#Colorado State Parks

[lshedra-blog]

An Autumn Scene - Cheyenne Mountain State Park by Lutfi Shedraway Via Flickr: Cheyenne Mountain State Park is a Colorado state park that was acquired in June 2000 through a partnership between the City of Colorado Springs, Colorado State Parks, Great Outdoors Colorado, Colorado Lottery, El Paso County, and other local private organizations. Walking the part in October, provide this unique view of Autumn Tree colors, Two months after October, the trees are bare and in their winter look.

[aestum]

(by Logan Moreno Gutierrez)

[ambermaitrejean]

Broad-tailed hummingbird. Golden Gate Canyon State Park. Golden, Colorado. Photos by Amber Maitrejean

[reasonsforhope]

By the time Sue Shusterman turns away from the bench at the overlook and back toward the trailhead, she knows the paddleboarders are out in force 300 yards away on the gleaming blue surface of Chatfield Reservoir.  

She knows the high runoff waters have flooded the roots of Chatfield’s willows and cottonwoods, and that the first spring-green layers of the foothills rise to the west like soft fabric. 

How she acquired these life-affirming memories is at first a mystery, since Shusterman is blind and is heading back toward the parking lot making her usual sweep of the path in front with her ever-present white cane.  

But then a friendly voice emerges from the phone that Shusterman is pointing toward the path from her other hand.

A little to the left to stay on the paved path. Looks like there’s a trail all the way down to the beach, about 75 yards, if you wanted to go. I’ll just be here watching, let me know if you need anything. 

The voice is from a live, trained human guide FaceTiming through Shusterman’s phone camera on the Aira ability-assist app. Sight-impaired people have been using Aira’s guides to make it easier to do anything from navigating an airport to filling out an online job form. Now, all 42 Colorado state parks like Chatfield are geofenced to allow any visitor to use Aira for free to stroll the trails with a helpful set of eyes. 

The Aira guides seemingly effortlessly offer what a blind hiker either needs, or wants. If there’s a dangerous steep drop-off on the right, they warn. If the hiker would rather know if the sneezeweed is in bloom or the sailboats are luffing through a turn, Aira offers that instead.

For Shusterman, trying Aira as an outdoors adventure for the first time, the allure was simple: “Independence.” 

“So she’s doing, I think, a phenomenal job of including the necessary safety things, but the perks of the scenery, too,” Shusterman said, as she paused during a conversation with an Aira guide based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. “She’s doing great.”

State accessibility officials recently announced the expansion of Aira to state parks grounds, after previously providing Aira free for other state-related functions such as navigating a government building or getting help on an online site or filling out forms. Colorado cannot control the cellphone signal, though, so parks officials encourage visitors to try Aira at a familiar or close-in park space before ranging farther afield with it. Popular parks like Staunton or Golden Gate contain pockets where signals are not strong. 

For consumers buying access on their own, Aira costs about $50 for 30 minutes of assistance a month. Private employers and governments often buy package access to Aira and other accessibility apps for all employees to use. State accessibility coordinator Theresa Montano, who is blind and accompanied Shusterman on her Chatfield walk, said Amazon buys access so that sight-impaired shipping center employees can navigate steps to pack orders.

Montano uses Aira at her state job, saying the guides on the app can share her computer screen and help her get through an online task in 30 minutes that might take her four hours without help or through older accessibility tools. 

Adding Aira for state-owned lands was wrapped into the overall $250,000 budget for free Aira use on state property and with state websites. The additional utility is an obvious plus, Montano said. 

“This gives blind people the same opportunity to come and enjoy it by themselves or with their family if they want to, and be independent,” she said...

Shusterman walked away taking more from the big picture experience, rather than any particular scenic detail. 

“For me, it was, you know what, I could go for a walk on this path, and I could feel completely safe, and I would enjoy a nice walk and get some exercise, in an unfamiliar area,” Shusterman said. “It’s definitely a real confidence boost for me.”  

-via The Colorado Sun, June 11, 2024

[tsavivas]

Who care about been nauthy together with me kindly send a Dm 🏳️‍⚧️❤️💋👅

[andmaybegayer]

they weren't lying that mesa sure can verde

[schlady]

Finishing old pieces I couldn't give up on, thinking about that special moment when lime green aspen leaves change over to gold. The car felt like my old old paintings. "67 Aspens" 20" x 16" Acrylic on canvas January 2024

[northameicanblog]

One Lincoln Park, Denver, Colorado, United States: One Lincoln Park is a residential tower in Denver, reaching 31 stories and 360 feet and is one of Denver’s tallest buildings. The building sits at the edge of the downtown grid and is bounded by Welton St, 20th St, Lincoln St, and 20th Ave. It is at the 20th & Welton station which services RTD’s light rail L Line. Wikipedia

[pangeen]

“ Faces of Rocky “ // Brandt Ryder

[thomaswaynewolf]

[shutterandsentence]

"The Lord is good to all; He has compassion on all He has made."

--Psalm 145:9

Photo: Estes Park, Colorado

[heavenskiriot]

Eldorado Canyon State Park

Colorado

Tumblr | Instagram | Society6

[ambermaitrejean]

Golden Gate Canyon State Park. Golden, Colorado. Photos by Amber Maitrejean

[rabbitcruiser]

Utah was admitted as the 45th U.S. state on January 4, 1896.

[mechadress]

Frozen trees and red rocks

[andmaybegayer]

rocking and rolling