Dean & Linda Stock
Well-known member
June 14, 2011 Day 38 Golden, CO
We have had trouble connecting using our Motostat through this whole trip and with the WiFi in the last two parks. We were wondering if it could be our set-up or computer. When I turned on the Direct TV this morning for the news, there were 5 blue lights on the Motosat unit. Dean was so excited that he immediately started working on it. However, he couldn?t get connected to the internet, despite lots of effort. I don?t know the technicalities, but I do know we have an appointment with a Motosat guy in Colorado Springs, our next stop, we got an appointment with the Apple Store for 6:00 today, and we were late for the last Capitol tour at 3:30.
The last 3 capitols, Carson City, Helena, and Cheyenne, have truly felt like ?The People?s House.? They had minimal or no obvious security. In Denver, the State Police were very nice, but we had to go through the whole metal detector scene, and there were lots of police there.
The Denver Capitol had a feel of elegance and arrogance. The capitol dome was originally topped with copper. The citizens objected since it was not a primary metal in Colorado. Colorado miners made a gift of 200 ounces of gold to gild the dome. Each time they re-gild the dome, they use 47 ounces, almost 3 pounds, of 24-karat gold leaf. Cheyenne uses1 ounce. I don?t know the size of the domes to be able to compare them. Throughout all 3 floors of the capitol, brass was everywhere. (Picture 2) Three men work polishing the brass for 3 hours evert day. Each is responsible for one floor. The elevator doors are original brass, and they have 8 historical panels. I thought they were very meaningful. Montana and Wyoming are balanced-budget states. Colorado is not.
There were many beautiful stained glass windows throughout the old Supreme Court room (Picture 3), the Senate, and the House. My favorite was of Emily Griffith. She noticed that her students? parents weren?t able to help them because the parents were uneducated and often illiterate. She started the Emily Griffith School to educate them, and she always had a pot of soup on. This has now evolved into a community college. There is no longer any public access to the old Supreme Court, the Senate, or the House. You just get to peer through windows in the door or side panels.
The original lights were wired for electricity, but at the time electricity was considered unreliable and sometimes would go out for several weeks. So they also made them gas-powered, and there is a little knob at the bottom to turn on the gas. The chandelier in the old Supreme Court had to be hand-cranked down from the ceiling (45 minutes), have about 60 lights lit, then re-cranked back up (another 45 minutes). Now they use electricity, but they go through the cranking process once a year in December to clean them and replace the light bulbs. They are currently building a new Supreme Court building.
In the Senate (Picture 4), the Dems have a majority by 5. The leader is called President. There are 600 bills presented yearly, and only about 200 pass. There is a first reading to inform. At the second reading, there is a yelling vote, and the President decides which side won, even if it?s obvious that the losing side had lots more votes. At the third reading, there is a roll call. Every single senator must be there, or the Sergeant-at-Arms is sent to find the absentee, they announce his name over the speaker system, and bells ring. Once they all are inside the Senate chambers, they may not leave for any reason. Everyone must vote?yes or no, and there is no abstaining. Only senators may enter through the front doors of the senate. Even the police must enter by a side door. This seems really arrogant and self-important to me. Once inside, no one can go into the ?well? (area in the front of the Senate) except senators or if the capitol police have to remove someone.
In the House, the Republicans have a majority by 1. All legislators work 120 days and earn $30,000. Of the 100 legislators, 41 are women. This year, they have the highest number ever of Caucasian women ? 3!
For those who like exercise, you can walk up the 99 steps to the interior dome observation area with a 360? view of Denver and the Rockies. At the 38th step there is a room, Mr. Brown?s Attic, which is devoted to Colorado?s early history.
The item I connected with was the Women?s Gold Quilt (Picture 5), which honors women who have contributed to the success of Colorado throughout history. One dancehall lady named Silverheels stayed with the miners and nursed them when smallpox raged through a camp, and she contracted it, too, and was left with a very pock-marked face. They were having a Governor?s Quilt Competition, and 400 beautiful quilts were hung throughout the Capitol. Dean?s favorite was this dragon (Picture 6).
Staying at Golden Clear RV Park, good WiFi, lots of beautiful trees, good Direct TV reception. FHU, 50 amps, $31.
We have had trouble connecting using our Motostat through this whole trip and with the WiFi in the last two parks. We were wondering if it could be our set-up or computer. When I turned on the Direct TV this morning for the news, there were 5 blue lights on the Motosat unit. Dean was so excited that he immediately started working on it. However, he couldn?t get connected to the internet, despite lots of effort. I don?t know the technicalities, but I do know we have an appointment with a Motosat guy in Colorado Springs, our next stop, we got an appointment with the Apple Store for 6:00 today, and we were late for the last Capitol tour at 3:30.
The last 3 capitols, Carson City, Helena, and Cheyenne, have truly felt like ?The People?s House.? They had minimal or no obvious security. In Denver, the State Police were very nice, but we had to go through the whole metal detector scene, and there were lots of police there.
The Denver Capitol had a feel of elegance and arrogance. The capitol dome was originally topped with copper. The citizens objected since it was not a primary metal in Colorado. Colorado miners made a gift of 200 ounces of gold to gild the dome. Each time they re-gild the dome, they use 47 ounces, almost 3 pounds, of 24-karat gold leaf. Cheyenne uses1 ounce. I don?t know the size of the domes to be able to compare them. Throughout all 3 floors of the capitol, brass was everywhere. (Picture 2) Three men work polishing the brass for 3 hours evert day. Each is responsible for one floor. The elevator doors are original brass, and they have 8 historical panels. I thought they were very meaningful. Montana and Wyoming are balanced-budget states. Colorado is not.
There were many beautiful stained glass windows throughout the old Supreme Court room (Picture 3), the Senate, and the House. My favorite was of Emily Griffith. She noticed that her students? parents weren?t able to help them because the parents were uneducated and often illiterate. She started the Emily Griffith School to educate them, and she always had a pot of soup on. This has now evolved into a community college. There is no longer any public access to the old Supreme Court, the Senate, or the House. You just get to peer through windows in the door or side panels.
The original lights were wired for electricity, but at the time electricity was considered unreliable and sometimes would go out for several weeks. So they also made them gas-powered, and there is a little knob at the bottom to turn on the gas. The chandelier in the old Supreme Court had to be hand-cranked down from the ceiling (45 minutes), have about 60 lights lit, then re-cranked back up (another 45 minutes). Now they use electricity, but they go through the cranking process once a year in December to clean them and replace the light bulbs. They are currently building a new Supreme Court building.
In the Senate (Picture 4), the Dems have a majority by 5. The leader is called President. There are 600 bills presented yearly, and only about 200 pass. There is a first reading to inform. At the second reading, there is a yelling vote, and the President decides which side won, even if it?s obvious that the losing side had lots more votes. At the third reading, there is a roll call. Every single senator must be there, or the Sergeant-at-Arms is sent to find the absentee, they announce his name over the speaker system, and bells ring. Once they all are inside the Senate chambers, they may not leave for any reason. Everyone must vote?yes or no, and there is no abstaining. Only senators may enter through the front doors of the senate. Even the police must enter by a side door. This seems really arrogant and self-important to me. Once inside, no one can go into the ?well? (area in the front of the Senate) except senators or if the capitol police have to remove someone.
In the House, the Republicans have a majority by 1. All legislators work 120 days and earn $30,000. Of the 100 legislators, 41 are women. This year, they have the highest number ever of Caucasian women ? 3!
For those who like exercise, you can walk up the 99 steps to the interior dome observation area with a 360? view of Denver and the Rockies. At the 38th step there is a room, Mr. Brown?s Attic, which is devoted to Colorado?s early history.
The item I connected with was the Women?s Gold Quilt (Picture 5), which honors women who have contributed to the success of Colorado throughout history. One dancehall lady named Silverheels stayed with the miners and nursed them when smallpox raged through a camp, and she contracted it, too, and was left with a very pock-marked face. They were having a Governor?s Quilt Competition, and 400 beautiful quilts were hung throughout the Capitol. Dean?s favorite was this dragon (Picture 6).
Staying at Golden Clear RV Park, good WiFi, lots of beautiful trees, good Direct TV reception. FHU, 50 amps, $31.
I'm embarrassed that a visitor knows more than I do about my own state! I guess we should make a visit to Denver some day but we tend to stay more in the mountains or in small towns.
