Grizzly Growler

This is my hand attempting to open a lock on my friend’s house in Littleton, Colorado, after Friday’s Great American Beer Festival events.

I had to use my camera flash to light the lock, but I had to continually turn past a number, and the flash confused me. It took me about 20 minutes of trying to locate the code on my phone, turn the combination lock and finally open the door.

And this after I’d done everything according to the rules of beer fest.

1. drink responsibly (or as responsibly as you can when you’re in a room with 25,000 gallons of beer flowing)

2. eat regularly throughout the day

3. drink plenty of water

4. ride public transportation

5. tell Sam Calagione that you’d just like half a glass of his Chateau Jiahu when he whips out his credit card and tells the bartender at Falling Rock Tap House he’ll pay for beers the next 20 minutes.

6. walk back to the convention center from Falling Rock Tap House (normally this would be to get some fresh air, but in my case it was because I couldn’t find the free ride bus)

7. remember to have enough change to purchase a ticket for the train back to Littleton.

8. help an old lady onto the train while trying to explain why you have a tasting glass strapped around your neck (and then face a stern lecture about the evils of beer from the same old lady)

9. catch a few winks on the 20-minute ride to Littleton while freaking out every five minutes that you missed your stop and are now in Mineral ( I actually started so violently the guy three rows up thought I was having a seizure)

10. cursed myself for forgetting a flash light, and then realized my brilliance when I remembered my camera flash might do the trick (I may have permanent eye damage)

Oh the follies of our life. It wouldn’t be an adventure without them.

Cheers,

GG