h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi, tiptop! My name is Gw7en and I'm one of the ACEs (Assistant Community Editors) here at H2G2. I noticed your comment on the "message from the Great Beyond" forum and thought that I'd drop by.

I'm glad that you like our community as much as you do. I'm sure that you'll grow to like it even more as you get involved. This is a great group of people from all over the world.

As for writing something interesting on your front page, it'll come. It took me *weeks* before I typed something that I liked.

If you have any questions or comments or just want to chat, please feel free to either respond to this post, or come visit my page by clicking on my name.

G7

Hi Gw7en

thanks for the welcome note. I'm sure I will enjoy it here.

Is your name pronouncable, or is it a purely textual name? Everyone here seems to have such long and involved nicknames, I feel a bit underdressed. Perhaps I ought to be "tiptop - undressed, unadorned and blushing somewhat"

One question I do have...when I logged in this morning I didn't have to supply a name/password. I often use shared computers and would like to know that I'm not leaving my h2g2 identity lying around on all of them. Is there any way of clearing up after myself? A log off? A timeout?

Thanks
tt.

The "7" in my name is silent. It comes from an old Tom Lehrer routine. He spoke of his friend Henry who was such an individual he spelled his name Hen3ry.

In terms of Logging Out, you should see on the left-hand side of the screen a Logout option. If you click on that, it should require your username and password the next time you come back. Alternatively, you can delete the cookie from your Temporary Internet File folder (assuming you are on a PC - I'd have to do some research to find out how to do it on a Mac). When you log on, do not check the "Remember Me On This Computer" option and you should be set.

As for the name, people tend to get longer and longer names as they spend time on the site. You'll acquire nicknames or titles in various groups. Some people even give themselves pets ( like a or ) and include their names too.

Let me know if there's anything else.

G7

Ah ha, I see. The old 'silent seven' routine.

As I've just bought my father a Tom Lehrer box-set for Christmas, I may get to hear the story of Hen3ry myself.

Thanks for the log-out info. Feels much tidier now.

--Hey, did I read in one of your postings that you have a Colorado connection? Where did/do you live? (Or am I just mistaken?) I ask because my fiance and I visited Colorado this summer. Wow, what a place. We'll definitely be going back.

Speak more later

tiptop

Right now, I'm living in Denver - or rather, Thornton, a northern suburb of Denver. I survived Jr High and High School in a little town on the Eastern Plains called La Junta and went through two years of college at Adams State in Alamosa. I have to say that Colorado is one of my favorite places.

So, where were you and your fiance? There are so many things to see and do in Colorado! And when are you planning on coming back? I can tell you all kinds of things to do.

There are several Colorado - or former Colorado - researchers here at the Guide. We're actually doing a get-together in January. (I fear I can't remember the link right now, or I'd give it to you.) Phoenix is organizing it and I am definitely looking forward to meeting folks.

I'll see if I can find that link and send it to you. We'll have pictures, etc posted after the meet.

G7

Denver's such a great town. I envy you for living there.

Here's a (not so) quick itinery of our holiday (only read if bored )

Day 1
flew into DEN, and were amazed at the size, cleanliness and general pleasant atmosphere of the terminal. We're much more used to Heathrow which is a tired, dirty old airport and which is bursting at the seams under the pressure of bodies. I think the space available at Denver Intl was indicative of the open feeling we had all through Colorado.

Day 2
In and around Denver: Cherry Creek Mall, Tattered Cover Bookshop (mmm, liked that), tourist places, dinner at a highly recommended brew pub in the north of town (though I forget the name. Doh!) It was very nice.

Day 3
Up to Boulder. Mistake - we'd chosen the day of the Bolder Boulder and couldn't park anywhere. 40,000 runners and walkers swarmed over the towon. It finally quietened down and we had a nice look through the older parts of town. Then we went up to Estes Park.

Day 4
Through RMNP - our first day of Big Scenery. Stunning views, excellent driving (we're both big fans of driving), and plenty of wildlife. Up on the top of one of the hills, blasted by icy winds, we made the promises to each other that led to our engagement a few months later. It felt very real, very romantic and we couldn't have picked a better place for it.
We ended that day down at Grand Lake and had the whole town to ourselves. It was warm and languid after the cold of a few hours before. We sat in the hot tub drinking Coors until long after sunset.

Day 5
Long drive across to Grand Junction, via Vail (unimpressed, too many poor little rich kids). Magnificent canyon scenery enroute. Tired by the time we reached GJ, so lounged around the hotel pool.

Day 6
Spent a few hours in Colorado National Monument. More v. impressive mesa scenery. Very hot and quite exciting. Then over into Utah and down to Moab (are we being a bit predictable here? Fear not, we diverge from the usual tourist trail later on). Loved it down in Moab. Our first foray into desert scenery. Went up to Arches NP for sunset. Waves of heat were coming off the rocks and we saw a sunset wedding under Delicate Arch. Very very nice.

Day 7
Up early for rafting on the Colorado river. It was a bit tame, but still very enjoyable. Then we drove down via Canyonlands NP (wow!) to Mexican Hat.

Day 8
Bad day. I was navigating and managed to totally miss Monument Valley. So we drove down through Utah, up to Four Corners (another disappointment - but I suspect we're not the first to think that) and then back into Colorado to -insert forgotten town name here-. We arrived mid-afternoon and happened to check the itinery our friends had written for us. "Monument Valley - this is magnificent, under no circumstances miss it. You will love the 17 mile dirt track through the valley". Boy, was I in trouble.
SO we drove 120 miles back to Utah (stony silences and evil glares were directed my way , throroughly enjoyed the valley and then drove the 120 miles back to our motel. V tired.

Day 9
Up to Mesa Verde for a poke around the ruins. Cool place. Then up through Durango and Silverton to Ouray, where friends-of-friends live.
Very nice to be back in Mountains and trees.

Day 10
Jeep trail through the mountains. WOW. Probably the best thing of the holiday. Were taken by afore-mentioned friend of friend in his own jeep (he's a part time guide anyway). The trails had only just opened and the snow banks were about twelve feet high in places. It was a dull grey day, but it meant that there were very few people and LOADS of wildlife. Magnificent.

Day 12
Quiet day in Ouray, shopped for souveniers, saw the sights, wandered around, visited the hot springs for a dip.

Day 13
Over to Telluride for the day. Lots of galleries and nice shops, excellent views from the cable car ride up the side of the valley.

Day 14
Quick drive back up to Denver, and then home.


Sorry - that was much longer than I'd intended. As you can tell, though we loved it. Would love to go back this summer, but it might have to be the next year instead.

tiptop

I'm so glad that you loved the state! I have to agree with you on your Vail feelings - I've never been terribly fond of that town, except as the home of Hunter S Thompson.

RMNP is one of my favorite parts of the state. I could spend weeks up there and never get bored! Absolutely the most lovely place I've ever been. As some folk might say, its the kind of place that makes you believe in god.

You definitely must come back! Rather than seeing Boulder the next time, you might like Ft Collins. Its a great town and has the best Thai restaurant that I've ever been to. You might like to stop by the National Sand Dunes - a beautiful pile of sand being held in place by mountains and a sub-terarian (sp?)river. It was one of my favorite places to visit as a kid and I always enjoy going back. If you hike over the dunes, there's a little valley full of deer and trees that very few people get to.

There are other places that I can think of that you would really like to see. I can understand how it might take a while to get back, though. That puddle in between is awfully large.

G7

Hiya

aarghh, so much more to see and so little time to do it in. We'll just have to speed up our Return-To-Colorado plans.

I'll have to get you to write us a full itinery for the next trip

Well, I've got a lot to before finishing for xmas, so better log out of here.

Have a tip top xmas and a jolly new year

tiptop

Hi tiptop!

Hope that you had a lovely Christmas!

It snowed all day here, so we had a real "White Christmas". Today when I got up to go to work, most of it was already melted though.

Definitely let me know when you are coming to Colorado again! I may not work out all of your iteniary, but I'll definitely try to come up with some fun things for you to do. You're right though, there is way too many things to do here!

G7