Asheville & Valle Cruces - Fiddle camp

We were back in Snowmass for only 3 weeks before embarking on our next adventure.  The Jink & Diddle fiddle camp in Valle Cruces, NC. A great success and to be repeated next year if poss.  Combined well with a trip to Asheville where we had 5 days with Betty before, and 1 after. The camp at Valle Cruces being under 2 hours drive from Asheville.

Back once more in Snowmass to enjoy the rest of the Music Festival. Aida tonight in the tent and the the usual opera scenes masterclass at the Wheeler. Our music student Paul, percussionist, adds a fresh dimension to our enjoyment of events .  He played in the orchestra for the fabulous performance of Gounod's Romeo & Juliette and most impressed we were!

Here though only for 5 weeks before heading back to Scotland on Sept 15 ( M following 2 weeks later ) for more Munro bashing.

And great news on the Duncan & Katy front.  Our 5th grandchild due in Oregon in January.

Back in usual Sat morning mode before opera scenes masterclass

By Aspen standards , it's been a rainy summer

....and less need than usual for watering

Our resident student this year - a percussionist Paul who with viola player Eva cooked us a delicious dinner one evening

Our "Inn" at Valle Cruces, NC where we stayed for the week of the Jink & Diddle fiddle camp

A lesson with the legendary John Turner. How encouraging he was to the sole oboist and only non fiddler among the 40 participants

The waterfall 20 min walk from the camp

Zach and Ronnie Hobson from Pitlochry who used to play in Quern with Mary in Linlithgow

A rally session on the last morning. same venue as for the ball on the Friday where we performed the Scottish Country dances we had been practicing all week to the accompaniment of a 20 piece band

Ronnie and Betty before we put Ronnie on first leg of his journey home

UK & Ireland - May/June

After finishing stage 1 of our trans am east to west quest ( Yorktown , VA to Farmington MO ) - see link in last post - we headed to Asheville for a week with Betty and then to Scotland and Ireland  for 6 weeks in my case , 4 in Mary's. All went to plan and all the objectives achieved most important of which was to welcome into the world our 4th grandchild and assist as best we could. 

With Betty at the Corner Kitchen, Asheville - a favourite lunch and dinner spot

On the Blue Ridge Parkway on way to Mt Pisgah , NC - a breeze after the turmoils of the previous month.

In an 8 hour layover in Chicago, we joined a bike tour of the downtown area .

Note the safety officer's gear. The genes run true.

Into the beloved Highlands with Jane and some serious Munro bagging

Some way to go to the top of Beinn Liath Mhor Fannaich

Dinnae cast yer cloot till May's oot !  This the 29th.

Coming off Sgurr Mor. Just in time to beat last orders for dinner at Altguish Lodge.

Sunrise through the window of 20 Croft Rd ,  Inverness looking up the Beauly Firth - 4.33 am

The AWR indicator on top of Allermuir

Keith and Mary admiring the restored article - courtesy substantially of Keith's efforts

The GSR/NMR seat looking in fine shape

Baby Angus  - 2 days old - with proud Mum, Cormac and Iona.

Happy days at Ballygirreen

With great aunty Janey at Lahinch beach.

Sisters, sisters ......rendition not given on this occasion.

Aunty Jane admiring a Sampson look a like.

All very impressive.  They've got off to a flying start. Busy, busy, busy.

Sunday lunch in Ennis.

Some heavy work here, M's landscaping skills being brought to bear at the practice.

Cliffs of Moher, Co Clare. Meghan not to see ! 

A far more exciting part of the day out with Granny Moon, Grandad and Aunty Jane.

Time out - video to the rescue.

Our rented house in Ennis 5 minute walk from the practice.

The family complete ( or is it ? )  at Drumoland

Wonderful playground and park overlooking the castle 5 minutes from their house.

Fathers' ( or Grandfathers' in this case ) Day card being presented.  Now pinned proudly on the notice board in Snowmass Village bus drivers' lounge.

Precious time with Daddy

And now back to the Munro bagging in Scotland.  My companion of the day - Johannes - who ran to the foot of Seana Braigh, Sutherland while I biked, and got there way ahead of me ! The Munro in question in background.

Start of a long day in Glen Affric with J , J and their friend Rory. 5 Munros and 30 km later we got back to car at 10.45 pm.

Summit of Carn Eighe.

At Muirfield with Spencer, Keith and Alasdair on last day of the trip.

Normal service resumed with coffee and muffins at Paradise Bakery before Saturday's Opera Scenes Masterclass

Trans am - east to west - bike trip beginning April 16, 2015

Our forthcoming trans am bike trip. The link at very top of this blog takes you to our 2011 trip which you don't want to see ! Instead enter the following web address :-
 http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/15816
We'll try to update it every few days or so. But we promise nothing!

More skinning - end of the winter

Season drawing to a close with 1 week more only of the Snowmass season and 2 weeks at Ajax. Four more driving days only to go. Must stay on special alert !

A number of very special days in last month, mostly involving skinning and usually breakfasts !

To much talking I'd say!

..... but they made it and here the rewards at Gwyns High Alpine

The following week and after skinning up Ajax - here meeting up with Dick at the Sundeck

skinning up Coffee Pot

and here the early bird catches the worms - fresh tracks down Lodgepole before the lifts opened

back to the house via Long Shot - all totally untracked . As good as it gets.

 Following day , this time with Mary and to Bonnies on Ajax in a blizzard. Could have been Scotland.

... but this is what was waiting for us after breakfast

.. and right back to the car in downtown Aspen and home by 1 for lunch. Another epic morning.

Next post will be on the https://www.crazyguyonabike.com site as we start the 1st stage of our trans am bike trip from Yorktown , VA in 10 days time , flying to Norfolk , VA on April 15. See the link at the very top of this blogsite --  easiest way to get in is just to click on that - George and Mary Trans Am Trip. That is the crazyguyonabike.com site. Go to Journals and then click under " new' or 'latest" and you'll find ref to our new journal " Trans am - East to West - 2015". We'll try to update it every few days or so.