About Us

I made lemonade out of lemons!

I am Colorado Connie,  a 62-year-old Native-Native of Colorful Colorado, a reinvention of my former self, who wants to welcome you by sharing my hiking journal notes with you to experience them for yourself.  I have been climbing proverbial mountains for most of my life.  How about you?  It's not that hard to learn to climb the real thing.    My story is within many stories—the perfect background for an intriguing freelance writer, annalist, photographer, and novelist. 

This Website is a product of the Covid-19 Pandemic. The year 2020 will go down in my journal as a year of massive change for me. The same is true for some of you, I am sure. For me, the change was a significant event; I am no longer an Educator nor Entertainer. After thirty-two years, I threw in the towel on two careers.  I was not enjoying either of them anymore, and I am grateful for the opportunity to change.  But change meant I would be starting on the ground floor again—quite a transition from being featured in a National Magazine story to reinvention at 61 years old. I have always said, do what you really love, well this is it! To reinvent me this late in the game, I must be willing to sacrifice.  I knew I have always had an intense love for my home, Colorado, and its history. I desire to be outside, and I also love to write.

A Colorado Adventurist and Sportsman raised me.   Beyond fishing, hunting, hiking, and camping, he taught me to respect our history the way it stands.  Pulling down statues and changing the name of beloved icons only destroys the truth and disrespects everyone. Consider future generations by keeping the historical facts straight.  Fact-checking should be a number one mission for all of us.  For many years, I volunteered as a grave photographer for Find-A-Grave and learned much from the historians who desire to give the dead of Colorado and the World a voice.  I want to do the same with this Blog for my State of Colorado.  I am happy to announce that I have advanced my teaching skill into my retirement and keep this blog with the specific intention of keeping Colorado's truthful history alive and kicking forever.  

A story that starts in 1876 is not hard to memorize.  I like to take it back even further as my DNA goes back to 1570 in this area as my ancestors from the Yaqui tribe were brought here by the Spaniard explorers.  I find it appealing to blog about my adventures traveling across my colorful Colorado. I can finally say I live the life I love for all intents and purposes, especially when reaching the payoff of a day's hike in my Rocky Mountains.  I am now a Colorado historical writer and facts keeper. 

Being a freelance writer, too, has helped me curb my intense creative desires.  My fictional "Scardy Cat" stories are always set here in Colorado. After all, I like to say I was published in the mile-high city of Denver, Colorado, in 1959, I spent 32 years in my former occupations. Some might remember me as Magician Miss Connie Elstun, while others may remember me as their Performing Arts Teacher. I spent many years writing and teaching curriculum with the Arvada Center of Performing Arts in Arvada, Colorado. I have taken full advantage of my situation.  I have learned to climb mountains, literally this time. 

The Colorado Stories Blog and Website have multipurpose reasons to exist. First, I write about my Colorado adventures and show you the results through my photography. Second, I include a slice or two of history for the area I have traveled to.  The third is one I can't help; I'm a rock hound, I admit it.  So please put up with my obsession. I generally write something about rocks.  I love the entire State, whether North, Middle, or South Park, Sterling to Rifle or the San Luis Valley.  This blog has been born out of my experiences. As a visitor here, you are part of my fantastic community.  Sign up to subscribe to my blog posts, and always feel free to drop me an email.  It is grand to communicate with others on a similar journey. Influence my story with your story. I love to talk about history. Have you visited a unique spot in Colorado and would like to learn more about it? Ask me, and I will try my best to find the answers to your questions, and encouragement is always available here.

 Please feel free to follow me on Facebook. 

Thanks from Colorado Connie