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.

Christmas 2009

Extaordinary to realise this is our 4th Christmas here. And 4 years to reflect on an `early` retirement for both of us . Some retiremement . The pattern of working full time approx 8 months of the year has attractions in the adjusting process. It's been challenging and enjoyable and our initial 5 year plan has become a rolling 5 year plan.

The winter and summer seasons here are stunning in a host of different ways and fit well our lifestyles and goals ( which we try to assess and review over dinner every couple of months or so ) . To identfy precisely what we enjoy so much here would be to tell only half the story . It's the magic of the place in terms of its beauty , its diversity , its totally different winter and summer climates and activities, its people and its potential, that captures us. The annual late Spring bike trips we have and the annual Autumn returns to family and friends in UK ( this past year OZ ) have become part of the thrilling pattern , but we always look forward eagerly to getting back to work and returning to this lovely Snowmass valley.

Christmas eve was a day off for Mary and a split shift day for me . We had a brilliant 2 hours boarding with EJ celebrating her 75th birthday. Remarkable. Evening - a Snowmass chapel service of lovely music and lessons at which Mary read 3 lessons ( co reader was Mary Tyler Moore - not her real name - who will be familiar to some in our generation - google her if you want the details! )

Christmas Day - and working day for Mary - 7am start - and an evening shift - 2.15 to 10.15 - for me . Had 3 delightful , but fearfully cold, runs on Elk Camp and Alpine Springs , lunch together back at Meadow ranch , had lovely skype chats with the family in Ireland and Ithaca and then back to drive on the Woodbridge run. Beautiful choral classics on PBS ( one of the very impressive US public broadcasting channels - no ads and continuous classical music ) on the bus radio which passengers - largely - seem greatly to appreciate.

Boxing Day ( today ) - another beautiful , but intensely cold ( never above -6 % F on the mountain ) day . Another long working day for Mary and I 'll ski for a couple of hours before starting an evening shift on the Horseranch route from 4 till 11. We'll meet for lunch here at 270 again as we do most days .

Photos include a morning skiing with bus driver colleague John Carlin and another with Lee Miller. Another couple show us boarding with the venerable birthday girl EJ.

And on to 2010. Staying fit and healthy of body and mind are major priorities . The thought of living in this amazing valley and being unable to participate fully in the available activities should be sufficient incentive.

Snowmass - boarding & baking

1 M & her boarding buddy EJ at top of Buttermilk Mtn looking over to Aspen Highlands.
2 G with EJ - truly `grays on trays` . EJ at 74 giving us a lesson in style and technique - brilliant !
3 and look at the result ! The start of 1st black run for G ( led by M and EJ ) down to Tiehack at east end of Buttermilk.
4 & 5. Baking with our `little buddy` Gabby a resident of the Roaring Fork valley and originally from El Salvador. Next outing will be getting him on to skis. more on next blog entry hopefully .

Happy Christmas to all .

Back to Snowmass - Nov 09

From 106% F when we left Sydney to - 10% F in the first week of arrival back in Snowmass , there was a bit of adjusting required. Back though almost immediately to 5am daily alarm and much needed work after 2 month holiday

1. M back to work ( guest services Snowmass for 4th year ) leaving 270 after lunch in smart Ski Co uniform and 2 way radio. Ist day for both of us Thanksgiving Day when season opened . Good conditions but numbers down on previous year.
2. Back on the No 3 route. Staging stop at Snowmass Club with good view of Mt Daly.
3 Study in concentration - back to the `right` side of the road again. Felt good to be back. Have 5 good shifts per week ( 2 day and 3 afternoon/evening ) and again a delightful bunch of co drivers. Huge benefit in being 5 minutes from work. Excellent benefits including the all important one of health cover for M and me.
4 Women's FIS world cup GS on Aspen Mtn - last w/e in November .
5 With Lee Miller - a long time Aspenite introduced by Scottish friend Stuart Briggs - meeting up at Gwyns High Alpine before a delightful afternoon skiing at Snowmass.