Ironman training 6 days/week – run, swim, sleep, repeat.

So…passing the torch this week to Ash – MyCOLORADOLife’s first guest blog 🙂

 

 

Head towards Loveland, Colorado, down 10th Street, over two railroad tracks and make an

immediate left.  And I mean immediate left – yes, down the dirt road where questions like, “Did

I drive to West Virginia by accident?” and, “Colorado isn’t known for their banjos, right?” start

running through your head. When you’ve reached the half-open garage with the cardboard sign

reading 918 ½ you’ve arrived at your destination.

 

I quickly learned; looks can be deceiving. Daggett Glass Studio is where we met Dan Daggett –

aka “Dan the Man” – glass blower of 30+ years. Dan started off in the stained glass business but

quickly learned glass blowing was much more his style – after 10 years apprenticing he could

finally call it his career! He started off making light bulbs and ended up moving more into artisan

glass blowing – jealous much!

 

After the initial meet n’ greet we were down to the nitty gritty – ornament or paperweight?

We’ll make one of each please! Step one: pick your color – ocean blue swirled into

the paperweight, dark reddish violet for the ornament (that was the exact color name)!  Step

two:  Dan places the blob of molten glass onto the pole – it’s only 2100 degrees he yells out!

 

It’s time for Dan the Man to bark out orders: Roll the glass along the table into the colored

powder – don’t press too hard! Time to re-fire it – don’t forget to turn that pole so the glass

doesn’t lose its shape! The ornament requires some real glass blowing and phew! it’s tough

to force that air in – blow harder! Don’t blow too hard or the glass will collapse! Finally our

creations were born and were ready to cool in the freezer until we could pick them up later.

 

We waved good bye and headed out to Oskar Blues for some cold Colorado beer.  Only in

Colorado do they have dog friendly bars!  Lovin’ our new Colorado home!