Fall

Fall has finally arrived here in the Mile High City. Generally, Denver stays pretty mild year round and can offer a 70 degree day in the middle of January, followed by a snowstorm the next day. The snow melts quickly due to the fact that the sun shines here on average 300 days of the year. Now, if that's not a reason to move here...

Downtown Denver

Flat Danny loves the view of downtown Denver from this spot. He got here on two wheels -- riding in the back of the Chariot, with Ruby, his pal of the past few weeks:

Coors Field

Today we made a quick trip into downtown Denver to check out Coors Field, which is where the Rockies play each summer. One of the best things about the stadium is that you have a great views of the mountains. Some things interesting to note about playing baseball at this altitude taken from the Coors Stadium Web site:

"The ball travels 9 percent farther at 5,280 feet than at sea level. It is estimated that a home run hit 400 feet in sea-level Yankee Stadium would travel about 408 feet in Atlanta and as far as 440 feet in the Mile High City.

Another important effect of altitude on baseball is the influence thinner air has on pitching. In general, curve balls will be a little less snappy, and fastballs will get about an extra six inches of giddy-up due to the decrease in resistance the thinner air provides."

Skate Park!

One of Flat Danny's favorite places in Denver was the Denver Skate Park -- some day soon, the real Danny will come and skate around this park!

Red Rocks

Flat Danny went to Red Rocks today -- Red Rocks is a naturally formed amphitheater. My hosts run and bike on the trails around Red Rocks and often enjoy live music there in the summer. Here's some more information on Red Rocks from their Web site:

"Red Rocks is a geologically formed, open-air Amphitheatre that is not duplicated anywhere in the world. With Mother Nature as the architect, the design of the Amphitheatre consists of two, three hundred-foot monoliths (Ship Rock and Creation Rock) that provide acoustic perfection for any performance. The dramatic sandstone monoliths serve as a history book of animal and plant life in the area for the past 250 million years. As spectators gaze at the towering red sandstone rocks, they view the ancient tales of prehistoric times.

The area of Red Rocks, originally known as the Garden of Angels, has attracted the attention of musical performers since before the turn of the century. The majestic setting of the Amphitheatre, along with the panoramic view of Denver, makes for a breathtaking scene.

In the early 1900's, John Brisben Walker had a vision of artists performing on a stage nestled into the perfectly acoustic surroundings of Red Rocks. Walker produced a number of concerts between 1906 and 1910 on a temporary platform; and from his dream, the history of Red Rocks as an entertainment venue began.

In 1927, George Cranmer, Manager of Denver Parks, convinced the City of Denver to purchase the area of Red Rocks from Walker for the price of $54,133. Cranmer convinced the Mayor of Denver, Ben Stapleton, to build on the foundation laid by Walker. By enlisting the help of the federally sponsored Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), and the Work Projects Administration (WPA), labor and materials were provided for the venture.

Denver architect Burnham Hoyt designed the Amphitheatre with an emphasis on preserving the natural beauty of the area. The plans were completed in 1936, and the Amphitheatre was dedicated on June 15, 1941, though the actual construction spanned over 12 years. In 1947, the first annual Easter Sunrise Service took place. Since then, Red Rocks Amphitheatre has attracted the best performers to its stage.

GEOLOGY

Gradual earth movement slowly raised the great sandstone ledges from the prehistoric ocean floor, to form the "walls" of the Amphitheatre. Within these walls is contained a record book of the ages as nearby dinosaur tracks tell of the Jurassic period of 160 million years ago. Fossil fragments of the giant 40-foot sea serpent, Plesiosaur, the marine reptile Mosasaurus, and flying reptiles captivate students and geologists alike.

Some of the rock formations in Red Rocks slope as much as 90 degrees, while others tilt backwards. The southern monolith, that bears resemblance to a ship, is named "Ship Rock." On the opposite side of the Amphitheatre stands "Creation Rock." Both of the monoliths are taller than Niagara Falls, and the Red Rocks Amphitheatre was once listed as among the Seven Wonders of the World."

Museum of Contemporary Art, Denver

Today Flat Danny visited the MCA Denver. This is where my hosts had their wedding celebration. The exhibits rotate here every few months and here is one of the current exhibits:

Here's some information on the exhibit:

"Energy Effects: Art and Artifacts From the Landscape of Glorious Excess is a large-scale exhibition exploring the relationship between energy and aesthetic power. Expanding the definition of energy, this exhibition presents a variety of ways that creativity advocates energy expenditure. From Washington DC-based artist Jim Sanborn’s creation of a working model of the first atom-splitting particle accelerator to Buenos Aires-based Ciro Najle’s experiments in irrational engineering, this exhibition explores the power and beauty of excess energy. Energy Effects encourages visitors to re-examine their assumptions about conservation to develop a more complex view of energy use."

Flat Danny Heads To Mount Falcon for a Hike

Ruby, Tim, Betsy and Flat Danny went for a hike today on Mt. Falcon, which is located right next to Red Rocks...more about Red Rocks in my next post! Here's the story on Mount Falcon taken from the Open Space Web site:

"The story of Mount Falcon is largely the story of John Brisben Walker, who once owned over 4,000 acres of land in this area. During the early 1900's Walker lived in an elaborate stone house on Mount Falcon while planning the construction of a summer home for the Presidents of the United States, which was to have been located on a ridge to the east of his home. Walker's home burned in 1918, and all that remains of this once splendid edifice are the massive stone walls and numerous fireplaces of a unique mountain castle.

On this site the crumbling remnants of a broken dream and the views of the plains to the east and mountains to the west combine to create an inspirational setting. The construction of the Summer White House never proceeded beyond the laying of the foundation and cornerstone, though thousands of Colorado school children each donated 10 cents toward Walker's dream. American involvement in W.W. I, combined with a waning of Walker's good fortunes, brought an end to this project. From the site of the Summer White House one may look down on Red Rocks Park, one of Walker's dreams come true."