July 8th, 2009
Quail lake is located in the south side of Colorado Springs. It’s not handicap accessible or friendly to those with mobility issues. Quail lake is surrounded by residential housing and is a fairly quiet place to hang out at. There is a playground and restroom facilities at the west end of the lake. Swimming and motorized boats are not allowed. Only non motorized or electric driven propellers are allowed. There is a boat ramp at the east side of the lake.
Quail lake is stocked by the DOW and is a decent trout fishery for those who are confined to the city limits. The lake also has bass. A recent trip to Quail lake produced three small bass that were feeding in the shallows. It definitely was enough action to make me consider going back for a sundown fishing trip. I don’t think there are any hawgs lurking in the lake but once a person learned the patterns he could probably have a satisfying bass fishing trip.
On this trip the trout weren’t buying what I was selling but the guy next to me caught his limit. That’s just the way it goes sometimes
Tags: Colorado Fishing, Family Activities, fishing
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July 7th, 2009
Pueblo Lake
Lake Pueblo is approximately one hour’s drive from Colorado Springs. The lake is a great place for boats of all kinds. Fishing, ski and sailboats are all welcome at Lake Pueblo. There is plenty of room for all.
Campgrounds
There are 401 campsites that can be used for R.V., trailer or tents. Campsites on the North side of the lake have electrical hook-ups, flush toilets, coin operated showers and laundry room. Tent campsites are located in Kettle Creek Loop of the Northern Plains Campground. There are very few tent sites, so if you want one, it’s best to go here and make reservations online.
Dump Station
There are dump stations for waste and sewage. It’s illegal to dump it anywhere else, including dishwater.
Swimming
There is one swimming area in the park and an additional fee is charged.
Fishing
As mentioned before, Lake Pueblo is a boating lake and boating is really the only way to fish the lake. Access points are not very friendly for shore fisherman. There is a small pond that can be accessed from Juniper Road and it has shore line and a fishing pier. The name of the pond is Anticline Fishing Pond. It can be accessed by taking the South gate exit. Just before you reach the main boat entrance, look for a sign for the fish hatchery, that is Juniper Road. Take it. Ask for directions at the entrance to Anticline as it is not very obvious where it’s at.
There is a spot below the dam along the Arkansas river that I noticed while driving to the lake. I didn’t stop but it was flat and offered shade. There were people fishing at the time. If you are reading this post and recognize the spot, maybe you could write a reply and give some information about it.
Tags: Colorado Fishing, Family Activities, fishing
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July 6th, 2009
The city of Glenwood Springs is a short drive from Colorado Springs and should be included on your list of sights to see and experience.
The first stop is Glenwood Hot Springs. Imagine a bathtub that circulates 3.2 millon gallons of water a day and you’ll have Glenwood Springs. My trip to the hot springs along with my friends resulted in a daylong soak. The main pool is quite large and we were able to move about and and converse for the entire day. As we moved about the pool and enjoyed each others company, the relaxation soaked in deeper with each passing hour.
The Hot Springs are not Glenwood Springs only attraction. If a walk on the wild side is more your style, try whitewater rafting. Glenwood Springs has a whitewater park that give novice paddlers a chance to practice their whitewater skills and pools for beginners to build theirs. The whitewater rafting park is the first man made whitewater park on the Colorado River. More information about the park can be found here.
Fishing is a hot topic anywhere in Colorado and Glenwood Springs is no different. The area is well known for its catch and release fisheries. The city is surrounded by numerous lakes streams and rivers. If you don’t know the area but want an enjoyable fishing trip, consider hiring one of the local guides. They can get you fishing and having a good time without the hassle of self guided trips. There are many outfitters in the area and this is only a sampling of what’s available.
www.roaringforksanglers.com
If you are a staunch individualist and want to put together your own trout fishing expedition you will find this website a good place to begin your preparations.
Tags: fishing, Glenwood Springs, Whitewater rafting
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June 18th, 2009
Springtime is finally here and the Department of Wildlife is stocking the lakes with trout. Some of the lakes that were stocked in May are starting to come on. My trip today took me to Monument Lake where the trout were hungry and looking to eat.
Monument Lake is actually more of a large pond but it offers easy access to the shoreline and good trout fishing. On any given day there will be numerous fisherman who line the shore looking for the prime spot from which they can make their casts. The early morning and mid afternoon hours attract retirees and grandparents who are on a fishing trip with the grandkids.
While fishing today I had a chance to talk with the other fishermen around me and find out what the trout were feeding on. Today menu was green power bait or red salmon eggs. An inspection of the stomach contents of my first catch of the day confirmed what others had told me. The stomach contents were green and red. It looked as if the trout that found his way to my dinner table had narrowly escaped someone else’s skillet.
The best catch of the day was the one that got away and not just because he got away. The way he escaped my skillet was impressive indeed. He threw the hook right at the water’s edge. Instead of turning around and making a hasty retreat, his momentum carried him up the bank. I quickly pounced on him and wrestled him to the ground but he flopped out of my hands and wriggled back to the water. After jumping into the water and throwing him back on shore it looked as if that trout was surely doomed. Unfortunately, Mr. Trout had a different idea and flopped his way back to the water and swam away. That is the type of persistence that one can admire.
Tags: Colorado Fishing
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May 27th, 2009
Lunch
My trip to the John May Natural Museum in Colorado Springs coincided with a group of children and their grandparents. It was a perfect opportunity to watch the target audience in action. The John May museum has more than 7000 insects on display and I think the kids spent time in front of each one. I watched the group of children make their way through the exhibits as they bounced from one display to the next.
Bugs are fascinating. Bugs from the Tropics on the other hand, can give a person the creeps. Tarantulas chewing on an eight inch insect for a snack are just one of the hair raising displays! Some insects on display at the John May Museum are twice the size of a man’s hand. The displays 
include butterflies and moths six to eight inches long. The swallowtail butterflies of the Tropics are a sight to see. Some of these butterflies have four inch tails.
scorpion? Spider?
Tags: Children, Colorado Springs, Family Activities
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May 22nd, 2009
The easiest way to get Papa John’s pizza coupons is to register at their website. You can register for weekly e-mails or text messages. The weekly deals are the same deals as the coupons you get in the mail. It’s also a great idea to set up your account for online ordering. Any little bit of convenience in today’s world goes a long way.
Tags: Coupons
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May 19th, 2009
Colorado Springs has a number of troops deployed to many parts of the world. The families who are left behind often have many challenges to work through. An organization that can help with family activities is Operation: Military Kids
Operation military kids hosts camp experiences for children of families experiencing deployment. The OMK camps are funded through the Office of the Secretary of Defense. There are four scheduled Colorado camps left to sign up for.
June 6th: Operation Bug out
June 15th-19th: Technology Camp Ages 9-18
August 2nd-5th: Girls camp for girls. Girls 12-18
August 2nd-5th: Girls camp for girls. Girls 7-11
For information about the summer camps call Shauna Woods at 970-491-1807 or shauna.woods@colostate.edu
Operation: Military Kids hosts camps in many different states. If you are in a state other than Colorado, you can see a list of hosted camps in other states at this website.
Tags: Military
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May 14th, 2009
Senior Center, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Seniors can gather at the senior center in Colorado Springs to play cards and dominoes. In addition to games the senior center offers classes of all types. Art classes, basket weaving and pottery throwing are just a few of the classes that seniors can take part in.
A more detailed list of activities and classes can be found here.
Tags: Seniors
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