Music Festival

We're just back from the usual highlight of the week - the opera scenes masterclass with Ed Berkeley of Julliard. It was so spectacular this week , I have to write about it.  Started off with that famous sextet in the Act 1 finale of Cosi fan Tutte and quite magnificent it was. Scenes then from Verdi's Falstaff,  Massonet's Manon, an epic scene from L'Elisir d'Amore and a couple of scenes from more recent composers - Bernstein ( Trouble in Tahiti ) and Bolcolm (A View from the Bridge ).  2 hours of absolute bliss.

But we're getting a 2nd opera experience this week. A performance at the Wheeler of Liebermann's The Picture of Dorian Gray on Thursday. This follows the fabulous Tchaikovski's Eugene Onegin last week and precedes Carmen in a couple of weeks. What a feast.

Opera scenes masterclass. Every Sat morning 10 to 12 for 8 weeks. About as good as it gets !

Our 2014 music student Tamer.  Here giving a lesson having just made me a badly needed new reed. A hugely successful future as a professional oboist almost certainly awaits. Playing principal in Wednesday's Aspen Philharmonic Orchestra's performance of a Bartok concerto.

Julie ( high school colleague of M's ) and David from Houston join us outside the tent for the Sunday afternoon concert.

Back on to the Rim trail

Undiminished skills !

Our first Warm Showers visitor Matt from Boston doing a tour of Colorado's mountain passes. We lent him a mountain bike to explore, and hike to, Snowmass Lake.

Here on his own very heavily laden bike setting off for Independence Pass and eventually Estes Park.  Good luck Matt.

We had a delightful visit from Jill and Sarah Jewitt. Just managed to fit in a Tom Blake mountain bike ride before Sarah headed off back to Rock Springs , WY. Here with her working kit for her rig work - minus the white hat ( indicating recent promotion ).

Barbara & Ros visit

After a disappointing start for them ( flight diverted and an unexpected first night in a Denver Hotel ) B & R's visit to us was memorable. First visit from any of my family ( apart from kids and David and Heather ) since we came here, so extra special. We had fun.

They were whisked straight from airport to Music tent for an AACA concert. This was the first of some great concerts we all went to ( incl performances by Gil Shaham and Joshua Bell )

While Ros enjoyed Music festival masterclasses , we took Barbara to Avalanche Hot Springs.  Right up her street.

July 4th parade - downtown Aspen

and the traditional razzmatazz

Part of an hour long procession - we quit at half time !

Busking in Aspen - Jessica in a few years time ????

Highlight of the week. Coffee and muffins outside Paradise Bakery before Opera Scenes masterclass at the Wheeler. Here with Cathy from Coatbridge of all places - a city of Aspen maintenance employee.

.....then straight to gondola and up Aspen Mtn for lunch at Sun Deck followed by music from a brass ensemble with views west towards Snowmass. Aspen Highlands in middle ground.

More of the same at 11,200 ft

First game with each other for maybe 50 years ?

Picnic spot at Maroon Lake

This 8am swim at the Snowmass Rec Center featured almost daily .....

but the adjacent hot tub was more appealing for some! M straight from yoga ( Ros one day too ) and lap pool.

Start of the hike to Weller lake. Note how comfortable Barbara looks with poles.

Top of Independence Pass. All water to the right to the Colorado and subsequently the Pacific. All water to the left to the Arkansas and subsequently to the Mississippi and the Atlantic

A delightful last evening's dinner at Il Poggio, Snowmass

Has to be the most civilized check-in anywhere. Bags checked through to Edinburgh - curbside. Bon voyage !

Susuki Camp - Beaver Creek

The journey back from Shannon, after a sad farewell, was long but uneventful. Chicago is often a bad first port of US call, but Shannon is the only ( as far as I know ) European airport which has a branch of US Customs and Immigration meaning you can check bags all the way through to final destination i.e. Aspen, and don't have to wait in line to go through Customs & Immigration in US.

3 days back only before Mary headed off to Beaver Creek ( 2 hours drive away ) for her second Susuki violin Camp. Hardly a camp and accommodation in Borders Lodge was luxurious. She was joined there by her cousin Gail from Tulsa and they quickly got into the swing of the hectic 8 till 6 daily schedule.

I had a couple more days in Snowmass sorting myself out and set off on the Tuesday by bike to join them.  A section of the Colorado River bike path, which I did last year, beside I.70 was closed due to flooding, so I decided , perhaps rashly, to set off over the high and remote Cottonwood Pass between El Jebel and Gypsum.  Set off early from Snowmass and fortified with a big breakfast at a favourite cafe in Old Basalt, I headed up the hill a few miles further downvalley getting to the top of the Pass about 3 hours later. Long descent , with a nasty sting in the tail of steep ascent in the middle, to Vail/Eagle airport and then Hwy 6 beside the Eagle River to Edwards where Mary and Gail rescued me as arranged. Only 6 miles or less to Beaver Creek but with a steep hill the last 2 which I'd have struggled with.  About 70 miles I think with 3 to 4,000 feet of climbing. Dirt road for much of the route over the Pass but well graded and dry and no problem for a touring bike. A mountain bike with  big fat tires and almost certainly I couldn't have made it due to the extra effort involved. And anyway I'd put that on the back of the Buick before Mary left a few days earlier for use in Beaver Creek.

Then 4 days with M & G in Beaver Creek, supporting their noble efforts among 200 or more 5 to 15 year olds, and between times exploring Beaver Creek on bike and foot. The venue for the 2015 Alpine Skiing World Cup and colossal investment being made to prepare right now.

Back on Sun pm and preparing for the historic first visit of my eldest and younger sisters Barbara and Ros later this evening.

If you click on this you might be able to read AWR Ranch! The No Trespassing sign was therefore more than a little ironic given AWR's ( my grandfather's ) active involvement in all things connected with Public Access and the Scottish Rights of Way Society

Half way up the long climb to summit of Cottonwood Pass

Almost at the top . Not one car passing in either direction in over an hour

M in the "play- in" with Randall in charge

Jam session with Scott Walker outside Coyote Cafe.  Holding her own - no question!

Beaver Creek in spate with late snow melt on way to Beaver Lake

Beaver Lake. One hour biking , 1 hour hiking.

From the golf course looking up the "Strawberry' side of the resort our lodge being the one slightly left of centre

Heading off for yet another class - 6th of the day ?

Bottom of the Birds of Prey downhill course. Summit is way above the very left horizon. Under two and half minutes is it they do this in?!

The freshly poured cement for the top tower of the new Centennial lift. Hope the engineers have done their sums right!

The top of the Cinch Express lift and start of the Men's Downhill course. Got here partly on mountain bike and hiked the rest. Fun. Nearly 4,000 feet of ascent

Hope to be back to spectate in Feb '15

Top of the Women's Downhill course a few hundred feet lower down

The two polished performers at the end of the closing concert. Do we spot signs of relief?

Roscrea - final visit?

It's been another hugely successful visit to the Ryan family as they prepare to make their big move to Ennis. Their vet practice due to open in Ennis during July and they've found a good house to rent near Drumoland and 10 minutes drive away from the new practice and Cormac's nursery.

Weather was brilliant and not just barbecuing but breakfasts outside! Lots of activity.

Back to Aspen tomorrow for a rest! 

Their new house as from next month ...

.....in the country but with children in this neighboiring house and the next one.

Role reversal !!

And not going to give it up

Back in charge. 

Note Granny Eye's new dress

 Hands full ! 

Father's day picnic in Templemore Park. Sign of tiring here. This says ' enough pictures'!

 2nd wind. Determination or what ? 

 This was a great game - to get a hug from Din Din at the end.

 Dead heat I had to call.

 The perfect troll bridge -'  to cross this bridge costs a lot of .......'

 As if they hadn't run far enough ! Iona backed out of this one .

 I drove Meghan in to Dublin at the end of this great day so she could meet at the airport her friend Anna and god daughter Ava and so she could sleep on the drive home . This at the house of Anna's friend Tara. Then a drive back to Roscrea and back to routine this Monday morning.