Paonia, CO

Classroom Location:
Lamborn Valley School
15521 Black Bridge Road
Paonia, CO 81428

The classroom is approximately 1.5 miles from downtown Paonia and two miles from SEI's Paonia campus. The Lamborn Valley School is part of a larger intentional community that includes the Old River Road Trading Post - a great natural foods grocery store that specializes in local foods, and the Lamborn Ladle, which offers a lunch buffet from noon to 6pm. (See the Food category for more information.) They also have wind and PV systems on-site.

For a map of the area, click here. Please note that the road marked "Vorys Rd" on Mapquest has changed to "Willow Road."

For directions to the classroom from SEI's campus, please click here.

Come and enjoy the wonderful small town of Paonia, Colorado, which is nestled at the base of Mt. Lamborn. The town is only minutes away from hiking on quiet trails on BLM or National Forest Land. Paonia is fortunate to be the home of many organic orchards, farms, vineyards and ranches that supply its residents with ample amounts of organic cherries, peaches, apples, pears, vegetables, flowers, wines and meats, which are sold by several stores in town. In addition, there are coffee shops with good organic coffee and baked goods and several restaurants offering reasonably priced delicious meals. Bring your family and plan to spend some extra time in the area. You will soon see why KVNF, High Country News, and Western Slope Environmental Resource Council decided to call Paonia “home”!

There are many recreational activities in Paonia and the surrounding Western Slope of Colorado. Hiking trails, mountain biking trails, fly-fishing, rafting and kayaking are only some of the outdoor sports that are available in the area. Here are some links to various recreational areas that can be enjoyed:
. North Fork River Improvement Association (NFRIA) Recreation webpage
. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
. Orvis Hot Springs
. Colorado National Monument

For the mountain bikers in the class, there are great trails directly across from the classroom. Ask for further information when you arrive.

Transportation and Travel:

Closest Airports:
Montrose Regional Airport (MTJ) - 53 miles from the classroom.
Walker Field Airport in Grand Junction (GJT) - 78 miles away.
Aspen-Pitkin County Airport (ASE) - 85 miles away, over McClure Pass.          Denver International Airport (DEN) - 5 hour drive from the classroom.

Carpools and Ridesharing: We highly encourage participants to arrange carpools.  Go to http://www.solarenergy.org/ride-share-bulletin-board for our ride share board.  You must create a user name and be registered as a student to use this service.  

Rental Cars:  As a note, there is no public transportation from any of the airports to Paonia. SEI staff are unable to pick students up at the airport. However, once you get to Paonia, the classroom and SEI Campus are within biking distance of each other and of downtown. SEI has bikes to loan to students on a first come, first served basis.

For a list of rental car agencies and directions from each airport, please click on the respective links:
Montrose Airport Rental Car Agencies and Directions
Walker Field Airport Rental Car Agencies and Directions
Aspen-Pitkin County Airport Rental Car Agencies and Directions
Denver Airport Rental Car Agencies and Directions

Bus Stations: There is a Greyhound Station at 51171 Highway 6 and 24, Glenwood Springs, CO, which is approximately 70 miles from the classroom.

Train Stations: There is also an Amtrak Station at 413 7th St, Glenwood Springs, CO, which is approximately 70 miles from the classroom, and a station in Grand Junction, CO, which is approximately 70 miles from the classroom.

Nearby Lodging: Paonia offers a wide range of quality lodging options, to meet any budget. Visit the Delta County Tourism website for a list of bed and breakfasts and motels. Also check this website for fun community events in the area. In addition, we have a lengthy list of rooms, guest houses, and personal camping options for rent from local Paonians. If you are interested in receiving an electronic copy of this list please email Chris at csmith@solarenergy.org.

As a note, there is NO camping or housing available at our Paonia campus.

Food:

There are many wonderful restaurants in Paonia. For a listing of restaurants in Paonia and the surrounding area click here.

Weather: The weather in Paonia in the summer should be in the 80s or 90s during the day and then drop into the 50s or 60s at night. Though Paonia is semi-arid, there's always the possibility of rain, especially in early July and September. For a more detailed look at the weather, go to weather.com.

What to Bring:

Please bring the following to the PV Workshops:
Pen and pencil
Paper for note taking
A calculator (with trig functions for Advanced)
Black, red and green colored pencils for schematics

SEI will provide hard hats and safety glasses for the lab classes, however students are encouraged to bring their own to ensure comfort and proper fit.

Please bring the following to the Wind and Straw Bale Workshops:
Pen and pencil
Paper for note taking

Also check out the following stores while you're in town:

• Delicious Orchards on Rte. 133. They have a full selection of local, organic wines and liquors, as well as seasonal fruit (like peaches in July and August!).
• The Creamery in Hotchkiss: They display the art, including jewelry, pottery, paintings, furniture, etc., of over 90 local artists. A great place to pick up gifts.
• You can also purchase a variety of books and videos on renewable energy and sustainable technology, and SEI merchandise, such T-shirts, Pathfinders, and Kill-a-Watt meters in our office.

Stay longer and attend a fun Paonia event:

• 64th Annual Cherry Days July 2-4, 2010
• Mountain Harvest Festival Weekend of September 25th, 2010

Go to www.paoniachamber.com for information on these events and more!