Bus driving Snowmass

I wrote a bit about this in December 2007 and I'll try not to repeat . Big yawn from Mary but maybe it will encourage her to write a bit about her job as lead for guest services on Snowmass mountain which would be far more interesting .

The photos below show 1. the views I have all day long on the 5 different routes I have on my 5 working days ( average 7 hours a day ) . They're long days - actually 2 evening shifts and 3 day shifts but many compensations the permanent vista being a significant one, 2. a ` cut away ` bus on the Horseranch route and the views up to Snowmass mountain - larger ski terrain than the combination of Aspen Mountain , Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk combined , 3. fellow driver and soul mate Rusty caught in awkward position trying to get back in bus after a break and 4. the ` Mercedes `of all buses ( brand new ) used on the rodeo lot and Snowmass Club routes.

I play continuous quality music in whatever bus I'm in - either the excellent classical music radio programme ( no ads ) or my own CDs. Very satisfying to get so much appreciation for that .

Apart from just counting our lucky stars we have jobs with such good benefits - medical and dentist insurance premiums paid for us both through my employment with the Town being just one of them - bus driving suits me well . 5 minutes drive to work, good supervisors, superbly run organisation , top of the range vehicles , snow chains fitted for us at drop of hat (we had to do that ourselves with Ski Co in 1st year ), great team spirit , interesting passengers, often challenging conditions, get to know locals and everything going on in village, 4 days a week to ski if we want to and good chance of annual full time seasonal work and fill in work in summer. The way global financials are going , I may be doing this for a long time God willing. No complaints though. To start driving at 10 am as I did this morning having had an hour and more skiing 6 inches of fresh powder on the runs off the Village Express doesn't give much to complain about. Still snowing 10 hours on ! Got to drive all day tomorrow though starting at 7 . Rats !

Mary is really hooked on her boarding - now manages the untracked powder . We'll have her in sagging baggy ski pants next. Hopefully she'll give you all a description of it in next blog entry. Don't count on it though.

PS Click on the individual photos to blow up if you wish to .

March visitors

We've had a lovely month of visitors following the Fairfaxes. Photos above 1. Graeme and Heather Russell at top of Cirque tow - well done Heather getting down 4,000 ft safely ( and stylishly ) from there . 2 Our good old friends Di and Greg Desson from Surrey enjoying coffee at Zele's in downtown Aspen immediately after their arrival from the Pacific Islands on way back home from Australia. 3. Laura, Mary's niece, on her Spring break from Uni of Pennsylvania with her frinds Vail and Raj outside No.270. 4. New friends Martha & Dick Stobbs from Atlanta after their raving on my bus one day about the fine weather and epic experience they had had cycle touring on their own in Skye and West Highlands of Scotland ( we're hoping to make long range plan to cycle tour with them in Provence ! ) 5 . Mary boarding with Graeme and his mother Heather on `Naked Lady` at Snowmass .

Fairfaxes in Beaver Creek

The visit to a new Colorado ski resort for us was a happy one . We were well guided round the mountain at Beaver Creek and skied to the door of their delightful appartment for lunch with 11 round the table . Note ` the boys ` working - very impressive.

Fairfaxes in Beaver Creek