On this very day 150 years ago–August 1st, 1876– Colorado became the 38th state.
When folks think of Colorado, they think of mountains,skiing, Denver.
But ask anyone, especially folks who live outside the Front Range (the urban corridor consisting of Denver, Colorado Springs, Boulder, Ft. Collins, etc.) and they will tell you Colorado offers much more than mountains.
High desert, on the western third of the state.
The world’s largest flat-topped mountain (Grand Mesa).
The Great Plains, on the eastern third of the state.
Coloradoans, or Coloradans, (take your pick)–we’re spoiled by this sheer amount of topographical variety. For example, drive from Denver to Grand Junction (the largest city on the Western Slope, just 30 miles from the Utah border). In those 4 hours, you’ll view the Great Plains, foothills, the Continental Divide, several high mountain passes, ski resorts, to pinyon and juniper country, and red rock country.
Amazing.
I love this state so much, for all the opportunities it’s provided me, and all the outdoor adventures I’ve experienced. And I know there’s still so much more to explore within the Centennial State! 🙂
2026 marks several keystone anniversaries. To celebrate both Colorado’s 150th anniversary and the USA’s 250th anniversary, History Colorado has put together the America 250 – Colorado 150 Commission. According to their site, https://www.historycolorado.org/colorado-150, this commission was “established to guide Colorado’s twin commemorations in ways that enable all Coloradans to participate. We encourage Coloradans from all corners of our state to undertake diverse, imaginative efforts to remember our shared past and imagine a unified future.
As we create opportunities to commemorate and celebrate Colorado’s stories, the Commission is committed to recognizing that our shared history includes the experiences of all who have called Colorado home.
2026 will be an opportunity for us to come together as we celebrate Colorado by acknowledging our complete shared history, honor what makes Colorado unique, and recognize our shared destiny as we strive toward a more perfect union.”
Pretty neat!
To celebrate these anniversaries, there’s several unique events happening throughout the state, be sure to check out this calendar put together by the commission.
The United States isn’t the only 250th anniversary happening this year.
Also reaching the landmark semiquincentennial anniversary in 2026: the Domínguez-Escalante Expedition.
Indeed, this Spanish expedition was originally set to launch from Santa Fe, New Mexico, on July 4th, 1776–yes, the very same day the Founding Fathers convened in Independence Hall in Pennsylvania and signed the Declaration of Independence.
But logistics pushed the actual expedition start date to July 29th, 1776–250 years ago today.
Haven’t heard of the Domínguez-Escalante Expedition? Understandable. In the strictest sense, the expedition was a failure. Franciscan friars Domínguez and Escalante, along with 10 crew members, failed to reach their goal in finding an overland route to their destination, the Roman Catholic mission in Monterey, California.
In fact, a good chunk of the padres journey skewed northeast–the exact opposite direction of California. Their circuitous route through New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and Arizona never even got close to the Pacific coast. This, along with several other key reasons, is why, despite the expedition’s failure to reach their destination, makes the padres journey no less interesting than Lewis and Clark’s famed trek. How so?
One of the main reasons: the friars kept a detailed journal of their journey. Friar Escalante wrote the original chronicle, documenting the expedition. No doubt aided by fellow Padre Domínguez, Escalante’s journal details their trek through terra incognita.
Domínguez-Escalante Expedition route. Image source: Crow Canyon Archaeological Center (crowcanyon.org)
Compared to Lewis and Clark’s journals, which the late great adventure writer David Roberts describes as, “disjointed, preoccupied with minutiae,” the Domínguez-Escalante journal is “coherent, succinct, yet full of curious asides.”
Indeed, my goal with these blog posts is to explore these “curious asides” of this somewhat obscure journey, and to reflect overall on la Expedición de Domínguez y Escalante.
While I’d like to provide a post per D&E journal entry, realistically that may be tough. D&E’S contains over 150 entries, over a span of six months. For now, I may focus on specific events and individuals within the expedition that catch my attention.
To aid my research and writing, I’ll be referring to the following resources:
Great book, I highly recommend. Now if you’re a dork like me, you can read the original journal alongside Roberts’ book, as I did. Escalante’s Dream adds plenty of context to the original journal text.
Domínguez-Escalante Expedition Project (DEEEP): A phenomenal online resource that dives deep (yes, pun intended) into D&E’s days traversing through what is now Colorado. Complete with interactive map and Colorado journal entries, you can now follow the padres journey through the Centennial State.
So, if you’re a history buff like me, a student of southwest history, stay tuned as I embark on my own writing quest, reflecting on the intriguing Domínguez-Escalante trek, 250 years on.
-LMC
Expedition map made by cartographer Don Bernardo Miera y Pacheco—quite a character! We’ll talk more about him in my blog entries.
Happy 100th Birthday to my alma mater, Mesa State College!
Yes, the campus is Colorado Mesa University now, and has been for over a decade, but it’ll always be Mesa State College to me. 🙂 But for simplicity, I’ll refer to the school by its official name in this post, Colorado Mesa University, aka CMU.
On April 20th, 1925, Colorado governor Clarence Morley signed Senate Bill 262, which established Grand Junction Junior College (GJJC), the school that would eventually become CMU. The school filled the need for education facilities on the Western Slope. At the time, the nearest college was Western State College in Gunnison, over 100 miles to the southeast.
GJJC’s student body for the first year was 39 students, with the school offering seven courses. As Grand Junction grew, so did the school, and in 1937 the campus was renamed to Mesa College. In 1974, the school began offering baccalaureate programs, and in 1988 the school was renamed to Mesa State College. In 2011, the school was renamed to Colorado Mesa University.
CMU Today
As of this writing, CMU enrolls over 10,000 students. The school proudly offers “more than 100 undergraduate programs of study — at the certificate, associate and bachelor’s level — along with graduate programs in business administration, education and nursing,” according to coloradomesa.edu.
During my time at Mesa and after, the campus has expanded, with several new dormitories and academic buildings added, and the growth continues.
To celebrate a century, CMU is proud to present The CMU Century Project, “a yearlong, campus-wide celebration of the university’s legacy, growth and vision for the future. Spanning the 2025–2026 academic year, the project will highlight the people, milestones and impact that have shaped CMU over the past century while laying the groundwork for its next 100 years,” per coloradomesa.edu.
The CMU Century Project comprises of several events, with more information available on cmucentury.com. According to the same site, the project is guided by a Steering Committee, that consists of six sub-committees:
Legacy Committee – Documenting and preserving major milestones
Centennial Celebrations Committee – Recognizing students, faculty, alumni and leadership
Decades of Maverick Spirit Committee – Honoring student-athlete alumni
Academic Achievements Committee – Showcasing innovation and academic excellence
Mavericks Making Their Mark Committee – Highlighting leadership across the Maverick network
Century Committee – Envisioning the future of CMU and its Human Scale University mission
Forever A Maverick
Cheers to 100 years, CMU! I’m forever a proud Maverick. I’m excited to see how the school will further evolve. 🙂 GO MAVS!
Today is National Cat Day, and I want to pay tribute to a special feline.
Earlier this year I lost my friend Romeo–RoMEOW, Studster Cat, THE Roamster–who passed away unexpectedly.
Neighborhood greeting committee: the first time I met Romeo.
As would luck would have it, my neighborhood had not one, not two, but three outdoor cats. I loved all of them, but by far my favorite was Romeo, the coolest cat in the entire town.
An utterly beautiful, striking orange tabby, Romeo was the first to greet me, my first acquaintance on the street. He made me feel at home. He was king of the neighborhood, and his name couldn’t have been more perfect: Romeo, a real life charmer who stole everyone’s heart. A true Puss in Boots!
The real life Puss in Boots.
Romeo’s owners lived across the way, and let him roam wherever and whenever he wanted. Blazing Western CO summer heat? A sudden cold snap? Romeo would be out and about, exploring, climbing, and chilling with the neighbors. Everyone loved him.
If Romeo were a Beanie Baby.
As a cat person, I especially adored Romeo. He was a specimen—a large, muscular cat with the healthiest short hair coat. I often joked he liked to lift, as he was so healthy and brawny for a feline. It didn’t matter where he wandered; he was always immaculately clean.
I always enjoyed his visits. I loved announcing in the silliest voice, “Romeo, oh Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?” And sure enough, more often than not he heeded my call and bounded out of the bushes. Countless times he’d be waiting at the curb when I arrived home from work—a real gentleman.
Such a handsome fellow.
What I especially loved about this amazing creature was that he just wanted to enjoy my company. Though I always had treats on hand, oftentimes he’d bypass the food and went straight to sitting with me. A cat of very few meows (he meowed only 5-6 times in the years I knew him), he calmly surveyed his domain, his tail gently swaying.
I will forever miss his calming presence. Whenever I was writing away or studying, Romeo was often nearby, supporting my endeavors. Here are some of my favorite Romeo moments:
Attempting to sneak a bite out of someone’s lunch in the back of their pickup truck
Inspecting my car (climbing the seats and dash)
Scaling the sky high new house behind the property
Sheltering at my place whenever it rained
“Breaking into” neighbors homes and the second floor
Inspecting the beds of pickup trucks parked on the street
Sitting directly under my chair as I worked/ studied
The gang’s all here. As my best friend joked, “You manifested all these cats!”
And of course, watching Romeo interact with fellow outdoor felines Mochi and Bob Ross was always a laugh. If Romeo was the silent jock, Mochi was the class clown/ social butterfly and Bob Ross the lovable spazz. And to his credit, Romeo patiently tolerated the high energy antics of the wannabe BROmeos. Since Romeo’s passing, Mochi has some big shoes to fill.
Thank you Romeo for your friendship. I will forever miss seeing you stroll down the street, then bounding my way whenever you spotted me, tail high, whiskers forward, a happy fellow. Just as you roamed the neighborhood, may you forever explore the heavens.
Happy 50th Birthday to one of my heroes, singer and songwriter, Kelli Ali, aka Kelli Dayton!
Best known as the vocalist of the Sneaker Pimps first album Becoming X, I was 9 when I first heard Kelli’s distinct voice on the band’s most famous single, “6 Underground.”
When I first watched the music video for 6 Underground, I wouldn’t be the only one intrigued by the tiny girl sitting in a revolving dentist chair. Spiky haired, crimson lips, and with vampire fangs to boot, one muses, who is this girl? This vampy punk who oozes sex appeal with the sultry vocals to match?
Discovering Becoming X
Becoming X still sounds far more fresh and original than any music produced today. Not an exaggeration when I say I listen to songs from this album daily.
My Dad, a true David Bowie aficionado, would always play music while working from his at home office. I always loved whatever he listened to, which were usually soothing instrumental pieces.
When he started playing an album I’d never heard before–spacey electronic mixed with hip hop beats, paired with a girlish, elastic, pixie-like, soothing yet sultry voice –I’d just discovered Becoming X, Sneaker Pimp’s most successful album, in my humble opinion.
I asked my Dad about the band and the singer. He told me Sneaker Pimps were from England and the singer’s name was Kelli Ali. Looking at the liner notes, I saw Kelli for the first time–a girl with short black hair and red lipstick. I’d just discovered not just one of my all time favorite albums, but one of my heroes.
US Becoming X Tour, 1997. Image from kellialiofficial Instagram.
Dazed Magazine interview, 24 September 1996
I did more research and discovered a real punk–a badass, mixed-raced girl who dropped out of school at 14 to pursue music, singing and songwriting for bands in her hometown of Birmingham, UK. From the beginning, music was always central in Kelli’s life, as she grew up listening to David Bowie and X-Ray Spex (there’s no doubt Kelli is inspired by punk vocalist Poly Styrene). In 1996, she was asked by trip hop band Sneaker Pimps to be the lead vocalist for their upcoming album, Becoming X.
I’m certainly no punk myself, but I’ve always related to Kelli as I’m mixed race as well (Filipina-English), with my Dad’s side hailing from England (my Dad is first generation American and his parents are from London). And I’ve always admired Kelli’s aesthetic. In fact, my cat eyeliner and red lip gloss/ lipstick look I rocked in high school and college were directly inspired by Kelli. 🙂
“And they’ve got the diminutive, drop-dead unconventionally gorgeous, heavily Brum accented, Goth eyelinered and recently cropped n’ bleached 22 year old Kelli Dayton, a singer with the voice of Billie Holliday taking lessons from John Lydon.”
–I.D, Magazine interview, January 1997
Upon discovering Becoming X, I was so excited to follow up listening to Sneaker Pimps other work. After all, Becoming X was commercially successful in the UK, with “6 Underground” and “Spin Spin Sugar” hitting the US airwaves, and the band toured both the UK and US. Though my Dad and I were several years late to discovering Becoming X, we were more than eager to listen to the Pimps latest works.
Alas, what disappointment for the both of us, and Sneaker Pimps fans all over, to learn that Kelli was sacked (British slang for fired) from the band. What madness! To this day, I’m still angry the band rid itself of its secret weapon, its element X, the voice that made the music.
Dazed Magazine interview, 1996. Kelli with fellow Sneaker Pimps Liam Howe (left) and Chris Corner (right). Howe and Liam are incredibly talented musicians, but were envious of Kelli’s popularity.
The Infinite Stars
But enough has already been written and argued over the moronic sacking of Kelli. What makes Kelli all the more badass is her journey as a solo artist. After riding the short but bittersweet success as Sneaker Pimps vocalist, Kelli was suddenly without a band and without a contract. This was the late ’90s, before streaming, so having to leverage your music and artistry was all the more challenging.
It wasn’t easy, but the tenacious Ms. Ali eventually released several solo albums, my favorites being:
Tigermouth (2003) – R&B fused electro/ dance pop. My high school jam! Take me to the Infinite Stars!
Psychic Cat (2004) – Psychedelic rock and electro-pop. College anthems.
Rocking Horse (2008) – Psychedelic folk and dream pop. Another high school soundtrack. Proud to say I have a personalized autographed album from Kelli. 🙂
More than 25+ years after Sneaker Pimps shot themselves in the foot (pun intended), Kelli is still producing music. In addition to her singing and music production talents, Kelli is now also an accomplished oil painter. You can view her multitude of works at her Instagram, @kellialiofficial. She also wrote an e-book, The Modern Day Recording Artist: A DIY Guide to making and releasing your own record.
Nah, Kelli, we still love you.
Kelli, thank you for your brilliant voice and music! I will forever appreciate your individuality, determination, and creative spirit! Cheers to a wonderful day.
Just as your iconic tattoo states: VIVE LA ROCK N’ ROLL!
~LMC
Gen X are a different breed entirely…take me back to the 90s!
These 2 David Bowie shirts each tell a story. The dark shirt on the left is a shirt my Dad got when he attended Bowie’s American Tour in 1978. The white shirt on the right is the shirt I got the night I saw David Bowie perform live on his 2004 Reality Tour, 20 years ago on this very day, 25th April 2004 (thank you so much Laurie for this shirt)!
That night, I had the honour of wearing my Dad’s 1978 shirt. Anyone who knows me well knows my deep love for Bowie, courtesy of father, Robert Campbell. That Reality Tour performance at Loveland’s Budweiser Events Center was my first and only time I saw Bowie live–for a girl who grew up listening to Bowie from practically the womb, this performance meant the world to me. My birthday was just over a week before, and getting tickets to see a David Bowie concert was by far the best gift–thank you Dad! It was only natural that a girl who grew up watching Bowie music videos would eventually see the man in concert.
3-4 year old me watching the VHS tape of Bowie’s 1987 Glass Spider Tour; also note the tennis racquet as a guitar, haha!
That night 20 years ago, Bowie more than delivered with a long set of both classic and new songs. My dad, his brother Iain and his wife Laurie, and I were all utterly spellbound by the man who brought the world Space Oddity, Ziggy Stardust, Fame, the Thin White Duke, Let’s Dance, etc. For me, that night was utter magic, and yet bittersweet, especially for my Dad, as it would mark the 10th and last time he would see Bowie in concert.
We didn’t get home till about 1-2 AM in the morning, but I immediately set upon recording the experience in a journal entry. And the next day at school, I proudly wore my Reality Tour shirt. This day lives forever in my memory, and I can’t thank my Dad enough for providing me the opportunity to see our hero. As Bowie would say, love on ya!
Desert Bloom is Grand Junction’s first established hydroponics center. Hydroponics is a simple yet very effective method of growing plants with a water-based nutrient solution rather than soil. Benefits include healthier plant growth, improved produce taste, and the ability to grow plants year-round.
Visit Desert Bloom at 445 Pitkin Ave to view their incredible assortment of plants, pots, soils, and products from local vendors. Whether you’re a seasoned green thumb growing tiger tail mushrooms or a gardening beginner who’s interested in succulents, Nikki and Isaiah are highly knowledgeable about all things gardening and can help you!
Reddirt Remodeling LLC is a veteran and family-owned business for 18 years. Doug moved here from Florida about 6 months ago and looks forward to serving all of your residential renovations, decking, fencing, and rental property make ready and maintenance needs. Licensed and insured, Reddirt Remodeling LLC approaches all projects with high-quality results and attention to detail in mind.
Live interview with Brittney Bade, Founder of The Gift Of Love INC.
The Gift Of Love is a 501(c)e nonprofit organization that provides care packages for places such as Latimer House, Karis Teen Shelter (The House) and several retirement communities. Founded in 2018, Brittney has created and donated thousands of care packages throughout the years, for people of all ages, from children to seniors.
The mission of Support Local GJ Initiative is all about helping local businesses thrive and succeed. Our story begins in 2020, when many businesses were struggling due to the pandemic. For many small businesses especially, it was the first time they heavily relied on digital marketing and sales, to keep their businesses alive. During that time, we launched a “Support Local Business” Facebook page for our hometown of Grand Junction, CO. We provided an informative platform for businesses to promote themselves, by interviewing dozens of local businesses, and creating an online community so that businesses could share products, services, and updates.
Three years later, as the group only continues to grow in size, as well as in interest in the initiative, we’ve expanded in other areas. Just as before, we’re still here to help local businesses not just survive but thrive. So we’ve moved the platform to our website to best serve the community, by offering live interviews and sponsorships to promote your business. For more information, visit the Support Local Business webpage.
Support Local Business Grand Junction Facebook Page
Businesses local to Grand Junction are encouraged to promote themselves on this page, as well as to help the group with whatever relevant content they have for the benefit of other local businesses and business owners. There are a lot of those sort of groups. What will make this one different is that we plan to have regular posts/ education/ help/ interviews from local business owners.
Support Local Business Grand Junction Newsletter
The Support Local Business Grand Junction newsletter is a source that promotes local businesses and the Grand Valley Community via live interviews, local happenings, fun facts about GJ, and more. Our is audience is you, the local community. And this newsletter is truly a celebration of this community, of the things that make Grand Junction unique, namely the people and businesses who make the “West Slope, Best Slope.”
Contact Third Loft Marketing: Your Local Marketing Company
The white shirt on the right is the shirt I got the night I saw David Bowie perform live on his 2004 Reality Tour, 20 years ago on this very day, 25th April 2004 (thank you so much Laurie for this shirt)!
