PlanetEye

Flying, driving, and taking buses are all practical ways to get around, but they can ultimately be rather booring.    When visiting Denver, try a more fun form of transport.  Here are some suggestions:

 Take a boat:  I like to joke about the fresh, locally caught seafood that we enjoy from the port of Denver every day, but seriously, you can actually boat through downtown.   Venice on the Creek operates small "punts" on Cherry Creek, right in the heart of the business district.   Not only are they propelled by pole operators, just like in Italy, but the trip features several miniature Panama Canal style locks to raise and lower the boat.   The boat ride always ends where it began, so in this case, getting there is all of the fun.

Take a pedicab: A pedicab is essentially a commercially operated passenger tryicycle.   Denver is the home to some of the earliest pedicab manufacturers and is considered the Detroit of the small, but growing industry.   The pedicab is the ideal mode of short distance transportation when you are carrying bags, wearing uncomfortable shoes, or just don't feel like walking.  In addition, it is also a zero-carbon mode of transit.  In a city that has few actual taxis driving around looking for fares, pedicabs can be readily found near bars and restaurants downtown and at all major events.

 Take a trolly: Denver does have an extensive street car system known as RTD Light Rail.   In addition, we also have a single historic trolley along the Platte Valley that provides fun and convenient transportation between such attractions as Confluence Park, the Downtown Aquarium, the Children's Museum, and Invesco Field at Mile High.  It is not San Francisco, but it is a good time.

Denver International Airport (known as DIA) was built in the early 1990's with a mandate to include a broad variety of public art displays.   From my non-artist's point of view, their effort has been somewhat of a sucess.   Attentive visitors can enjoy moving sculpures along the walls of the tunnels of the people mover system.  Others might appreciate the murals in the terminal or the paper airplane sculptures hanging from the ceiling.  In total, there are 26 art exhibits that include works from 39 different artists.

 One exhibit is stands out in many ways.   On the only access road to and from the airport, Pena Boulevard, about 1 mile from the terminal, is a giant sculpture of blue horse.   The horse is reared up on it's hind legs, it's muscles are well defined, and it has a pair of lights where it's eyes would be.   Contrary to what you might guess, it is meant to symbolize the spirit of the west, not to promote Denver's football team, the Broncos.  Some find it a bit scary.  

This work of art is even more impressive when you consider how it got there.  In 1992, Denver commisioned this work from famed Latino artist Luis Jimenez.   When the airport opened in 1995, 16 months behind schedule, it's signature piece of art was still not ready.   In fact, it's story had hardly begun.  Over the next decade, the artist labored at his own pace to complete it, while successive city governments became annoyed, frustrated, and angry as each targeted completion date passed without the artist producing a finished work.   The delay culminated with the tragic events of June 13th, 2006.   On that day, a large piece of the sculpture broke free, landed on the artist, and killed him.

It would be impossible to imagine the story ending there.  The city found an artist who was able to rebuild and complete the sculpture.    It was finally delivered to Denver earlier this year.    This piece represents the final work of Luis Jimenez.      

As it stands now, it is actually illegal to pull over to admire the work.   Sadly, one can only appreciate it by driving down Pena Boulevard at 55 miles per hour.   It took 16 years to complete and cost the artists his life, and now you have only a few seconds to view it.

Denver is known as the "Mile High City" because it is at an elevation of 5280 feet above sea level.   What does that mean to visitors of the city and the nearby mountains?

First off, the air is thinner.   Hot days feel less hot and cold days feel less cold as there is both less energy and less moisture in thinner air.  That's the good news.   The bad news is that there is also less oxygen per breath.   Unless you have a medical condition, you shouldn't really notice the difference when you visit Denver itself.    Sadly, that explains why our sports teams really don't have much of an advantage at home.

When you visit the mountains, that is a different story.   Above approximately 10,000 feet, mountain visitors may notice some altitude sickness.   Symptoms may include, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, and shortness of breath.    Fortunately, the locals are immune to this condition as they acclimatize to the altitude after a few weeks.  Otherwise, mountain living would be a bizarre lifestyle indeed.

To reduce your risk of mountain sickness, or to ease it's effects, follow these tips:

1. Avoid smoking as the carbon monoxide inhaled will exacerbate your body's difficulty absorbing oxygen at altitude.  

2. Stay well hydrated.   People in Colorado should to drink more water than people at lower elevations.   That is because dehydration makes you more susceptible to altitude sickness.   In addition, our thin, dry air draws moisture from your breath more quickly than in lower, more humid climates.

3. Moderate your alcohol intake as that too correlates with dehydration.

4. Choose lower altitude lodging.   Staying in Denver for a day or two before going to the high country will allow you body to acclimate somewhat.   When you are choosing mountain lodging, take altitude into account.  Lodging at 9000 feet will be noticeably more comfortable than at 11,000 feet.

The other effect of the altitude is that the sun is more intense.   It is not because we are closer to the sun.   The sun is over 92 million miles away, so few thousand feet isn't even a drop in the ocean.   Rather, the sun's intensity at altitude is an effect of the thinner atmosphere above us.  Therefore, more of the sun's rays will reach you on a sunny day in Denver than they would on a similar day in New York.   Compounding the problem is the fact that Denver has low humidity and an average of 300 sunny days a year.

To make a long story short, wear plenty of sunscreen when you visit Colorado, even if you do not normally need to.

I hope I am not scaring you away from visiting.  Personally, I enjoy the cool, dry, and sunny days.  Visitors, however, should be properly prepared to enjoy their vacation at altitude.

You know the type, they always know what kind of plane they are flying in, their head cranes skyward even when driving by an airport, and their remote control seems to mysteriously find aviation documentaries on cable tv.   I call them pilots, whether they have actually sought out flying lessons, or they are still "in the closet."  If you are one of these people, or are traveling with one, do yourself a favor and check out some of Denver's aviation sights.

 While the landmark peaks of the Jeppesen terminal at Denver International Airport are the economic and symbolic centers of aviation in Denver, sadly, there is no public observation deck.

Aviaiton enthusiasts interested in seeing aircraft in action would do well to visit Centennial Airport's Perfect Landing restaurant.   If you are in town on Thursday, August 7th, I would recommend visiting the Business Aircraft and Jet Preview to see all of the latest aircraft in person.

Halfway between Denver and Boulder lies the Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport, formely known as Jeffco.    There, you can also enjoy a meal overlooking both the runway and signature views of the Rocky Mountains.   Metro/Jeffco is holding an open house this year on Saturday, June 7th.

Just south and east of DIA is Front Range Airport.   They are hosting the Rocky Mountain Regional Fly-in this year September 19-21st.   Think of this as a mini-Oshkosh.

The Denver area is also home to two great aviation museums.  

 The Wings over the Rockies Air and Space Museum is located at the former Lowry Air Force Base just east of Denver.  The museum boasts a B-52 bomber as well as the Rutan prototype for the Adam A500 outside, as well as a B-1 bomber and other aircraft inside.

 Finally, about 35 minutes northeast of Denver at the Platte Valley Airpark, you will find the Vintage Aero Flying Museum featuring an impressive collection of WWI and WWII aircraft.   Please note that this museum is only open on Saturdays.

Denver does not have a regional dialect like Boston or New Orleans.   What we do have is a list of place names that you will not find very easily on most maps.  When you visit Denver, watch the local news, or ask for directions, you will end up completely lost if you do not know these terms.

 1.  The Front Range.   This has absolutely nothing to do with your stove.   The Front Range is simply the front of the Rocky Mountain Range.   The term refers to the first series of mountains one encounters as you drive west, as well as the first 20-30 miles plains that stretch out from the base of the mountains.   The Front Range includes such towns as Denver, Boulder, Colorado Springs, and Fort Collins.

 2. The Divide.  This is short for the Continental Divide.   The idea is that any precipitation that falls west of the Divide ultimiately flows to the Pacific Ocean, and that anything on the East side flows into the Atlantic.  The Divide is a line that runs through the state, and is often noted on the top of major mountain passes such as Loveland Pass and Berthoud Pass.

3.  DIA.   DIA stands for Denver International Airport.    DIA openned in 1995 and ironically, is located 20 miles from downtown, nowhere near Denver.  To make matters more confusing, the airport code to use when you are searching online for airfares is not DIA, it is DEN.

4.  The Tunnel.    This is the Eisenhower Tunnel, actually a pair of tunnels that make up the part of Interstate 70 that runs under Loveland pass.   The tunnel is the choke point between the Summit County ski areas and the Front Range.

5. The Foothills.  On one of my first days living in Colorado, I hiked up an 8,000 foot peak outside of Boulder.   I returned to proudly brag to my room-mate that I had just climbed a mountain.   He casually informed me that I had not climbed a mountain, merely a foothill.   The real mountains had summits between 10,000 and 14,000 feet.

6. 14er.    This is not approximately one quarter of a San Francisco 49er, this is one of the 58 Colorado mountain peaks over 14,000 feet/4,267 metres. Unless you are an experienced hiker in great shape, you should politely decline an invitation from a local to "do a 14er."  My first attempt to hike a 14er failed when I was caught in a blizzard, in the middle of summer!

7. The Tech Center.  Forget IBM in Boulder, Sun Microsystems in Broomfield, or Lockheed Martin in Littleton, someone once decided that the intersection of I-25 and I-225 was the "Tech Center."   From then on, mid-rise office buildings with mirrored glass windows sprouted out of the ground like weeds as every company in the city seeked to relocate there, including a few technology related ones.

8. Platte Valley.   The Platte River runs just west of the downtown Denver business district and includes such attractions as Coors Field, the Denver Skate Park, the REI flagship store, Confluence Park, The Children's Museum, Elitch Gardens Amusement Park, and Invesco Field at Mile High. 

9. LoDo.   This stands for Lower Downtown.   This is the western half of Denver's  central downtown business district.   It includes Union Station, Larimer Square, and Market Street.

10. Rocky Mountain Oysters.   It is not a place, it is a dish that you might find served around Denver and the Front Range area.  A complete description is here.  It is up to you, but I try to avoid them.

The 2007-2008 ski season has been a bountiful one with record snowfall, and record traffic, and it's not over yet.    With the arrival of spring, the snow has continued while the traffic has subsided.

 Now is the time to soak up the sun in the high country by taking a day trip from Denver.    You could go to Vail, Breckenridge, or other mega-resorts and enjoy their last few days before they close down their trails in April.   Or, you can sample some of the local's favorite ski areas.

 Winter Park is very close to Denver, only 67 miles away.   Each year, they close out the season by holding a contest where skiers and boarders attempt to skim over a pond, often in their bathing suits.   This year, the "Coca-Cola Spring Splash," as they are calling it, will be held on Sunday, April 13th.

 Loveland Ski Area is a favorite of mine.   At 53 miles, it is very close to Denver, has easy access from the highway, and convenient free parking.   What you won't find at Loveland is high speed lifts, condo sales pitches, or $90 lift tickets.  Loveland will be open until early May.

 As spring turns to summer, the locals head to Arapahoe Basin Ski Area, known affectionately as A-Basin.   A-Basin is a short, scenic drive from Loveland Ski Area over Loveland Pass.   They boast the longest season in Colorado, usually staying open into late June or even early July!   Their most famous attraction is the "Beach".    This spontaneous all day party features picnics, barbecues, sunbathing, and pets where the snow meets the parking lot.  This year, the previously puny A-Basin boasts an %80 increase in it's terrain with the opening of the Montezuma Bowl.

 You will likely experience a lot of sun, so dress in layers and bring serious sunscreen as people burn easily in the thin atmosphere above 10,000 feet.

Just because there will likely be sun, doesn't mean there will be.   Be prepared for ANY weather as blizzards can and will happen in April,  May, and even June.

Shop around for lift tickets in advance.  A Denver skier would no more pay the window price for a lift ticket than they would pay the sticker price for a new car.    Disounted lift tickets are widely availible at local supermarkets, gas stations, sporting goods stores, and in coupon books.