In back of yet another Colorado brew fest:
A Green One
A Red One
A Blue One
Batteries and hydraulic valves in the trunk
Switch box on the front seat
… Apparently to control at least 10 different lifting mechanisms under the car. I don’t see many of these cars on the streets and I don’t think that they would especially be good driving on snow. I wonder if anyone has thought of putting in a computerized controller to replace the switch box?
It’s All Good:
Once called “Indian Peaks Brewing”, they changed the name to honor Chief Niwot
Don’t know for sure, but  Chief Niwot probably had his hand in naming this company as well
The headquarters for “Left-hander’s appreciation Day” coming in August. It’s in Niwot, Colorado
Some say they make the best pizza in Colorado. Well, it HAS to be the best pizza place in Niwot, CO.
Where the Left-Hander’s all meet
The meeting hall has been recently updated with new wainscoting, a word not used in this blog until this very moment.
Water is important to Coloradans
… and ditches are important to water. It was time to bike out to Niwot in preparation for the great feast of the Ragbrai (in just 26 days from now). I forgot to get some of Left’s pizza; Maybe next time!
No, just kidding…
It’s Jonathan Farwell
and he’s doing reader’s theater playing the part of King Lear. You may have seen him in All My Children, Star Trek: The Next Generation or The Young and the Restless. Anyhow, he’s in Fort Collins now playing King Lear at the Openstage Theater.
The Earl of Gloucester and Edgar in front of that “No Smoking” sign. Where have I seen that sign?
Of course, it’s the back of the stage at Avo’s Patio!
The guy with the white beard on the right was Santa Clause last November. He is Wayne, the harmonica player and owner of Four Season Hammocks in Fort Collins.
How about a cow?
Ariel
This was 4 month old Ariel’s first time at the New Belgium station for Bike to Work Day. Yes, sadly I did the breakfast ride again. It was tough because I was out late the night before drumming at a Summer Solstice event.
Cheeto the cow
If you want the freshest dairy for your morning coffee, get it from the source. I believe we saw Cheeto at the 2009 Ride to Work day.
The “RideKick”
I took a test ride on the Ridekick while I was at the New Belgium station. It’s a 40 pound trailer that has an electric motor and a lead acid battery that is supposed to push your bike up hill or whatever– if you are a weak girly-man! The first prototype was built in a garage in Fort Collins for less than $100 using an electric drill for the motor. These new models are now on sale ($549) and have a USB power port and a locking storage area plus a bunch of safety items– but I didn’t care about that. Hey! It was fun to ride!
The Bike Fort Collins station at Oak Street Plaza
It’s a line! Usually the long lines are at New Belgium, not on Oak Street Plaza. I wonder what they were giving away?
At the First National Exhibition Hall on the campus of The Ranch:
This was the First Annual NCBE!
Not well attended as far as I could tell, but maybe because it was the first annual event. Of course there’s more to come: The Bike to Work breakfast is June 22, the downtown bike show is June 23 and the Bike ‘n Jazz is on June 24 in the gardens of Spring Creek. Then there’s only 33 days ’til RAGBRAI.
I rode out on the Ragbrai bike to check it out.
Not part of the safety rodeo
but some sort of big air bike  jumping exhibition.
Ken, Barry, Jeff and Chris
Of the Blendercats provided the entertainment. They are sometimes found at the Road 34 Bike Shop, Deli & Tavern.
Life on the street:
The acoustic Celtic trio ‘Meadowlark’
Magic
It looks like he’s doing a version of “The Professor’s Nightmare” trick.
Super guy
…wearing some sort of custom jumping prosthesis
Expect more of the same as Summer approaches. Some of the acts are paid via Beet Street’s Streetmosphere and then some are kind of “on their own” trying to pick up spare change.
Apparently not that bad:
Sylvia, Jeanne, Lucas, Bianca, Jim and George
Rafting on the cresting Poudre River just days after the access roads were closed by Fort Collins officials: “When life gives you lemons, go white river rafting with friends”
Near the Poudre River at the Sweatsville Zoo:
The fishing guy is up to his elbows
and the banjo playing dinosaur (photo taken last week)
… has wet feet!
With nearly 200% above normal snowfall in the mountains and the early high temperatures this Spring we are ready to see some high water in places in and around Fort Collins as the snow quickly melts. Will it top the flood of 1997? I don’t think so. That flood was caused by a huge series of storms over a two day period. We will have to see what this snow melt brings.
Yesterday Fort Collins closed all access roads to the Poudre River from city-owned natural areas and parks and a number of bike trail under-passes have been closed due to hight water along the Poudre trail.
On this blog I take photos and post ‘em when I have ‘em. Lots of people are in these photos and I try to identify the people in the shot when I can. Then especially on the great feast of the Ragbrai (just 45 days from today) someone in the hoard of 20,000 may actually take MY picture and post it somewhere. That’s all good (so far, anyhow?) but I don’t always know who actually took the photo or where it was taken (Iowa, of course but WHERE in Iowa?) They are easy to find by searching for “ragbrai  banjo” and that’s worked fine since 2005.
But here’s a switch: There are candid photos not taken at Ragbrai where I’ve been able to identify the person who took the picture. Â Here they are and all of them are in Fort Collins:
Photo by Jose
Trying my best to be as Pete Seegerish as possible; Singing and playing with a group on a stage. What was I thinking? Â Note:Â I’m playing a custom left-handed Wildwood Troubadour banjo made by Mark Platin.
Photo by Tiffani
Talkin’ about the great Cripple Creek Mine (look! No Banjo!). Showing the kids how to pan for gold in them thar hills.
Photo by Kevin
In Old Town, Fort Collins just strumming in the afternoon. In this picture I’m playing my home-made left-handed pressure cooker/table leg banjo.
Remember back in 2008 when we reported on Winsor’s tornado damage? That was a EF3 tornado on May 22, 2008. Three years later:
This was an EF5 in Joplin MO.
On May 22, 2011 a deadly tornado ripped though the town of Joplin, Missouri. The above picture was taken by my nephew Alan who currently resides in Joplin.
His Bedroom
Luckily Alan, his wife and their two dogs somehow survived the onslaught but as many as 134 people died. It is estimated that the tornado caused at least $3 Billion in damage. If you want to help those in need, please check out RebuildJoplin.org. The web site lists many local organizations taking donations and they could use your help!
The people of Fort Collins are helping.
Here in Oak Street plaza, Fort Collins’ premier samba band “Bloco Em Foco” performed a benefit concert for Joplin on June 3rd.
The First Friday Collection
On the first Friday of each month Bloco Em Foco sets out a bucket and collects money for worthy causes.
This Friday it was Team Rubicon for the Joplin relief effort.
