Courier View Pikes Peak 5/1/13
Pikes Peak
Teller County, Colorado • Volume 52, Issue 18
May 1, 2013
75 cents
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourtellercountynews.com
Wine tourism takes off May 11 By Pat Hill
phill@ourcoloradonews.com If it’s good for Woodland Park, it’s good for the nation. As major cities in the United States host Wine Tourism Day this month, Woodland Park is way ahead of the game. Because several businesses already feature wine tastings, the tourism gig May 11 is a natural. “We want to get people out walking around town on Mother’s Day weekend,” said Jamie Caperton, co-owner with her husband, Ben Caperton, of The Cellar Door. With a let’s-do-it enthusiasm, business owners along main street, each with a tasting room, offer specials throughout the day, three of them issuing Passports to tastings from various Colorado vineyards. At Vintage Vines, along with the Passport, Jan Cummer features drawings for a discount on the vintage clothing, an extra tasting, or a gift bag. “I’m really excited about this event; the town is working together to make this a great experience,” Cummer said. The tasting rooms along the avenue reflect the variety of goods available in Woodland Park. Windows of Heaven, a Catholic Christian bookstore, for instance, features books, jewelry and other religious items. At Cowbells\Deersnake Gallery, Deb Nichols highlights the broader message. “I think it’s a great community project that we are working together on,” she said. For the adventurous traveler/sipper, Cowbells takes off that day with a special wine-flight promotion. As other Colorado cities promote their own tasting treats on May 11, Woodland Park’s main street reflects the ingenuity of the proprietors. “Our tasting rooms are different as each is in a retail establishment as opposed to tastings in a winery,” said Ralph Holloway, who owns Seven Arrows Gallery. Included in the tasting rooms is Studio West Aveda Salon; up the street a bit, Banana Belt Liquors offers a complimentary tasting
Lucy Tanner, Windows of Heaven Catholic Christian bookstore, is part of the Wine Tourism Day May 11 in Woodland Park. Windows is one of three businesses offering Passports to discounted wine tastings. Photos by Pat Hill
‘I’m really excited for this event; the town is working together to make this a great experience.’ Jan Cummer from 3 to 5 p.m. Throughout the day, nearly every merchant in Woodland Park will feature some kind of special. The go-to information site is at http://woodlandparkuncorked. com where the Passport can be purchased for $7.50. “We are open for business,” said Brian Fleer, executive director
Jamie and Ben Caperton, who own The Cellar Door, initiated the idea of hosting a special event called Wine Tourism Day May 11. of the city’s office of economic and downtown development. “This is
a pilot project to gauge interest, to take advantage of that weekend
and tie it as a special event here for Woodland Park.”
West U.S. 24 rocked Several large boulders rolled onto U.S. 24 westbound the evening of April 23, requiring a right lane closure about one mile west of Manitou Springs on Ute Pass. There were no injuries or property damage. Crews from Colorado Department of Transportation Department were able to push the boulders off
the roadway and onto the shoulder area. Highway 24 was never closed to traffic since one lane remained open. It appears the boulders “rolled” onto the roadway and did not damage the pavement - just pavement scratches. Crews are on site breaking up the boulders into smaller chunks, allowing
their removal in the next couple of days. CDOT rock fall experts will be doing a technical analysis of the slope above U.S. 24 April 24, determining if additional mitigation work is required. Rock fall in mountainous areas is common this time of year due to the recurring “freeze-thaw” cycle.
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There were no injuries when nine large boulders rolled onto U.S. 24 westbound the evening of April 23 just above Manitou Springs. Courtesy photo from the Colorado Department of Transportation