Denver, Atlanta, Asheville and Houston

We'd been meaning to spend a couple of days in Denver since coming to Colorado in 2006. This was the occasion and we did it in style. We walked from our house in Snowmass to the RFTA bus stop at Brush Creek Rd, got the bus right to the Amtrak station in downtown Glenwood Springs. The train journey to Denver was a huge thrill. It arrived at Glenwood almost on time, but due to landslides shortly before Winter Park following the heavy storm that provided us with such a stunning powder day one day earlier, we arrived in Denver 3 hours late. Not a problem for us the seating on the train being so comfortable and the views so stunning.

Thanks to Dave Bowman we had a terrific deal ( at the Sheraton and Westin respectively ) for each of our nights in Denver and thanks to Johnny Boyd's recommendation a fabulous dinner at Vesta restaurant. We spent an enormously enjoyable day visiting the Denver Art Museum and then the Museum of Science and Natural History. Saw the 40,000 year old  bones ( see pics above ) of one of the mammoths /mastadons found in the lake above our house in Snowmass and also a bone of a 10,000,000 year old dinosaur .

Flew next day to Atlanta, took MARTA to near Janie's house in time, spending next 3 nights in the Kelly's v comfortable garage guest suite. Golf with Tim at Druid Hills , rehearsal dinner ( Duncan arr  from Columbus in the middle of it ) and Geoffrey and Kahee's wedding the next day. Took over Martha's hire car and drove Granny Eye back to Asheville on the Sunday. A most successful Atlanta visit and Janie and Tim so , so generous to us as ever. Janie doing a terrific job of pulling off a lovely wedding and all that goes with it. Full marks to Duncan for great singing at the ceremony.

5 days then in Asheville with Betty staying in customarily relaxed mode in her appt  at Deerfield. Bridge and music featuring largely between driving Betty around on shopping ( for Cormac and Iona ) sprees.

Flew to Houston on the Friday in time for M's SJS class reunion activities over 2 days. Good to catch up with Dunham especially - we had a good dinner together on the Friday night. Galveston on the Sunday , walking on the beach , eating good seafood and cycling on hired bikes round the historic part of the town. The 128,000 tonnne Magic Carpet being docked there at the time.

Then to Scotland and hopefully a chance mtg with Barbara (en route to Italy) at Edin airport .

 Sometime since M & I have been to the beach. East beach Galveston with Houston ship canal in background.

 A delicious lunch at a recommended fish restauraunt.

 Mary can just be seen on hired bike allowing us to see historic downtown Galveston

 Duncan & Katy at Geoffrey and Kahee's wedding in Atlanta

Once a shopper , always a shopper ! In the genes too it seems.