50s+ Fun Folks

Easy Hike:

• 3.9 miles distance
• 230 feet of elevation gain

Let's all meet in the Prairie Ridge Trail Head Parking Lot. From there we can carpool with as few cars needed to the Coyote Ridge Trail Head Parking Lot. At the end of the hike, most of us will be near our cars.

After the hike I intend to eat lunch at El Cielo II, at the intersection of Wilson and Eisenhower (Safeway Parking Lot). 2225 W Eisenhower and it is 3.7 miles from Prairie Ridge. You are most welcome to join me.

The picture for this posting is Matt's Chicken Fried Steak plate; it's only available Friday nights, and it's $10. It's more food than I can eat. I get a to-go box. Happy Hour is 4-7. You can get an Old Aggie draft for $3.25. Dinner, a beer, and a tip and you're out for less than $20.

I put the start time as 6:00. I know some of you are still working. Please come when you can. I will be there by 5:30 to establish a presence in the dart room. You don't have to play darts. The nice thing is we will have a better environment for socializing.

If you aren't into Chicken Fried Steak, but would like to join the scene, there are plenty of options. All of Matt's Place's food is good and made with fresh ingredients. I go there monthly after a Tuesday morning hike for tacos. $2 for beef and chicken and $3 for fried fish tacos. You can order those if you like, just not at the Tuesday price.

People live in NYC their entire lives and never visit the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, or the Empire State Building. DON'T be a person who lives for years in NoCo and fails to make this hike. This is must see stuff and we have the opportunity to see it without the masses and without timed entry. Top rated, most popular . . . definitely not a May or beyond hike. Timed entry begins May 22.

• 3.2 miles in length
• 702 feet of elevation gain
• THIN AIR: We start at 9,377 feet above sea level.

The posted average time to complete this hike is 1.5 hours. I intend to take at least 2. This is an up and back/up and down hike. Descending will be easier on the lungs. That said our 702 feet of elevation gain comes in the first 1.6 miles. I intend to take breathers.

Let's assemble at the SE corner of the JAX Parking Lot on West Eisenhower in Loveland. We can carpool from there. I have a pass. I can drive. I can provide a ride from JJ's in Fort Collins for those who want to park there. The 8:00 start time is the time we assemble at JAX. If you want to meet us at the trail head, we can make arrangements for link-up.

I was at their first show and it was a fantastically good performance. These guys are really, really, good and audience and band were both having a really good time. If you come and you dance, expect the moment to get you on the floor all night long.

The band is led by Dave Dardine and has current or former members of Whiskey Pickles, Spidercat, and the Rhythm Train.

There is no cover charge. They play for tips and they recommend $10.

The show starts at 7:00. By this date it should be nice enough to play on the patio, but I still suspect it to be very crowded. I will show up NLT 6:00 to secure tables. If you aren't there by 6:30, I will not be holding a seat for you unless you message me that night saying you're running late. Look for the table with the Blue Neon Light Bulb (See photos).

I'm sorry, I've been burned too many times holding seats for people who never show up and I usually end up with the worst seating position among us all as a result.