Nina's Denver Blog

Fall in Colorado means a perfect time for Aspen leaves, fall hikes, and of course, observing the mating rituals of large mammals. Elk bugling is a popular tourist attraction in Estes Park and nearby Rocky Mountain National Park. The male elk makes a bugling call for female companionship at dusk during the months of September and October. Wildlife experts recommend watching from a safe distance, as you don't want to get in the way of the mating ritual. The town of Estes Park, the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park, is located 65 miles northwest of Denver. The silhouette of the elk, pictured at right, was photographed at the Estes Park power plant.

• Rocky Mountain National Park Official Site
• Driving Times and Mileages from Denver

Photo (c) 2008 Nina Davidson, licensed to About.com

The 24th annual Winter Park Ski and Snowboard swap kicks off today at Winter Park ski resort. The Early Bird sale is scheduled tonight on Oct. 10, 2008 from 5 - 9 p.m. Admission is $2 per person or $5 per family. The Saturday sale on Oct. 11, 2008 runs from 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. with free admission. The Winter Park Season Pass office will also be open on Saturday from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. The swap offers new and used ski, snowboard and outdoor equipment at significant savings. Last season's rental skis and mountain bikes will also be on sale. All proceeds benefit youth ski and snowboard programs.

• Winter Park Official Site

While it's usually bad form to abscond with flowers and plants from a public park, Denver parks are encouraging residents to take home perennial plants or cut flowers this Saturday. Putting the Beds to Bed seeks volunteers to dig up annual flower beds at area parks, and volunteers can either take home the plants or help load them onto trucks. Personally, I have my eye on some gorgeous red zinnias and pepper plants at Alamo Placita Park, pictured at right. Volunteers are needed from 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. on Sat. Oct. 11, 2008 at these four parks:

• Alamo Placita Park: Emerson St. & E. 3rd Ave.
• Civic Center Park: Colfax & Broadway
• Cranmer Park: Cherry St. & E. 2nd Ave.
• Washington Park: S. Downing St. & E. Louisiana Ave.

To volunteer, call the hotline at 720-913-0330 or email dprvolunteers@denvergov.org. Volunteers are encouraged to bring gardening gloves and water bottles, and volunteers under 17 must be accompanied by an adult.

Since January, 217,160 Colorado residents registered to vote in the upcoming presidential election. Yesterday was the last day to register to vote for the Centennial state. This is one election where your vote will make a difference, as the latest polls show Barack Obama and John McCain in a dead heat for Colorado. Will this be the first time Colorado goes blue in a presidential election? What do you think? Share your comments below.

• Voting rolls grow 217,160

Today marks the last day to register to vote in the upcoming presidential election on Nov. 4. Besides the presidential election, there is also a heated Senate race for Colorado, as well as more than a dozen ballot initiatives. The respective campaigns recommend mail-in voting due to the length of the ballot, estimated to take at least 20 minutes to fill out in its entirety. I've never done a mail-in ballot before because I enjoy the whole ritual of going to the polling place, but perhaps I'm in the minority. Are you planning on voting with a mail-in ballot? Share your comments below.

• Denver Voter Information

More than 62,000 Denverites participated in Race for the Cure this morning in Denver. The race kicked off bright and early at 7 a.m. with a women-only race, and then a co-ed race followed at 8:30 a.m. The money goes towards breast cancer research, and the race is one of Denver's largest 5k events. If you were not able to make it to the race, visit our five photos from the 2008 Race for the Cure to see what all the fuss is about.

• Race for the Cure 2008 Photos

Now through Oct. 12, 2008, ski pass customers who purchase a Rocky Mountain Super Pass or Ultimate Pass will receive an additional two free days at Whistler Blackcomb in Vancouver, Canada. The Rocky Mountain Super Pass costs $439 for adult skiers, and includes unlimited skiing at Winter Park Resort and Copper Mountain, as well as six days at Steamboat Springs. Passes are available for purchase at Christy Sports stores across the metro area.

• Colorado Ski Passes 2008/09

Gov. Bill Ritter brokered a deal between union interests and Colorado businesses to drop four of the ballot measures in the upcoming election on Nov. 4. The ballot measures that will be dropped are:

• Amendment 53: Criminal Accountability of Business Executives
• Amendment 55: Allowable Reasons for Employee Discharge or Suspension
• Amendment 56: Employer Responsibility for Health Insurance
• Amendment 57: Additional Remedies for Injured Employees

Phew, I can breath a sigh of relief now. My blue book arrived in the mail the other day, but it seemed too daunting a task to read through the 14 amendments and four referendums on the ballot. Now at least there are only 10 amendments to try and decode. What do you think? Has the number of amendments on the ballot gotten excessive, or is it democracy at its finest? Share your comments below.

October kicks off with the Ringling Bros. Circus tonight and ends with Halloween on Oct. 31. This month, there are several free days at local museums, including the Denver Art Museum, Denver Zoo and Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Another highlight of October includes the Great American Beer Festival from Oct. 9 - 11.

• October 2008 Events in Denver

Today marks the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah, or New Year. By the Jewish calendar, today is the first day of the new year of 5769. The new year is celebrated by a traditional meal the night before, as Jewish holidays begin at sundown, and attending services. Another tradition for a sweet new year is to eat honey cake or to dip apples in honey.

• TEMPLE: Outside the rhythm of the routine