News To Use Colorado Inside and Out: Museum madness For many of us, winter is the perfect time to visit a warm, cozy museum. More than 200 museums, representing millions of years of art, history, geology and culture, grace Colorado's cities and towns. Some are large, some small, others are a bit eccentric. They all house treasure troves for inquiring minds. Some suggestions: The newly-renovated El Pueblo Museum is one of 10 regional museums curated by the Colorado Historical Society (719-583-0453; www.coloradohistory.org). A cool place to see dinosaur fossils- and there are many throughout Colorado-is the Louden-Henritze Archeology Museum at Trinidad State Junior College. (719-846-5508). See what was once a superhighway for westbound travelers in the 1860s at Sterling's Overland Trail Museum (www.sterlingcolo.com). The Creede Underground Mining Museum literally shows the working lives of early miners by taking visitors underground (719-658-0881). The American Numismatic Association Museum in Colorado Springs will "show you the money," including America's most complete pioneer gold coin collection (www.money.org). Denver's Vance Kirkland Museum is housed in the artist's studio and is filled with an array of decorative arts and more than 60 Kirkland artworks (303-832-8576; www.vancekirkland.org). Colorado Inside and Out: Wildlife viewing Those who love being out-of-doors in winter should remember that wildlife viewing can be just as exciting in winter as in summer. Few outdoor experiences can match the power of spotting an animal in its own habitat-a moose at the edge of a frozen mountain lake; an eagle diving over the prairie; a fox hopping across a snowy field. Colorado's animal kingdom covers millions of acres of public land, including 241 State Wildlife Areas. The Division of Wildlife (DOW) sponsors viewing skill workshops, informational kiosks in natural areas and has made many viewing sites accessible to people with disabilities. The DOW's Colorado Guide to Wildlife Viewing features 203 top viewing sites, and The Guide to Colorado State Wildlife Areas, is the first-ever guide to detail all 241 state wildlife areas. Both are available at www.wildlife.state.co.us. When viewing wildlife, remember to observe animals from a safe distance. A few other tips: Move slowly, speak softly and never sneak up on an animal Never feed wild animals or encourage them to "perform' for the camera Limit viewing time, as it can be stressful to wildlife Avoid animals that act aggressively or strangely-they may be ill. For a complete list of animal safety tips, contact the Division of Wildlife at 303-297-1192. Colorado Street Stories Durango's Roosa Avenue by Ron Rudolph Durango may be one of Colorado's most colorful towns, but you couldn't tell by the ho-hum street signs. Avenues and cross streets in the downtown grid are identified by numbers or mundane names like Main Avenue. Then there's Roosa Avenue, a moniker from out of this world. The avenue on the west side of town was named for the late astronaut Stuart A. Roosa. Born in Durango in 1933, Colonel Roosa flew just one space mission, although it was a big one. He piloted the command module of Apollo 14, which went to the moon in 1971. Roosa's job was to orbit the moon while Alan Shepard and Edgar Mitchell explored the surface. When Roosa returned to Earth, he was feted with a hero's welcome in Durango. A parade and banquet were held in his honor. The avenue and a nearby park were dedicated to him. Today, Roosa Avenue is one of Durango's most scenic byways, as well as a hot spot for outdoor activities. It parallels the Animas River, which is lined with huge cottonwood trees. A bluff of gray Mancos shale rises to the west. Kayakers navigate around boulders in the river as trout fishermen cast flies. Commercial whitewater trips start near the 9th Street Bridge, which connects Roosa Avenue to downtown, while the town's skateboard park lies between the road and water. Back in 1971, a Durango Herald newspaper columnist questioned Roosa's place in history: Would he be a Columbus, or vanish into the background? A third of a century later, the man might not be so recognizable, but the Roosa name is well known as a launchpad for recreation. Taking better photos The sweet light of winter Editor's Note: The concept of publishing a short piece on photo tips was developed exclusively for EnCompass by freelance photographer, Jerome Shaw. If enough readers write to support the idea, it will continue. The short days near the winter's solstice (Dec. 21) might not seem to be a photographer's favorite time of year, yet they are some of the best times to get out and photograph. Amateur shutterbugs may be familiar with what's known as the "golden hour"-that time near sunrise and sunset where the light's color, temperature, quality and angle give photos a warm tone and soft contrast range. They may not be aware that some of the same light conditions found during the golden hour actually exist for most of the day during Colorado's winter months. Why? Because of winter sun's low arc across the sky. While it's true that the golden hue of the light near winter's sunset and sunrise is absent, the angle of the sun for most of the day is very similar to midsummer's early morning or late evening light. This is especially pleasing for architectural scenes, winter landscapes and portraits because the sun, rather than shining straight down, is at an angle that illuminates the face of the building, the face of the mountain or your subject's face. The soft contrast is further enhanced when the cold temperatures of January and February produce a light cloud haze or a ground fog. The low angle of light helps emphasize textures and shadows, while the amount of atmosphere that the sunlight must travel through condenses the contrast range, helping minimize blocked up shadows and blown out highlights. All of which means you should grab your camera and get outside to enjoy the "sweet light" of Colorado's winter. Jerome Shaw has been a professional photographer for 25 years and teaches workshops for beginner and intermediate photographers. www.jeromeshaw.com A State Stat According to the Denver Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau, Denver's 26-square-block Lower Downtown District (a.k.a. LoDo), is the largest concentration of turn-of-the-century buildings in America. Return to Table of Contents

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