New friends, motion sickness, baseball and sunburned kneecaps
Hi. We are back from Denver, a fact we are both not happy about, since work greeted me with a 140-page document to be edited by the end of the week and Jason’s work greeted him with 3+ days of overflow.
Denver was fantastic. I was a little concerned about my asthma, but it turns out walking all over the city in dry, high-altitude conditions left me breathing easy, while in Minnesota I routinely have to use my inhaler in the middle of speaking a sentence.
Jason was a rule-breaking fool, as his lotion got confiscated at the airport (more than 3 ounces!) and his sunscreen got confiscated at Coors Field (no metal cans!). I was just a regular fool, whose motion sickness kicked in on the airplane (turbulence) and during a winding mountain drive with Artemisia and A. (non-working Dramamine).
Artemisia and A. Cutest couple ever. Also: nice, funny, awesome and totally cool. Notice how A. wore a Vikings t-shirt for us. Hee!
Artemisia and A. drove from Wyoming to Denver and took us on a beautiful drive through the mountains, where we oohed and aahed over patches of snow in the mountains; fresh, clean air; rock climbers; kayakers; and quaint tourist towns. They didn’t even make me feel silly when I asked to make a preventive stop so I wouldn’t succumb to my stupid carsickness. They took us to a wonderful pizza and wings place, and it was so easy to talk with them, we felt like we had known them for years. It was wonderful. (And, in a bizarre coincidence, their baseball seats happened to be in the row directly behind us. In a 40,000+ seat stadium. Crazy.)
Onto the pictures!
I made Jason go to the Aquarium. I love aquariums. Love, love, love.
They had this awesome porthole thingy at the Aquarium, where you could stand in this bubble and it made it look like you were underwater. (Jason, after exerting some effort getting into the bubble: “I think that’s meant for kids.” Me: “Move! My turn!”)
Jellyfish! Did I mention how much I love aquariums? Because I do. I am legally required to tell you that Jason (the better photographer) took this photo. Although I took about 57 more photos of the various sealife. At the Aquarium. Which I love.
There was this weird statue in one of the parks on our walk back from the Aquarium (which I love). Naturally, I made Jason pose as if he were committing a crime.
Coors Field. Really wishing for that new outdoors Twins stadium to be finished.
Guess which team we will also root for now?
We took a tour of the stadium and got to go on the field. Awesome. I also used the clubhouse bullpen phone.
At the baseball games, there were A LOT of Twins fans. This annoyed one of the Colorado Rockies fans near our Twins fan-heavy section. Oh well.
We went to all three Twins games. Please note how I had to travel over 900 miles in order to find weather nice enough to wear a tank top. UNACCEPTABLE.
Me and Artemisia. I already want to meet up with her and A. again.
The whole group. Some of you have already commented on Artemisia’s blog that we look alike. You are right.
Mountains. I cannot even express how beautiful the mountains are. I need to move here. (For my health, of course.)
For Sunday’s game, it was 85 degrees and our seats were directly in the sun. We put on sunscreen, but even though I did well with the planning, my execution sucked. I got burned on my entire right arm, which I coated TWICE. I also have a very noticeable fingerprint (or 27) on my left arm, where I stopped applying sunscreen. I neglected my legs, because I figured my scorebook would be covering those. I was mostly right, and only burned a small square on my right thigh as well as BOTH KNEECAPS. It hurts to wear pants now. Stupid business-casual work dress code.
And then, because it is my mission to run into famous people after I have been marinating in sunscreen and 5 hours of scorching heat, we took the same flight home as Bert Blyleven (former Twins pitcher and current announcer). He came up to us and mentioned how I seemed to have gotten “too much sun.” A few minutes later, he came up to us again and asked how our seats were for the games. Super nice guy. I summoned up my courage (I try never to bother celebrities, but I figured he engaged us first) and had him sign my scorebook.
See that? He signed it, “Your friend.” AWESOME. (Also awesome: his gigantic World Series ring.)
In conclusion: Best Twins roadtrip ever.
Ah, I love Denver. I was born there and there is something about the mountains that is magical. Sadly, the crazy half of my family lives there and until that changes, we are not allowed within 100 miles for any length of time (hubby’s rule). Glad you had such a great time!
Comment by Shelly — May 20, 2008 @ 1:20 pm
So awesome. Burt Blyleven! AND Artemisia! Total score.
I’m going to need a separate post on your alleged enjoyment of The Road.
Comment by Tessie — May 20, 2008 @ 1:26 pm
Oh, Denver, I miss it so. My husband and I lived there for two years right after we first got married, and that’s where our son was born. We keep saying now that he’s older, we need to make a trip back so he can see where we lived when he was a baby, etc. But really we just miss it. Central Texas is flat and boring and HOT. SO VERY HOT.
Comment by nonsoccermom — May 20, 2008 @ 1:31 pm
Bert Blyleven! I am SO impressed!!! That really is SO cool. He was like the coolest ever. Well him and Kirby and Kent and all of the rest of the ‘87 and/or ‘91 Twins. I’m SO glad you had a great trip. Next time I say you come to Seattle. It has mountains, Mariner’s and me.
Comment by Emily — May 20, 2008 @ 1:34 pm
The photos are gorgeous and I am so jealous of BOTH of you for getting to meet the other! Also, I think it’s cute that you look alike.
For motion sickness, have you tried ginger pills? They are supposed to be extremely effective. My mother swears by them. Also Sea-Bands are supposed to be great.
Comment by Jess — May 20, 2008 @ 1:34 pm
The pictures of the aquarium are AWESOME. It is totally unacceptable that I’ve never been there. Next Rockies trip we are going to the aquarium.
What the h*ll is up with that sculpture?
What great pictures of you guys at the stadium. I am excited to see two games in a row this weekend… Too bad it isn’t with such great company, though.
Comment by Artemisia — May 20, 2008 @ 1:42 pm
So glad you had a good time!
I’ve only been to the Denver area once and that was for business. I saw the airport, the highway, the hotel and the client site. That was it. I’ll get back for fun one day.
Comment by deni — May 20, 2008 @ 2:09 pm
We visited Coors Field on a cross-country road trip a few years back, and that day our car kept overheating. And we had to stop to let it cool down, but noooooooo, we HAVE to make it to Denver tonight. Fortunately we made it just in time. I’m glad you guys had a great time too–such a nice stadium!
Comment by My Buddy Mimi — May 20, 2008 @ 2:57 pm
How cool!!
Comment by Saly — May 20, 2008 @ 3:24 pm
I don’t know nothin’ ’bout baseball, but I love it when you hear stories of meeting famous people and they do NOT suck!
Comment by slynnro — May 20, 2008 @ 6:17 pm
Wow, you do such a much better job at promoting denver than I ever could.
ps. the mountains ARE awesome. But super crowded too, and that sucks kinda.
Comment by Penny — May 20, 2008 @ 6:55 pm
How fun!!!!! It makes me want to go to Denver, some day, some day.
Your friend,
Shannon
Too bad that isn’t as cool, ha!
Comment by Shannon — May 21, 2008 @ 9:48 am
Yay! for your trip – it sounds like so much FUN! Great pictures, too. Never been a big baseball fan but now I want to be after reading about your trip. Lubriderm lotion is the best I’ve found for sunburn. Also? I LOVE AQUARIUMS! My daughter and I like to stand in the tunnel and watch the sharks swim overhead. The boys like the otters. Glad you had a great time!
Comment by Julie — May 21, 2008 @ 10:45 am
SO COOL!! i am jealous that you got to meet artemesia, in agreement that you totally look alike, STUNNED by those aquarium pics, they are GORGEOUS, and in all that trip looked SO SUPER FUN. i’m glad you got to wear a tank top, and a little sunburn is almost a treat after all the cold weather? right? maybe?
Comment by Alice — May 21, 2008 @ 10:50 am
Shannon,
Your comment made me laugh – hard.
Comment by Shauna — May 21, 2008 @ 11:26 am
I also love aquariums! (which is so weird because I don’t like fish). And you DO look alike! And I’m jealous I haven’t met any bloggers in person, but glad you had so much fun. Lastly: I also cannot find tank-top acceptable weather. Forecast says, RAIN throughout memorial day weekend. Suckfest.
Comment by amber — May 21, 2008 @ 8:43 pm
Your trip looks awesome! Great pictures. You guys are so cute. And yes, you and Artemisia do look alike – how cool!
Comment by Shelly — May 22, 2008 @ 9:55 am