Heading to Colorado & need some info.

[OSU55]

We are headed to Colorado the middle of July--have some unfinished business to take care of in the mountains.

Have any of you been to the memorial site of the plane crash in Colorado? We are flying to Denver, renting a car and would like to drive over to the site-I believe it is about 60 miles east of Denver. Would like to know what it is like, etc.

Have made contact with a dear friend--and lunch is on me---Mary is like me,
still working but nothing will ever take her out of the mountains. Will probably let Chanda and Trae ride the mules---really looking forward to a great week in the "high country". The "Junkie" and I went to Colorado every early September--would love to go then but school, etc. won't permit it.

Any input would be appreciated.

[rodbakeriii]

Ah....visiting Pac 10 country....nice! ;P

Seriously though, I truly accidentally found the site. It's not big, but left a pretty big impression on me. It's surreal seeing OSU stuff in a place completely different than its tyical element.

I wouldn't make a trip singularly for seeing it. But if you can make it, see it.

And with temps like they are today, Colorado sounds very very nice.

[BigBadBen]

I visited the site the last time I was in Denver.

It is worth the trip. If you are in the area and can make it to the memorial, it is worth the drive.

Like Rod said, it isn't large or elaborate, but it is a very touching tribute.

[CaliforniaCowboy]

Nestor Gonzales
Communications Services
Oklahoma State University
(405) 744-6260

On August 25th, Oklahoma State University President James Halligan and the families of 10 men who died in a January plane crash will gather in a Colorado pasture to dedicate a permanent memorial. The ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. (Mountain). It is open to the public.

The memorial is located a little more than 1,000 feet from the site of the crash and consists of contrasting bands of granite and marble. Pictures of the ten men and words chosen by their families form the ten sides of the decagon.

In its center are ten stars, which surround the OSU Spirit Rider. On the outer edge are two arrows, one pointing west to the crash site and the second pointing southeast toward Stillwater, Oklahoma, 465 miles away. Darrel Haerther, the rancher who owns the property where the plane crashed, has provided land for the monument.

The January 27 crash killed OSU players Daniel Lawson and Nate Fleming, Oklahoma City broadcaster Bill Teegins, OSU athletic media relations coordinator Will Hancock, student assistant Jared Weiberg, director of basketball operations Pat Noyes, athletic trainer Brian Luinstra, broadcast engineer Kendall Durfey, and pilots Denver Mills and Bjorn Fahlstrom. The memorial was designed by Gary Sparks, the OSU alumnus and architect who designed the renovations to Gallagher-Iba arena. A memorial featuring many of the same elements is being prepared for a late fall dedication in the new arena in Stillwater.

The memorial is located about one-half mile north of Arapahoe County Road 2 on the Bradbury-Krebs County Road.



http://www2.okstate.edu/pio/memorial2.html

[OSU55]

Thanks so much--I knew that this was going to on the agenda. Just wanted to know if some had gone there. I just finished reading the book "He Got It" by Bill Teegins wife-reading the book brought tears to my eyes--. Since we are going to be so close, we have definitely put this on our agenda of things to see and do. I want to put something "orange" there also and I know that I will leave some tears there.

[barryrules]

The memorial is very touching, I've been twice now.

And if you haven't read Bill Hancocks book Riding with the blue moth, I highly recommend it.

[JoeState03]

I was just out in Colorado with my parents about two weeks ago for a vacation, and we stopped by it on our way home. It's only about 30 miles east of Denver. It's definitely worth it to go, though I warn you, it's pretty emotional. My mom really lost it when we walked out to the actual crash site.

[OSU55]

Just wanted to say thanks for the information. We arrive in Denver at 10:25AM on the 16th of July--will pick up two rental cars and will head to the site before we go to Dillon, CO. We will be in Colorado for a few days--plan on seeing some friends we made when we used to 4-wheel the mountains. Christie, Jason, Trae, Chanda and myself are planning on a very good trip and it will be good for all of us to be together. Bill's wish was to be taken to one of our very special places in Colorado--I am abiding by his wishes. When this trip is completed, all of Bill's requests will have been completed--gee, it seems like forever since he left.

On a lighter note--sure looking forward to Cowboy football, basketball and of course wrestling.

Have a great 4th of July.

[superpoke]

It's between Strasburg and Byers, and isn't that far from the interstate. It's closer to Byers, but there's signage in Strasburg that tells you where to go.

It literally is right off the road. Watch carefully or you can drive right by it without knowing it.