The First Amendment

I received an email the other morning from a good friend in Grand County; one who’s opinion I value as much as their friendship. She was concerned that this blog is painting a negative light not only on me, my family and the Riverside, but on the town and all of Grand County as well. She asked that I either write more positive blog entries or none at all. She was basing her opinion on the following email that she received from another Grand Countian.

Subject: article about Riverside Hotel

I was reading your Winter 09/10 issue today, was inspired by the articles about the Hotel Riverside and the Grand Lake Touring Center. Plans for trips started formulating in my head.

I went to the Hotel Riverside website for more info, and noticed the invitation to " Visit our Blog to learn more about the Riverside Experience."

Hoping to find more information about the accommodations, I went to the blog, but instead found posting after posting of bitter commentary from the owner about the hotel, the guests, the town, and his family's personal struggles. YUCK!!! There went my plans for a Grand County vacation, as well as my trust in the stories in your magazine and his website.

Before you waste paper and ink promoting a local business, I'd suggest doing a bit more research on what they're really selling.

And you might mention to the owners that linking to a nasty blog from their website is probably not good for business.


Signed.......Unsigned


Wow! Someone actually decided not to visit one of the most spectacular places on earth, and certainly in the Continental US, because of a blog? A potential tourist, who was considering drinking in the vistas from Trail Ridge Road, considering wetting a line in a pristine section of gold medal trout water on the majestic Colorado River, considering hiking to the verdant glen beyond Grand Lake’s Angel Falls and being overwhelmed by the spectacle of some of Rocky Mountain National Parks most prominent peaks, then deciding to spend their time and money elsewhere because of a blog.


Because of my blog???


Do I actually have that sort of power?


My inflated ego only wishes it were so, but I think not. And oh, if it were only so; I’d blog about the need for world peace, brotherly love and the end to unfair taxation and government oppression. My negative blog thoughts drove someone from a Colorado vacation; maybe positive blog thoughts could help end a war, or pass an important bond issue, or save a life.

The truth be known, I don’t know who reads this blog or why. I know why I write it – for my fun, entertainment and self gratification. I love to write, and this blog is a free, unedited forum for me to express myself. Most of what I try to write involves a satirical and (hopefully) humorous rendering of my life and my family’s unique situation as we live life in the Colorado Mountains. I’ve also chronicled the knee-buckling, heart-rending moments of people and events that humble me in my stewardship of this fantastic building.


The aforementioned email mentions “bitter commentary from the owner” – I call super-huge BS on this. They’ve not read a single story on this blog, as I continually laud this beautiful county, our magnificent river and this wonderful historical property we’ve been entrusted with. Our blog drove this person away from Grand County? I can’t tell you how many people have been drawn to our legendary property and renegade lifestyle because of the blog.


I believe that the author of this email is not a legitimate “tourist” who happened to stumble upon a Grand County Living Magazine article and found our blog so offensive that it changed their vacation plans. But if that is the case, Grand County can thank me. These people will be happier vacationing in a remote part of Iowa. Survival in this world in general, and Grand County, CO in particular, requires its successful inhabitants to possess, at the bare minimum, a sense of humor. The really successful will have an appreciation for and understanding of satire as well. Those of you that don’t get it; you can go to Dubuque.


Sorry my dear friend, but the blog lives on…..