Saturday, July 25, 2009
40: A Mountain and a Ball Game
| Stoker's Log Day Forty |
 |
| 7/25/09 |
| Rest Day |
| Aurora, CO |
Today we went up the highest paved road in North America, which winds its way up Mount Evans.
Local wildlife included mountain goats and marmots, both very cute.
At the summit we wandered through the unlucky Crest House, which was built for a wife who died young and was eventually destroyed in a propane explosion.
We rode to the summit in a car, but plenty of people were riding up on bicycles (including some really badass Russians). Usually I would have felt a mixture of jealousy and shame that I wasn't there with them, but there is no way I would want to ride such a steep and treacherous path in today's weather, which included a hail storm and a thick fog.
The dismal weather meant we had to eat our picnic lunches in the car: giant, delicious subs from Lenny's, their favorite sub shop. Then we wound our way through the fog down the steep, sharply turning road without any guardrails. It was exceptionally nerve-wracking, especially for someone who is used to bike speeds, but we made it down safely.
And on the way home we got to see this awesome UFO house.
Fortunately the weather sort of cleared up by the evening, when we were due to attend a Rockies game. You know what is awesome about the Rockies? Well, I'm about to tell you.
1. Tickets are dirt cheap and available at grocery stores. Our tickets were $7.00 each, regular price.
2. Fans are allowed to bring in their own food. Most minor league parks don't even allow that!
3. Coors Field has a delicious tradition: fans are encouraged to consume vast quantities of pistachios and leave the shells on the ground. I'm already a verifiable, certifiable pistachio addict, so I was in heaven.
4. They have all of the little entertainments and diversions that most MLB ballparks have, plus center field fountains go off for every home run.
A big part of me wants to move to Denver, buy what I assume are inexpensive season tickets, and become a hardcore Rockies fan (except for when they play the Braves). I'm not used to rooting for the home team (Phillies? No thank you) so rooting for the Rockies and watching them beat the Giants 8-2 was icing on the cake. Or pistachios on the ground. Or something. In any case, it was a fantastic way to spend an evening, and even Kyle was glad that we went.
| posted at: 02:11 |
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