Colorado, from a New Yorker's point of view

I got my third parking ticket the other day.  I’m averaging about one a month since I have been in Denver.  At least they are not moving violations.

The first was because I forgot to move my car the one day a month when they do street cleaning.  I don’t mind the ticket, if the street had actually been cleaned.  If the street doesn’t get cleaned the ticket shouldn’t count.

The second was because of an expired meter.  I was busy taking pictures of zombies.  I knew I was running late and I decided to play the odds.  Fifteen minutes late = ticket.

The most recent ticket came during our last snow storm.  My car was parked outside my house and covered with snow.  It seems Denver doesn’t like me having expired east coast tags.  Originally I figured I would keep the expired tags until I got pulled over.  I was hoping to get an expired tags ticket instead of a speeding ticket.  It would be a win / win / win for everyone.  I get off without a moving violation, the cop helps reach his quota and the city makes extra revenue.  I knew I was taking a chance and that I could end up with a multitude of tickets, but every time I drive I take a chance that I could end up with a multitude of tickets.

I have a vision of that last sentence being read in court by a prosecutor.  “Lady’s and gentleman of the jury I refer you to ‘exhibit A’ which is a posting by the defendant making reference to his own driving…”

There is always something unsual going on in Denver.  A lot of times these events revolve around some type of physical event.  On Halloween the Guinness Book of World Records was broken for the most people dressed as a gorilla.  The 1,061 gorillas competed in a 3.5 mile race, where they were allowed to run, walk, bike, skate or Rollerblade.

I really wanted to particpate in the event, mostly because you got to keep the gorilla suit.  However the registration fee was $100, ($50 for those with their own gorilla suit).  Being unemployed I couldn’t justify it.  I did go and take some pictures and here they are.

[View with PicLens]

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It is in the upper 70′s today.  I’m sitting outside wishing I put shorts and sandals on.  Part of the focus of this site is to explore the differences between NY & CO.  Weather is definitely one of the main differences.

The weather is schizophrenic.  That is really the only way to describe it.  Never before, in my three plus decades on this planet have I needed to break out my winter coat in September.  My close friends all know that I hate the cold.  I was subjected to tons of ridicule when a Rockies playoff game got canceled because it was so cold and snowy.  That was the same 26 degree day I did my Red Rocks 5k.  The following Sunday it was in the upper 70s.

Last week Colorado got hit with a major snow storm.  It was two and half days of snow.  The official measurement from my neighbor’s patio was 20 inches.  I was going to take a picture of it the day after it stopped snowing, but in had already started to melt.  Two days after the storm the majority of the snow was gone and I didn’t need a jacket to be outside.  And here, a week later I’m wishing I was in shorts.

The climate is also much drier than NY.  If that much snow melts in NY the ground would stay wet for weeks.