Royally Gorgeous

The Royal Gorge Bridge, near Canon City, Colo.






Sgt. Stuart on the bridge. One passerby asked me if I was on vacation or actually on duty. "A little of both," I said.


Fellow bandees: Bryant, Josh, Stephanie and Chase.




1,054 feet to the bottom of the canyon. You can see the bridge's shadow across the expanse.


A shot through the bridge slats to the Arkansas River below where some rafters pass by.


Cars just get through how they can. Thankfully not many pass over because the whole bridge sways uneasily when they go past.


You can take the tram over to the other side instead of walking across the bridge.


I took the train to the bottom of the gorge. It takes about six minutes to get to the bottom on the 30 person transport.


Looking up from the canyon floor.


The venerable t-bone section. Lots of latent brass power here. Thankfully we got to wear sunglasses during the concert.



Another Ralstonesque shot with the bridge in the background.

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Friday morning saw us up and moving, driving northwest to the Royal Gorge for a concert (our first of the trip, actually). Friday marked the last day of the annual Ride the Rockies cycling tour. Starting in Cortez, Colo. this year, riders finished the 419 mile, 6-day trek in Canon City, Colo.

Their route to Canon City on Friday led them on Highway 50, crossing over the Royal Gorge Suspension Bridge. We showered them with stirring music just after they crossed the 1,054 ft. expanse over the Arkansas River (it's the tallest suspension bridge in the world, people). Two thousand riders participated in the tour so we had quite a crowd of bike enthusiasts who permeated the concert area.

A number of current and prior service military guys came up to us between songs, having just completed the bike tour themselves. They offered words of thanks and encouragement.

"Thanks for all you're doing for the country," a retired Air Force colonel offered. Another guy gave us compliments on our playing and said he'd been an Army bandsman in the mid-70s. He was a trumpet player though. Pshaw.

We took the accolades in stride, showing respect to those offering them, but it always gets me thinking when people give the band a lot of praise. Are we fighting? Nope. Are we physically contributing to the Army of One? In a sense.

Then I realize it's not about us as individuals necessarily. It's about the bigger picture and how we make people feel about what we represent. I guess I'm ok with taking the compliments. I may not deserve them like others do, but ultimately it's not about the band.

Unfortunately, my braces are wreaking havoc on my tromboning abilities. Anything in the mid-range (from first-line B-flat to the octave above) and I'm WORTHLESS. Flubbed attacks, growling tone. It's like being at Irving Middle School in the 6th grade band again. Pretty depressing. And the lovely sores developing in my mouth from the mouthpiece-to-braces contact are especially brilliant. I want to offer my solemn apologies to those I've possibly criticized over the years for their inept playing abilities as a result of their braces. Sorry. I just didn't know.

But the Royal Gorge is amazing. The bridge is somewhat rickety, swaying a good bit and buckling under the weight of passing cars. Sort of eerie. I saw some people being escorted across by family members, obviously VERY afraid to be traipsing the bridge's wooden slats stationed some 1,000 feet above the canyon floor.

I took the train to the bottom of the gorge to scout around down there and to get pics of the bridge above. I couldn't get very good pics of the bridge in perspective with the canyon floor. It's too flippin high. It just looks like a little matchstick casually laid over a petty, six-inch crack. The photographer's plight.

I also saw some boy scouts there visiting from Texas. I chatted with them a bit, their curiosity and excitement refreshing. Reminded me of my days in troops 777 and 792 when I too would don the tan cloth and red neckerchief of the BSA. You can't beat a good scouting trip.

A scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent. I still got it...

All in all an entertaining day. I'm thankful I can see stuff like the gorge and play for interested people. And get paid too.