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

Little buddy , No.8 bus route and Fairfax visit

Highlights of last 2 weeks have been getting our little buddy James on skis for 1st time, playing solo oboe in Snowmass chapel on Sunday morning service ( congregation warned of potential disasters RTO style ahead of performance ) , and visit of Fiona, Gina and Tim Fairfax. Off to Beaver Creek to ski with them for a day next week. Between times , managed to get out of bus to take these 2 photos from Horseranch No 8 bus route on a morning which, with cloud build up, hinted prospect of snow for late afternoon.

 
 
 
 

Mary in her element

Mary is enjoying her role as lead in guest services for Ski Co on Snowmass Mtn. The top photo shows her arriving back home from work at lunchtime complete with 2 way radio, parking permits, yellow parking vest and kitted out for - 12 F temperatures. She loves it . Also shown are some of her charges at the recent international dinner for her department - a lot of varied nationalities. She keeps them up to the mark !

Other 2 photos - one from the village market looking up to the partly completed new base village and the ski slopes beyond and the other is of the view from our deck looking westward .

It's been a fabulous skiing season with almost as much snow as last year . Powder skiing to die for .

Bus driving going OK albeit some pretty challenging conditions. With economy as it is ( and plunging pound against dollar which materially affects our position ) , we're lucky to have jobs . I continue to revel in driving all day amid such spectacular scenery and with ( mainly ) interesting and almost always grateful passengers - and I always play good classical music on my bus . About one in ten comments favourably - what nice music they say !

Already planning next bike trip - prob Texas hill country - in Austin area.