Day 19 – March 27, 2007

I went to bed early last night so I could get an early start on the drive to Denver. I checked out of the motel around 0630 and headed north on I-25 in the dark. I was surprised at the amount of traffic heading north at that early hour. When the sun came up there were some very nice colors over the mountains. I made it up to Santa Fe fairly quickly, picking up AFR radio traffic the entire way. After you drive through Santa Fe I-25 gets very windy as you pass through a series on mountains. You actually travel south for some distance to get through so you can head north.

It was a picturesque drive and I saw mountain after mountain. Just as you enter Colorado the drive gets very mountainous and treacherous as you travel at 45 and 55 mph through winding paths between and then up, down and around the mountain ranges. The older town of Trinidad, CO looked very interesting as I passed through it. When I got to Pueblo, CO it became very overcast and foggy. I was surprised how big a city Pueblo is. Traffic moves very slowly on I-25 through that city. I started picking up Colorado Springs trunked radio traffic as I was driving through Pueblo.

When I made it up to Colorado Springs around noon, it was only 50 degrees and started to mist a little and was very foggy. I thought I might not be able to do any buffing in Denver if this keeps up. Colorado Springs fire radio was very busy. I think I heard Engine 10 take three runs- nothing but medicals, car fires and alarms, however.

By the time I reached Denver around 1300 hours the clouds started to disappear and soon after that the sun was shinning. I started hearing Denver and Aurora on my scanner about 10 miles out of town. I stopped at Denver Station 22. The firefighters there were really nice. I got photos when they pulled the reserve engine out and just as they started to pull Tower 22 out, they got a run. I snapped a quick photo as they sped off.

I headed to nearby DFD Station 13. The only person there was a radio shop worker waiting for them to return to repair a radio. He said the engine was out on a medical call. I waited about five minutes and headed off to Aurora Station 7 (just up I-225 a few miles). The engine at Station 7 was out, but the truck crew pulled out their Bronto for photos.

I headed to AFD Station 8, where they have an engine, a ladder and a heavy rescue. The guys there were great. They pulled the rigs out for me and were very helpful. They have a rig there, called “Wedge 8,” that runs with the Tactical Rescue team at Station 8. It’s an old squad that carries crimping materials that runs with the Heavy Rescue when they need it. Aurora has all E One apparatus by the way other than brush and specialized rigs.

I headed up I-225 and across I-70 into NE Denver. I stopped at old Station 26. There is a sign on the front that says “Station Closed.” As I was driving down Quebec Street looking for a new station, I noticed that everything on the west side was old and everything on the east side was brand new. There must have been something where all the new buildings had been built. Just about that time Engine 26 got a run in the 2900 block of Monaco Parkway. I was very close so I took it in.

I got photos of Engine 26 and spoke with the driver. He told me they moved into a new Station at 7934 Martin Luther King Boulevard last October. When I asked him about all the new buildings he explained that they were built where Stapleton Airport had formerly been. In fact, he told me the control tower still stands across from their station and down a couple of blocks.

I headed to new Station 26. What a facility. It has a high tower in the center that was designed as both a hose tower and for rescue training. The crew pulled out their reserve aerial (Quint) for a photo. I asked if the training tower and shops were north of them on 53rd Avenue. They said yes, so I headed up there hoping to see some apparatus. I was too late. There was a mass exodus from the facility, as they must all get off around 1530 hours. I drove around the complex and didn’t see any rigs out side, I headed to nearby DFD Station 27.

The crew at Station 27 was great and I got photos of their engine and tower. It was 1630 hours and time t find a motel for the night. The crew recommended some areas nearby and I checked into a motel right off I-70. Tomorrow it should be easy to pick up I-76 to I-80 to head across towards Des Moines. My intent (yesterday) was to get to Lincoln or Omaha, NE tomorrow night, but there are some nasty thunderstorms headed up from the south that may keep me from getting that far. It got to 68 in Denver today, 65 in Aurora.

It may snow here tomorrow, so staying here in Denver is out. It’s supposed to be in the 40s and very windy tomorrow. It will be interesting from here home. I’ll be seeing some storms for sure- no ifs or ands about it.

That’s all for now.

Your Roving Reporter