Roger J. Wendell
Defending 3.8 Billion Years of Organic EvolutionSM
Boulder, Colorado
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Okay, although I've never lived in Boulder (for more than two nights in a row...) I've worked, climbed, played, volunteered and protested there most of my life since the early 70s. Except for the high prices and tight parking, I love everything about the place - despite the rest of our state holding such a narrow view of it (never mind the Dobson fruitcakes in Colorado Springs and the "pave-it-to-Kansas politicians in Aurora!)! Anyway, after hanging around Boulder for three decades I finally got around to creating this little web page during the summer of '05 - just when Penny Lane was going out of business... |
 That famous sign! |
 Their other sign... |
 Penny Lane customers |
 1795 Pearl Street |
The Penny Lane Coffee House lost it's lease during the summer of 2005 - closing its doors forever on July 19th. Penny Lane was quite the "hang-out," representing what I always thought was the true character of Boulder. Penny Lane first opened its doors in 1991 and featured all kinds of cool artists, musicians, poets and just a great bunch of customers. I was lucky to conduct a "Live at Penny Lane" interview there, myself, for Boulder community radio station KGNU. |
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Click Here's for my YouTube video of Dan playing his didgeridoo on the Pearl Street mall... |
Boulder Miscellanea:
 Flatirons Painter |
 KGNU Satellite Dish |
 Boulder Tornado 1997 |
In July, 2005 I discovered this lady parked alongside Cherryvale Road painting pictures of the Flatirons (She gave me permission to photograph her and post it here). In April, 1995 my daughter photographed me in front of KGNU's satellite dish. In late Spring, 1997 coworkers and I watched this tornado touch-down in southeast Boulder - it destroyed a shed and some other structures but luckily didn't hurt anybody - including those of us standing outside to watch! |
 Neptune Mountaineering |
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Okay, the photo at left isn't fair since it's actually from Boulder, Utah! Nevertheless, I took the shot while driving through Utah during the fall of 2000 and the area reminded me of what Boulder, Colorado may have looked like at the time of statehood. The photo at right is the "real" thing! |
 Mountain View Memorial Park |
 Pearl Street Mall |
 Pearl Street Mall |
 Glen Huntington |
 Band Shell |
 Band shell seating |
 47th & Valmont |
 Boulder Court House |
 Guantanamo protest |
 Boulder's Time Capsule |
 My library card... |
I think you can see, from the photos I've taken, that Boulder is a pretty "eclectic" place! Lots of art, environmental concern, peace and social justice activities are always underway. Boulder really is different, I feel, because its people are not only caring but they act on their instincts to create a better world for all of us. Boulder and its citizens can be proud of the good they've brought not only Colorado, but our country and planet as well!
 Chautauqua Park |
 Department of Commerce |
 Boulder Co-op Market* |
 Boulder Co-op Market* |
 Main Post Office |
 Post Office vehicles |
 Air Care Colorado |
 Emissions Testing |
 Naropa Nalanda |
 Valmont City Park |
 Free lodging... |
 Former Chicken Processing Plant |
* The Boulder Cooperative Market (2002 - 2007) was one of my favorite food places in town - not only could I buy quality groceries there but they served all kinds of great smoothies and vegan/vegetarian lunches. Unfortunately they closed their doors in August, '07 - I suspect it was due to economic pressure from the Wild Oats/Whole Food merger but will never know for sure...
 Boulder Falls Warning... |
 Myrna at Boulder Falls |
 Roger at Boulder Falls |
Boulder Falls is located 11 miles west of Boulder, on the north side of Boulder Canyon Drive (SR 119) between Boulder and Nederland. It consists of five acres of mining claims that were given to the City of Boulder by Charles G. Buckingham, president and co-founder of Buckingham Brothers Bank (now Norwest Bank). Buckingham had held a U.S. Patent since 1881 on the American Mill site that included the Falls. He donated it to the City of Boulder for recreational purposes in 1914, hence "saving this beautiful spot from the encroachment of the great tungsten boom." [From the City of Boulder's website] |
 My bike ride to Boulder... |
Like I mentioned earlier, in addition to showing up in Boulder for all kinds of stuff in the early 70s, I started working there in early 1994. During the 14 years leading up to this entry I found all kinds of ways to get me to Boulder. When I lived near Cherry Creek Reservoir, 45 miles one way, I was involved with a bunch of great carpool companions who worked at different companies all around Boulder (Ball, Roche, some small shops, etc.) - in the mid 90s we were so dedicated to carpooling that we actually had two different cars going up Highway 36 each day! Since that was so successful we got involved with Ride Arrangers and rented a van at very reasonable rates. By the early 2000s that arrangement fell apart, due to low fuel costs but very high insurance and maintenance expenses. So, I started taking the bus - an hour-and-a-half adventure, each way, with a transfer in downtown Denver along the 16th Street mall. Then, I moved near Golden and was able to take the "GS" straight up Highway 93 - even securing my bicycle to the front to get me to and from the Park and Ride and around town in Boulder. This is still working well for me - especially with gasoline approaching $4 per gallon at the time of this writing! [Golden is about 25 miles/40 km from Boulder] |
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Click Here's for a YouTube video of my daily bus ride into Boulder! |
Cydd West
and his Boulder "Flat Iron"
art at 2301 Goss Street:
Cydd's Roof Profile
Cydd West sits...
Me and Cydd WestIt was a warm, winter afternoon in Boulder when I stumbled upon Cydd West and his "Flat Iron" art. I was with Kaleab (who later took the picture of Cydd and I) when I explained this had to be the most unusual yard art display I'd ever seen. Then to my surprise, from above, was sitting the artist himself - Cydd West!! Cydd lowered himself from the roof to take time to explain what it was all about...
I learned, first, that the laundry irons were his representation of Boulder's very own geologic Flatirons (noted in the photo of the painter further up this page) just a few miles west of where he sits. Next, there's a good bit of Buddhism, Hinduism and other spiritual stuff thrown in for good measure here and there around the property. Finally, it appears that the property's owner is going to undertake some serious renovating but has invited Cydd to return once the project is complete. Interesting to note that the property owner showed up while I was there, as well, but I didn't have enough camera memory left to take his picture - oh well... Anyway, it wasn't clear what Cydd's plans are but let's hope he's able to return and build on this project further!
Boulder Municipal Airport
Yes, Boulder has its own airport!
 Airport entrance |
 Airport sign |
 Parked planes |
 Parked planes |
 Parked planes |
 Close your fligh plan! |
Boulder Houses of Interest:
 Former home of... |
 JonBenét Ramsey (2006) |
 Mushroom house (front) |
 Mushroom house (back) |
 Dushanbe Teahouse * |
 Teahouse (side) * |
*The Monday, April 3, 2006 Daily Camera (Boulder's hometown newspaper) Editorial (p. 9A) had this to say about the Teahouse:
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"The Dushanabe Teahouse is a Boulder landmark. It is also a masterful work of fine art. Anyone who has been there can attest to that. That the edifice is hand-crafted and hand-carved is impressive. That this lavish gift came from a desperately poor nation is positively staggering."
"In the 1980s, the United States and the former Soviet Union were still locked in the Cold War. Convinced that people-to-people exchanges could help build international amity, some Boulder residents established a 'sister city' relationship with Dushanbe, a city in the former Soviet Republic of Tajikistan." "In 1987, the mayor of Dushanbe announced that his city would give Boulder a traditional Tajik teahouse. Some assembly was required. The structure - the work of 40 artisans - arrived in 200 crates." |
Boulder's gift, to Dushanbe, will be a "cyber-cafe" built to "green" standards. Don Mock, and other officials from the non-profit Boulder-Dushanbe Sister City organization were working to raise the $400,000 necessary to make the gift possible as I was creating this web page in spring of '06...
Valmont Butte
Valmont Butte is sacred Indigenous ground that has seen better times!
(Click Here for more information on how to help protect Valmont Butte...)
 As seen from the north |
 Valmont Butte Concrete... |
 No Dumping at this time |
Valmont Butte is located on the east side of town at what would be
the intersection of 63rd and Pearl if the Butte didn't exist...
(Valmont Butte is on the way for many of us visiting Eco-Cycle)
Toxic landscape
Unanswered questions remain about pollution at Valmont Butte
by Pamela White
Boulder Weekly - May 29, 2008 p. 11
"It's the $2,575,000 conundrum: what should the city of Boulder do with Valmont Butte? The battered parcel of land, best known for the volcanic dike that rises above Valmont Road, has seen its share of use - and abuse - at the hands of humans. American Indians used the site in their ceremonies, camping below during the winter, hunting on the surrounding plains and burying their loved ones. Pioneer families built a cemetery and used the area for grazing and agriculture.""Then industry arrived. The site became home to a gold mill, which became a fluorspar mill, which became a gold mill once more, which closed at last, leaving radioactive tailings ponds behind."
"Radioactive soil was transported to the site and buried on Valmont Butte, as were sealed barrels of chemical waste. Drums, tanks and transformers were dumped on the ground, and with them toxic chlorine, PCBs, paints, lubrication oils, wood finishing products and a host of combustible, corrosive and flammable substances."
University of Colorado at Boulder
University Memorial Center
UMC Patio
Administrative Center
CU Book Store
Fiske Planetarium
Observatory dome
Sommers-Bausch Observatory
Raptor Closings:
Osprey, Golden Eagles, Peregrine Falcons and Prairie Falcons love the Flatirons and other climbing areas in Boulder. Since 1986, Boulder's Open Space and Mountain Parks has instituted annual closures during nesting season. These seasonal closures usually start on February 1st, lasting through July 31st, and have been very succesful in preservng the number of raptors fledged each year. These protected areas, throughout Boulder, are monitored by volunteers throughout the closure period. It's interesting to note, too, that there are some bat closures, in certain parts of Boulder, that last until October 31st each year. I, personnally, wish to thank my friends in the climbing community for their help in making this conservation effort such a success each year in Boulder!
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Boulder has always been way ahead in lifestyle techniques that are low-impact and Earth-friendly. Click Here for my recycling page with a bunch of photos from Boulder's Eco-Cycle recycling center and the Resource building materials recycling facility... |
Goat Leaf Recycling:
Each fall, along Cherryvale, this homeowner puts out a tall, vertical sign inviting passersby to drop off bags of dried leaves as goat food! So, while I'm driving to work, I drop off a bag or two of leaves from my yard on Green Mountain. I've never met the owner of this "operation, but want to take this opportunity to thank her/him for their idea of leaf recycling through a goat!!
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