walking_beach, originally uploaded by bthemn.

Since Cornerstone hasn't actually started yet and there isn't any music aside from bands on little 'generator stages' it seems that the place to be is definitely the beach. People have been flocking down to the water all afternoon.

Angela_Hot

Angela_Hot, originally uploaded by bthemn.

Did I mention that it's humid here? Did I ever mention that Colorado Springs is technically a type of desert and there isn't much humidity?

Both of the above are true. It's generally a shock to come down to lower altitude ANYWAY because the air is so much thicker, but combine that with high humidity and it's just not a pleasent experience... and to think that once upon a time I was a midwesterner. The blood leaves the system quickly, I guess.

and so it begins...

I'm currently sitting in a trailer, wired into a router that's hooked up to an antenna that's beaming me internet access from a node several miles away. My cellphone is in my pocket and working. I shouldn't have these amenities in the middle of a cornfield in Western Illinois, yet here I am covering this festival for the 11th time.

It's HOT. I mean, peel your skin off and sit around in just your bones hot. By the end of the fest, people will fall prostrate throughout the festival, not out of reverence, but sheer heat exhaustion. When they do, people will carefully step over them and maybe wish them good will. It happens every year... some people call it the "Cornerstone Burn". Each year, people swear that they're not going to succumb to it, but it's seeps in slowly.

All systems are go. My camera is here and working... the computer is up and running... internet access is up and running. We're ready for some coverage! Stay tuned for more blogging and photos throughout the next few days.

a pic for tri-mama

Tri-Mama asked the other day for a shot of the front range. On my way to the office this afternoon, I snapped these pics for a panorama. Click to enlarge

what one finds while cleaning

cleaning out the hard drive, I stumbled on a set of unstitched photos from the main quad at Cornerstone. I stitched them together and thought it looked kind of cool. This is where all of the food at the fest is located and two of the cooler stages. The giant tent off in the distance is the merchandise tent.

You'll need to click to see the whole picture