A first-hand account of the ReOpen Colorado Cruisin’ Style
IAN GOLBA – FOOD AND BEVERAGE EDITOR
April 18, 2020
11:40: I leave my apartment and decide the best place to see this protest on North Ave. is the busiest intersection in town.
11:45: While walking towards the intersection of North Ave. and 12th Street I noticed there were more people commuting than there normally would have been. On the walk over from Cannell Ave. I put on my face mask while I’m still very well secluded.
11:48: Riding up North Ave. from Fifth Street is a woman on a bike wearing an “Uncle Sam” top hat.
Photos courtesy of Ian Golba
11:50: The woman riding the bike stops in front of the Stoker Stadium announcement board cater-corner from me.
11:50: Standing under a tree camera ready and looking west down North I started to see supporters starting to come by.
11:58: A loud roar coming from the direction of First Street is revealed to be a group of bikers 15 to 20 strong. They stick together in a group which is keeping cars from passing them.
12:01: I notice cars involved in the demonstration are mostly coming from the west or have been going up and down North. I get a few more pictures of singular supporters. Some cars now have signs and most cars who pass the woman across from me honk in support.
“The coronavirus vaccine is going to eliminate COVID, just like the flu vaccine eliminated the flu”
12:05: Without seeing the number of people I had assumed might attend, I cross 12th Street and North to speak with the woman. She is packing her bike up as I ask her where she had heard about this protest, “Facebook,” she replied, “… I’m heading down to Teller Arms, a few people walking by told me they’re gathering down there.” I never got her name.
12:17: Turning onto North, the traffic has increased to almost a regular lunch rush on North Ave. On the way, I see somebody has taken the woman’s place holding a sign and waving an American flag upside down.
12:20: Traffic is stopped just past the 23rd Street intersection. The parking lot of the Teller Arms Shopping Center is overcrowded with demonstrators attempting to file onto North Ave. and begin the “Rally to ReOpen Colorado – Cruisin’ Style”. This is more what I thought would happen. As I’m stopped in traffic I turn and notice this supporter to my left.
12:22: I find a parking space facing North Ave. Nobody is wearing masks or following social distancing whatsoever. I feel out of place and alert as I stepped out of my car. Parked with a space between me and the other vehicles I could see demonstrators shake their heads at my homemade flannel print mask. The event is in full swing; I get a vantage point on top of my car.
12:24: Vehicles of all kinds are now beginning to create gridlock, which is not only restricting the average person’s mobility, but has also stopped the flow of demonstrators onto North Ave. Many of the people in attendance at Teller Arms and in the vehicles are older- A lot of families out as well.
12:30: While both sides of North Ave. are in gridlock, I spy a few more demonstrators. The parking lot is beginning to thin as supporters find different routes out of Teller Arms and onto North.
(chinese, semi, reopen van)
12:40: After taking in the spectacle of support for prematurely reopening businesses and blatant disregard for public health, I decided I had been here long enough. I climbed on my roof one last time to capture the hight of this demonstration.
12:41: A KJCT News vehicle shows up to a nearly emptied parking lot.
12:42: I leave the Teller Arms parking lot and avoid North to get back to Cannell Ave.
12:50: As I’m parking, I can see that the density of supporters has thinned even on the short drive back. I stand in the parking lot of Roper Music and continue to watch as people continue to honk and wave flags, then I’d see them again on the opposite side of the street.
1:03: I’ve seen enough. On my way back to my car, I see a woman standing on the sidewalk watching as well. She introduced herself as Cindy. She told me she supported reopening businesses though she was not aware that this demonstration was going on. I could feel she was becoming uncomfortable with my questions and I wished her a good rest of her day.
1:05: I get into my apartment and immediately wash my hands and take my face mask off. I can hear honking through my window which slowly becomes less and less frequent.
3:24: I head out to my car to go fish and I notice traffic has dwindled. There are still cars with American flags driving down the street but the number of cars on North was still lower than it would have been pre-COVID. I wonder what this proved.
April 23, 2020
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