I have seen the future, and it works. At least it did Sunday in Denver on CBS’s “Sunday Morning.”
Bill Geist delivered a story about how the future is taking its own sweet time getting here, referring to the new book called “Where’s My Jetpack? A Guide to the Amazing Science Fiction Future that Never Arrived.”
Back in 19-nevermind, we all thought we’d by whizzing around town in our personal jetpacks. After all, James Bond did in 1965 in “Thunderball.” Since then, not much jetpacking.
Except with Denver’s Eric Scott, whom Geist described as “bold and a bit bananas.” He’s one of two living jetpack pilots, says Geist, and floats around in a jetpack plastered with Go Fast sports drink decals. He explained to Geist that a jetpack is hot at 1,300 degrees, heavy at 135 pounds, hard to fly – and can only carry about 30 seconds worth of fuel. And no parachute.
Jetpack International has its headquarters in a Denver garage – and Scott showed Geist his skills at Red Rocks. Go to gofastsports.com to see Scott fly. And he’ll fly this morning at the Sculptured House for a Warren Miller film.
Blood simple
Denver-based fotog Lucas Gilman gets a big shout-out in this month’s Men’s Journal for the pix he took on a kayaking expedition down Mexico’s Rio Alseseca.
Nice work, especially the shot of a man going over Tomata Falls, the trip’s biggest descent. Gilman used a few remote cameras to catch the drop. “You only get one shot,” he says. “You can’t ask a guy to climb back up to go over a 65-foot waterfall again.”
The item on Gilman, 30, is titled “Blood Meal,” and he describes his adventure while getting the shots – special attention to the flies. “The blackflies on the river are the worst in the world. Worse than in New Zealand, Russia or India.”
Yeah, this guy gets around, snapping shots for National Geographic, Sports Illustrated, ESPN The Magazine, Outside Magazine, USA Today. And when he went to CU-Boulder, he did freelance work for The Denver Post. Of course.
Monolith and Juliette
Matt Fecher, the guy who organized the excellent South Park Music Festival for the past three years in Fairplay, is behind the Monolith Festival, which barges into Red Rocks Sept. 14-15. More than 50 bands, five stages, two days, two nights. What we’re looking at here is a Coachella/Sasquatch! vibe – with a lineup of killer talent. Look for the Flaming Lips, the Decemberists, Cake, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Spoon, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Juliette & The Licks and others at the big indie rock fest. The Juliette there is, BTW, Juliette Lewis. Tickets go on sale June 2 through Ticketmaster. For the full initial artist announcement – which includes Colorado acts such as Everything Absent or Distorted, Machine Gun Blues and others – see Post music critic Ricardo Baca’s story today at denverpost.com/music.
City spirit
The Twisted and Tattered Tent Sale comes down Saturday and Sunday between the Colfax stores. … About 40 tix remain for the June 22 Damon Runyon Award dinner with Bob Costas. Call 303-571-5260. … Sez who: “I like life. It’s something to do.” Ronnie Shakes
Bill Husted’s column appears Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Husted also appears Tuesdays and Fridays on “Good Day Colorado” on Fox 31. You can reach him at 303-954-1486 or bhusted@denverpost.com. Take a peek at Husted’s next column at denverpostbloghouse.com/husted.
