From its earliest Wild West days and the discovery of gold, Denver has attracted all kinds of
people. They came looking for treasure. Now there will be
others coming to Denver looking for their own form of treasure—friendship,
knowledge and the pleasure that comes from sharing your passion with
like-minded individuals. The
Mile High City stands ready to welcome all “scalies” to the 33rd
ISASC Convention being held May 19 through 23, 2011.
We will meet at the Marriott Renaissance Hotel located in the Stapleton Redevelopment area
of Denver. The hotel has been fully renovated and offers a bridge walk to a large shopping area with
restaurants across from the hotel. Nearby
you can explore Northfield, a pedestrian-friendly gathering place for
shopping, dining and entertainment. A complimentary hotel airport shuttle is available and the hotel
will provide free parking for those who drive. Public transportation is easily accessible within sight of the
hotel for those wanting to explore the city on their own.
“Anything on Wheels” is the theme when we kick off the convention on Thursday evening exploring the Forney Museum of Transportation. The museum is a one-of-a-kind collection of over 500 exhibits relating to historical transportation. It includes vehicles of all kinds—some familiar, while others spark the imagination. For dinner we will be treated to the legendary “lip-smackin’ barbeque” from Famous Dave’s served right at the museum surrounded by many antique modes of transportation.
On Friday get ready to walk down memory lane at the Adams County Historical Museum. The Fire Station, complete with fire truck, the Blacksmith Shop,
the Conoco Filling Station and the Victorian Home that has been
completely restored and furnished are all designed to take you back to a
simpler time. With mineral and archaeological displays, artwork and a hall full of antiques there
is something to catch everyone’s interest. The extra draw of this museum is the scale collection of our
Host, Cliff Lushbough. Sometime ago Cliff chose to house his collection in a public museum to
share it with others and spread the word about scales. While we are there a continental brunch will be served for people
to enjoy at their leisure. Cliff invites anyone with family members in the area to bring them along
to let them share in this wonderful experience.
The afternoon is free to explore on your own before heading to the
official opening of the convention at the Friday night
get-together. It is a relaxing time to catch up with old friends and meet new ones. The night is devoted to discussion of weighty matters as
you peruse the albums of other attendees searching for those
special ones that have eluded your scale radar. As the evening progresses the camaraderie that prevails
carries through the entire weekend.
Saturday morning we will have several informative programs with an emphasis on assay scales
which supported the mining industry that was responsible for Denver’s
initial growth. The afternoon is devoted to the perennial favorites of convention goers, the
Silent Auction and Let’s Make a Deal. The Mile High Reception and Banquet Saturday evening will be the
highlight of the weekend. The program continues Sunday morning with Show and Tell allowing members
to share unusual or intriguing treasures from their own collection. The business meeting, which is open to all members, finishes out
the morning. The official convention wraps up with the farewell luncheon.
Colorado has some of the country’s most dramatic scenery and the optional trip on Monday
strives to show it off. We will head for the Garden of the Gods. A registered National Natural Landmark, the majestic views,
towering red rock formations against snow-capped Pikes Peak and the
brilliant blue skies will convince the most skeptical among you of why
it is worthy of its name. The Balanced Rock Café at the Garden of the Gods Trading Post will be
our lunch stop. Here you can indulge your curiosity by trying one of their world famous Buffalo
Burgers. This special day continues as we stop for a short tour of the US Air Force Academy in
Colorado Springs. The impressive Cadet Chapel is inspiring as it serves the future leaders of
our armed forces.
Hosts Cliff and DeVee Lushbough are putting their own distinctive touch on this convention. There will be a shuttle van running every 30 minutes from the hotel to their home on Thursday, Friday and Sunday afternoons. Cliff and DeVee invite everyone to come, relax and see their many collections. Stay as long as you like and return to the hotel or be dropped off for shopping at your convenience. It is their special way of saying thank you for coming to the convention and visiting with them in Denver.
Amid the unique activities and experiences offered by each ISASC convention is the common thread of sharing friendship and knowledge with other scale enthusiasts. If you have not had the opportunity to be part of this, please come to Denver. Connecting with your fellow scalies only increases the pleasure of collecting. Your hosts, along with President Peter Laycock, offer all members a personal invitation to join them to explore the Wild West of today. So make your plans now to join them in the Mile High City next May. See ya there!
Photos courtesy of VISIT DENVER