Two Events, One Weekend Part 3

Our entry's title was "Universe of Imagination", and this group made it truly universal.  Colorado is honored to have one of the more unusual and mobile groups in the nation:  the Colorado Movie Car Club!  This group certainly gets around, going to events throughout the country.  They draw a crowd everywhere they go.  As their name group says, these are the guys (and gals) that hunt down cars and transform them into movie car replicas.  Think General Lee, KITT, Ecto mobile from Ghostbusters, Umbrella Corp car, the emergency vehicles from Emergency!, even a Scooby Doo van.  Unfortunately the Love Bug couldn't make it, but the Starsky and Hutch car and the Jurrasic Jeep were there!  Here's a few pics of their gorgeous cars, and look them up on FB (they have a short video of the pre-parade).

They had about a dozen cars there, and all were big hits with the crowd.  Personally I've been hunting down a '69 Barricuda hatchback (the car I learned to drive) and converting it to a Mad Max type of vehicle, or a yellow Cuda to make Nash Bridges' car.  Either way, someday I will get a Cuda and make it into something so I can join this group.  Or as a member of the Umbrella Corp, maybe I can just hang with that gorgeous black Umbrella SUV!! (hmmm, I might have to make another Umbrella car). 

After the parade everyone was so tired that we just hopped onto the float or into the truck so Jen could drive us back to the lightrail station.  Took an hour just to get out of the parking lot at the end of the parade (vehicles in parade only!).  And once out of the parking lot, everyone was directed to get on the freeway, whether you wanted on or not!  Imagine a long line of trucks and cars pulling trailers trying to get on the freeway and get off just as quickly.  I thought the whole traffic situation was total bull!!!  Another long trek on the trains, and finally I was home by 4:00pm.  Usually we hit the Tilted Kilt (the TK) after the parade then go home, but no one went out afterwards.  After eight hours in costume, riding trains, walking to staging areas, standing around for three hours, an hour and a half to get through the parade itself, getting back to the station, riding trains back home, I tore off my costume and crashed on the couch for an hour before working on AL again.  Can you say "exhaustion"????  Not sure if I can do this again next year...

Part 4 is the second event of the weekend, the Rialto Theater screening of ROTJ!!  Longer day but much more fun!!  Look for that blog within a day or two...

Until next time,
an overly exhausted jawa, dreaming of the Cuda of her youth.  I've got the day off to goof off.
Jawa Jaka

Two Events, One Weekend Part 2

And now the parade!! Meg and I were the banner carriers. We followed the Spring Bear Pow Wow native american dancers. Half way through I had a headache from all the drum beating, but was amazed at how the kids were able to dance the entire two mile route!! I was told to look serious, but couldn't help laughing the whole way. You could hear the roar from the crowd as we approached, many of them running up to us for photo ops! I'll just give you a few of Bill's pics to look at:



Our float, a handbuilt skiff with Luke and the Bounty Hunters Guild.

Our special guest on the right is Kevin Anderson, author of the later Dune series and a few SW books.  His wife, SW author Rebecca Moesta was also on the float.  We were very honored to have them as our guests of honor.  They are such good friends of all our local groups.

Our garrison attitude has been and will always be a "Can Do" one.  Our newest member, Todd, proved that right, as he marched through the entire route in his wheelchair.  Goes to show SW is for everyone, young and old, handicapped or not.  I'm proud to serve in a garrison that accepts all who have the love for SW!

Rumor has it that Bill took over 300 pics of our entry during the parade.  Obviously I can't fit them all here, but I hope this gives you an idea of what fun we had.  And on to Part 3, a very special group that joined us! 

and still more...

Jawa Jaka



Two Events, One Weekend Part 1

Actually I was suppose to do three events this weekend including one Monday night, but by the time Monday rolled around I just could not do another event.  Way too tired with a splitting pressure headache!  I spent all day Friday putting in AL's foot wedges (blogging on that later with pics), packing up stuff, and checking the lightrail schedule.  Saturday was the big event, St. Patty's Day Parade!  Sunday was a special screening of the Return of the Jedi at the Rialto Theater in Loveland, CO.  Monday night was a book signing at the Tattered Cover with my good friend and SW author Christie Golden.  Sorry to say I missed the Monday night event.

Denver has the second largest St. Pat's Parade in the country, and this year was the 50th anniversary of the parade.  With all the construction going on downtown, twice as many revelers in the downtown area, twice as many floats in the parade, and no parking downtown, the logistics this year was horrendous!  My day started at 6:00am to feed the cats and put on my Imperial Officer uniform.  I had to make sure everything I needed could fit in one pocket (including my inhaler).  Drove to the Nine Mile station, jumped on the H-line, and headed for the Broadway station where everyone in the MG was meeting.  The RTD security officer took one look at me and asked if I had any weapons!  I had to explain to him what my costume was so he could calm down a very fussy mother and her little boy (she thought I was a terrorist).  Got to Broadway OK, met with the gang, everyone suited up, then we had a mob scene as we took a group photo on the ramp.

On the lightrail platform



On the Train

We got off at 27th and Welton, then trooped in full gear a half mile through a neighborhood just to get to the staging area for the parade.  I think it gives a new meaning of neighborhood watch!!

Since there were so many entries this year in the parade we sat around, taking the occasional group photo, for three hours in the hot sun before we stepped off down the route.  Here's some pre-parade photos:

501st Mountain Garrison

Bill, our photographer (all of these pics are his)

Some of our goofiness

The KTB (Kilted Trooper Brigade)

Ghostbusters Group (who ya gonna call?)

The Kilted Ghostbuster/SW mashup (more silliness)

The RMFF (Rocky Mountain Fan Force)

All the groups in our entry in one place!

I'm running out of room on this blog, so the next one is the parade itself.

Don't go away,

Jawa Jaka