Asheville, UK and Ireland

 

Granny Eye was on great from when we visited her for a week in Asheville. Also managed another epic meeting for lunch with Martha and Dick in the delightful old town of Greenville  SC . We so appreciated M & D driving up from Atlanta. A much longer drive for them than for us from Asheville.

Mary , Dick and Martha

The highlight of the flight from Asheville to Edinburgh via Chicago and Newark was a lunch in downtown Manhattan with Carolyn during the long layover at Newark.Fun, fun, fun to catch up.

Mary and Karalyn

In Edinburgh we hit the ground running. Checked in to our one bedroom ( and pretty basic ) flat in St Stephens St, a sleep for a couple of hours and then Barbara kindly braved the traffic and the M8 to get me to Purdies to retrieve stuff from storage. With help from Johannes the next day we managed to clear it completely. Big relief. Then to recover our transport for the week - our bikes from the bike store at Jane's Appin St flat - and we were in business. A full week's activities from there on in per pics beneath.

Barbara's birthday dinner at Loch Fyne restauraunt at Newhaven

Max, Keith and Stu at Muirfield

Annabel at Hopetoun Garden Centre

Our house at Humbie Cottage - 1980 - 1990

The statue of Greyfriars Bobby and the pub behind it where Mary and I first met in 1972

With Keith and Fiona on Craighouse Hill

With Clarissa at 1 Albert Terrace

The GSR/NMR donated seat at Hiilend. This young couple ( professional dancers visiting Edinburgh ) on sitting down on ' the seat ' looked at the plaque and then at M & I coming up the hill and said to each other apparently ' i wonder if this is Mr & Mrs Russell coming towards us '!

Jane B was a star in helping us on last day to transport all our luggage to Waverley station ( while we biked with full panniers ) from Stockbridge to station and then helping us to load the lot on to the 10.30 train to Inverness. Met there by Johannes who was on the platform there to rescue us. Biked up to their delightful bungalow on Croft Rd on other side of the Caledonian canal with stunning views down the Moray Firth.

Enjoyed greatly seeing Jane's set up at Maggie's Center at Raigmore where she's settling into her new job.

A good bike ride to Nairn on the Saturday via the very impressive NTS Culloden, and train back to Inverness.

To Skye with J & J on Monday after work for Jane and straight to The Old Inn at Carbost after taking in a delicious fish supper at Broadford on the way. Carbost is home to the famous Talisker malt whisky and we were quick to sample it.

Tuesday dawned fine - a rare event in Skye. The girls had a bike ride out to Talisker Bay and beyond and J and I headed for Glenbrittle. Managed all 4 of the southmost Munros on the Cuillin Ridge with much encouraging , cajoling , hauling (literally) over some prerry perilous country incl the TD gap abseil. 

Following day , weather was horrific. J and I were successful though in getting to top of Sgurr nan Gillian. M played in session in hotel bar in evening and got a fiddling lesson  from Laura the next morning before we set off for Inverness.

Back to Edin airport next day via Findrack and Breamar. Good catch up with Salvesens and Astrid. 5.30 flight to Shannon , hired a car and with Meghan in time for late dinner. Kids asleep , but a lovely welcome from them the next morning. Thereafter , with m & d both working, the pattern is for us to have them all morning handing over to their carer  Claire after lunch. D' s vet practice in Ennis still set for  opening July 1.

D, K and O's visit

They arrived conveniently 2 days after Mary and I finished working for the season but inconveniently for them given ski lifts had just closed . Undaunted though, we got them kitted out on skis and skins and had a short skin up Adam's Avenue and an equally short ski down.  And not even a suggestion of complaint from wee Oliver on D's back.

Following day , a skin up Ajax with D and back in time for pancakes at Meadow Ranch. Nearly a major catastrophe with my ( nearly new ) Dynafit touring binding falling apart at the top of the ski down. Heidi to dinner at night and some hugely entertaining music with D on the new piano , Heidi and Mary on violins and me contributing on oboe where timing skills and puff permitted. K and Oliver were the brave ( and seemingly quite appreciative ) audience.

Carbondale on bikes the next day down Rio Grande trail  with Granny Moon i/c Oliver and a delightful lunch in Old Smiddy. Chatty bridge in evening. Transfers one step too far for M & K - D please note!

Cosi Fan Tutte HD Live from the Met at the Isis on Saturday Oliver behaving and sleeping beautifully ( for the most part ) in the aisle with grandad poised to bolt for exit on emission of any sound. And a cordon bleu anniversay dinner for M & I cooked by D & K with exquisite bottle of Napa valley Merlot in evening. Neighbours Reid and Mary came in for quick drink before dinner bringing with them fresh Maryland crabcakes for appetiser.

They're now preparing for tour of Utah and Arizons Nat Parks before making their way to Corvallis , OR where they start their new life. Meanwhile M & I depart in 2 days time for Asheville, NC and  Scotland and Ireland.

Wonderful to have become so well acquainted with our 3rd grandchild. What a little gem.

John Foster to stay

First morning and not a hint of fatigue or altitude sickness.  And a powder day to boot

Top of Cirque poma lift

Error here.on my part. This according to the grooming sheet was supposed to have been groomed.  See John in dead center coping with difficult fresh snow conditions on Upper Green Cabin. Sterling effort.

Top far horizon - dead center  - was where we were 20 or so minutes before. Good effort for 1st day.  Next was at Ajax and then on to bikes ........

Setting off for Basalt and Carbondale via the Rio Grande bike trail

Skinning , skinning and more skinning

Every single powder day this season has come on a working day for me. Rats !

Has meant though that I've taken full advantage of the fine, but sans poudre, conditions on my days off with skinning up on Snowmass and Ajax always trying to find a new way up each time. Last week on the 3 days off, I did the beautiful early morning skin to Bonnies on Ajax with Mary ( day before she cracked her knee cap - more later ), Up4Pizza at top of Big Burn and Gwyns respectively. Some random pics.

On way up to Gwyns looking back to the Roaring fork valley in the distance

Couldn't resist a quick run down before a Gwyns' breakfast just as the Alpine Springs lift opened at 9. Only 3 inches or so of fresh snow and so technically not ' a powder day' . Pretty nice nevertheless.

M  approaching the junction of Copper and Spar Gulch on Ajax soon after 7

Bonnies in sight 1hr 45 mins later. Pancakes beckon - again!

Made it with 3 mins to spare. Ski patrol chase hikers / skinners off the hill at 9....

but hardly necessary given the empty slopes in background

The descent into downtown Aspen

Had a most enjoyable day at Snowmass with Jimmy Stone whose mother is in Deerfield, Asheville with Betty.  Jimmy a v long standing Aspen ski bum with a huge knowledge of every hidden powder stash on all 4 mountains days after snow has fallen. Here below in the wilds of Hanging Valley Glades - taking a break

Meanwhile poor Mary was not just working, but finishing her day in the on mountain health clinic with stitches in a head wound and a cracked bone on front of her knee cap. A work injury having tripped on one of the ski transfer trolleys in the crowded base Village corral. No op required fortunately and no ligament or meniscus damage.  Just a brace for 6 weeks . Here with crutches at 270 and defenceless against a snowball throwing Gaby.

We had a 3 day visit from James ( Cooper ) Black an old friend of my former bus driving colleague and bowl buddy Peter who is bravely recovering from endless treatments in Grand Junction.  Cooper  from Arizona at aged 76 was competing in the NASTAR races at Snowmass and most impressively won his 75 to 80 class ( course setter - Olympic gold medalist at Sochi Ted Liggety ).  Well done Cooper! Peter & Linda we look forward to seeing you next week and catching up