Things Fort C. Has That Emerald Hills Doesn't
Mom and Dad, and Molly and Chris and Zane. That's the main thing and the reason we go there. But there are other remarkable (as in worthy of being remarked upon) elements of Fort Collins, collected on our May 2000 visit.

• Charco Broiler. To be said in a dreamy Homer Simpson voice: "Mmmm. Charco Broiler." An excellent non-snobby steakhouse out toward the freeway. The interior decor is dark, cavelike and rustic '70s; the menu is idiosyncratic; the beef is excellent.
• Dog racing. I don't think Cloverleaf Kennel Club is long for this world, so I'm glad we got out there for a visit. David actually did pretty well this time betting on the dogs that looked springy and alert. Thank you, Dark Skies, Black Out and David's other winners, for buying our dinner Saturday night.
• Bear tracks. OK, this was actually up in Steamboat Springs. Big old paw prints seven miles back in the wilderness on a day when nobody else was around. Glad not to see the printmaker. New animals seen: In Fort C., a big owl (great horned, I think -- looked like a flying cat) on my parents' neighbor's roof.
• Snow in May. Tuesday up in Steamboat, it was close to 80 degrees and windy. A wildfire broke out on a ranch just over the ridge from where we were hiking, sending big brown clouds across the sun and big brown elk running across the trail. Less than 24 hours later, it was 30 degrees and dumping snow, and us in our shorts. On Rabbit Ears Pass just out of Steamboat we saw a car flipped over. David drove our chainless rental car down to the interstate and through the tunnel; the snow didn't turn to rain until about 6,000 feet, just outside Denver. Down on the flat that day, the wind almost blew over a big old cottonwood in Molly and Chris's back yard, so they had to have it taken out. Also saw a hail-and-thunder storm in Wild Basin, Rocky Mountain National Park, two days later.

Things Emerald Hills Now Has That Fort Collins Doesn't

• One oak sideboard. At the end of a day in the flea markets south of town we were just about to leave -- running late to get back for dinner -- when we saw this. Even with the shipping fee, it seemed like a deal compared to what we would pay here. I guess this means the workbench in our dining room can go out to the garage.