Back in Snowmass

Reasonable snow base at Aspen and Snowmass and season opens at both on Thanksgiving - the day my bus driving job for the Town of Snowmass Village begins again. Looking forward to it . Not much happens in the Village without the shuttle bus drivers knowing about it . And good to be back among my work colleagues. M starts work again for ASCo next week - again for guest services division on the mountain.

Photos

Mary checking in ( curbside - how civilised ! ) at Aspen airport on way back to Asheville (to help Betty recuperate ) having just arrived the day before. 3rd photo shows signs of serious oboe practice - preparing for RTO concert in NYC on 21/4/09 . All details on www.thereallyterribleorchestra.com and all welcome . Buy your tickets now !

2nd - from one of the main streets - downtown Aspen.
4th - view from Spencers ( favourite coffee / lunch spot on driving breaks ) up to Snowmass ski slopes.

 
 
 
 

Below are 3 pics from Meghan's wedding

 
 
 

Keith Griffiths on Meall Greigh, M , Debra & Neets above Baddoch , Glenshee and Lynne & Chris Sugden at Lui Burn bridge

 
 
 

UK Visit 2008

 
 

I came over in mid August and Mary in mid September . We have one week left both ofus flying back to Aspen on NOV 18. We've done more or less everything we had hoped to do and seen a mass of family and friends. The highlight of course was Meghan & Dennis' wedding on Nov 18 in Ireland.
I'll briefly recount my activities over these 3 months . After a couple opf nights in the the Butters flat in Moray Place Edin , meetings in Edinburgh and golf at Muirfield, I spent a delightful evening and night with Vic and Susie Wood at Spott , before driving Meghan's car to London via the Fosters and Latchmores Yorkshire . Then a tour of East Anglia and visit to Francis Pemberton in Cambridge. A night with Christine & Christopher B-M and a couple of nights with Harry Noble in London . Night sleeper from Euston to Bridge of Orchy where Jane & Johannes met me on station platform. Johannes. A most comfortable night ( courtesy of J & J ) at Clachaig Inn , Glencoe and then we repeated precisely AWR' s 1895 west to east traverse of the Aonach Eagach in very similar conditions, at much the same time of year and in much the same time. Epic.

back then to Edinburgh and I set off next day to drive to Ireland via Mike and Pam McNeill at Carseriggan , Wigtownshire. Meghan & Jane drove out from London on smae day and we met at Meghan & Dennis' new house ar Roscrea. A week there to make wedding plans and then back to Edinburgh before having a few days at Braemar before Mary's arrival . Another most comfortable stay chez Butters , back to Braemar and then to North Berwick where we took a let of the House on Beach for 2 weeks . Again hugely successful with lots of golf , beach walking , cycling and catching up with friends who came mostly for day or evening visits incl Mary's ex balerno HS friends. From there , it was straight to Ireland after picking up ` the dress ` in Edinburgh and another superb evening catching up with the McNeill cousins at Carseriggan.

We were in Mt Cashel, Co Clare for a whole week with the whole family gathering from far and wide . Even were I to write for 5 pages I could not do justice to that week and the fantastic wedding at Ennis Cathedral and Dromoland Castle Hotel at the end of it. For those who wish to see some photos the link is

http://homepage.mac.com/niriainphotography/Meghan%20&%20Dennis%20DVD%20wider%20selection/

Back then to Braemar via our very good friends Ian and Lorna Paterson in Stirling who sadly had to cancel at the last minute their trip to Ireland for the wedding. 3 weeks then at Morrone , Braemar, with visits from Robin Campbell, Alan & Darlene Fedder, Neets , Debra , Alan and Linda Hedley, Clarissa and Mary's ex Dunf HS friends. Aslo an excellent day on the Lawers hills with Keith Griffiths.

Back to Snowmass next week to resume our winter jobs. An exciting prospect with reasonable early season snowfalls recorded.

In next blog I'll attach other photos relating to this blog entry!

Aspen / Snowmass bike path

......... with coffee and muffin outside Main St Bakery in middle of Aspen and the weekly Sat morning opera masterclass thereafter. Brilliant .

2nd summer in Aspen/Snowmass draws to close

It's been a busy summer and disappointingly little hiking and biking apart from our regular bike rides into Aspen. Ample compensation though provided by just a mass of stunning performances at the 7 week Music Festival & School. The opera has been a highlight for us -first Hansel & Gretel , then Ceneralentola and Massonet's Cendrillon this Saturday. But far and away the gem of each week has been the Saturday opera masterclass at the Wheeler Opera House - see pics including our precursor coffee and muffin session in square outside Main St Bakery . Also some fabulous concerts at the Benedict Music Tent - sometimes inside and sometimes out - pics show both. Other photos include the bike path from Snowmass to Aspen ( looking back to Snowmass Mountain. )

Mary's gardening talents grow daily and she's having a blast . Some beautiful gardens she works in and some of the pics show them and her colleagues. _ Gracie in one of them. I help on the heavy work when I'm not shuttle bus driving which is averaging about 3 days a week . She always wanted to be a gardner so it's a sort of dream come true .These gardens are spectacular and of course the weather near perfect.

House remodel taking shape fast now and we move back in at end of this week. A big job , but our local builder Tim Murray has been superb. The major part of the works has been the opening up of our basement level and adding on some additional living space there. Also put wooden flooring throughout and changed layout of 1st floor making one big living area combining our bedroom , study /living room and en suite bathroom . Ground floor ( kitchen dining area and living room not changed at all , but of course painting throughout whole house . Much debating and work choosing one colour throughout.

Back to UK for me next Wed 20 Aug , with Mary following a month later . Back then to Colorado for start of season in week before Thanksgiving at end November. I'll drive again for the Town of Snowmass Village and Mary will do another season for Skico on the mountain. A lot of excitements though in next 3 months with Meghan & Dennis's wedding on Oct being the highlight . With Duncan & Katy's wedding in Sydney in November 2009, we may not be back again to UK till Sept 2010. We're looking forward hugely though to catching up with family and friends.

summer arrives in Snowmass

June 15 and they've opened 8 runs on Aspen mtn for skiing ! Only 2 weeks ago , runs were complete down to base village at Snowmass. Meanwhile Aspen buzzes with the international Food & Wine Festival which precedes the Music festival.

Mary and I back to work , bus driving and gardening respectively.

A few photos might be of interest.
1. Our Meadow Ranch friends and neighbours Mike & Gigi Potter at a nice riverside restauraunt in Basalt. Note the very swollen Frying Pan river in background.
2. Mary practising ( for the NYC RTO April 1 , 2009 concert ? ) in a partly remodeled 270 Meadow Ranch.
3. Top of Independence Pass after a solo ride from downtown Aspen - 19 miles and 4,000 feet.
4. Nearing the top of the Rim trail starting from Meadow Ranch - a wonderful mountain bike trail along the ridge skirting Snowmass Village.
5. A view of Snowmass Village from Rim Trail ridge.
6. One of Mary's jobs on Red Mountain following a planting by Mary and Gracie, with outskirts of Aspen in background and Aspen Highlands beyond.
7. A downtown Aspen street with Aspen mtn ski runs in background.

Collection of photos from the UGRR and final thoughts

I've selected a few more photos which may be of interest.

1 and 2 speak for themselves - both Aberdeen and Glencoe having significance for us in Scotland. 3 and 4 are of the brother of the famous Kentucky Derby winner Smarty Jones - just a sweetie of a young horse put out to grass in beautiful surrounds with a llama as a companion. We thought the teeth were particularly attractive.

5 and 6 are of important UGRR sites - a house in Maysville, KY, with a mass of fascinating artifacts ( one of which Mary is holding up - chains to link a mother and child )with the direct descendant ( Gerry Gore ) of a UGRR `conductor` and the other of ` the house on the hill` taken from Ripley , OH, belonging to the famous Scottish presbyterian minister John Rankin who saved countless escaping slaves and a bold anti abolitionist. It is argued that he was instrumental in starting the Civil War.

Finally , I have to include my barber and his family in Fulton, Mississippi to illustrate the really lovely people we met along the way, and one to show that I was able to keep Mary in my sights without serious neck or other injury . The last is of our point of terminus - intended and actual - the Freedom Center in downtown Cincinnati - just before a downpour. Of course there would still be another 1000 miles or so to the Canadian border for escaping slaves . Although Ohio was a free state , the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 made it illegal for anyone to hold or help slaves escaping from southern states, and bounty hunters ensured that if caught they would be returned even from the comparative safety of that state. The hardship we endured on this trip paled into insignificance compared to what these escaping slaves and those helping them suffered only 150 years ago. Quite a story really.

Canada , here we come . 2009 ?

Memorial day - Ripley to Milford-May 26---56 miles

We've arrived!!! Very strange feeling to cycle up to the Hometown Suites in Milford, where we stayed the night before the tour began. Unreal feeling after setting off from here--would we ever find it again????? And we have!!!

Had a wonderful stay in Ripley Ohio--a beautiful town with historic houses overlooking the Ohio River. Kentucky just across the water, a state which continued to hold slaves--a mere swim across to Ohio, a free state. We visited the Rankin house at the top of an enormous hill--a pusher upper so steep that when we arrived the curator of the house gave us free admission seeing how sweaty and pooped we were!

Rankin was a 19th C Presbyterian minister of Scots' descent--who was a leading abolitionist and UGRR "conductor". Rankin risked his life and livelihood, as slave bounty hunters were free to come over into Ohio and retrieve slaves (and terrorise any blacks or sympathetic whites they could find) earning a good income in the process. Rankin and his family received fugitive slaves who had made it across the Ohio River, fed, clothed and hid them--and his teenage sons would take the slaves by horseback in the dark of night to the next safe house.

Also we were shown around the Parker house, another UGRR conductor who was a freed black living at the same time--even more dangerous for a black man to be aiding fleeing slaves, as black people at the time had no rights under the law, even in Ohio. Peggy, a descendant of a freed slave, showed us around. A lovely, lively lady!

On Mike and Joan's recommendation, we stopped by and visited with Zip, a well known and loved Ripley resident, on his front porch overlooking the Ohio river. Zip and June regaled us with tales of their biking exploits and tales of life on the river.

Then 54 pleasant traffic-free miles into Milford, arriving at 2.30 pm to meet Murielle and Roland from British Columbia, who have been a day or so behind us the whole journey. They have cylced Cuba, Spain to Scotland and virtually every country in Europe--so we gleaned a lot of tips!

Celebration dinner in Milford at 20Brix Restaurant--wonderful wine and delicious French cooking (our first real break from fried chicken and hamburgers!!!) sitting outside at a table on the street. Now to bed in the positively luxurious Hometown Suites. (Anything would feel luxurious after 14 nights in a tent--but this truly is luxurious!!!)

Tomorrow we cycle in to the Freedom Center in downtown Cincinnati and the Harriet Beecher Stowe house--and then we plan to start in the early evening on the gruelling drive back to Colorado. Home by Thursday night, we hope.

Feeling very chuffed: 1500 miles, no accidents, no mishaps--lots of lovely people met along the way and stunning biking. Feel much inspired to finish the UGRR next year. Meanwhile, enjoying reading more about the slaves and all the brave people who assisted them on their flight to freedom.

photos : 1. outside the Rankin House on Liberty Hill above Ripley, OH , 2. with Peggy outside the John Parker House , Ripley, 3. The well kennt figures of Zip and June outside their Riverside Drive , Ripley home ( acknowledged by a toot of the horn from all the pilots of the continuous stream of river tugs pushing these huge barges) and 5. one such barge. 4. shows Mary passing shades of a bygone era - a good tobacco chew ad.

Owensboro, Ky to Madison , Ind

We've had one memorable day cycling after another - 4 since leaving the Executive Inn on the banks of the Ohio at Owensboro. Exceptionally good value there including
an ` eat all you can ` breakfast for #8 courtesy of the ` omelette man ` It obviously softened our senses a little as we took a wrong turn out of the city adding 5 miles before we even got started on the right road. The wind moved to the west just when we started heading east and we quickly made up time getting to Vastwood County park outside Hawesville by 4 ( 54 odd miles ) . Pitched camp there , but made the mistake of going out to eat ( could have settled for pizza at camp gates ) which involved another 6 miles there and 6 back . Bonus was that the view from our table at the restauraunt high above the Ohio and these enormous tug pushed coal barges entering the locks and heading up river to Louisville and beyond was magnificent . If we'd known our route the next day ( and the only place for breakfast within 30 miles ) was this same restauraunt we'd have settled for pizza willingly.

We left the campsite before 6 the next morning in the knowledge we had 75 miles to do the following day with a lot of hills on the way. Huge breakfast ( at the same Riverview restauraunt !) and then the most gorgeous ride through rolling Kentucky farmland following the Ohio for the next 69 miles. Wind was pretty neutral and with the hills factor , this was thge hardest day yet. But there was no alternative if we were to stick to the Adventure Cycling route as there was nowhere in between either to eat or sleep . We ended up at a service station at Brandenburg contemplating an almost impossibly difficult last 3 miles ( off route as it happened ) on a busy road to the motel we had pre-booked by phone the day before without ascertaining where it was. Rescued by a couple of `good samaritans` who not only drove us to Abe's Country Inn ( grander than it sounds ) but got us fixed up with reasonable quality take away food from a restauraunt a further 2 miles down the same busy road .

The power of recovery on a good night's rest though is a great thing and the fresh dawn brought renewed strength and enthusiasm where we thought neither might ever return. Because of the incredibly heavy traffic right outside our door and a daunting 3 miles plus back into Brandenburg we were sufficiently motivated to get going at day break ( clocks going forward an hour hadn't helped ) and we were seated inside the Brandenburg Permans cafe by 6.20 am ordering another dose of high protein and carbohydrates.

From there to Clarksville via the historic town of Corydon ( 60 odd miles )- site of Indiana's first capitol building and beautiflly maintained , a night at Holiday Inn in Clarksville ( with good views across the Ohio to Louisville, KY ) and then a further 60 mile ride yesterday to Madison , IND and the Clifty State Park where we've pitched our tent for 2 nights . A rest day to day and it's been bliss. Lots to see and a delightful old town right on the banks of the Ohio. A fascinating historical centre and it formed an important ` station` for escaping slaves .

Photos . 1. our lovely camping spot at Vastood Country Park, Hawesville, KY. 2. site of Lincoln's crossing over to Indiana. 3 site of our crossing over into Indiana. 4 view of Louisville, KY from our motel in Clarksville , IND ( extraordinarily containing an enormous and thriving shipbuilding yard ) and 5. Mary and Laura the owner of the laundramat in Madison who relieved us of just about everything we possessed while we enjoyed this gem of an historic town and refused to receive any payment.