AudioCircle
The Commercial Zone => Audio Shows and Events => Rocky Mountain Audio Fest => Topic started by: johnnydarko on 24 Apr 2011, 12:50 pm
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OK, so I'm thinking of attending RMAF 2011, travelling all the way from sunny Australia.
I know nothing about Denver, so if anyone has any tips on where to stay (and where NOT to stay!) I'm all ears.
Any other advice re. Denver or RMAF 2011 gratefully received.
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Actually, I have some specific questions emerging:
1) The Denver Tech Centre is 10 miles from downtown?
2) Am I best to book a hotel in the Tech Centre area or book one in town and then travel up each day?
3) Are there "other things to see/do" at the Tech Centre (besides RMAF)? I guess I don't want to be locked into an area where the ONLY thing is hifi, all day, every day for three days. One can have too much of a good thing!
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The Marriott is where all the action is taking place. If you can book a room there, you will be where the action is.
You cannot see every room at RMAF in three days.
There is also quite a lot going on after hours. Lots of the exhibitors do tend to spend some time in the lounge.
There is a light rail stop directly across the highway that can take you downtown to explore more of what Denver has to offer.
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Personally I like to stay at one of the hotels in that same area (2 min walk, nice chance to strech legs and get away from the noise and bustle) like the Hyatt Tech Center or last year, the Hampton Inn ($79). The area where the Marriott is located is an upscale suburban corporate/tech community with lots of hotels and restaurants walkable. Then, when you have time, take a rental car up to Boulder or into the Rocky Mountain National Park.
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Everybody shmoozes at the bar after hours. Introduce yourself and go out to dinner with some AC guys. Those are my best RMAF memories.
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I'm afraid "hi-fi all day every day for three days" is what you should expect. I went to RMAF for the first time last October and was pretty overwhelmed. The first day it took me pretty much all day to walk through the entire place and pop in for a minute to every room and maybe listen to a couple songs in a few of them. The next day I targeted several of the rooms that were more interesting than others. By the end of the second day, I was feeling serious listening fatigue. Was staying with friends up near Boulder, so I didn't stick around to socialize and get to know folks. It does sound like there are significant "after hours" listening sessions by some of the exhibitors as well, but again, I wasn't around for that. I actually didn't end up going the third day, as I was pretty burned out.
Denver traffic can be very bad. You won't want to try to commute in and out if you want the most out of the RMAF experience. However, if you want to get the most out of the Denver experience, you might want to stay more centrally there. You can probably get around Denver alright with the light rail, but you'll very likely want to rent a car and experience the mountains. Rocky Mountain National Park is quite spectacular. Last year at that time, the upper peaks in the range had just started to accumulate some snow. I was there a couple days early and went hiking up along the continental divide west of Nederland. Above tree line, there was about a foot of snow, but it was still warm enough to just need full length pants and a significant jacket. Hiking below tree line was still clear of snow, and I think you could expect this. Colorado has a very outdoorsy culture - lots of hiking and biking in the summer/fall, and lots of skiing in winter and early spring. There are some excellent microbreweries around as well.
Good luck with your planning.
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OK, so I'm thinking of attending RMAF 2011, travelling all the way from sunny Australia.
I know nothing about Denver, so if anyone has any tips on where to stay (and where NOT to stay!) I'm all ears.
Any other advice re. Denver or RMAF 2011 gratefully received.
Johnny,
Yes, stay out somewhere near the show. There are many places nearby and in all price ranges.
And if you need a musical break from the show you can visit Soundings HiFi, a 5 minutes walk and a bit of fresh air nearby, and listen in a very well set up room, quite different form the mostly small rooms at the show.
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it's easy to get around denver, so no need to stay very close to the show. it's really a quite beautiful area, rent a car while you're there. see rocky mountain national park, spend a day in boulder, go see garden of the gods. it has a great zoo, botanic gardens, and denver is a really fun city. spend a week! and contrary to above, the traffic is NOT bad at all for a major US city. i guess it depends on what you're used to.
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Thanks guys for all the helpful replies! :thumb: Keep 'em coming!
Yeah, I'll be in the area for a week at least, so some Rocky Mountain air will be taken for sure. Think I might stay in the Tech centre during the festival and then head downtown (or out of town) thereafter.
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Hotel booked! :o
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I'm afraid "hi-fi all day every day for three days" is what you should expect. I went to RMAF for the first time last October and was pretty overwhelmed.
Yeah, I'm gonna need some respite at some point methinks. My personal space alarm is easily triggered! ha ha.
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Hotel booked! :o
Congratulations! And thanks. I read your thread and asked my wife how she'd like to go to Denver next fall to visit her brother's family . . . she said "sure" - and then I explained I wanted to attend the RMAF - and she still said sure. Flights and hotel booked as well - my first ever audio show! And it's your fault for giving me the idea :nono:
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My recommendation is to do some homework up front - make a list of all the vendors you want to see and hit them first. After that its fun to wander. Last year it was also nice to hear the live Beethoven piano sonata performances in the mezzanine area. Its also a lot of fun to meet fellow AC'ers, so PM and plan :)
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Everybody shmoozes at the bar after hours. Introduce yourself and go out to dinner with some AC guys. Those are my best RMAF memories.
You WILL be there, Rich? Gotta meet you, see how the heck you look like :thumb: (I don't believe we've met!). I booked already, Marriott and flight (having to use up some FF mileage). Ride from airport will look into later.
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So. Flights are booked. :thumb:
I shall be flying into Dallas and then making my way to Denver by car. I need some advice from knowledgeable folk (people that know the USA!) whether I should travel from Dallas to Denver via New Mexico OR via Oklahoma/Kansas.
Any advice gratefully received,
JD
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So. Flights are booked. :thumb:
I shall be flying into Dallas and then making my way to Denver by car. I need some advice from knowledgeable folk (people that know the USA!) whether I should travel from Dallas to Denver via New Mexico OR via Oklahoma/Kansas.
Any advice gratefully received,
JD
New Mexico is beautiful. Kansas is long and flat, and boring. Haven't been to Oklahoma.
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New Mexico is beautiful. Kansas is long and flat, and boring. Haven't been to Oklahoma.
Many parts of New Mexico are beautiful.
That's quite a bit of driving though. How long are you planning on taking? - There are some spots you should check out if you have time. (New Mexico/Southern Colorado)
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So. Flights are booked. :thumb:
I shall be flying into Dallas and then making my way to Denver by car. I need some advice from knowledgeable folk (people that know the USA!) whether I should travel from Dallas to Denver via New Mexico OR via Oklahoma/Kansas.
Any advice gratefully received,
JD
johnnydarko:
It is 800 plus miles from Dallas to Denver. Are you sure you want to drive that far?? It might take about 14hrs driving on the road. Might be better for you to fly from Dallas to Denver. You'd be relaxed and ready to go to the RMAF then.
Cheers
Charlie
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Definitely take the New Mexico route. I have driven through Oklahoma and lived in Burlington Colorado and that landscape is nothing to write home about. The Great American West is BIG! Allow plenty of driving time, your Dallas to Denver trip is 780 miles (1255 kilometers) and about 13-1/2 hours without any stops.
Denver to the Grand Canyon is 790 miles (1271 kilometers).
Denver to Sante Fe, New Mexico is 383 miles (616 kilometers), about 6 hours.
Denver to Tucson, AZ - land of the Saguaro cactus and where I live is 884 miles (1423 kilometers), is a very long 14 hours, actual travel time is closer to 20 hours with stops.
You get the general idea.
Watch the weather for Denver, the city is a mile high (1.61 kilometers) which means it can snow over 30.5 centimeters anytime after Sept. 15th. I know because I used to live in Denver.
You're going to have a great time at RMAF and exploring.
Wayne
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Thanks for all the replies guys. I'm planning to take 3 or 4 days to complete the drive, so the distance ain't an issue.
So far then, New Mexico is looking the favourite. I'm thinking about Roswell on the way. What else I wonder?
Is the mid-West really that bad/boring? Is NM really so much more interesting? I'm also keen to travel away from main highways when possible, time permitting.
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I live in Denver and my parents live in Texas. The NM drive is a lot prettier than the OK and KS drive. But, be warned that the NM drive is through some mountains, and it can snowstorm hard, suddenly, up there. Make sure the rental comes with snow tires and you should be fine. "All weather" tires are a joke in those conditions, so make sure that it's full on "snow tires". You could also buy chains if you can't get a vehicle with snow tires, but they are a pain to put on and take off. Also, make sure you have a big ice scraper, just in case.
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Thanks for all the replies guys. I'm planning to take 3 or 4 days to complete the drive, so the distance ain't an issue.
So far then, New Mexico is looking the favourite. I'm thinking about Roswell on the way. What else I wonder?
Is the mid-West really that bad/boring? Is NM really so much more interesting? I'm also keen to travel away from main highways when possible, time permitting.
New Mexico has mountains (southern end of the Rockies) which makes it more scenic. The east side of the Rockies is FLAT. If you want flat, take the Kansas route. BUT....
October in the Rockies means that if there is any weather coming through, it can easily turn into snow.
BE PREPARED.
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Is there a way to skirt the rockies (and see them from a distance) rather than drive through snow territory?
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In all likelihood the weather will be perfect, going North on I-25 through Colorado Springs is not in the mountains but you get a good view of the Rockies all the way up to Denver. If there is real bad weather no route is completely safe. The high desert interstates East of Denver like I-70 and I-76 can have white-out conditions that close the highway.
We are just saying what can happen, not what will happen, the weather for the last couple of RMAF's has been great.
I always check the Weather Underground before traveling. Last spring a group of us were going to hike the Grand Canyon but we called off the trip because of bad weather rolling into Northern Arizona, the next day roads were closed and we would have been snowed in at the hotel.
Check out my favorite weather site: http://www.wunderground.com (http://www.wunderground.com)
Wayne
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Thanks Wayne and others. That gives me a solid starting point. Any other advice/suggestions gratefully received....
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Can anyone recommend a reasonably-priced/good car hire company?
(Google-searching it is like being hit with a freight train of options.)
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All the majors are pretty similar, budget, avis, etc.
Try Travelocity or Priceline and see if you get a better rate. And being out of town (i.e. out of the country) get the collision damage waiver. At least here in the US, our insurance covers rental cars in the country, but not out of the country.
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Can anyone recommend a reasonably-priced/good car hire company?
(Google-searching it is like being hit with a freight train of options.)
Alamo, Budget and Dollar are usually cheaper than the major car rental companies. I always rent from one of those three.
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Alamo, Budget and Dollar are usually cheaper than the major car rental companies. I always rent from one of those three.
Thanks dude.
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Made it. :thumb:
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Too cool! See you at The Lift Bar in the Marriott Friday night? Look for the table with all the old dudes.
Wayne
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Made it. :thumb:
So, how was the drive? See anything you liked on the way?
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... Look for the table with all the old dudes.
:lol: Wayne, I don't think you meant it that way, but that is just tooooo funny! He'll be looking all night :wink:
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Got to meet Johnny at the show....nice fellow...have a safe trip home.... :beer:
Chris
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curious to hear what happened/what you thought of your trip johnny. post back when you have a chance.
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The solitude of a solo road-trip in THIS kind of scenery is nothing short of life-changing:
(http://www.digitalaudionews.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/longroad-400x266.jpg)
(http://www.digitalaudionews.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/nmmountains-400x266.jpg)
(http://www.digitalaudionews.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/roswell-400x298.jpg)
(http://www.digitalaudionews.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/rockies2-400x266.jpg)
(http://www.digitalaudionews.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/welcomecolorado-400x266.jpg)
(http://www.digitalaudionews.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/rockies4-400x266.jpg)
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Got to meet Johnny at the show....nice fellow...have a safe trip home.... :beer:
Chris
Nice to meet you too Chris. Just about getting over jetlag now (hurrah) and back to work (boo). Thanks for the CDs! :)
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Hi John,
Great to meet you at RMAF! Nice pics of your road trip to Denver!
Thanks for the the great pics and write-ups, and bringing the good music!
http://www.digitalaudionews.net.au/
Cheers! 8)
Vinnie
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The solitude of a solo road-trip in THIS kind of scenery is nothing short of life-changing:
(http://www.digitalaudionews.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/longroad-400x266.jpg)
(http://www.digitalaudionews.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/nmmountains-400x266.jpg)
(http://www.digitalaudionews.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/roswell-400x298.jpg)
(http://www.digitalaudionews.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/rockies2-400x266.jpg)
(http://www.digitalaudionews.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/welcomecolorado-400x266.jpg)
(http://www.digitalaudionews.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/rockies4-400x266.jpg)
No doubt!! Colorado is THE best state to live in, IMO.
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I'll second that sentiment, Tyson. Having lived in N.J., Pennsylvania, New York, Washington, Virginia and Massachusetts, I cannot understand why people choose to live in other places when Colorado is an option. We have over 300 sunny days per year out here in Fruita, very little snow each winter, and the temps seldom go below zero.
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I'll second that sentiment, Tyson. Having lived in N.J., Pennsylvania, New York, Washington, Virginia and Massachusetts, I cannot understand why people choose to live in other places when Colorado is an option. We have over 300 sunny days per year out here in Fruita, very little snow each winter, and the temps seldom go below zero.
AND, Denver's forecast is 80 degrees today, late October? That's ridiculous :duh: :lol:.
You guys are blessed this year. The weather at the show was just as gorgeous. Remember previous years we seemed to have always had at least some flurries?
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I don't feel blessed because the weather was like this long before I arrived. I'll take credit for being smart enough to move here once I learned about it though.
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Snowing in Denver now....missed it by a week.... :o
A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MDT WEDNESDAY.
* TIMING...SNOW WILL OCCUR OVERNIGHT WITH SNOW HEAVY AT TIMES. SNOWFALL RATES OF 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH 9 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING.
* ACCUMULATION/WIND...TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 8 TO 16 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE BY NOON WEDNESDAY. ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE HEAVIEST TO THE WEST OF INTERSTATE 25 AND OVER THE PALMER DIVIDE. SIGNIFICANT WIND IS NOT EXPECTED.
* MAIN IMPACT...HEAVY WET SNOW MAY ACCUMULATE ON TREES... RESULTING IN BROKEN TREE LIMBS AND POWER OUTAGES. ROADS WILL BECOME SNOW COVERED DURING PERIODS OF HEAVY SNOW. POOR VISIBILITIES WILL ALSO BE EXPERIENCED DURING HEAVY SNOW.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
REMEMBER...A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS HAZARDOUS WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE IMMINENT OR HIGHLY LIKELY. SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.
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Snowing in Denver now....missed it by a week.... :o
Aren't "WE" lucky!? to be out of there; just heard on the radio, like 10" possible.....