South to Louisiana and beyond

3 days driving and about 1400 miles took us to start of our annual cycling trip at St Francisville , LS. Had a delightful overnight stay with M's cousin Gail in Tulsa , OK. M and Gail `entertaining ` me with violin duets. (Gail is in 3rd month of studying Suzuki violin method.) Photos to follow. Gail's sister Shirley joined us for a delicious dinner. (Gail, we passed an Audubon center shortly after leaving St. Francisville - thought of you and all the good work you do for that organisation ).

Spent night in motel in St F , left car in self storage and were on our way by 8.30 on Thursday morning . Real elation to be on our way - just the clicking of toe clips into pedals is symbolic of the excitement of the whole cycle touring experience. The anticipation (no idea what the day is going to produce , who you 're going to meet, where you're going to eat/ sleep / rest etc ) is a large part of the thrill. And then, the tranquility of these back roads ( always hard surface though ), seeing plantation houses with live oaks festooned with hanging moss,and azaleas and magnolia etc in full bloom , the smells, the small farms, and ubiquitous dogs that ` greet ` you a long the way . We always stop - safer that way in our experience.

A pretty hard first 2 days against an east wind covering about 62 days on each of them . 1st night in our tent in quiet RV campground ( virtually to ourselves) outside Easleyville and 2nd night in comfort in motel in Bogalusa. Left at 7 this am and now 20 miles on in Poplarville ( crossed from LS into Mississippi ). An early lunch and on to campground 30 or so miles in the middle of very little! Hit civilisation again in a couple of days .

Bikes and bodies holding up do far. Long way to go.

Pics - Will try to attach at next library stop. Itouch - reception good at restauraunts , but my eye sight not good enough . Need specs for that one . Will persevere though . Great for email and Skype - bless you Meghan .-

Last day of season

Last driving shift completed - evening of Sun April 11. Hallelujah. Also last day of season and lifts now closed. M & I had our last runs this morning , but before doing so , hiked up from the top of the Cirque tow ( 12,510 feet ) and entered into magnificent wilderness country - not far and perfectly safe . 4th pic from bottom shows, just , a back country skier as a tiny dot right in middle of pic. Then the traverse across to High Alpine, and Green Cabin to ourselves as final run . 43rd day using ski pass for M and 73rd for mine. My 3 work night shifts making the difference.

Off tomorrow to Kansas , Oklahoma , Texas and Louisiana from where we start cycling on Thursday . Will have an Itouch with us and will try to write short narrative ( without pics initially ) to record progress en route to Savannah , GA

Season draws to close

.... but going out with a flourish. A foot of new snow today April 1 and still dumping. Great powder day tomorrow and I don't start driving till 2. Brilliant.

M & I went out on our boards today, M with a new powder board she was demo - ing. She stayed on top of snow v much better than I did . I had a good few plough jobs - tip just dived . You need to keep weight on back foot rather like water skiing on mono board. Always blame the equipment where possible I say !

Just had a lovely visit from the Richards family from Surrey. Managed to lay on a powder day for them at Snowmass on Saturday. I think they slept well that night. With their friends Jimmy and Joyce from Pennsylvania , we got Jamie and Katie to top of Highlands Bowl. No trouble for them either up or down. Great conditions as pics demonstrate.
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A couple of pics above too of Owl Creek trail to Buttermilk on X-country skis - bought in Scotland years ago . Still do the trick though . Fishscale soles and metal edges - unheard of here.

Off to Baton Rouge, Louisiana in just over a week and start cycling 2 weeks today April 15 en route to Savannah , GA

Kids visit - Feb 2010

Meghan and Dennis, and Duncan ( Katy had to keep nose to the grindstone in Columbus sadly ) arrived in the middle of one of the biggest snow storms of the season . Meghan & Dennis took 2 days to fly 500 miles from Las Vegas ( 5 day international vet conference ) eventually ending up via Denver in Grand Junction ( last minute threatened diversion to Albequerque just being averted ) and 3 hour bus journey from there, and Duncan breezed in to Aspen airport from Columbus via Denver precisely on schedule in the briefest of interludes in the 36 hour storm wondering what all the fuss was about !

What it all meant of course was that the snow conditions were the best they've been all season and they made the most of them with some fabulous powder skiing at Snowmass , Aspen Highlands ( 2 feet of new snow in bowl ) , Aspen Mtn and Buttermilk, Dennis making major strides to developing powder technique. Brilliant Dennis !

All in all a fabulous week which went far too quickly. We packed it in ! Jane & Johannes , we missed you greatly. Perhaps next year you'll all come at same time. The 4th week in February is a good time to be here . The period after President's week and before college/school breaks start. Plus , the cliff jumping and trick skiing on Hanging Valley Wall and Rock Island takes place usually that last weekend in Feb. and quite something to see. Airline prices might be reasonable then as well . Haste ye all back.

A collection of photos attached.

Little buddy, Highland Bowl , Houston , Tx and bus driving

Pics 1 shows the exuberance of our `little buddy` Gabby celebrating his first strike at the bowling alley in El Jebel. Also had another lovely morning skiing with him at Snowmass. Ski Co generously provide a lift pass for him and he has his own skis and boots. No poles yet , but we're working on that.

Pics 2,3 ,4 & 5. I had a trip up Highland Bowl last week on my own . Magnificent, as always. Shamefully , first time this year. 40 minute hike from top of highest lift at Aspen Highlands. Trying to get into shape for Meghan's and Duncan's visit in a week's time.

No pics yet of weekend trip to Houston ( direct flight from Vail / Eagle ) for old pal Dunham Jewitt's 60th birthday. Hope to add some . Explored downtown Houston on bikes taking in Christ Church Cathedral in the very heart of downtown and a veritable oasis. We were married there on April 19, 1974 and hadn't been back there since.

A last little piece on the Snowmass Shuttle bus - article last week in Snowmass Sun. Worth recording ! http://www.snowmasssun.com/article/2010100129984

Alpine touring ( AT )

First stage of acquiring AT equipment completed - purchase of superb lightweight touring boots from Chip Foster for $100 . A pair he was trying to sell anyway. He kindly lent me his skis and skins to test them out on and I had an exquisitely pleasurable skin up to Sam's Knob at weekend. Boots fit like a glove. How lucky was that. Now just got to get similar equipment for Mary. Will give us much more flexibility.
3rd & 4th photos taken by Cindy Burke ( had a brilliant day with her and 3 others earlier in week ) . Maroon Bells looking particularly impressive.

Early Jan 2010

1&2 . A brilliant day skiing with Gabby before school resumed. Looking west from top of Elk Camp and then Gabby taking Bear Bottom straight in reliable snow plough position. Never varied ! Better teaching than mine though is at hand fortunately. Watch this space for very rapid improvements. He's very athletic, very enthusiatic, and v determined. Skiing this year , boarding next !
3. Gabby and I caught Mary working outside Tree House at Base Vilage - very successfully controlling traffic. Watch out transgressors I say .
4&5. M & I in our respective lunch breaks enjoying the miles of x-country trails starting and finishing at our house. These two looking southwest across the golf course to Meadow Ranch and the Snowmass ski slopes beyond. A great work out . Certainly helps the afternoon driving shift.