Olympia, originally uploaded by kevindooley.

Yes, after walking away from an awarded an offer to host the 1976 Olympics due to worries about financial and environmental impacts Denver is not looking at a possible opportunity to host the Olympics in 2018.

Cool, but guess what they are saying a big worry would be… transportation up and down I-70. I just won’t stop hoping and working to see if the mountain train/monorail project will finally happen.

Here is the article… http://www.examiner.com/x-758-Denver-Skiing-Examiner

While I was out of the country I didn’t miss hearing about the economy. I didn’t miss the moaning and groaning about work, sales, business and the such. I didn’t miss the millions of hours of political commercials.

What I did miss, I am sad to say, was the news that there would be something as fun as a Gorilla Run today. Walking back from a delicious breakfast at Lola I noticed a lineup of Gorillas on the bike path as I crossed the Platte River Bridge. With zany costumes including bikini clad Gorillas, Guerrilla military Gorillas (clever) and business suit gorillas (perhaps a statement about the baboons on Wall Street) it looked like fun. One friend I ran into who was also watching the parade of furry costumes commented that they were surprised I wasn’t doing the race as it was “right up my alley”. I would spend some time thinking about the implications of this statement concerning my psychological well being if I hadn’t already thought the same thing. This would have been fun. It’s for charity with all benefits going to the Mountain Gorilla Conservation Fund, its healthy, and you get to be a little or a lot wacky. Dang, the first news that I truly regret hearing.

To learn more about the race for next year, and you can bet I’ll plan to be there, visit denvergorillarun.com. Oh yeah, the gorilla suit is included with your registration. It’s whatever you use to dress it up that is up to you.

The Cherry Creek Chronicle

I didn’t expect it, but checking through the popularity logs of this site one post continually rises to the top. I had hoped it might be something about saving the planet or taking a train to the mountains… but no… it’s about the Best Cougar Bar in Denver. Unfortunately the poll tied to this post got wiped out many many months ago when the site went through a major WordPress ugrade. One of the risks of being an early adopter I suppose.

For those who seem to find this the most curious of questions I will repost the poll. Feel free to share with me any new Cougar destinations I might have missed. Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

For anyone who wants to read the original Cougar post click here.

A little rain wasn’t going to stop these runners from taking on the Rocky Mountain Half Marathon this morning. I just wanted to show these die hard runners taking off in the rain on Little Raven Street in Riverfront Park and a few of the finishers.

Today Oil prices jumped over $10 a barrel, although I really don’t know how big that is but according to the New York Times it is the BIGGEST JUMP EVER. Just Frakking Great.

How did I know something was up, I noticed the stock market was taking a nose dive. So now everyone’s savings, 401K, and the overall economy is taking a hit because of some black tar stuff. But don’t forget is was up a ton yesterday as well. I am not annoyed by the economy, we’re tough. What annoys me is how dependent the market is on oil price fluctuations. Wouldn’t it be nice not be so oil dependent? Isn’t say… food, more important.

So that’s it, I am going to do my best to turn my back on oil. I already don’t drive much at all so my new goal is to let my car get dusty sitting in the garage. I’ve got all the bikes, mountain, cruiser, road, beater that no one would want to steal. I’m prepared. And of course I’ll take public transportation. Light rail rocks, the 16th street shuttle does me just fine.

For speed or when I need to get somewhere quick I’ll use my scooter, that will be my indulgence. But with an average of between 70 and 75 mpg I really don’t mind the whole $3.89 it took me to fill the tank last week. It’s still a frak of a lot better than any car.

The area that I haven’t figured out yet is the occasional dressy event out where we all jump in a cab across town. But for that I wonder if I can request specifically a hybrid cab.

And of course. My feet work just fine. Pedestrian friendly all the way. So I’ll keep a tally of how many days it has been since I drove my car. Just a simple goal really. Do my part for reducing my carbon footprint and having a little fun, getting a little healthier, along the way. The last time I drove my car was on Sunday June 1st. So I’m not doing too bad. I have even researched some options for cargo trailers to go on the back of my bike. Anyone else care to cut down on their car use or share how things are going. Look at it like an improvised support group. Do you think going cold turkey on a car is easier or tougher than smoking or heroin. Let’s find out. Here is the Forum Link…

http://www.theurbanbrain.org/viewforum.php?f=6

How much can you cut down on car use and how? Share your story there. ;-)

And if you want to listen to something interesting, but not cheerful, here you go.

And yes, for those who recognize the word Frak… It’s from Battlestar Galactica.  How clever that they created this word and it STUCK but they don’t get in trouble with the censors.

Last night I was fortunate enough to attend my first (yes, my first) concert at Red Rocks for the R.E.M. concert with Modest Mouse and The National. And yes, I cannot count on one hand how many people were shocked that it was my first concert. Don’t ask me how that happened, I guess my days in the mountains were just too booked. However I was still a slacker for putting this event off for so long. Red Rocks is an amazing place and it was an amazing show. And with the news about Obama winning the Democratic Presidential Nomination the show had a special energy for R.E.M. Michael Stipe began an earlier set announcing that Obama would be our next President and went through a number of songs that have had special meaning for the band based upon actions of the current administration.

The energy of the musicians on stage along with the crowd were through the roof. Michael Stipe also shared that this was the first concert they have played at Red Rocks that the weather was not difficult. And it most certainly wasn’t. Outside of a few stray raindrops in an early set the night was beautiful. Warm early breezes, a beautiful sunset, and a cool night. R.E.M. played a solid two hours and only during the encore did I notice the additional layers going on throughout the crowd as the temperatures dropped just a bit.

R.E.M. played a true bit of history spanning their many decades of music. Many of the old favorites were paired with the new. One politically focused 5 song set (can you guess what 5?) followed Michael’s celebratory Obama announcement as he walked through the band’s response to the Iraq invasion, the actions of the administration, and their sense of frustration. During the encore Michael shared his affection with several fan’s in the audience sporting Pro Obama and Democratic campaign T-shirts. A few made them to the jumbo electronic screens for us to see and there was a memorable and to the man without his shirt… “put it back on” comment to bring laughter from the crowd.

The show was great, and fan’s of R.E.M. should know it was a special night for them because of the news and it added a special energy to their performance.

But what I really wanted to share with you is one great tip to add to your night out at a Red Rocks concert. The friends I was with really know how to have a great time and this one simple thing is all they did.

Rent a Limo

Granted, we had enough people to make it cost effective. So if you can rally the troops for a concert it is wonderful to kick back and enjoy laughter, music and beverages both to and from the concert. First of all, you don’t have to worry about driving which huge for safety, but also for adding a couple hours of fun to your night out. One person mixed up a CD for the trip, another brought the beverages. The only thing we might do next time is throw in some more snacks. You get to chill out the whole ride home. Let someone else fight the traffic.

Limo’s can pull all the way up to the top and let you roll right into the concert space. And that is right where they will be waiting for you to take you home. It was great.

One other little tip for those of you in the CPV or the Highlands looking for some late night dining. There is an often overlooked place to eat in the wee hours at My Brother’s Bar. They serve their full menu through 1:30 A.M. and it is GOOD! I have done posts about the burgers at My Brother’s Bar, specifically the JCB which I love. But in this post I am giving them some Kudo’s for their late night dedication to Denver. It was a Tuesday and we got to roll up in our limo for some burgers an Guinness. Now that is a nice memory.

Which brings me to the next forum discussion if anyone can share. What are Denver’s best late night places to eat and when do the close. Let’s hear it Denver!

Discuss it here

Quick, what bills are these?

In 2002, the American Council of the Blind began a lawsuit against the U.S. Government claiming that our existing currency discriminates against the Blind or the visually impaired.

In 2006 the decision came in in favor of the American Council of the Blind. The Treasury Department Appealed.

This month in 2008, the Appelate ruling is in and the decision stands! The American Council of the Blind wins for now.

I applaud them, but it’s not over yet. The Treasury has 90 days to appeal or as for Supreme Court review.

Before I go into this topic let me discuss my bias and existing point of view. In the past year I began volunteering with Foresight Ski Guides, a non profit organization based out of the Vail Valley that works with the visually impaired as guides on the Mountain. Living in Denver I didn’t spend as much time volunteering as I would have liked to, but the limited time I did have was amazing. I met so many inspirational men and women who only want to experience the best in life. They work, they persevere, and they were simply amazing. All we did in guiding was help out a little bit. Just like we all need a little bit of help in one way or another every day.

To me, this change of currency would be simply a little fairness to create more empowerment and freedom for the visually impaired. Do you like to travel? I do, so this is an easy example for me. Can you imagine exploring our country and going to an ATM in a strange location and having to ask someone to explain the currency for you? Or what about the simple act of getting change for a cup of coffee? Sure, you can rely on others to help but if we can assist in creating a denomination that is clear for any visual impairment why wouldn’t we?

It is also curious to consider from an artistic or philosophic approach the U.S. approach to money. In traveling I have encountered many different currencies across many different countries. None resembles the American Greenback (which may be a distinguishing feature worth retaining, that argument has merit) and are adorned with various colors and backgrounds. Some currencies are, quite simply, works of art.

Does our approach to currency mean something? Is it a hard nosed business approach to money. Does it reflect the value we put on the “almighty dollar”. Does something more fun and whimsical mean “It’s just a piece of paper… my time,experiences and laughter are more important”. I don’t know but someone out there probably studies this for a living and could better answer it. Or do the various colors in other cultures do just what the American Council for the Blind hopes for, a better tool for the visually impaired to differentiate their currency. Remember that we are not just hoping to help individuals with total blindness, but many that have partial impairments who could benefit from something as simple as different colors.

A lot of vending machines will need to be reprogrammed and it is a BIG change. But like all things, we will get used to it. Doing the right thing is always more important.

Interested in supporting this, you can visit this page and show your support with Congress.

Either way, lets have a fun little challenge and see if anyone can design our new currency. I’ll create a topic on the forum (I am hooked on the new forum component of this blog) and see if anyone uploads their ideas or links to items on this topic.

http://www.theurbanbrain.org/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=7

It isn’t often that I get behind the wheel to drive on the roads, but every time I do I ask myself the same question…. “is it time for a new car”.

I don’t really have much in the way of driving. I cruise around Denver by foot, cruiser bike, by my ages old mountain bike, by bus, by light rail, by cab, and by scooter. I rarely drive my automobile (make that, my giant SUV). What drives me to get behind the wheel (get it) is usually a trip to the mountains which may or not have some bad snow conditions or carrying alot of stuff.

My auto, as I mentioned above, is a monster gas guzzling SUV. It’s a 2000 Dodge Durango that I originally bought when I lived in Vail and wanted to be able to get around regardless of the weather or the type of road. It was also a priority to have space for a 125 lb pup. Priorities you know.

But now that I don’t live full time in the mountains I wish I had a nice hybrid to feel better about that drive between here and Vail when I do go to the mountains. At the same time I feel better when I drive in a snow storm (which is often the case as I chase powder days) to have my trusty SUV. I should mention that this SUV has roughly 130,000 miles on it, gets roughly 17 mpg, and just passed it’s emissions test with flying colors.

Here is the question that I have gotten many answers to. Am I more environmentally responsible to keep driving my gas guzzling SUV that I rarely drive anyway until it either fails an emission test or stops working or should I buy a new hybrid now. If you don’t know why this is even a question, you have to understand that there is an argument that one of the biggest damages we are doing as a culture is to be constantly consuming and disposing of everything all the time. We fill up landfills, we create a non stop flow of trash, and we don’t keep something that isn’t shiny and new. There are also arguments being made that the best green technology is just around the corner in 2010. Whatever my green car choice is today may not be as green next year. Also, some people say the greenest car I could buy is a used car for just that reason.

Don’t get me wrong. You can’t put off doing something greener just because the technology will be better tomorrow because (hopefully) the technology will always be getting greener.

But if “Big Red” is still chugging along fine and getting minimal miles at all… is it better to wait. Will my lifetime carbon footprint be lower for not churning through the products I buy treating it all as disposable.

Or perhaps it’s from my upbringing in the Midwest where everyone I knew bought a car and drove it till it simply wouldn’t go another mile. Mind you, no one I knew growing up believed in leasing a car either. And no, we didn’t go cow tipping every weekend.

But I digress.

Ideally I’d love a green vehicle that was a little better suited for deep snow. Maybe the Prius isn’t the best pick, but there has got to be a better option. If I wait, will the options get better? Or is it better to get the big gas guzzling SUV I have now off the road immediately? Does it depend on how much I am driving now, or doesn’t it?

I am keeping my limited drive time gas guzzler for the time being. Especially considering how little I drive. But beat me up, change my mind, or tell me your thoughts. I pose the question because alot of folks may be asking it. Keeping it sure hurts at the gas tank. But does throwing it away really help?
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

That’s on my wish list anyway.

I’ll do a quick summary for those of you who are thinking about it. First of all, groups are the best. We had a group of 107 folks so we pretty much ruled a car and a half. At first I think everyone worried about seats and being right next to each other but the reality is that with train travel everyone is walking, talking, leaning, moving pretty much all the time. It’s a social scene on wheels.

The views are amazing, although again this became second place quickly to everyone being social. Yet far more scenic than a flood of taillights on I-70.

If you live downtown the Ski Train has a special appeal. We walked over the bridge in Riverfront Park right at 7:00 for our 7:15 departure. I personally set my alarm for 5:30 to take the pup for a long walk and to give me quite a bit of time cushion just in case, so it is not a good night to plan a big Friday out on the town.

Then on the train everyone greets each other, has fun, and kicks back and RELAXES all the way up. No white knuckle driving, no fighting traffic, and there is always a place to buy coffee or breakfast only a short walk away. Some slept, some read the paper, most chatted. Nice.

On the way back this gets magnified into a huge social gathering. Beverages flow throughout the car, there is laughter everywhere and no one is driving. What a great solution for downtown residents… instead of trying to balance doing apres with the drive home and fighting crowds on that sometimes painful return the ski train becomes the apres location. No risk, no worries. One person said it was just like staying in the mountains with no worries about the commute. Considering I carried my skis there and back in less than ten minutes I’d have to agree.

Some bits of advice for you…

Avoid car 2. It’s behind the engine so the front is sealed. Don’t worry, you don’t get any fumes but the lack of ventilation gets TOASTY. We had folks stripping down to the minimum so maybe chair two will be the naked car. Your choice.

There isn’t much you can do about this worry, but if you get behind a slower train your trip could take a bit longer. This happened on our way up but not on our way back. Not too bad, some folks slept longer and the train is comfy. But keep this in mind if you are making strict plans involving timing and make sure you have a puppy sitter on reserve in case your return is late.

Get your food or drink quick if you want it. They sold out of burritos pretty fast on the way up and while they had beer all the way through the trip back, the Stella was the first to go. Don’t forget they close the catering car when they think they are 30 minutes away from the station. This might be longer so if you want stock up before they close.

There is a great lounge car with scrabble and other games. Consider grabbing a spot there for awhile if you have a small group but be quick if you want a seat.

We will be doing the Ski Train again. Give it a shot for yourself. I forgot to mention that the train stopped on a cross track exactly where another train was heading at us. The folks in our car started getting a little bit nervous as it got closer.. and closer… and closer. Then we quickly moved, picture is one of others below.