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