Thursday, September 24th 2009 (Denver weather 39-62)

Got up at 4:15 for 6:20 flight on Frontier.  Got to Denver around 7:15 am.  Got rental car (also paid for a toll pass) and left at 8 am.  Went to the Rocky Mountain National Park via Longmont (where we had breakfast at Aunt Alice’s Kitchen) and Estes Park.  We tried to make it as far the the Alpine Visitors center, but the road was closed shortly before getting there.  We did make it to an altitude of 2 miles above sea level.  It actually snowed while we were up at the highest peaks with an outdoor temperature of 31 degrees.  On the way down, we stopped at Boulder and went to the Pearl Street Mall briefly and then to Walnut brewpub for lunch and a beer.  Our rental car had a warning ticket on it when we returned (the license plate had expired in July!).  Then we went to the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder.  From there we drove to the hotel, Courtyard by Marriott (934 16th St, Denver) and checked in around 2:50 pm. The hotel is right on the 16th street pedestrian mall - very nice.  Rested up and took a short nap.  Got to line for GABF at 5:25 pm.  Took about 10 minutes to walk to back of line and about 20 minutes to get in the front door.  Probably drank around 45 or more 1 ounce tasters of beer.  Left around 8:50 pm.  (FYI: GABF sold out well in advance; tickets were $55 per night.)

Friday, September 25th 2009 (Denver weather 46-64)

Got up around 8 am and went to Starbucks to get coffee and a bite to eat.  Then went the Denver Museum of  Nature and Science.  Very nice exhibits there (mainly of animals).Also had a very nice 'human science' exhibit where you can participate in various exercises & tests for a final scientific evaluation.
Came back to hotel and dropped of car and took the free shuttle down the16th street mall and walked to Wynkoop Brewing Co.  The place was extremely busy; after all it was 12 noon.  Mark had BYO Nachos (pretty good, but unusual – like a layered dip with chips).  Lyndon had a Thai Cobb Salad which was very good.  Our beer choices were: An IPS, St Charles ESB (cask), Wixa Weiss and a Milk Stout.  Came back to hotel and rested up again.  Around 4pm, met Angus and Gunther at the Paramount Café.  Had diet Pepsi and some appetizers.  Then walked over to the convention center for GABF.  We got to the front of the line at 5:10pm.  Made out way down the very long line to the end.  We got into the convention center around 6 pm.  We left around 8 pm or so and went to our hotel, then to their’s (the Warick), then walked down to Steuben’s and had dinner.  It was around 11 pm, so all of us opted not to go to bar and instead called it a night.

Saturday, September 26th 2009 (Denver weather 47-85)

Got up and got light breakfast at Starbucks and went to Boulder.  We did a very nice hike in the Chautauqua Area.  We hiked the parts of the Chautauqua, Bluebell / Baird, Mesa and McClintock trails.  After that we went into downtown Boulder ate at Draft House (yummy portabella fries), split a sandwich and had a couple of beers.  We then briefly walked the Pearl St Mall and then went to Celestial Seasonings and toured the factory.  The mint room was very interesting. On the day they do Mint tea, you can smell mint for a 4 mile radius around the factory!  Then we came back to the room and took a nap, then met the boys at the 40th Oktoberfest in Denver, about 7 blocks from the hotel.  We had a beer and some bratwurst.  After that we went to Paramount café, had a beer and a cheese plate.  Then it was on to 3 different bars.  We took the free trolley to the end of the line, then went to the boy’s hotel and lounged on the rooftop for a bit.  After that we walked to the Wrangler Bar, then J.R.’s, then Charlie’s.  Then we went back to the hotel, but were still hungry, so we ate at Sam’s # 3 at 1500 Curtis near our hotel.  Lyndon had a very interesting, (but good) sandwich – “The Naked French Canadian Swiss Melt (2 scrambled eggs with Swiss cheese and Canadian bacon inside two pieces of French toast served with sweetened strawberries and home fries. Then it was back to the room, some reading and lights off at midnight.

Sunday, September 27th, 2009 (Denver weather 45-79)

Got up and got some coffee and light breakfast at Starbucks.  Checked out and met the boys at their hotel around 10 am.  We went to a Russian coffee shop Dazbog.  Then spend some down time at Cheesman Park which was a very nice park with a great view of the city.  Then it was off to the airport in plenty of time to catch our flight home.

A few extra tidbits:

Mark loved the Peach Wheat and Maple from Horseheads Brewing, Inc on 250 Old Ithaca Rd., Horseheads, NY 607.739.8468.  www.horseheadsbrewing.com

Got our picture taken that put us on the ‘cover’ of a beer magazine www.draftmag.com/GABF.

Another interesting beer was Organic Yerba Mate Ale, www.mateveza.com