only Touhou-related picture of Denver blah blah blah you know the drill
(previous NDK threads:
2010,
2011,
2012,
2013)
Finally in my fifth year of attending NDK, we are stepping up the game. Browsing through the
programming schedule, you might notice a little oddity at 9pm on Saturday:
Wait. Can this be true?! Check page 18 of the
program guide to verify!
THAT'S RIGHT. We're finally having a Touhou panel at NDK. Courtesy of Kilga, Wolfie-Kate, and myself. Look forward to it!
Now, since I know several visitors are coming in from out of town to NDK this year, I have decided I will help you figure out how to get from Denver International Airport to the Marriott at the Denver Tech Center in two painless steps. Mind, this scheduling is based on weekday schedules, since I am assuming you're coming before NDK weekend or on Friday.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR OUT-OF-TOWNERS FOR GOING STRAIGHT FROM DIA TO NDKNote: if you have trouble figuring out the directions, always remember: the Rocky Mountains are to the west at all times, and the sun rises in the east. From DIA, NDK is to the south.
Stage 1: DIAUpon obtaining your luggage, the single best thing you can do for yourself if you are lost as hell is to ask one of the nice old white ladies around the airport wearing stetsons and standing behind information desks. They are here to help, and they know where everything in the airport is. In fact, if you can't figure out where to pick up your luggage, they will help you with that too.
Once you have your luggage, ask them for directions to
RTD Skyride. Skyride is on level 5, and you are likely on level 4 right now. Once you're on level 5, head towards the buses. If in doubt, please consult this image from RTD's website:
You are looking for Route AS (Airport-Stapleton), as opposed to AA, AB, AF, and AT, which will take you to Boulder and Denver and whatnot*. The shortest way is to cut across Aurora, however, so you're looking for Route AS. Wait for it to show up, wait for everyone to disembark, and then hand the driver your luggage if it's too big to carry on. Fare is $9 (this is another reason to cut across Aurora because the other SkyRides are more expensive and take longer.
BE SURE TO ASK THE BUS DRIVER FOR A TRANSFER AS SOON AS YOU PAY YOUR FARE. If you don't, then you'll have to pay again later on, but the transfer will get you on the next bus for free. If you don't have change, I recommend stopping by one of the restaurants inside DIA to buy something small.
Route AS has two stops total. The first is DIA. The second stop is your destination, Stapleton Park and Ride. Service is every half hour starting at 4:10 am until 1:10 am, so you're fine no matter what time you're flying in (unless it's at 2am I guess). There is absolutely nothing to see between DIA and Stapleton, though, so just sit back with a book or a handheld game and get comfortable until the shuttle pulls into Stapleton PnR.
Stage 2: Stapleton PnRThe SkyRide will drop you off at Stapleton PnR, Gate A. From here, you are heading in almost a straight line southwards.
You are at the very beginning of bus
route 105. It starts at Stapleton PnR, and its final stop is the Denver Tech Center, which is your destination. To catch it, walk over to Gate B, which should be a few yards to your right when you got off the shuttle. Wait until it shows up, let the passengers get off, and then get on. Fare is $2.25, but if you got your bus transfer from SkyRide, it's free. Just show the driver your bus transfer when you get on board. Make yourself comfortable, because you're going to be here for the next 50 minutes.
Stage 3: 105 is just 3 away from DEATHRoute 105 will take you straight to the Tech Center with just a bit of walking afterwards. The RTD map is lacking, I feel, so here is Google Maps instead:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Stapleton+Park+and+Ride,+Denver,+CO+80238/Denver+Marriott+Tech+Center,+4900+S+Syracuse+St,+Denver,+CO+80237/@39.7471119,-104.867071,14z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x876c7b9fd3dd4431:0x8f95adbac38fb6d3!2m2!1d-104.892532!2d39.768553!1m5!1m1!1s0x876c86fda2941805:0x8000467f79cabf60!2m2!1d-104.901789!2d39.626922!3e3Should that link not be working, I have included a map in screencap form, with a few useful additions.
Part 1,
StapletonPart 2,
Aurora down Havana StreetPart 3,
Hampden to DTCFeel free to pay attention to the route, especially once you're on Hampden Avenue, since there are lots of restaurants there to potentially go to.
Detail on Denver Tech CenterUpon entering the DTC from DTC Boulevard, the 105 bus route subsequently will turn onto E. Union Ave. Down Union Avenue is where you want to go. The last bus stop on the route is there, at S. Ulster Street and Tufts Avenue. Get off the bus, walk back towards Union Avenue, and walk westwards, and at S. Syracuse street, you will be face to face with the Mariott, where NDK is to be held.
If you've still got any questions, please feel free to ask!
*You noticed that, huh? Yes, there is an alternate route to NDK. I don't really recommend it because the 105 through Aurora is much more straightforward, but it's there if you want it for some ungodly reason. From DIA, take the AF instead of the AS (which will be $11 instead of $9). Do NOT get off at the first stop; get off at the second, Union Station. You'll recognise it because it's underground. Climb upstairs and you should see the Light Rail lines E, C, and W. Purchase a ticket at the ticket counter; select B and choose Belleview station, and make it a one-way ticket. Pay your fare (should be $4, iirc) and get on Line E when it comes along, and take it all the way to Belleview station. It will leave you right across the highway from the Mariott. Climb up the stairs, across the highway, and down the hill, and the Mariott will be to your left. More information on the Light Rail is
here.
