The last official day of GSE tour of Colorado 2009

Emma says: A momentous day for the GSE team today as we finished our last day of official duties for the GSE trip. Our only real obligations today were to the Redlands Rotary Club for lunch, where we enjoyed our last presentation and some fabulous company.

Outside of that, we had the day to spend as we wish, which meant shopping in the morning followed by a bit of R&R in the form of bowling this afternoon, dinner at a local brew pub called Rockslide for dinner and then attending the Colorado Pro-Rodeo Association Finals this tonight.

So this is the end of our Colorado experience... We’ve driven across, alongside and through the Rocky Mountains, and we’ve rafted the Colorado River. We’ve travelled by planes, trains, and loads of automobiles. We’ve eaten the best that Colorado has to offer in fabulous Palisade peaches and Rocky Ford melons, and the worst in Rocky Mountain oysters. And we’ve eaten A LOT of Mexican food! We sampled many of the wonderful brews made in Colorado and some of the wine.

We mingled with celebrities in Telluride and then became self-proclaimed celebrities, gracing the front pages of many local newspapers and even appearing on a local radio station! Between us we’ve seen a bear, a skunk, some coyotes, and loads of deer and prairie dogs. We attended a film festival, 2 rodeos, and celebrity fly fishing tournament. We’ve fished (badly) and bowled (badly – for the most part). We made friendships within the team and within Colorado that I hope will last longer than the extra kilos I am carrying home!

I can’t speak for the team but this trip has definitely impacted on my life already. There is no doubt the vocational visits I’ve had here will influence my future career, and I have met some wonderful people and seen some amazing things in a place I may have not otherwise visited. The GSE program is truly a jewel in Rotary’s crown, and we are all very lucky to have been a part of this trip.

Words can’t express our gratitude to those we have met during our time in Colorado. Our host families, vocational counterparts, and everyone else who have taken time out to make our stay memorable, have all been brilliant. I have been constantly amazed at the lengths to which people would go to help us out and make things happen.

So as the GSE team head our own separate ways, we say a big thank you to Colorado and District 5470 for hosting us on this amazing experience. As Mandy says in her presentation, we believe we live in the best address on the planet, but after the experiences of the past 5 weeks, Colorado definitely ranks a close second!

Michael 17th August in Grand Junction

An early start with Grand Junction Sunrise Club for our presentation and after breakfast we went up to Colorado National Monument which preserves one of the grand landscapes in USA's west. This plateau and canyon country is brilliantly coloured with towering columns and deep canyons. Lunch was at the golf club and afterwards we were off to No Thoroughfare Canyon for a 4 mile walk. The sign said 1.5 hours one way - well we did it in 1hour! No wonder Angela has lost 3kgs, she was the pace setter! This walk was the ticket just to get our legs and heart working!
After all our eating and talking, back to our hosts for a change of clothes and out for another party, as usual the clouds built up and a lightning display but no real rain, the same every night. Food and drink was laid on for us, its a wonder we are not all a bit heavier, but some are still the same weight as we started or lighter.

Ang says: What a Shocker.... I think Michael was tired when he wrote this blog, I have added a picture for him.
Since I have been here I have wanted to go Ten pin bowling, today is the day Aussie's vs Yanks, hopefully we wont let our country down and Emma will have good news tonight when she reports in..

A special day for Rotary in Grand Junction

After our morning in individual vocation's we all meet at Rotary for lunch, this was a different day as we did not have to give a presentation instead we celebrated their birthday they had turned ninety, they had three members that have been in the club for fifty years, they had some stories to tell. This was a large turn out with many visitor's.

After lunch we visited Western Avation a non commercial airport that repairs and refurbish aeroplanes. It was interesting to hear how expensive the planes cost, one plane that we were able to look in was 18 million dollars and six thousand dollars a hour to run, well i wont be buying one for a while.

We all have a breakfast meeting in the morning and will be spending the evening home with our host families and enjoying their company.

UNBELIEVEABLE!!!!!! - Mandy - 15th Sept

Let me start this blog by pointing out that my Title is not referring to sights or anything like that. Noooooooooooo instead I am refering to the fact that this afternoon whilst at a winery I was not deemed to be over 21 unless I could produce my ID (which I could not as it was with the rest of my luggage which had been taken away.) So I had to sit an WATCH the other 5 people (including Michael - who doesn't DRINK) taste wine. While I sat in the corner sulking about not being able to try the wine, I was feeling torn over the fact I couldn't taste it but also that had to be asked for ID and they might actually think I might be under 21 - which under any other set of standards would be good. (Photo taken by me sitting sulking in the corner - it is of all the others wine tasting.)

Anyway I have been side tracked here (obviously I am still cut up about the experience.) The day was an early start - presenting at our Rotary presentation at Glenwood Springs 0700hrs this morning. We then quickly wetn home and packed out stuff. On the way out to Grand Junction we stopped off at Storm King Ridge (I think that is what it was called) - anyway about 18 fire-fighters died there. Great hike. We then moved onto Palisade - where we had lunch and did a tour of Talbots (family business which grows peaches, apples, pear, plums, grapes.) After that we moved onto a winery (which you have heard my version already).

We then met a number of Grand Junction Rotary members at Cliff and Teresa house for drinks and nibbles. Busy day of tours, Rotary meeting and vocational visits tomorrow so I had best finish up this blog for today. I have just worked out this ISN'T my last blog. @#$^&* - Damn it, I was sure it was - oh well you are stuck with one more from me.

Summer in the snowfields (Aspen, Snowmass...)

Emma says: A brilliant day for the team today. We started the morning with a vocational visit, and I was lucky enough to visit the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) which was founded by Amory Lovins who spoke at the District Conference on Saturday night.

RMI is a non-profit organisation which aims to reduce reliance on fossil fuels by promoting solutions which are economically attractive to governments and big business. They are also involved in consulting to organisations on sustainable solutions for towns and buildings. I had an incredibly interesting morning discussing some recent projects RMI have been involved in, including a recent green retrofit of the Empire State Building in New York and some energy efficient car designs. I was also lucky enough to get a tour of the home of Amory Lovins, which formerly doubled as the headquarters for RMI, and is considered a shining example of a green residence. The building contains all natural heating and is home to several banana trees which are now producing their 29th and 30th banana crops - not bad for a home located just outside of Aspen and subject to temperatures around 0C for a lot of the year!

For the rest of the day we were hosted by some of the guys from Snowmass RC who were a good laugh and out to show us a good time. Snowmass is just up the road from Aspen and the largest of the ski resorts in the area. So we bundled into 4-wd vehicles and headed to the top of one of the local peaks, known as Elk Camp, driving 'paths' that were near vertical at times. The view was spectacular, and provided a stunning view while we enjoyed a picnic lunch at 12,000 feet. I don't think I was the only one imagining the slopes covered in powdery white snow - I will definitely be back to this part of the world!

On the way down the slopes we stopped for another brief yet unsuccessful fishing attempt in a small lake (possibly time to give the fishing a rest!), then we headed into Aspen - woohoo! Aspen was great but our time there was brief. We got a tour of some of the local homes including that of Jack Nicholson. This town is beyond belief - US$4-5 million will get you the most basic property!

A quick drink at a local establishment, then the obligatory t-shirt run (and magnet for those at work who are wondering!), then we were back into Snowmass for a small reception with some more of the Snowmass gang. Having irresponsibly gourged ourselves on fabulous nibbles we then also had dinner with our hosts back in Glenwood Springs at one of the fabulous brew pubs that Colorado has to offer.

So with my gut aching once again from over-indulging, tonight I find myself packing for our trip to Grand Junction and the last of our stops in Colorado on what has been an incredible trip.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel, not long to go now..
Today was rest day which means we have no rotary commitments and no GSE shirts Hey..
We started with the hot springs so I thought but everyone was waiting at the Vapour room across the road, well they found me so it doesn’t matter. The vapour room is a natural sauna it was so hot, I lasted 30 minutes before I had to get out, I thought I would lose all fluids from my body, the rest of the team was stronger than a I, some stayed and enjoyed a massage others went to the hot springs, this hot springs is the largest in the world. After soaking for a couple of hours we were then off to a treat not everyone would receive.
Steve the coordinator (Mandy’s host) for Glenwood Springs took us out in his aeroplane, this plane was built in 1968 and is a single engine that seated 4 people it was amazing, Steve has flown planes since he was 19 and was something to remember.
As the day rolled on we had a traditional thanks’ giving dinner at Emma’s host family, it had all the trimmings and I have all the pictures to prove it. The tradition is to feast until you can’t move a lot like Christmas except American’s do it twice, We were then given gift’s to celebrate the good friendships that we have made.
Early day tomorrow and we all have a busy schedule for the next week hopefully we will make it out alive

Michael 12th Sept. at Glenwood Springs

G'day, Well the day started with a hurry as we arrived at the 5470 District Conference early, but we were one short, we were introduced to the district. The team then went through the presentation to make some alterations to tailor it to the people at the conference and reflect what we had done and seen over the past 4 weeks. After lunch the team made a small presentation of Aboriginal paintings, banners , pins and District Governors present to both the District Governor and the Coordinator of our trip. Our presentation was not until 2.45 so a long wait, however the outbound team to Australia arrived and we had a long talk with the team. The presentation to the district was a breakout session and about 20 people came to see and hear us it made for a very informal session, with time to ask questions during our presentation and after to really get into GSE teams, what it is all about, and what we got out of our trip. An aside was being able to catch up with people we had staid with and to revisit through them our past 4 weeks. Home for a rest was the order of the after noon as we had the the formal dinner in the evening held at the Hotel Colorado, district presentations and a speaker Amory Lovins, he is the chairman and chief Scientist of the Rocky Mountain Institute, a MacAurthur Fellowship recipient, written many books on energy efficiency, renewable energy. His talk was on the global warming and energy efficiency in vehicles, electricity and industry and how theses will save industry money not cost more money and how governments should reward efficiency not wastefully practices. He was a fantastic presenter and the whole auditorium was captivated by his presentation