Bones of Ancient Mountains and Threatening Skies in Garden of the Gods

 There is a profound sense of awe in wandering among the red monoliths of Garden of the Gods early in the morning. These towering sandstone fins are actually the eroded bones of an ancient, long-vanished mountain range, thrust up and sculpted over millions of years into dramatic shapes. With the early light framing the distant Rampart Range through the natural stone arches, we set out to explore the park before the August heat—and as it turned out, some very serious Colorado weather—arrived.

Framing the distant foothills through the morning sandstone.

Bighorn, Birds, and Bluebird Skies on the Cog Railway

 If you are looking for an unforgettable morning in Colorado, taking a trip up America's Mountain aboard the Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway is hard to beat. 

Dramatic rock formations along the railway ascent.

When Road Trips Go Jurassic: Family Fun in Woodland Park

 On our way down toward Manitou Springs, we decided a proper Colorado road trip wouldn't be complete without a detour into deep time.

Narrowly escaping a prehistoric ambush outside the center.

We stopped in Woodland Park to check out the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center, which turned out to be an absolute hit for everyone in the crew.

An Early Morning Washout with a Silver Lining

Setting the alarm for the crack of dawn to catch the tail end of the Perseid meteor shower requires optimism—and a cooperative atmosphere. Unfortunately, the clear skies promised for this morning completely failed to materialize over the foothills. We managed to catch just a handful of quick shooting stars through the gaps before the clouds claimed the dawn. Still, staying local meant we didn’t have to drive halfway across the state for a washout, we were greeted by a pair of quiet mule deer grazing beside the picnic area road, and besides—we certainly need the rain.

A pair of mule deer grazing along the quiet roadside.

Wherever your travels take you today, may every clouded morning still bring unexpected wildlife and welcome rain.

Don Bergquist – 13 August 2026 – Morrison, Colorado, USA

Pivoting for the Perseids: Matching Shirts and Backyard Skies

 Stargazing road trips always require a degree of flexibility, especially when Mother Nature refuses to cooperate. We had originally planned to drive down to the dark skies of Westcliffe for peak Perseid viewing, but the forecast predicted an uncompromising 100% cloud cover with near certainty. Rather than driving three hours just to stare at a blank overcast ceiling, we decided to scrap the trek and try our luck right here at home in Lakewood. In the meantime, my sister-in-law Helen made sure we stayed in high spirits with these fantastic, custom-designed Colorado 2026 vacation shirts for the entire crew.

Back Row: Don, Tim, Andrew, Eric, Graham

Middle Row: Mary, Yahaira, Helen

Front: Paxton

Wherever your travels take you today, may you always adapt with good humor when the skies refuse to clear. 

Don Bergquist – 12 August 2026 – Lakewood, Colorado, USA

A Staycation for the Pups Ahead of Dark Skies

The family vacation for our dark-sky Perseid meteor shower gathering is officially underway, but the first order of business was making sure the four-legged family members were properly settled. 

Settling in for playtime at the pet resort.

Backyard Raptor: Inaugurating the Solar Fountain

 When you set up a new solar-powered birdbath in the backyard, you typically expect finches, robins, or chickadees to be the first to test the waters. Our local wildlife had slightly different ideas this morning. An adult Cooper's hawk swooped in, claiming the rim with an air of absolute authority and giving the new setup an official stamp of approval. Needless to say, the neighborhood songbirds will likely be waiting for the all-clear before they come in for their turn.

A Cooper's hawk officially christens the new backyard birdbath.

Wherever your travels take you today, may you always welcome unexpected visitors with open arms. 

Don Bergquist – 04 June 2026 – Lakewood, Colorado, USA

25 Years of Philanthropy: Celebrating the Charles Millican Legacy Society

 Returning to UCF always feels like coming full circle. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Charles Millican Legacy Society, celebrating a quarter-century of philanthropic dedication to the university.

Program cover for the Charles Millican Legacy Society event.

Breakfast, Broadcasting, and Old Friends in Orlando

 Whenever my travels bring me back to Central Florida, making time for breakfast with my college advisor and longtime friend, Dr. Thomas O. Morgan, and his wife Karen is an absolute priority. We spent a wonderful, relaxed morning catching up on life, reminiscing about the good old days at UCF, and talking shop about the ever-evolving broadcast industry. Good mentors shape our paths early on, but having them as lifelong friends is the real treasure.

A wonderful morning catching up with Doc and Karen in Orlando.

Wherever your travels take you today, may you always find time to reconnect with the mentors and friends who helped guide your journey. 

Don Bergquist – 01 May 2026 – Orlando, Florida, USA

Patience at the Gate: Heading Home to Florida

 Heading down to Orlando this weekend for the 25th anniversary celebration of the Charles Millican Society at UCF. Naturally, modern air travel had a familiar surprise waiting for me at the concourse—a departure delay. Watching our United jet maneuver across the ramp offers plenty of time to reflect on old college memories while waiting for the boarding doors to finally open. With a bit of luck and clear skies ahead, I should still make it to the Sunshine State in time for the festivities.

Watching my delayed ride taxi toward the gate in Denver.

Wherever your travels take you today, may your delays be short and your flights be smooth. 

Don Bergquist – 30 April 2026 – Denver, Colorado, USA

An Evening on the Patio in Colorado Springs

There is nothing quite like gathering the family together for dinner outdoors on a pleasant Colorado evening.

Liz, Tim, and Dennis enjoying dinner on the sunny patio.

Putting My Nikon on the Map

 Sometimes an afternoon drive isn't about chasing breathtaking vistas, but rather about dialing in the gear. The Nikon Z5 is a reliable workhorse, but its lack of onboard GPS has always meant an extra chore when organizing photo archives. Today’s mission was simple: take a drive south of Denver to field-test a new hot-shoe geo-tagger designed to inject live location coordinates straight into the image EXIF data. This rugged, sunlit hillside served as the test subject—and the camera finally knows exactly where it was standing.

Testing EXIF geotag coordinates on a quiet hill south of Denver.

Wherever your travels take you today, may you always know exactly where you are on the map. 

Don Bergquist – 04 April 2026 – Littleton, Colorado, USA

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggety Jig!

The journey is officially complete, and the transition from the humidity of Florida to the familiar air of Colorado is finally settled. The flight and the drive home were singularly uneventful. Which is always a good thing!

Homeward Bound Under a Florida Sunrise

 

A quiet, hazy sunrise over the tarmac as ground crews prepare for the day's first departures.

A Launchpad for the Future

 

Dr. Alexander N. Cartwright:
President Cartwright detailing the $3.5 billion vision for the university’s next twenty years.

Orlando Interlude

 "I don't know about you," I said to Tim over a leisurely breakfast in the hotel, "but with all the dashing to-and-fro around Central Florida that we have already done this week—and the fact that we have the event tonight and have to fly early in the morning—I would be just as happy doing nothing today!"

A Day at the Resort

 While the cat's away, the dogs will definitely play. Lev and Neshama have been making the most of their stay at the Overland Pet Resort here in Denver, Colorado. It is always a relief to see them so active and engaged, trading the living room rug for a proper sprint across the yard.

Lev leads the charge across the artificial turf with Neshama keeping a watchful eye from the background.

Sarasota Sunsets and Family Reunions

 After a morning of academia and automation talk at the University of Central Florida, the scenery shifted from the blackboards of Orlando to the coastal charm of Sarasota. The day was a whirlwind of strategic meetings at the College of Sciences, but the evening offered a much-needed pivot to family.

A Reunion and a Feast in Oviedo

 After a busy day, the journey led to Oviedo for a wonderful dinner at Yao's. The evening was spent catching up with Melodye, a friend from school, and her brother, Tim. While the conversation was the highlight, the food certainly held its own. The portions at Yao's are famously generous; even after sharing a fried rice, there was still plenty left over for Melodye and Tim to take home. It was the perfect way to wrap up the day with good company and even better flavors.

 Don, Melodye, Tim, and Tim enjoying the vibrant atmosphere and great food at Yao’s in Oviedo.

The Glass-Bottom Perspective

Florida's Silver Springs State Park: 
The iconic entrance arch welcoming visitors to one of Florida's most historic natural wonders.

A Tradition in the Scrub

 We kicked off our Florida trip this week with a bit of a "sightseeing first" strategy. With a full slate of meetings at UCF on Friday and the big campaign event on Saturday, we carved out Thursday to head north into the Ocala National Forest. For me, a visit to Juniper Springs is more-or-less required by tradition—it’s a place that feels like a homecoming every time I pull into the lot.

Juniper Springs Water Wheel c. 1965:
The historic CCC-built millhouse and waterwheel, which once provided electricity to the campground.

Painting the Prairie

 The first lesson of agency life is that the world actually stops turning between December 24th and New Year’s Day. After decades in broadcasting, where "dead air" is the only mortal sin and the signal never sleeps, the discovery of a paid company closure was a shock to the system. With the calendar wiped clean and the office lights officially dimmed, Tim and I decided to take advantage of the rare winter lull. We pointed the car south, leaving the familiar sprawl of Lakewood behind for the high plains of El Paso County to explore the Paint Mines Interpretive Park.

Vivid bands of oxidized iron and selenite clay create a natural rainbow across the soft Paleocene-era formations.