Snowmass Updates

Stories from the Road
January 31, 2017
Snowmass Village, CO.

The sun was up again yesterday, and the snow was friendly packed powder. We decided to ski some easier cruiser runs following many days of steep trails. On the gondola we met a Norwegian family that had come to see one of their sons ski in the X-Games. Their other son, who was 25, had been a judge on the circuit, and now he was going back to graduate school in Norway.

We had lunch at Gwyn’s, which is always a nice experience. Gwyn graciously wanted us to have soup, and then we ordered a steak sandwich, which we split. Key lime pie followed. It was the best I have had.

One of the runs we made this morning was on the West Fork Trail. It is fairly flat for much of it, as it winds through the woods along a ridge, before plummeting past some houses on its route to join up with the Cascade Trail. It is quiet, used little, and very scenic. I always enjoy the run.

I had my hair cut at the local salon yesterday afternoon.  Nicole, a single mother of a 5 and 8 year old, cut my hair. She was a good barber, checking in with me every step of the way, whether I wanted my hair shorter. I thought it is hard to be a single mother anywhere, but in the expensive Aspen/Snowmass area, it must be particularly hard.

Last night our hotel had its weekly cocktail party with appetizers and wine. The group with whom we were sitting was talking about travel, and I am always amazed how much travel people have done. Our friend Nancy who has been grounded due to a fractured clavicle has been spending her days planning a trip to Croatia with another couple, Ken and Sandy, who are staying at the lodge.

Snowmass Updates

Stories from the Road
January 27, 2017
Snowmass Village, CO.

The temperature was -5 today, when we headed to The Base Village lift at 8:30.  Though the sun was out ad we had clear, beautiful vistas, the air never warmed up much. We had first tracks on Lodgepole and Lodgedeck before running the topsy turvey Black Diamond Edge Run. Then it was over to Elk to make a dash through the trees on Bare Bottom. Lucas left us at ten to run some double black runs, before he had to leave for the airport at 1:00 PM.

Tonight we ate at Slice, the Serbian owned restaurant, at Base Village.  The Serbian guys are great fun. They have traveled a lot, and it is fun to talk with them. The prices are right there, and we go every few days.

Last night a large group of young people checked into our hotel. They were part of the X-Game crowd. A few years ago a group kept us awake much of the night with drunken, raucous behavior. I was mad at myself for not calling the manager, while all the partying was going on. I vowed this year would be different.

Several times during the night I woke up, checked my watch, and listened carefully. I didn’t hear a sound. This curmudgeon’s strategy didn’t play out, though I once again missed out on some sleep.

My I Phone says it is -1 in the Village now and will get up to 22 degrees around 2:00 PM. If it is -1 here, it will be colder a few thousand feet higher on the mountain. Time to layer up! The cold keeps the snow from melting and limits the number of people who ski here.

Listen to Robert Reich

Robert Reich
7 hrs ·
Week 1
* On January 20th, 2017, DT ordered all regulatory powers of all federal agencies frozen.
* On January 20th, 2017, DT ordered the National Parks Service to stop using social media after reweeting factual, side-by-side photos of the crowds for the 2009 and 2017 inaugurations.
* On January 21st, 2017, DT brought a group of 40 staffers and followers to a meeting with the CIA to cheer for him during a speech that consisted almost entirely of framing himself as the victim of dishonest press.
* On January 21, 2017, DT personally phoned National Park Service director Michael T. Reynolds and ordered him to produce additional photographs of the previous day’s crowds on the Mall, in order to show that the media had lied in reporting attendance had been no better than average.
* On January 21st, 2017, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer held a press conference largely to attack the press for accurately reporting the size of attendance at the inaugural festivities, saying that the inauguration had the largest audience of any in history, “period.”
* On January 22nd, 2017, White House advisor Kellyann Conway defended Spicer’s lies as “alternative facts” on national television news.
* On January 22nd, 2017, DT appeared to blow a kiss to director James Comey during a meeting with the FBI, and then opened his arms in a gesture of strange, paternal affection, before hugging him with a pat on the back.
* On January 23rd, 2017, DT reinstated the global gag order, which defunds international organizations that even mention abortion as a medical option.
* On January 23rd, 2017, Spicer said that the US will not tolerate China’s expansion onto islands in the South China Sea, essentially threatening war with China.
* On January 23rd, 2017, DT repeated the lie that 3-5 million people voted “illegally” thus costing him the popular vote.
* On January 24th, 2017, Spicer reiterated the lie that 3-5 million people voted “illegally” thus costing DT the popular vote.
* On January 24th, 2017, DT tweeted a picture from his personal Twitter account of a photo he said depicts the crowd at his inauguration and will hang in the White House press room. The photo is curiously dated January 21st, 2017, the day after the inauguration and the day of the Women’s March, the largest inauguration related protest in history.
* On January 24th, 2017, the EPA was ordered to stop communicating with the public through social media or the press and to freeze all grants and contracts. EPA scientists were ordered to stop publishing their data unless cleared with DT transition personnel.
* On January 24th, 2017, the USDA was ordered to stop communicating with the public through social media or the press and to stop publishing any papers or research. All communication with the press would also have to be authorized and vetted by the White House.
* On January 24th, 2017, HR7, a bill that would prohibit federal funding not only to abortion service providers, but to any insurance coverage, including Medicaid, that provides abortion coverage, went to the floor of the House for a vote.
* On January 24th, 2017, Director of the Department of Health and Human Service nominee Tom Price characterized federal guidelines on transgender equality as “absurd.”
* On January 24th, 2017, DT ordered the resumption of construction on the Dakota Access Pipeline, while the North Dakota state congress considers a bill that would legalize hitting and killing protestors with cars if they are on roadways.
* On January 24, 2017, DT’s director of strategy, Steven Bannon, said “the media should be embarrassed and humiliated and keep its mouth shut and just listen for a while. The media here is the opposition party. They don’t understand this country.”
* On January 25, 2017, DT signed an executive order to begin building a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border that would cost an estimated $20 billion to $35 billon, and insisted Mexico would pay for it.
*On January 25, 2017, DT tweeted “If Mexico is unwilling to pay for the badly needed wall, then it would be better to cancel the upcoming meeting” with Mexican president President Peña Nieto.
* On January 25, 2017, Mexican president President Peña Nieto cancelled his meeting with DT.
* On January 25, 2017, DT said he thought torturing terrorism suspects was justified. “Do I feel it works? Absolutely, I feel it works,” he told ABC News.
* On January 25, 2017, the entire senior level of management of the State Department -- many of whom had served under previous Republican as well as Democratic administrations – resigned.
*On January 26, 2017, DT’s press secretary said DT will slap a 20 percent tariff on all imports from Mexico in order to finance the wall.
*On January 26, 2017, DT’s vice president told congressional Republicans that the administration will initiate a “full evaluation of voting rolls in America, the overall integrity of our voting system in the wake of this past election.”
*On January 27, 2017, DT closed the nation’s borders to refugees from around the world, ordering that families fleeing the slaughter in Syria be indefinitely blocked from entering the United States, and temporarily suspending immigration from several predominantly Muslim countries.
* On January 27, 2017, DT established a religious test for refugees from Muslim nations, ordering that Christians and others from minority religions be granted priority over Muslims.

Adaptive Defenses

George Valliant wrote about higher and lower level defense mechanisms in his book Adaptation to Life. More adaptive people used defenses like sublimation, humor, anticipation, and altruism. Less adaptive people in his study were more apt to use primitive denial, projection, and fantasy as a way to protect themselves.

Stories from the Snow

Stories from the Road
January 25/26, 2017
Snowmass Village, CO.

Aspen

The snow fell again this morning as we met Mike Fetters from Boston. We skied some runs together and caught up on family news before Mike and Lucas descended into Garret’s Gulch, a twisting, mogul filled run that Vicki and I avoid at all costs, since Mike’s teen agers took us there twenty years ago.

Later we came upon Barb Furtan at Alpine Springs, and we made a couple of runs together. As Marle pointed out, Barb’s turns were “perfect”. And, of course, they were made at high speed!

Aspen

On the lift Karl Moon told me of his numerous trips to Europe as a member of a choir from his hometown in Illinois. He descried “a moment in time” in Assisi, when the women in the choir sang first, and as the men began to sing, the women’s voices echoed throughout the church. Interestingly enough Karl has a medical condition that doesn’t allow him to fly, so on choir trips he goes ahead with his wife on the Queen Elizabeth II and then meets his group in Europe.

The Australians here are an energized, enthusiastic group. I talked with a couple at lunch that flew to Canada from Australia to visit their son. Then they went to Cuba before flying to Mexico City and then Denver. They were friendly and down to earth. I hope I see them again.

Yesterday Marle took a spill and broke her goggles, and essential piece of gear these days at Snowmass. Bruce Wallace offered to ski down with her to the mall to buy a new pair. This was an act of kindness you don’t see very often on a powder day at a ski resort.

Presidents and Their Games

Recently I hear Paul Ryan say with a touch of swagger, “We play rugby and they play golf”. I would change the metaphor to one that reads both the Republicans and the Democrats play golf. I once red a vignette about president Obama playing golf. He shot a twelve on a hole, and a playing partner suggested fewer strokes for one reason or another. The President said, “ Put down a 12.”

Donald Trump claims has a two handicap. Anyone who plays golf knows how hard it is to have a ten handicap, let alone a two handicap. In a televised interview I saw some time ago, a person was claiming Mr. Trump cheated at golf. After some hemming and hawing and talking around things, he finally said, “Well everyone cheats at golf.”

Snowmass Stories

Stories from the road
January 25, 2017
Snowmass Village, CO.

Aspen

There was a lot of snow on the mountain yesterday, when Vicki, the Moon brothers, Bruce, Lucas, and I stepped off the Base Village lift to the top of Sam’s Knob. Vicki suggested we stay low due to the falling snow and low visibility on the Burn. All  in agreement, we skied over to the Alpine Springs lift, which was just opening. Visibility was better there due to the many pine trees on the sides of the trails and the lower elevation.

We had first tracks on Naked Lady, a twisting, undulating intermediate run. Several inches of sort powder lay on top of the grooming, and everyone loved the run. Bruce charged into the deeper powder along the sides of the trial and skied it beautifully. I stayed more to the middle of the trail, as all my falls have happened transitioning from one snow level to another.

Aspen

Next we skied Lodgepole, which had 9 inches of fresh snow.  Everyone did well skiing through the light snow. Lucas had split to ski the expert runs off the top of the mountain. I later learned he had been jumping into steep chutes, as he followed some locals through highly challenging terrain.

After skiing, Lucas, Marle, Marle Lucas, and I took the bus to Aspen. Buses here have express lane privileges, so we were able to make a speedy tip in spite of rush hour traffic. When I first came to Aspen, the town had dirt roads, locals in small cabins, roaming dogs, and funky bars. Now the streets are lined with stores like Prada, Gucci, and Versace. Aggressive Salon employees with LA looks reach out from their perches and try to lure tourists into their stores with claims of transforming products.

However, parts of old Aspen remain.  Ute Mountaineering is still there, as is the Red Onion, where you can still get a burger and beer at an affordable price. Ajax Mountain still gives skiers the same bumpy, steep terrain it always did, and though you won’t see Art Linkletter walking around like he did 50 years ago, you might see Jack Nicholson or Goldie Hawn on the slopes during the holidays.

After dinner Vicki and I took the bus back to Snowmass for needed sleep. The rest of the group continued to explore the town as the snow continued to fall.

Stories from the road

Stories from the Road
January 22, 2017
Snowmass Village, CO.

New light snow, cold temperatures, and some good light make for a great ski day. Bruce Wallace and the Moon brothers, Kirby and Carl, arrived yesterday from Illinois and Iowa.  We started off with a group of seven at the top of Campground, but it was hard to keep that size group together. Within a short time I was skiing with Bruce, Kirby, and Carl, who couldn’t get enough of the 5 inches of new powder.

Soon we were on the Burn running through the powder which was light and plentiful. The guys looked so good that I accused them of having spent the previous month in Vail skiing powder. Kirby had new skis and boots and floated over the snow. It was great fun skiing with them.

In the afternoon I skied with Marle, Maria, Lucas, and Vicki. Lucas skis faster than anyone I have skied with. He is very solid over his skis. We ran Bear Bottom on Elk Mountain, when I took my third spill of the trip. I felt somewhat disoriented, and Vicki and I skied to our hotel.  Tonight we’ll go to Venga Venga for Mexican food and football watching.

The home team won last night and Tom Brady looked good.  Having felt maligned by the NFL, the team has something to prove. My friend Steve Valle was at the game in Foxboro.

Tonight we’ll eat dinner with Barbara Futran from Squaw Valley.  We trekked with Barb in Pakistan and Nepal, and have visited her and her husband Leon in California. Barb excels at all the sports she does. She is an expert skier, former marathoner, and strong hiker. Later in the week we’ll also get together with Mike Fetters from Boston, whom we met on a river trip in Idaho in the late 90’s.  A Professor at Babson, Mike like Barb is a terrific skier, at some point we’ll make some runs with him, before he heads to double black territory.

Stories from the road

Stories from the Road
January 15, 2017
Snowmass Village, CO.

Riding up the Alpine Springs lift today we chatted with a young couple from Orange County. This was their first day at Snowmass, and they were having a great time. The woman’s father was a pro skier, who grew up in Aspen and now lived in Hawaii. Her mother was also a fine athlete. Both people talked of wanting to spend a couple of years here, and that seemed possible, since they could work remotely. I encouraged them to go for it!

Cess took a ski lesson today and did well, having not skied for 45 years. Her instructor with whom we had lunch was a character. Dennis, who had the gift of the blarney, lived half the year in Chile, where he taught skiing at Portillo and the other half in Snowmass, where he also instructed.  He explained to me his concept of the ski turn using a variety of metaphors. He was a natural teacher, who was clear and interesting. I told him it was fun to be able to conceptualize better some of the moves I made on skis. He then went on to tell me about the great golf courses near his residence, and I thought, “ I’m there.”

Wendy and Carl from Massachusetts arrived today. Their flight from Denver had been diverted from Denver to Grand Junction. They were then bused to Snowmass, arriving at 2:00 AM. Energetic and enthusiastic people, they came to breakfast at 7:30 ready to hit the hill.

It is gay ski week in Aspen. This is a huge event that has grown over the years. We’ll try to go to town, which is nine miles by car, tomorrow afternoon to catch some of the festivities and then have an early dinner. This year I have my car in the hotel   garage, which saves us from continually having to dig it our over the time we are here.

Modern Skiers

Stories from the Road
January 18, 2017
Snowmass Village, CO.

So what are modern day skiers wearing out there? When I first started skiing, I wore stiff leather boots, stretch ski pants, a down jacket with a wool sweater underneath. Mitts and a wool cap topped my outfit off. I skied on Head metal skis.

Things have changed. In the time I have been in Colorado this year, I have only seen one person without a helmet. In place of the bulky outfits of the past now skiers wear lightweight, warm jackets with synthetic fill and waterproof Gore-Tex outer layers.  Ski pants are waterproof and light. Boots are made of hard plastic with soft inner liners. They keep the skier tilted on a downward angle. Gloves and mittens are warm and often waterproof. Skis are made usually of plastic and shaped in a way that makes turning much easier than the old metal skis.

The new gear is expensive, but it lasts. I find that I change skis about every 6 years to keep up with evolving technology. A ski that suits me well is Dynastar from France. Years ago people often had two pair of skis, one for powder and one for hard back. The new skis perform well in all kinds of conditions.

My first lift ticket cost $6.00 at Cannon Mountain in New Hampshire. Now tickets here are $145.00 a day, though there are many ways to ski more cheaply by buying different multi-day plans. Vicki and I qualify for senior season passes, which cost $459.00 a person. Since we are staying here a month, we only pay about $15.00 a day.

The ski industry is very competitive, and Snowmass has added some services that are creative and helpful to the skier. At the top of the main lift employees hand out hot cider and energy bars free of charge. There are ski ambassadors there who will answer questions about the mountain. At certain times the ambassadors will lead guests on an all mountain tour, so people can get to know the area.  All the employees on the mountain are friendly and ready to answer questions.

Stories from the Road

Stories from the Road
January 15, 2017
Snowmass Village, CO.

Riding up the Alpine Springs lift today we chatted with a young couple from Orange County. This was their first day at Snowmass, and they were having a great time. The woman’s father was a pro skier, who grew up in Aspen and now lived in Hawaii. Her mother was also a fine athlete. Both people talked of wanting to spend a couple of years here, and that seemed possible, since they could work remotely. I encouraged them to go for it!

Cess took a ski lesson today and did well, having not skied for 45 years. Her instructor with whom we had lunch was a character. Dennis, who had the gift of the blarney, lived half the year in Chile, where he taught skiing at Portillo and the other half in Snowmass, where he also instructed.  He explained to me his concept of the ski turn using a variety of metaphors. He was a natural teacher, who was clear and interesting. I told him it was fun to be able to conceptualize better some of the moves I made on skis. He then went on to tell me about the great golf courses near his residence, and I thought, “ I’m there.”

Wendy and Carl from Massachusetts arrived today. Their flight from Denver had been diverted from Denver to Grand Junction. They were then bused to Snowmass, arriving at 2:00 AM. Energetic and enthusiastic people, they came to breakfast at 7:30 ready to hit the hill.

It is gay ski week in Aspen. This is a huge event that has grown over the years. We’ll try to go to town, which is nine miles by car, tomorrow afternoon to catch some of the festivities and then have an early dinner. This year I have my car in the hotel   garage, which saves us from continually having to dig it our over the time we are here.

Stories from the Road

Stories from the Road
January 13, 2017
Snowmass Village, CO.

ski in ski out

Our waitress last night at the Artisan Restaurant impressed us all. Ashley, a tall attractive woman in her mid twenties, had been coming to Snowmass since she was a child with her parents.  She now lived here and worked several jobs in an effort to lay down a permanent foundation in the area. I shouldn’t have been surprised, when she told me her favorite trail was Hanging Valley Wall. The name speaks for itself.

Campground Trail

The air was clear today as I left the Mountain Chalet to head down to lift one. There was some fresh snow on the trail, which made the skiing effortless. Over the course of the next few hours Roger, Nancy, Vicki, and I skied some challenging runs. My leg held up well, but my stamina wasn’t great, having spent a couple of days sitting in front of the computer. At one point we connected with Dean and Diane, local friends. They are both great skiers, and it was fun to chase them down Dallas Freeway to the Big Burn lift.

top of Sam's Knob

Dean may well have been the best skier I have ever skied with. He was very understated, at one point saying; “ It is fun when you link a couple of turns together.”  Was he a ski instructor in the past? I will leave the reader to figure that out!

At lunch we sat with some very funny guys from New York City. Later in the year they will head with their ski club to Chamonix, France.  The club will stay at an all-inclusive Club Med, which will provide members with a private guide for every ten people.  One of the guys showed me his ski tracker, which recorded his fastest speed at 55. I told him the room was getting macho as I noted my best speed, which was considerably lower than his. I said I would call his wife and tell her to erase the information, when he was sleeping. We all had a good time.

At 5 this evening we’ll have a drink with our friends Nancy and Roger Leonard. Unfortunately Nancy suffered two hairline fractures on her clavicle today, when she hit some rocks on Campground Run. We’ll learn more this afternoon.

Stories from the Road

Stories from the Road
Snowmass, CO
January 17, 2016

I am looking at a lot of new snow that fell last night. Yesterday’s exhaustion reminded me of a hike the late Kevin O’Grady and I took up Mt. Adams forty years ago. We drove to New Hampshire on Friday night with my Samoyed. I was in good shape and hiked all the time. It was November, and light snow intermittently fell.
There were a couple of small cabins open to climbers on the side of Mt. Adams.

I “hit the wall”, when we got to the cabin. I couldn’t get out of my bunk, and Kevin made supper for my dog and me. The next day I was fine, as we hiked out amongst the many deer hunters in the area. Kevin reminded me of Jon McCarron. Both were strong in the outdoors, never seemed to get tired, and were always ready to help others.

Our hotel seems to attract a lot of seniors (not me). They are a nice group but sometimes the pace here moves slowly.  Today we ate breakfast with a group of 25-30 year olds from Las Vegas. They were friendly and fun and having a great time. One of the group set up several ski trips a year for this group f friends. They already had been to Whistler and Jackson Hole. The group for some reason was dressing up as animals and skiing around the mountain. I told them they were bringing Disney World to the Rockies.

We were talking about traffic in San Diego and Las Vegas. The conversation drifted into speeding ticket, and one of the guys said it wasn’t a good idea to get a ticket in a national park, as the tariff was $450.00. I asked him in which park he had received his ticket, and he said, “Yosemite, Zion, and Red Rocks.”

Have a good evening.

Responsible Citizenship

Responsible citizens whether Republicans, Democrats, or Independents need to employ critical thinking.  In a democracy it is important for all of us to analyze, dissect, question, and conceptualize. Critical thinking is a tool that is essential for good judgment and decision-making. In North Korea critical thinking with following questions can get you killed, but such is not the case in the United States.

The Trump people are doing everything they can to limit critical thinking by labeling questioners as sore losers, fake news people, and unfair attackers. The press is vigorously starting to push back. It is important for citizens to question. Often it is easier to go along with things because critical thinking often means reading, focus, effort, and research.

Critical thinking is neutral. It should take you where it takes you.  President Obama said that if the Trump administration can come up with a better health system than the ACA, he would support it. I agree.  Critical thinking is non-partisan. The Trump Administration thinks it shouldn’t have to face hard questions about its programs and proposals. Such thought is unrealistic and naïve. It reflects an attempt to short circuit the democratic process.

Stories from the Road
October 24, 14
From 30,000 feet

My neighborhood was quiet this morning at 4:00 AM, when I went downstairs to start the coffee pot. Our shuttle man was on time, and soon we were at the airport and then in the sky toward our destination of Washington, D.C., where we were going to attend the wedding of Krissy Frazao.

The bride is a newscaster in Washington D.C., and she is marrying a photojournalist, Andrew Smith. Both bride and groom are attractive, smart, sophisticated young people, and I am looking forward to seeing them and meeting their friends.

The Southwest plane is a new one, and it is comfortable. The flight attendants are friendly, and we are enjoying the ride thus far. Wednesday I played golf with Gary Vernon, Richard Trumbull, and Vicki. Richard lives much of the year in Mexico, where he paints and plays tennis and golf. He is a renaissance man, who is always learning new things. When in San Diego, he is a frequent golf partner. He and his wife Sylvia travel, and this spring they will journey from their home in Mexico to Southern France. I pointed out to him that he is one of the few people I know, who takes a vacation from his vacation.  Both Richard and Gary have infectious senses of humor, and it is fun to play golf with them.

Ben Bradlee, the former editor of the Washington Post, recently died at 93 years of age. Ben Bradlee and Katherine Graham, the publisher of the post, were largely responsible for uncovering the Watergate Story. Woodward and Bernstein were the foot soldiers, while Bradlee and Graham were the Generals.  The paper withstood tremendous pressure from the White House to back off the story. Ben Bradlee was larger than life within the context of being a complex person. He spoke French fluently, cursed incessantly, hated pretense, and enjoyed fine living. As a newsman in Paris in his youth he rented a large chateau with friends for almost no money and entertained every weekend. He had polio as a child and was laid up for a year. The illness didn’t stop his indomitable spirit and may have contributed to his life long joy of exposing bullies and arrogant people.

Stories from the Road
October 26, 2014
Alexandria, VA.

The sun was out again today in Alexandria, providing citizens with another beautiful fall day. The wedding party is scattered amongst several hotels in the area, and as we began our walk to Old Town for breakfast, we ran across a number of people we had met last night at the rehearsal dinner.

One man from Chappaqua, New York told me he use to drive his red convertible up a public road, which ended at the Clintons’ house. The secret service would come racing out and tell him he was out of bounds, and then he would remind them that he was on a public road. With a smile I told him he was a troublemaker, and that I could relate to that.

The wedding was a big success. Held in an outdoor park by the Potomac, the ceremony went like clockwork. Krissy arrived in a white Rolls. A friend of the couple married them. Krissy and Andrew wrote their vows. Since all the parties were newscasters, writers, or reporters, needless to say the speeches were exceptional.

Buses took us back to the hotel, and we walked a couple of blocks to the reception, where calamari, oysters, cold cuts, and smoked salmon greeted us.  The bar was open. Later we sat down to a lobster and filet mignon dinner. Toasts, dancing, and a professional slide show of the couple through time followed. It was a wedding amongst weddings. The bride, who I have known since birth, was gracious, poised, warm, and funny. She is what you would want your daughter to be.

At dinner I sat next to a man from Maryland, who had done an across Scotland canoe race with a friend. He kept using words like “hard corps, but fun.” At one point the racing team was hypothermic and hallucinating, when they pulled ashore to sleep and get warm. The hard corps description seemed right, but I don’t know about the fun.

As the bride and groom danced and socialized, Vicki and I headed out to our hotel. We both agreed that Andrew and Krissy along with their parents had been generous hosts, who wanted their guests to have a memorable experience. They succeeded in their wishes. On Monday Andrew and his new bride fly to Italy to vacation in Sorrento, Capri, and Rome.

A Virginia Wedding

Stories from the Road
Alexandria, VA.
October 25, 2014

It is 50 degrees at 8:00 AM in Alexandria, Virginia. Soon we will head out to walk around the area before getting some breakfast. The wedding festivities begin with a boat ride on the Potomac at noon followed by a rehearsal dinner at 5:00.

I just returned from the journey on the Potomac. It was a sunny, warm day-perfect for cruising the river.  It is fun to talk with young people in the front end of their careers. Andrew Smith told me about his trips to Afghanistan and Iraq in recent months. I asked him, if he suffered any psychological fall out from being in these dangerous places with limited protection. He said he didn’t think so. He found the Afgan people very friendly, and he wouldn’t mind going back. Iraq was less friendly and more dangerous.

Both Andrew and Krissy had bachelor and bachelorette parties in New Orleans this summer. I followed the festivities on Facebook, and I told one of Andrew’s friends that I was ready to take a plane to Nolo, since they seemed to be having so much fun. Vic’s youngest daughter is married to a documentary filmmaker. He just returned from Alaska, where he was doing a special on crab fishermen. Both daughters have married creative, adventurous men.

Alexandria is a very cool place. On the main street through the old town there are many shops and trendy restaurants. Tonight we are all going there to eat at a fish house. We checked the menu out this afternoon, and it looked very good. This morning our bellman gave us a great breakfast recommendation at a place around the corner from out hotel. It was an “old school” kind of place with lots of eggs and potatoes at 1970 prices.

Tonight we went to the rehearsal dinner, which was a lot of fun. Krissy’s friends are all in the news business, and it was interesting to talk with them. The dinner was at a restaurant on King Street, the main thoroughfare for fine dining and shopping. We had crab soup and crab cakes, which were very good. Krissy, who will honeymoon in Sorrento, Capri, and Rome, looked elegant and spoke eloquently to us all.

Aspen

Aspen, Colorado is four auto hours from Denver. Though Aspen is known mostly as a great ski area, it is also a fabulous place to visit in the summer. Hiking possibilities are endless for all levels of backpackers, day hikers, and technical climbers. The Maroon Bells area is famous for terrific scenery and spectacular hiking.

There are numerous golf courses in the area, and the thin mountain air will add distance to your shots. Tennis courts are numerous, and nearby Ruby reservoir is a popular wind surfing area.

The Roaring Fork River flows from Independence Pass through the town of Aspen all the way to the Colorado River forty miles to the west. Rafting and kayaking opportunities are numerous on the Roaring Fork for intermediates and experts alike. Yes, the water is very cold, and rapids are technical, but the scenery is excellent, and the fun is non stop.

For much of the summer the music never stops in Aspen. Musicians from the Aspen music festival play on street corners and in restaurants at night. There are also formal performances for those inclined. The Aspen eateries are varied and very good.

Godiva

During a recent recuperation from surgery a kind friend brought me a box of Godiva chocolates. Though I had tasted Godiva chocolates before, their essence must have escaped me, as I was unprepared for the wave of wonderful sensations that swept over me, as I ate this wonderful candy. Like a fine, aged cheese or a good martini, Godiva chocolates snap the consumer to attention. Some military people have even been known to render an involuntary hand salute after consuming a piece of Godiva.

After the box of Godiva was finished, my wife graciously bought me a box of these pedigreed candies. What other company provides its costumers with individual descriptions of each piece of candy? By now we knew how to manage the caloric gold that was safely tucked away in our refrigerator. Like jungle survivors we rationed the fine candy. One, at the most two pieces a night was the quota.

In addition to amounts of candy eaten, there is the important issue of process. One could pop a Godiva into a mouth on the move, but would you eat a filet mignon while multi tasking? I don’t think so! Godiva candies are best consumed sitting quietly with no other agenda present. Exclamations of satisfaction are allowed as are facial communications of all types. Moments of quiet appreciation also work.

Godiva chocolates are expensive, but so is fine wine and gourmet dining. When rationed they last a long time, and like a mortgage the cost is spread out over time. Godiva candies are not recommended for children or people with impulse problems as the box’s life span will be severely limited. Many feel that Godiva chocolates should only be purchased for special occasions, but I suppose life itself is a special occasion. There is a Godiva store in the University City Shopping mall. Go sooner rather than later!

The Club

The air is dark and chilly. I figure that I’ll have the club to myself at 5:30 in the morning, but I am wrong. SUVs, beamers, and Mercedes are pouring into the parking lot. Boomers leap from their vehicles and move quickly toward the front door. They are anxious to get on their machines and begin hardening their bodies and getting rid of unwanted calories.

I make my way to the locker room and then head to the pool to do laps. As I transition from cold air to warm water, I notice there is one other person in the pool, a woman with flippers. She is an excellent swimmer and quickly passes me by as I methodically swim my half mile. The scene is eerie in an adventurous way, as it is still night, and the pool is lit artificially. Gradually day arrives, and the lights go off.

Eventually I make my way to the outdoor Jacuzzi, where I am alone with my thoughts in the 102 degree water. I am feeling good in the warm water, and after 10 minutes I move indoors for a steam bath. The steam has a cleansing function, and I breathe deeply, inviting the steam to become part of me. The steam room is empty at that hour, and the whole process has a 5 star feel to it. I smile as I think of the gyms of my youth with their leaky shower heads, cracked concrete and banged up lockers.

After showering, I sling my gym bag and head upstairs and out to my car. Automobiles are continuing to sprint onto club property and motivated workout people pour out of their vehicles. As I head off to work, even traffic clogged highway 56 can’t dampen my spirits. When the light finally lets me onto the main highway, I quickly run through the gears of my Z Car and accelerate into the day.