While we were there to volunteer and assist at the State Park in Delta, we found time to have fun in between sight seeing and work days. There were some festivals around, the local rodeo, grand opening for a new restaurant in which the owner was original from the Houston area, visit from friends, making new friends, Fred’s birthday, fishing and canoeing on the lake. Hope you enjoy reading about our down time as we did in taking that time.
After the trip to Denver our friends Rick and Pat from Colorado Springs came down for a visit. We met them at the very first camp hosting job we did in the Ft. Worth area. The position did not work out for either one of us and we both left within the first month of two of us being there. We left first and they were right behind us, but we have remained good friends ever since. They have since stop workamping due to medical issues but we are still the best of friends. Oh I forgot to say the picture above shows you what great friends Fred and Rick are – they go back and forth – Texans or Bronco. When they showed up it was so funny Fred had put on his Texans shirt to get to Rick but Rick had put on his Bronco shirt to get to Fred. We took them around sightseeing and then Fred and Rick decided to have a fishing contest – see who could catch the most and/or the smallest. You be the judge . . . .
We also celebrated Pat’s 65’s birthday and has a great night out having Mexican food – of course
July 4th was a great fun day as the park was packed with boaters and people just having a good time. We enjoyed talking to them and watching everyone have fun. That night there was a great fireworks display in town that you could see from the park, so it was great not having to get in traffic – lol
Fred birthday was in August and I promised the rangers that I would make some gumbo for them – so without Fred knowledge we planned the Gumbo and his birthday all at the same time.
We found out the park has a new canoe and it had not even been in the water yet, so we decided we would spend some time out in the canoe. Now when we have been in canoes before we fuss all the time, Fred is much stronger than me and his paddling is harder so we end up going around in circles – it really is funny to watch, so I just sat back and let him paddle and took pictures this time.
Olathe Sweet Corn Festival came about and I tell you what that is the best corn!!! It is yellow and white, but is so sweet that you don’t need butter, salt or pepper on it. The festival is to celebrate the harvest and was really neat for the area. We are used to BIG festivals that there is so many people around you cannot walk so this was really a nice change of pace. There were local bands playing all day and of course you vendors and activities for the kids. This was the first year they had a beer and wine garden, so that really needs some work on it, but the local brewery and wineries were there. The farmers had more corn there than you could image and was running it through this big conveyor belt pit then the local school groups were tearing the husk back and handing it out. You gave a donation (or not) and you could eat all you wanted. Needless to say I pigged out on it as it is really good.
 Olathe Sweet Corn Festival |
Delta County had their county fair while we were there so went out on the day of the kid’s rodeo to watch. I love watching the young getting started and with this being a big ranch and farming area I knew it was going to be great. They had poles, barrel racing, goat roping, and lots more for the kids. There were two or three events going on at all once so it was hard seeing it all, but I hope you enjoy.
 Kid’s Rodeo |
Out checking place to eat, we found a new restaurant that was opening and stopped. We ended up going on the night of one of her soft openings before she was really open to the public, but we were welcome anyway. It was German food and with that being one of our favorite types and Fred having been stationed over there we really enjoyed the place. We gave her our comments as requested before we left and were invited back to the Grand Opening. What a fun night – she had a German band come in from Grand Junction and some dancers so we had fun. If you are ever in Delta stop at Opa’s and tell her we sent you, you will enjoy yourself.
 Opa’s Grand Opening |
I mentioned on Facebook about the people me met there and how much fun we had with them. Mike and Rachelle lived down the street from the park and would take their morning and afternoon walks there. We got to know them from there and they were great friends and kept us supplied with fresh vegetables. They were great friends and ones that we will not forget, afternoon sitting and talking with them was some of the best times we had there. We are still enjoying some of the fresh vegetables. Then Linda was the other employee (boat inspector) at Sweitzer. We had great time talking with her as she was a heavy equipment operator/appraiser in the area. She also has cattle at her property and we just enjoyed listening to the stories of their lives in the area and raising cattle, raising their gardens, and their lives on the western slopes. One thing Fred and I have learned is that life has so many different challenges and everyone is unique in their own way. Life can be very interesting and different even in the US.
We also got to know a lot of the visitors to the park and one of the first we met was Rich and Kelly. Rich was out doing something I had never seen before the first night we moved over to Sweitzer – he was bow fishing. I was amazed with it and went to talk to him about bow fishing. 
The lake was a catch and release fishing lake so I was not sure how he could do this. Come to find out he was out getting carp, of which you could catch and keep all you wanted as they were considered trash fish. The carp were eating the eggs of the other fish and were bottom feeders so they wanted them out of the lake. Fred and Rich got to be good friends and Fred spent time carp fishing with him and had some of the best times with him and his son. 
Rich is also a guide and a trapper during the winter months. So time we spent talking with him was really interesting. We will truly miss the friends we made here.
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