Last Images from Denver

The to-do about Palin delayed some of our last day's posting in Denver, so I'm including some of the more random, but interesting (to me!), bits from the time we were there.

I think the funnier one is the James Bond Guy (also known as Alex. This picture is actually from Celtic Diva.) He is with the non-profit The Israel Project, and despite there being a few million people in Denver, tens of thousands for the convention, and sort of disimilar reasons (and therefore schedules) for attending the convention, we Alaskan bloggers kept running into this English activist.

You may have seen him on earlier posts, because I got a lot of e-mails (mostly from the women readers) about him.

In any case, he was kind of the "Where's Waldo" fun while we were down there. Our events were not complete without first finding out where he was.

If I run into him in Anchorage, I'm going to start talking in code though. James Bond can really be anywhere...

Our hosts, Eric and Kim, took us out to the Garden of the Gods on our last full day. We saw quite a bit of wildlife, actually, though I think the wildlife in Colorado is much better at camoflauge than in Alaska. The rams, deer and coyotes we saw kept alluding us in broad daylight. The moose here in Anchorage don't blend in so well against the street lamps and strip malls.





My third picture of food is the most beautiful picture. This "Colorado style" pizza was totally unlike any pizza I've had, and you turn the crust into dessert by dripping honey on it.

Of note (not important note, just "note") is this was "Beau Jo's" pizza in Denver - and just two days earlier we listened as "Beau" Biden introduced "Joe" Biden in Denver.

Coincidence? Or pizza conspiracy?

We'll found out soon enough.



The Garden of the Gods really was beautiful, though the red rocks wierd me out just a little. Like a Mars landing, only really hot and random deer running around.

It also had a GREAT gift shop, with lots of Native made art that was agony to walk by and not run out the door with.

But boy, when I get a spare $9,000...











Morrigan was cracking me up with her picture taking, especially following Eric and Kim's cats around.

She was taking pictures to share with her classmates when she got back. I mean, this girl experienced a convention, got to see the first black president be nominated, and met all sorts of people.

As we headed to the airport, we were talking about the good pictures we got. Morrigan:

"Yeah, I have a lot of pictures of the cats."







We saw several rock climbers around the garden.


















A bit Mars-like.


















This school group really got everyone in the mood after the eternity of a line to get in. It was like a reward for surviving the line, and the heat.


I made sure it was not just Alaska heat wimpy-ism that I was dying in the heat. I asked a family from California if this was hot to them, and they confirmed that I could feel like I was roasting without sacrificing the tough Alaskan attitude.






I think this guy would have gotten more money had he not looked like he had burnt to a crisp right there on the sidewalk. It was surely a feat of the most supreme stamina to stand still for hours to look like a statue in million degree heat, but he kind of reminded everyone how hot it was.














The flip side of this is a hand-written "Stay Positive" message. These were handed out to the million-man line by a bunch of young kids. The reverse, which is what cracked me up, reminded us, "It's a sign."














We had the sort of clown car feeling when Morrigan and I made our connecting train to the stadium. The door opened, and there were people packed in so much that people were hanging out. Enough people got off that Morrigan and I could cram in, but we were literally pressed against the glass door, using all the powers of our tippy toes to stay in a safe place.

Go Obama! Love, Alaska.

In the trading button business (a favorite pastime of the delegates,) the "Alaskans for Obama" buttons were a hot commodity.

We feel you, man.

The Alaskan delegates, complete with the good ol' "field of blue."

And yes, they even sang the song!

All but one of the Native delegates from Alaska.

You are here.

Or at least, Alaska was here.

The homing signal for Alaska.

His recorder playing wasn't that impressive, but three guesses why his hat was full of money?

Yep, me too. The only street performer of the many I passed that paused to listen and throw some money at.

A smart, smart man.

And look who else made an appearance!

The confused look and lack of pace was due to our lemming-like following of the people in front of us. The people in front of us were doing the same, and the people in front of them, and so on, and so on. Nobody actually knew where they were headed. In fact, just after we finally made it through this bottle neck, nearly a quarter of the crowd abruptly turned around and started heading the other way.

Morrigan and I somehow found ourself walking through grass, shrubs, trees, and then by a creek. In downtown Denver. In the dark. With wierd noises all around us that could have been crickets and frogs, but also could have been man-eating beasts of enormous stature.

We were literally walking for about an hour, and it slowly was dawning on a lot of people that nobody really knew where they were going. With rail stations shut down, streets and even interstates blocked off, even the Denver-ites didn't all know where to go.

At some point we regained our sanity and stopped. We considered camping out until daylight, but our wonderful hosts, with a bit more sense than I was feeling at the moment, rescued us.

Ode to the Boys in Blue... and Black... and Khaki

One of the markedly different things about the Denver convention last week, as compared to other big events, was the sheer amount of force apparent in the streets. A lot of bloggers commented on this, and some Denver people were calling it "overkill." This picture beside is a good example of what was present on nearly every street corner.

Yet I have my own fondness for these guys, and you better believe we felt safe. Despite predictions and the huge warehouse they had prepared for arrests, there was only something like 12 arrests, and the protests were relatively peaceful.

I've been hearing a lot again about the "overkill" and now forcefulness of the police because of the Minneapolis arrests, teargassing and flash-bang grenades used on crowds. I don't know what's going on in Minneapolis, but in Denver the police couldn't have been better. They were professional and courteous, even to those asking for pictures, and we talked to many that were very helpful. Police from all over Colorado were brought in, not to mention Secret Service and who knows who else, and the convention couldn't have been safer.

In light of this, I give the "Denver Boys in Blue Awards."

No, they don't really win anything...

...it's just a bunch of pictures really..


Ones Who Made You Think Most About Assasinations

The snipers/lookouts on top of the boxes over Invesco Field during the last day of the convention. I found out later I wasn't the only one that kept watching these guys, especially when they were lugging their big guns around...









Worst Gig

The guys on the railings over Invesco Field. It was HOT out there. Cloudless sky and something like 500 degrees (okay, I'm from Alaska,) these guys baked.









Freakiest Single Moment
(Followed closely by the Funniest Single Moment)

When the boys were called in for this left-behind backpack. It wasn't freaky until the guy alerted him to something they actually found. Those of us at the Light Rail Station when they found this suddenly went, "Oh... maybe we shouldn't be so close..."

Until they actually pulled out the "discovery." Let's just say there's a possibility this may have been Snoop Dogg's backpack...






Most Socially Conscious

This guy from the Green Sunday concert. He kept picking up stray beer bottles and the like and bringing them to the recycling bin. Appropriate for the venue...



Would like to know where he got his shiner though.











Happiest Cops

For whatever reason, the cops on the motorcycles really liked their gig. Better than horses, bicycles or by foot, I guess.









Creepiest

These vans were just everywhere, and you thought they were just vans until a dozen cops piled out. They could come from anywhere...







Most Exhausting to Watch

The bicycle cops traveled in big packs, and one night as I walked along this long outside "mall," I think they must have passed by me a dozen times, nearly mowing over people at least half as many times. I began to doubt they were patrolling, and believe they may actually just have been training for the 2012 Olympics in London.







Most Impressive

They knew they looked cool.

These guys in fully decked out enforcer gear held onto big SUV's with lights going, swooping around the protest marches.

I think they're the reason the protestors were moving at a ridiculously fast pace.







Most Photographed

Who doesn't like horsies? They tried ignoring all the cameras shoved in their faces, but I think the horses got a complex by the end of it. Good thing Pac Sun outfitted them first...








Hottest Cops (literally)

These guys had to be roasting. The few I got near had sweat pouring down the little bit of face they had showing. They were NOT moving quickly as they patrolled around.

Most Fun to Watch

These guys were either Secret Service or two security gaurds on a power trip. They stood outside this hair salon forever, denying people trying to get in, like this couple. Whenever someone would come up to talk to them, the other would turn around. Don't know the policy on that, but they had to deny a whole lot of people.

I still want to know who was in the salon...

Biggest "Ah Ha" Moment

As we were trying to get inside this hotel to get media credentials, this troop of mounted police officers stood out there forever - hours. We even went inside, got the credentials, bought some stuff, came out to wait, and they were still there, just seeming to wait, not watching what all the other police were watching.

It wasn't for quite a while that the protestors came by, and they went into action. Very slow action, but we finally got why they were stationed there. Mostly to just add the parade-like feeling.


Good job Denver (and Colorado) police forces! The next time I need a police force thousands strong for a big bash I'm throwing, I'll remember your number (it's still 911, right?)

Okay, stupid joke. But thanks anyways.

Dem Convention Final Night #1

I tried to blog last night about the last night of the Democratic National Convention - Barack Obama's acceptance speech - but literally fell asleep at the keyboard. I jerked awake in time to type an "I'm tired" message, and slept until abruptly awoken by Celtic Diva about the whole McCain VP thing. We knew McCain was going to announce his running mate today, but I didn't think any of the likely picks was going to make much of a difference. Of course, that's before they picked our Governor, Sarah Palin. I've posted plenty (and I'm sure there will be more) but what I experienced this past week, and last night, goes so far beyond this desperate VP pick.

I will be posting multiple times about this convention, and will cover Barack Obama's part of the night, and the honoring of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on the 45th anniversary of his "I Have a Dream" speech, on their own posts. It was too incredible to try and even capture in a blog, but I'm going to attempt the impossible anyways.

When we heard that there was no way we could do a live blog from the last night (there was no hookups,) I was wondering if it would make any difference being there. From my time at the Pepsi Center (the venue for the first three nights of the convention,) although the experience of being there was incredible, being there in-person with all these great speakers, bumping elbows with some of America's best and brightest (or sometimes just famous,) you miss quite a bit about the speech itself, mostly due to audience applause, that you would see better on TV.

There is also a bit of surrealism, in that they doll up the podium area so much, with such great lighting, that you kind of feel like you're watching TV anyways. Not quite touchable, though you're just feet away. I was glad to say I could be there for Hillary's incredible speech, feel the energy of the crowd, and really be impressed with her words. But I still had to watch some of her speech online, to get what I missed from the audience applauses. Would it really be better to actually be there when Obama accepted his nomination?

Yes, yes, a thousand times yes.

The whole thing, start to finish, I will remember forever. Though we were waiting for eight hours, though it was the longest line in history, though we had seriously nosebleed seats and were seated behind the podium, though it was hot and I think at some point I was suffering from altitude sickness - I would do every minute again, ten times over, just to have been there for this amazing, incredible, humbling, historic... well, not enough adjectives - moment.

I believe there was a lot about the line on television. We got a bit of an abrupt wake-up call after we got off the ridiculously crowded train (pics and posts on that ride later!) a stop earlier, because the line went all the way back to the further station.

My sister says the news reported the line was six miles long, and that is very easy to believe. We went earlier enough it wasn't that bad for us - probably about a mile long, and we were in line for a little over an hour and a half. There were some people who literally got in the door minutes before Obama's speech.


It was like 'Nam... but not really.

This is actually a shot from after the speech. We were lost in the wilderness of Denver. Didn't even know there was wilderness down there - but we found it! This was a grass field until thousands of speech-goers trampled through, in what I was slow to find out was not a clear direction. There were so many stations and roads cut-off by the Secret Service that even Denver-ites didn't know where to go to get home.

More on that, and the adventure of battling Denver creatures in the woods, later.

One of the reasons the line was so long - all the security checks. Although there wasn't quite as much security as I thought (it wasn't even as much as you'd expect at an airport,) there was about a million checkpoints.

One not-so-airport part of the security measures were the Secret Service - snipers!- on top of the stadium. They were staioned all around the top, and though sometimes they seemed kind of lax, the pair taking turns, they were extremely alert when some of the big names - Al Gore, Joe Biden, and of course, Obama - were speaking. They'd be looking both in and out of the stadium with binoculars, toting around big rifles.

The speeches have started, so why are huge sections of the stadium empty? If you look in the back, they're in the crazy long line to get in. The place was standing room only by the end, but it took right up until Obama gave his speech to get there.

The jumbo-tron reads "In the event of an emergency: Move away from the stadium."

Thanks for the tip.

There was a long presentation about just what to do in the event of some "emergency." Seeing as there's no earthquakes in Denver (so said our hosts,) it made me a little nervous to think of what those emergencies could be.

Of course, being at the tippy, tippy top of the stadium, when they explained the long process our section would have to go through to to get out, one of those seated by us commented, "So basically, if you're in this section, you're dead." But what a way to go!

Shawn Johnson! Yeah! She just did the pledge of allegiance - didn't speak outside of that - but the crowd was with her! The recent gold medalist also was one of my favorites for simply doing her part facing us. We were directly behind the podium, so I have a lot of pictures of butts and backs!

It was actually kind of neat getting a totally different perspective. We saw some of the behind-the-scenes stuff, and it didn't feel like you were just watching something on TV.

One of the best renditions of "Star Spangled Banner" I've ever heard! Really, Jennifer hudson was awesome! She put a little of her own spin on it, and her voice was beautiful.

To top it off, when the line "...and the rocket's red glare/the bomb's bursting in air" came up, they let off these "red rocket" fireworks off and scared the crap out of all of us. Yeah!

Because we were directly behind the podium, we could see the teleprompter and every word the speakers (and even singers) were supposed to be saying. And not everyone stays on - sometimes they mess up big time! But I won't tell who... much! :)

Morrigan waving a flag. Everybody who wanted one was given an American flag, and later an Obama "Change" sign.

When we told her we were going to be sitting in the nosebleed section, she looked horrified:

"You mean my nose is going to have to bleed!?"

Go Alaska! The "guest pass" Alaskans all sat in the same section way up top - or should I say way up north? :P Sorry.

I don't know that our cheer when they mentioned Alaska was all that heard - but we sure did our best!!

Oh, those creative Alaskans! They're taping together sticks from the American flag to hold up the big Alaskan flag. One of the security measures beforehand was that you couldn't bring in any sticks or signs.

John Legend and will.i.am! Yeah!

They recreated the Obama "Yes We Can" song from the viral video that it seems like everyone has seen. If you haven't, or just want to enjoy it again, check it out on YouTube. Best video ever!

I had just seen Sheryl Crow at the "Green Sunday" opening of the convention, but this was a little bit different tone. The concert was more... well, a concert. She was a bit more serious in this, even opening with her song, "A Change Would Do You Good." The second song she did, inspired by the Dalai Lama, I didn't catch the name to. It put everyone in a pretty serious mood, reflective.

This sign language guy was jammin'!

He was fun to watch. The other sign language lady was kind of bopping and swaying, but this guy was gettin' down with the music!

Stevie Wonder rocked the house!! While the other acts made you think, got you inspired - but Stevie Wonder got everyone on their feet and moving!

This was funny - the VIP's and speakers come out of these little doors underneath the podium/walkway. During the other performances, they stayed clear. But when Stevie came out, all these senators, congressman and other VIP's poored out from under the stage to catch his act.

The sun setting as Al Gore addresses the crowd. Fitting, as he spoke about Thomas Jefferson's assertion that sun energy would be the future.

It was nice to be able to see the granddaughter of Dwight D. Eisenhower... but she kind of lost the crowd. It was hot, we had already listened to a lot of speeches, and she was kind of all over the place. She had good remarks, but got a little overshawdowed by... well, pretty much everybody.

What an incredible night! Once the whole crowd was in, the energy of the place was just amazing. I don't know how many spontaneous chants broke out ("Yes We Can!" "Fired up - Ready to go!" "O-Bam-A!") but it was easy to get started a any provocation.

I don't know how well they played on television, but the "average Americans" chosen to speak were major crowd favorites. Their personal stories touched more people, I think, than a lot of the big-time speakers.

At one point, one of the average Americans - Barney Smith - started getting cheers by name, "Bar-ney Smith!!" Even Gore didn't get that!

I'll be posting lots, LOTS more about the convention, especially about Barack Obama's acceptance speech, and the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. tribute. I was also able to attend the last breakfast meeting of the Alaska delegation, and will post about that.