Roadside Mysteries

What team is tied with the Chicago Cubs?

It’s the Colorado Rockies!

We thought it would be a great idea to catch a game at Coors Field to see the Rockies beat the worst team in the league. It was just last Friday that the Rockies scored ten runs against San Diego; How many runs would they score this Sunday?

(Sigh) They lost this game 2 – 0. Oh well. I might as well practice using the panorama app on my iPad on Coors Stadium. I am thinking I’ll use it on the great feast of the RAGBRAI to show thousands of cyclists and many many rows of corn. Something… Anything…

SO, why not check this one out:

Back at Coors Field:

The Dinosaur is up to his old tricks

Dinger was on hand for the 9 News Weather & Science day at Coors Field. We didn’t come early enough for most of the activities; we just wanted to see a Colorado Rockies game today.

Todd up to bat

It looked like the Rockies screwed it when they intentionally walked a man to help kill their 5 to 3 lead in the 7th but it was Jason Giambi who sealed the Rockies win with a 3 run homer in the 9th inning.  This was my official birthday gift to Jeanne (because the Rockies won). Happy Birthday Jeanne!

So it’s back to Coors Field, home of the Rockies

to meet Rockies MVD (Most Valuable Dinosaur) Dinger

As with most of those costumed sports mascots, Dinger had nothing to say and like the Save Dinger website, few of his fans have much to say either. Then again, there is a petition going around that reads as follows:

“Whereas it is pre-emptively acknowledged that all sports mascots lose their appeal to right-thinking adults who have not sustained head wounds, and;

Whereas it has become widely known that we here in Denver play home to the absolutely worst carpet-covered, shit-and-Febreze-smelling, sorry excuse for a cheerleading, anthropomorphized cartoon fossil, and;

Whereas newfound national attention for our incredible baseball team will no doubt bring on the mock and scorn of the entire country when the people of this good nation have beamed into their living rooms the image of that purple triceratops from hell, and;

Whereas we even have a state dinosaur and the Rockies couldn’t even bring themselves to put an androgynous stegasaurus in a jersey with no pants;

We, members of the Rockies fan base, citizens of Colorado, and general arbiters of what constitutes useless nonsense and what makes for a good fan experience, hereby request that Colorado Rockies kill Dinger the dinosaur (just the character, not the hard-working actor who has to dress up in that thing for every home game, elementary school performance and nursing home appearance) before we have to take matters into our hands,”

{PLEASE SIGN HERE}

Starting with dinner at the Mountain Ranch Club

where you can eat food (similar to stuff at Applebee’s) served to you at your table and watch the game either through the large open window or any of the television monitors mounted throughout the restaurant. This is a popular place at Coors Field, so get your reservations in early!

or maybe pre-opening day…

like at the new Salt River Fields for the Rockies Spring Training

Also for Arizona Diamondbacks the full name of the stadium is ‘Salt River Fields at Talking Stick’ which reminds fans to check out the Talking Stick Resort after the game. It’s all very nice and new and with the temperature at game time around 72 degrees, it was a perfect day to see the Rockies play.

or maybe in the city of Peoria. PEORIA?

Yes, the Rockies played Peoria. The city was named for Peoria, Illinois by some guy named Murphy who recruited settlers from Peoria Illinois enticing them with claims of great weather and farmland. They bought about 5,000 acres in 1890.

Jeanne attempts scoring a signature from Todd Helton

Todd LynnHelton

Todd holds the Colorado Rockies club records for hits (2,236), home runs (333), doubles (527), walks (1,197), runs scored (1,270) and RBIs (1,239). Jeanne got his signature!

Rockies at bat

Judy, Jim and Jeanne

We were guests of Judy and Jim in Scottsdale. Thanks for having us. We had a great time!

Tater Tot, Hotdog and Soda on the run

This was preceded by a digital version of the race between the 3rd and 4th inning for no apparent reason.

Murphy and Duncan by the pool

While we were at the game Duncan Madog got to play with his cousins Murphy and McGee.

Hey, it’s “Slapshot” the official mascot of the Colorado Eagles:

Here Mr. Slapshot is asking the question “Whose House?” to which we are to reply by screaming “Our House!!!” , implying that what happens here is completely under OUR control and that whoever is not from “Our House” is going to get their asses whipped.  Today it was the Missouri Mavericks.

Some “Eagle Chicks”

Representing behind the safety glass the 2010-11 Pioneer Press Colorado Eagles Chicks and all the rights and responsibilities that go with that title whatever that means. Pioneer Press has been Northern Colorado’s premier quality printing service since 1976. Their clients include Burns Marketing (Look it their fancy web page!)

Oh, there was some kind of fighting/skating contest with sticks.

RC helium balloons

We scored four tickets to the game and couldn’t wait for the periods where the would-be zeppelins “Valpak” and “Schrader’s Country Gesellschaft” would float over our heads to possibly bombard us with $20 coupons for Fort Fun. It seems a bit hard to believe but Fort Fun is Northern Colorado’s premier family entertainment center.

There are no tie scores in this game

so it would appear that “Our Colorado Eeeeagles!” made the first and wining goal in the first 50 seconds of the sudden death play-off.

At Coors Field again:

The Easy chairs in the Wells Fargo Club area

We have about a week to spend in Denver; We lucked out by staying in one of the states senator’s condos about two blocks from the governor’s mansion. It was a good central location to explore Denver and check out the scene!

Once again, Dinger the Dino

I could have actually met the dinosaur, but then I’m not sure what I’d say; “How did all your relatives manage to die out?” , “Are there any statistics that show that you actually help the Rockies win games?”

“Are the Rockies a Mickey Mouse Organization?”

I don’t understand this item. It was standing (about 7 feet high) in a corner by the club exit. Note the head of Dinger at Mickey’s left foot. Did giant mice kill off all the dinosaurs?

On Friday the 13th, the Rockies Won!

We were there to see this and I’m glad. I thought that we were responsible for their past poor performances because of our attendance. I love leaving the stadium when the home team wins.

Well it could be a baseball argot for a home run, but then I’d have to explain what argot means…

Clint Barmes about to hit a dinger

We managed to procure some Las Vegas Club level first row seats to a Colorado Rockies game today! They just won two games against San Diego and were about to sweep ‘em until we showed up!

Barney the dinosaur shooting tee-shirts up into the stands

Oh, wait! It’s just the anthropomorphized triceratops mascot of the Colorado Rockies!

Dinger the Dinosaur

It has been said that dinosaur fossils were uncovered during the construction of Coors field so why not have a mascot character who dances on his/her ancestors’ graves? It was a good game even though the Rockies lost and the club seating and dining area was very nice. We will be spending some more time in Denver after the feast of the Ragbrai and no doubt will attend some more games! Maybe visit the King Tut exhibit while in Denver.  More to come!

Someplace northwest of here…

The Timbersports Collegiate Series Lumberjack Competition!

It was the 71st annual Association of Western Forestry Clubs’ Logging Conclave at CSU.

The Cal Poly Loggers were there!

…and representative lumberjacks and jills from 10 other universities were on hand to chop and cut wood in every imaginable way.

Women’s Single Block Chop

Other events included: Tree identification, pole climb, axe throw, caber toss and pulp toss.

Pulp toss? “The object of this event is for team members to toss pulpwood back and forth between two sets of stakes as quickly as possible. Only wood that lands between the stakes is scored.”