From Snowmass to Boston Mass

My BBL has been chiding me about my lack of blogging lately. But things have been pleasantly busy this summer. Since the last entry there have been personal (and ambassadorial) excursions to Chicagoland, both major cities in Oklahoma (and the 101 miles that separate them), N’awleans, The Magic City, The Alamo City, Amarillo & Denver.

All of these destinations (and the folks seen there) have a couple of things in common: 1) if the weather is nice, I always enjoy going there, and 2) I’ve been there more than once—in fact, collectively, I’ve been there scores (if not hundreds) of times! While it’s a “rut” I’m comfortable to stay in, we did recently add some diversity – five days each in Snowmass (CO) and Boston (MA)—made all the more interesting by doing it within two consecutive weeks!

Denver is now the hometown of our son, a Chartered Financial Analyst, who is doing his best to save the economy in spite of government programs. But truthfully, Colorado has always been a favorite destination (in the summer) despite the added attraction of his presence. This circumstance has developed into an excuse for planning an annual family vacation to the mountains. Breckenridge and Steamboat Springs have turned into newly-formed “traditional” favorites – enough so to whet our collective appetite to try someplace different. Internet searches helped us to select a 3-bedroom condo in Top of the Village Resort at Snowmass Village.

This turned out to be a good “bet” (maybe we should have gone to Vegas?). Our only hiccup was #1 daughter’s cancelled Frontier flight from Big D that, oh darn, “made us” extend our stay another day. This created the opportunity to experence a FREE Ryan Shaw concert (one of her favorite artists, but previously unknown by my BBL or me). Nothing like good music performed with a mountainous backdrop to add delight to your vacation. Experiencing it with your kids – priceless!

We did some relatively easy hikes which our son saw the need to improve by repeatedly running them back and forth until he caught up to our progress (and this is a highly educated person!). Perhaps the most difficult “hike” was the trek from the Snowmass Village shops/restaurants back to our condo . Only about ¼ mile, but 500’ in elevation gain. This provided us incentive to prepare more meals in the condo. . . .

Our location afforded a day visit to Aspen, another new experience for us. Aspen, as our son informed us, has the distinction as the place where the billionaires forced the millionaires to go to Vail! But all the money in the world couldn’t buy us a day without rain at the top of Maroon Bells. At least there’s a reason to go back. :)

11 minute video of our pictures (music by Shaw--I prefer Full Screen mode even though it’s a bit fuzzier)

Next stop: Boston