Tony and I decided to take a break from all the drama of the Convention and take a nice jaunt up to Mount Evans, the highest elevated road (drivable by normal people) in all the land. We missed the turn, but we ended up here for a bit:
Not bad, eh?
We got situated with the directions and finally found the $3 entrance to Mount Evans Road. Please note the nearly 20 degree F difference in temperature at the base and the top.
High above tree line, a lone alien awaits. (Or a motorcyclist watching mountain goats.)
Like this one!
Toto, I don't think we are in Kansas anymore.
Again, the layering of my shots! If I weren't so humble I'd call myself a genius.
Hold on, it gets worse from here.
You know how there are disclaimers on everything these days? Well there is one here too. Normally I disregard such things, but I should have taken this seriously.
"Dude, we're at 14,130 feet."
"I know"
"It hurts to breathe"
Good thing there are props for this mountain. I was worried.
You can't frame this shit.
Remember that altitude sickness disclaimer? Yeah, it's about now when I am kicking myself for not heeding more attention to it. It's also about now when the ranger dude comes up and asks R-"You got altitude sickness?"
M-"Yeah. I'm prone to vertigo, so it is one or the other. Can I die from this?"
R-"Yeah, your brain is swelling right now."
M-"To match my ego?"
R-"You should go down the mountain now"
M-"Will you take a picture of my friend and I first?"
R- "Sure."
Let it be known that as much as I love Tony G., I am not just hugging him because he is my friend. He was my main vertical support system at this particular moment.
We head down the mountain and back to civilization, just in time to head to Hamburger Mary's for burgers, beer, and Obama's speech. Holy crap, if I wasn't hopeful before, let it be known that I am hopeful as all get out now. We need that man in office, he gets it. (Save his opinions on nuclear energy, offshore drilling, etc. of course.
I stepped outside for a smoke:
And thus ends our journey in Denver. Tony headed east early Friday morning, while I spent the day recharging on my sister's couch. Around 7.00 pm (mst) I went to a dear old friend (Jered)'s house for some Mediterranean food and homemade wine. He and his wife Agata spawned the cutest kid in the world, Matthew. This was the first time year and a half old Matthew and I met, and the little bugger stole my heart! Since they did so well the first time, Jered and Ag are at it again, and are expecting sometime in March. Congratulations!!!
Jessie and Jim have arrived in Denver at this point. Jessie joins the latter party for some wine and conversation, while Jim heads off to meet some other friends. Jessie and I then meet up with Jim and friends for a few beers, and then we head back to Sarah's for one last night before The Existential Wild Western Road Show...Now With Politics! 2008 begins its second leg.
Thus spake Megathustra
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