Bed Breakfast and Timbers Colorado getaway features framing In the midst of Colorado’s Sangre de Cristo Mountains near Buena Vista, the La Roca de Tiza Bed and Breakfast stands as a symbol of one woman’s determination not to be a slave to the world of nine to five. Bigger and Better Almost 25 years earlier, Cheri Radway and her husband purchased four acres near Buena Vista, Colorado, in Chalk Creek Canyon. Their first structure on the property was an outhouse, and when the family visited, they would camp on the land. When they finally built their cabin, they enlisted the assistance of family and friends in constructing a post-and-beam structure from Timberpeg, which consisted of pine posts and beams with pine paneling for the walls and the ceiling. Even though they had no running water in the cabin for the first year, the family was able to enjoy the many amenities the area had to offer at their weekend retreat. In the 1990’s, the Radways decided they wanted to expand their cabin and contracted Riverbend Timber Framing in Blissfield Michigan. They admired the company’s oak timber frames and appreciated the fact that a Riverbend addition would be built with the same style of pegged mortise-and-tenon joinery used in the original structure. Instead of pine walls and ceilings, the addition would feature painted walls and ceilings made from structural insulated panels in a more Arts and Crafts style. Then a Riverbend representative, Judd Dickey served as the supplier of timber frame, the architect and raising contractor. He previously had met Cheri Radway when she attended a timber frame home show and toured on of Riverbend’s homes in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Going for Flow “Adding onto a vintage 1970s home with a gambrel roof created some problems,” Judd remembers. “It is very difficult to mimic that particular shape. Additionally, the lot sloped down to Chalk Creek so the best place to position the addition was in the front in a grove of trees.” Judd, who is currently an independent architect and owner of Mountain Timber Design, exclusively performing timber frame designs and remodels, used his architectural skills to solve the problem. He designed a separate structure, which he attached to the existing cabin at an angle using a 15-foot hallway as a connector. He repositioned the front door so the entrance would now be directly into the new addition. Upon entering the hallway, the first-floor recreation room with a large alcove and bay window and a view of Mt. Antero and Chalk Creek is on the right. To the left of the entryway is the original structure. “The Radways didn’t want to do a second stairway even though we were adding an upper level for the master bedroom in the addition,” Judd recalls. “I designed the home so they could access the new addition from both levels of the original cabin by also building the hallway on the second story. This gave the home a whole new circulation pattern.” Judd telescoped the new addition by making the top story smaller than the bottom, thus giving the home an Asian look. The intention was to complement the gambrel roof and help the two structures flow together visually. Big Changes “Judd did a great job of integrating the Riverbend addition with the original cabin,” explains Tom Schrock, a Riverbend customer service representative who served as the Radways’ project coordinator. “He has an understanding of our system and the basic requirements of a timber frame. This is evident in the post locations and beam spacing.” At the time the original cabin was built, the Radways’ oldest son, Ryan was only 8 years old, but he was old enough to help. When the Radways decided to expand the cabin, they called on Ryan to act as the general contractor. “My role was to get the addition connected to the existing house and to perform all of the interior framing. Mom and I designed the interior as we went along. We put in more curves and pockets in the room to prevent them from being totally square.” Ryan says. Even before the project was completed, the Radways divorced and Cheri found herself at a crossroads in her life. “I have always enjoyed entertaining and having lots of company. Now I had this big house to myself. I was in need of an income, so I decided to open a bed and breakfast,” she adds. Cheri named her new venture, La Roca de Tiza, meaning The Rock of Chalk. Se converted the 3,200-square-foot home with its three guest bedrooms into accommodations for six guests at any given time. She redesigned the family’s recreation room in the new addition into an inviting great room for the guests. She adopted a traditional, French Country theme throughout, incorporating comfortable sofas, game tables and chairs, and a seating area in front of the bay window. When Cheri decided to open La Roca, her sons told her she would never get up in time to make breakfast. They kidded her saying as much as she enjoyed sleeping in, she should do a bed and dinner. Despite her sons’ initial misgivings, Cheri held true to her philosophy that “If you plan to do it, do it so you can live with it. “Therefore, breakfast for guests is at 8:30. This I can live with. I serve a full breakfast in the dining room next to the great room. As the dining room is also adjacent to the kitchen, the logistics of serving is easy,” Cheri says. “I offer a variety of specialties, such as puff pancakes with sautéed fruit and whipped cream, or perhaps stuffed French toast or egg strata. I always include a breakfast meat, fresh fruit, coffee, tea and juice.” For early risers who might be planning to hike the Colorado Trail, Cheri will prepare a light breakfast to accommodate their needs. Hiking isn’t the only activity available in this area, known as Colorado’s Banana Belt because the temperature generally is 15 degrees warmer in this part of the mountains than in Denver. Depending upon the season, guests at La Roca Bed and Breakfast might spend the day fishing one of the area’s premier trout streams, mountain biking, golfing in nearby Buena Vista, or visiting art galleries in Salida. In the winter, both cross country skiing and snowmobiling are available. The bed and breakfast is only about an hour’s drive from the world famous ski resort at Copper Mountain and two and a half hours from Denver. The local ski area, Monarch, can be reached in 45 minutes. Back Home After an active day, La Roca guests can retire to their bedrooms in the original portion of the home. One of the guest bedrooms is located on the main level; two additional bedrooms with baths and two separate sitting areas are upstairs. “I thoroughly enjoy running a bed and breakfast. I meet all kinds of different people from many countries,” Cheri says. “I have several repeat customers who have become my friends. I get to hear about what has happened in their lives and with their children and grandchildren since the last time they were at La Roca. “My goal is to make my guests fell wonderfully welcome. I want them to hate leaving and to look forward to their next visit. From the comments in my guest book, I think most of my guests do have those feelings,” Cheri says. “The experience has taken me from homemaker to businesswoman, and I enjoy every day.”