Nederland

River of Souls - Celebrating the Music of Dan Fogelberg

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Nederland

Here is a treat for you. In the summer of 1978, I lived in Nederland, CO. I stayed with my friends in their A-frame house for a few weeks, and then relocated one bend up Magnolia Rd. (then known as the Magnolia Star Route) to a nice camp site in a meadow overlooking Boulder that now has three houses on it. I can't believe how the real estate company ruined that meadow by subdividing the land into three parcels, when there was clearly only room for one good-sized house. Anyway, here are a few shots from my 2004 Colorado vacation, starting from the intersection of Boulder Canyon Blvd. and Magnolia Rd., and ending in Nederland proper. Each picture has a link to a larger photograph. Enjoy!

Here we are on Boulder Canyon Blvd. looking North. You can get to Nederland by staying on this road, and it is the quickest way to get there. However, you can also take Magnolia Rd., which is where this sign is pointing to. The name "Magnolia" had obvious significance to Dan, since that was his first wife's nickname. Boulder Creek (which is actually a raging river with rapids) is on the West side of the road. I used to fill up two jugs full of sparkling, clear water on my way up the hill every night.

This is the first sign that you see on the first uphill straightaway on Magnolia, after the first two sharp curves. When I lived here, this was a dirt road, and only a few lots were open for purchase in the Roosevelt National Forest. Now, there are tons of them. It's worth noting that because of the increased population, the Boulder foothills unfortunately have just as much air pollution as the Denver/Boulder metro area.

Here is the row of mailboxes at the entry to Old Whiskey Rd., which is where the A-frame house built by my friend Robin in 1977-79 was located. The reason it took two years is because it was built by Robin and his friends. The only contractor for hire was the firm that poured the concrete foundation. All of the other masonry work, framing, and finishing was done on a volunteer-friendship basis. I was an unskilled laborer.

Much to my surprise, I found a for sale sign next to the mailboxes.

Here is the trusty A-frame house built by Robin and friends. I lived here during the construction in the spring of '78.

By the time you get through climbing up Magnolia Rd. to 9,000 ft., the road levels off and the asphalt ends. On your right, you will find the Sundance Cafe and Lodge.

The Sundance Cafe and Lodge as seen from across the road.

From the Sundance Cafe and Lodge, you have a view of the Sundance Stables.

A short drive further down the dirt road, and you run into the town of Nederland.

Here is the famous Black Forest Restaurant.

A wider shot of the Black Forest Restaurant.

A rain shower as seen from the 10,000 ft. level above Nederland. I had planned on taking some shots in Rollinsville (where Dan's first ranch was located), but I was staring to experience dizziness due to the high altitude. As I was beginning to see stars, I quickly dropped back down 1,000 ft. and stopped at a convenience store before heading back down the mountain. Otherwise, I would have taken more pictures.

Here is Barker dam. Boulder Lake supplies most of the water to Nederland, the Boulder foothills, and parts of Boulder.

Northeast of Boulder via the Diagonal Hwy. lies the small town of Longmont. This is a shot of the Dickens Opera House, where I played the Lawyer Hawks in Richard Sharp's version of Peg 'O My Heart, a musical comedy that got rave reviews!

*River of Souls - Celebrating the Music of Dan Fogelberg*


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