...friends like mine

Doug and Stuart take a break on our way to the top of Green Mountain.

Stuart and I at the cairn atop Green Mountain.

Greenery on the trail to the kayak put-in.

Big Head Todd and the Monsters perform at Red Rocks. Photo courtesy of Doug Emmerich.

Big Head Todd and the Monsters rock at Red Rocks. Photo courtesy of Doug Emmerich.

You might already know that I think Big Head Todd and the Monsters is the best darn band in the world. I have mentioned it a couple of times. So, you can imagine my surprise when I opened an email from my friend Doug Emmerich a few months ago which was titled: "Wanna Go? This is yours."

I couldn't believe it when I looked the screen and saw a ticket for the Big Head Todd and the Monsters concert on June 5th at Red Rocks. I nearly fell on the floor. Turns out that Doug and his wife Heather decided that I needed to make good on one of my life goals which was to see the band perform at Red Rocks. I immediately started looking for airfare and anticipating the trip.

So, last Thursday I flew through the night to Denver, Colorado, where I picked up a rental car and drove to the Emmerich's. Doug took the the day off from work so we were able to enjoy the warm Colorado sunshine and Rocky Mountain scenery as we hiked to the top of Green Mountain with his son Stuart. The view from the top was spectacular. Mountains to the west with Boulder and the plains to the east. Several other parties were at the top and Stuart kept us laughing the entire time. We drove back to the Emmerich's stopping briefly to visit with Rachel and deliver a cold drink to her. When we got back to the house Doug barbecued shish-kabobs and then it was time to go to sleep.

On Saturday we went to the Boulder Farmer's Market and hiked several miles on the Boulder Creek Trail. We ate gyros for lunch while listening to a band of local musicians.

Then it was time for the main event.

Doug and I loaded food for a tailgate party into a cooler and motored to Red Rocks where other concert goers had already arrived. In the parking lots they had grills, coolers, folding chairs, and stereos playing music. It was quite the scene. Doug and and I ate sandwiches and walked around to take in the festivities. On our way to find our seats we stopped at the merchandise booth where I spent lavishly on t-shirts for the entire family. Once at our seats we struck up conversations with other concert goers who, it turns out, follow the band from one concert to the next--Big Head Todd and the Monsters groupies!

The Bodeans were the opening band and they were great. They played for about an hour and then there was a short break before Big Head Todd and the Monsters took the stage. I don't know how many people were at the concert, but they were loud and it felt like there was a small earthquake when the band walked out (and Red Rocks is...well...solid rock). The first set was each and every song from their album Midnight Radio, of which they were celebrating the 20th anniversary. They played on as the the lights went out briefly and a short rain squall lasted just long enough to get everyone wet (nobody cared much). The second set included some of the band's most popular songs and a few tunes from their forthcoming album. It was great to hear Circle, Cashbox, Broken Hearted Savior, and Boom Boom. The music and intensity built to to a crescendo and then, after three hours of playing, the band was done. It was over. I couldn't believe it. It went by so fast.

Doug and I made our way back to the car and we were back at his house by 1:00 AM. I had recorded several of the songs from the concert on my cell phone so I watched them a couple of times before falling soundly asleep (sorry about the pun).

The next morning we woke to more clear Colorado skies and drove to the mountains for another hike and picnic. We walked down a trail to a steam that kayakers use to haul their boats to the water. I took lots of photos along the way and then it was time to head back. We went out to dinner and then watched some hockey and basketball on TV (Heather is a big fan and knows the finer points of both sports).


The next morning my time in Colorado was over. I was up early and knew I had to say goodbye to some very dear friends. After all, and I have to say this, the Emmerich's are some special people. We have known each other for the better part of two decades. We have shared many adventures and we have watched each others family grow. When we adopted our daughters the Emmerich's wrote letters of reference for us. Over the years and the miles our friendship has remained vital and constant. When they invited me to see Big Head Todd and the Monsters they helped me realize a dream. Yes, they are special people, and you are lucky indeed if you have...friends like mine.