til 1:30 pm.  After the parade and before the water fights.  The cost is $10per ride.

July 7 – Don Paulson, Evening of History – “Late 19th and Early 20th Century Ouray Photographers”

July 10-12 – Hardrock Hundred Endurance Run in the scenic, rough mountains of SW CO.

Summer in the San Juans 2009 Work Shop

July 11 and 12:  Robert Parham
Photography Workshop Contact Ago Gallery for more information.

July 11 and 12: Plein Air Painting in the Beautiful San Juan Mountains  Cost is 285.00. Romagean Personne: phone 970-252-0241 or visit www.montroseartcentert.com Minimum students 4 maximum 12.   Contact Ago Gallery for more information.

July 13: A Painter's Photography Class by Romagean Personne, Cost 75.00   Contact Ago Gallery for more information.

July 14 – Carolyn  Kelly, Evening of History – “Historic Ouray Homes” Ouray Community Center 7:30

July 15-18: FJ Cruiser Summit: Friday night is their “Ouray night.. 6-9 pm agendas for shopping and dinning!

July 18^th – “Paws for Art” :  Formerly the Fur Ball, this new Fun-raiser has been upscaled to a casually elegant early evening event featuring a Live Art Auction, complimentary wine, beer, appetizers and live music. Pet lover or not – you won’t want to miss this Art Auction – with artist contributions of all genres this will be a uniquely fun evening at the Telluride Conference Center in Mountain Village.

July 18^th 1-5: Paint whimsical Horses with Alice Billings at the Painting Marmot Cost: $60.00  (please sign up at the store and) Deposit $15.00.  Sketch your horse live at the Ouray Livery and Paint it with acrylic paint.  Instructor is longtime Ridgway artist Alice Billings.  Alice is known for her paintings of horses and is an avid horse woman. She works with therapy horses and rescued horses, 612 Main St.. 970-325-7232

July 21 – Tom Rosemeyer, Evening of History – “The Camp Bird Mine”

July 24-26:

Summer Wildflower & Landscape Workshop & Photoshop Elements July 24-26, 2009. $339. Join professional photographer Steve Traudt for an exciting photo workshop timed for the famous wildflower explosion. 612 Main St.. 970-325-7232. Workshop details at: www.synvis.com

July 25, 26, 29 & 30- Diamond W Wranglers –Cowboy western singing group, 7pm, Wright Opera House. Western Music Album of the Year!  Info, call John – 970-325-7255

July 31 – Artists Alpine Holiday – 49^th Annual National Juried art show. Enjoy the creative and unique art work of artists in various mediums–oils, watercolors, photography www.ourayarts.org

August 29: 2^nd Annual Grillin Chillin Thrillin Festival. 13 Western Slope Breweries, live music, BBQ food and Grilled desserts! This event is sponsored by the Ouray Chamber and the Festival Committee for CHANGE! 970-325-4746 for more info.

October 3, 2009: 45^th Annual Jeep Raffle Drawing and Oktoberfest celebration!

Ouray Community Center 5-10 pm! Join us for spectacular San Juan Mnt Color then stop in for an evening celebration with live music, local brews and more! Sponsored by the Ouray Chamber Resort Association.

San Juan Mountain Guides announces TWO dates for Zip Line runs across the Uncompaghre Gorge. Fun for the whole family. $10 per ride.

June 27^th 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

July 4^th 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM

Come get a new perspective on the gorge!

Come up to the Ice Park Upper Bridge on county RD 361 (Camp Bird Road)

We are so lucky to live in such a place were getting “out” is only a block or two away.   

On Thursday, Mary and I hiked up to where Silvershield Trail, Twin Peaks Trail and Oak Creek Trail meet, about 2.5 miles up the west side of the valley.  it was a bit on the cool side and there was fresh snow on the peaks.  On Friday I met up with the girls and did a quick loop around the Ice Park Trail.  The mosquitoes are quite bad along the trail so bug spray is highly recommended.  It was a beautiful morning that included a bit of sun….we were very happy to see it!!

Billy Goat’s is now open for lunch at 11am daily, and our game room and indoor seating are also open! We have pool, shuffleboard and foosball. Join us on “Thirsty Thursdays” for great draft specials, and try our slow-smoked Pork Ribs every Monday night through the summer season!!
Come down for a Liter and enjoy the views!

On Sunday afternoon, June 21, the Jeff Solon Jazz Trio will perform a concert at Ouray’s Fellin Park starting at 4:00 p.m. This concert will be the first free Summer 2009 concert sponsored for the community by the Ouray County Performing Arts Guild.

Jeff Solon and his Durango-based group perform classic jazz composition, blues, boogie woogie, and also original compositions. Their instruments include guitar and keyboard as well as Jeff Solon on tenor saxophone, harmonica and flute. The Jeff Solon Trio has produced several CDs, which are available for purchase on their web site, www.jeffsolon.com.

So bring your lawn chairs or blankets and picnic (no alcohol permitted) to the park in Ouray for what is sure to be a lively and entertaining concert by this regional band. If needed, the rain venue will be the Ouray School.

The girls and I took a short hike and started up Twin Peaks trail last week.  It was a beautiful morning and we only had a couple of gusts of wind.      Tracy brought Spirit along and she quickly fell asleep.   The view along the trail is spectacular.

Tracy taking in the view while Spirit naps

Looking East over Ouray

Dutch Charlie, Button Porter, California Frank… get to know these and other colorful characters from Ouray County’s ranching history at 7:30 p.m. on June 16, when the Ouray County Historical Society kicks off its Evenings of History lecture series at the Ouray Community Center with Jane Bennett, the Ouray County Ranch History Museum’s resident storyteller.

For 25 years Jane Bennett has been telling stories about the American Southwest as a member of both the tourism and publishing industries. In 1995 and 1996, she was principal performer in “The Diggers,” a musical variety show about mining history in Ouray. She wrote her first book, Tales of the Bachelor Mine, in 2005 and is a member of the Western Writers of America. In the last five years she has helped to launch the new Ranching Museum at the historic Old Schoolhouse in Colona, and is currently the acting President of the Museum’s Board.

The 2009 lecture series will cover topics ranging from “The Camp Bird Mine” to “The History of Ouray Through Postcards” and will be held every Tuesday night from June 16 through July 21. All lectures begin at 7:30 p.m. and will be held at the Ouray Community Center. Admission to the lectures is free, but donations are very much appreciated by OCHS. For more information and a complete schedule of OCHS summer lectures and events, contact the Ouray County Museum at 325-4576 or visit their website at www.ouraycountyhistoricalsociety.org.

Woke up to a beautiful morning – sun is out and all of us locals are hoping that we may just get a day with no rain! My good friend Mary called and we were able to get a quick walk in with her dog, Maya.   We went out on the Ouray Ice Park Trail which is a two-mile loop through the ice park.  The trail also takes you back to the 100+ year old dam.

Mt. Abrams

Old Ouray Resevoir

Taken at the bridge just below the dam

And yes – Maya loves to go for a dip!

Maya returning to shore after a quick dip