what does aspen do for spring break?

go someplace warm---everyone is heading south.  Be it AZ or Belize or someplace in between there comes a point where you just need to be warm and maybe get some humidity too.

This is my way of saying no posts for a week or so.

I will be the guy on the beach in the speedo with the two annoying kids and the wife playing guitar---somehow or another I wide up with a lot of elbow room on the beach.  Go figure.

the good....the bad

I went skiing with my wife yesterday.  That was good.

She is skiing super slow and cautious because her C5-7 are not totally fused yet.  Bad.

She didn't fall.  Good.

The snow was horrible--and it was hot and cold at the same time.  Bad.

I've got flowers blooming in my yard.  Good.

My dogs have taken to visiting the muddy nasty water features on the local golf course.  Very bad.

The Trump kid who broke his leg went back east to have it set.  Weird.

My son and I went to an excellent free lecture on dark matter yesterday.  Great.

My wife's computer died yesterday.  Just shut down.  Bad.

We paid for a service plan with Best Buy.  Good.  But nearest best buy is 2+ hours away.  BAD.

cops, trump, protests and playing hookie

My son had a good Chicago friend in town this past weekend.  They skied together Friday and Saturday and played around Thursday, Friday and Saturday night.  All good.  Well things got a little weird Saturday night.

My son's friend has a lot of independence in Chicago.  He rides his bike everywhere.  He shoots an airsoft gun in the park (stupid stupid stupid) and in general has a lot of freedom to do stupid stuff.  Originally the boys were going to come into Wagner park and catch some of the concert but instead they decided just to hang at our house in Snowmass village.  My son did not inform us of the change in plans until around 8:45 pm but I figured no worries just put the friend on the bus into town and his dad could meet him at Ruby park.  Friends dad said no--he wasn't comfortable with that.  (FYI my 10 year old daughter takes that bus alone all the time with no issues).  My son offered to take friend into town on bus and then turn around and ride bus back home (making for a very late night for him but it's his friend so it's his mess).  Friend's dad said no.  A cab was suggested.  No.  Friend's dad got on the bus to pick up son--and then at some point called the cops to say--well I have no clue what he said.  Friends dad somehow winds up in cop car not on bus with every 10-16 year old boy in snowmass village being asked if they were my son's friend, obviously not helping my son's popularity with the local boys.

I can't even write this up in a way that makes sense.  Friend's dad never called us.  Friend was never lost or in any danger.  Dad and son both had working cells phones and could be in constant communication.  I can't imagine what friends dad said to cops to get them involved.  Nor can I imagine what would happen if you tried that in Chicago---typical response time to report of gunfire is more than 15 minutes (and in the wrong side of town can be forever).  Friend, friend's dad and cops all reunited and after one last night in Aspen they were sent back to Chicago.  Ugh.

The Trump kids (Ivanka, Eric and Donald jr) are in town with their children and spouses.  So far no real impact on me.  There was a protest on Sunday and at first I said wait a minute it's not right to protest kids.  Then I thought--it's not right to protest a kid (like Baron) but the older 3 are totally fair game.  Ivanka has an increasingly obvious role in the administration (while also hawking her line of stuff) while Eric and D jr manage the Trump empire and help turn the White House into some kinda HSN QVC show.  Yea I think they deserve all the protesting they get and then some.

More on Trumps--one of the grandkids-princelings broke a leg while skiing.

Even more on the Trumps--they are skiing Buttermilk.  Because of the kids can't ski so good (see above comment).  This Friday the 7th grade of Aspen middle school plays hookie (kinda officially) and take over Buttermilk like the scene in Caddyshack when the caddies-employees take over the pool.  120 AMS 7th graders vs 10 Trumps and 15-20 secret service members.  Humm what could go wrong?  Link below provides a preview.

caddy day---AMS 7th grade takes buttermilk

FIS almost done

Yesterday the wife and I went skiing.  Why bother to even call that out?  She had C5-7 fused in November (for a second time) so this was her first day skiing this year.  And she really isn't supposed to ski until the first of April.  The FIS races and 60 degree blue skies made it impossible to pass up.  We watched the GS from the airplane turn and then watched the women's slalom on the Audi fan zone jumbotron. Then we crushed some spring corn and split a burger on the sun deck at Bonnie's followed by a quick tour down the course to get back to FIS headquarters where we left our shoes.  Great day.  And with springtime in full effect it's getting a little crazy.  I saw a lot of flesh while skiing, some better than others.  And then there was this plumber's butt at Bonnie's--do you think he put any sunscreen on that?




Last night we went hand heard Michael Franti play at Wagner park.  He put on a great show.  Got out in the crowd--brought all kinds of folks on stage and really rocked the joint.  He finished off playing John Lennon's Imagine while fire works burst over Ajax.  Very cool.  Also my slipping teammate covered the slipping experience in his column this week.  Link below.

tony--slipping in aspen


Franti below



Sweet venue right?

My daugher and a chicago friend came to the show with us--my son and his Chicago friend stayed back at the house--more on that later.

slipping day 3 & 4

no mistakes.  I didn't wipe out and tumble down and hit a b-net and have to get hauled out by course crew.  I think I even managed to push the right piles, fill up the holes and smooth most of the ruts.  And my partner gave me a copy of his book.

And what an experience.  I can't think of any other sport where they would let volunteers on during the course and actually give them an important job (namely maintaining the integrity of the course).  It would be kinda like asking you to be a bunny (a fast lead out runner ) in the chicago marathon, or do turns around the mark between races in America's cup.  But that doesn't happy.  In my ongoing efforts to compare and contrast Chicago to Aspen, I am just coming up short on a comparison.

Today was brutal for the racers---a very tuff Super G course sent almost half of the women to DNF, many with spectacular crashes.  I got to watch an Italian woman lose a bunch of her teeth in a crash.  There was a for runner (pre race warm up racer) who fell about a quarter of the course.  Ugh.  Was I scared.  You betcha.

I do think the town is doing a great job hosting including busting out the Aspen middle school jazz band to play post game apres ski.  That would be my son on guitar.

And it was hot.  How hot.  Below is yours truly on course as a hot sweaty mess.



And it was steep and scary.  I saw all the ITL women go down--I did not see Lindsey's fall but I do know the slippers you see hustle past.

she lost about 6 teeth in this wipe out--and its about 1//4 of the course

next ITL woman to wipe out--how tuff to bounce right back up

vonn --so fast so close and ohhhhh no

FIS day two--staying alive

Day two of training is done and I been invited back for day 3 (downhill race day).  Yea.  I am having the time of my life, but I kinda wish that didn't involve waking up at 2:30 AM thinking about what I am sure I will do wrong in the day ahead.  Either that or it might have been the week old quinoa chicken casserole I ate.

Some quick stats.  The downhill is 8,900 feet long (the super G is 7k feet) with a max pitch of 55%.  How steep is that--the steepest section in highlands bowl is 48%, corbet's tops out at 53%, Johnny mo section of kt-22 is 43% and Jay peak face chutes 37%.  So that is pretty steep.  Expected slipping speed 35-40 mph.  How the heck is a midwesterner slipping this course?  Get the right partner.

I am slipping with a 70+ year old Aspen native son.  We are a classic odd couple.  Tony knows everyone, knows everything but keeps that to himself and might be the best skier on the hill not in a speed suit.  I of course know no one, know nothing, have been in town less than a year, and the words best and skiing are only found in the same sentence about me if it includes the word fall.  How did I wind up partnering with Tony--luck.  Lots of luck, and maybe he wanted to do a good deed.  My job went from slipping the FIS world cup finals downhill course to following Tony.  So far so good.

I also am learning a bit of Aspen history too, which has been a huge added bonus.  If you want to meet my slipping partner Tony-- the local rancher, trash collection business owner, ski patroller, ski racer, piano player you can read some of his musings online with a quick search of Tony Vagneur or go all in and read a collection of his stories
Aspen then and now reflections of a native son

Training is done and tomorrow is the real deal.  The downhill starts at 9:30 AM MST.  Find NBCSN and watch some of the best racers put the peddle to the metal.  And pray you don't have a course hold because a slipper has fallen (and can't get up).

Below is a picture of Atez which does no justice to the pitch.   None at all.







Lindsey and I shared a moment or two today.....namely she blew past me and I slipped as fast as I could to try to catch her.  Didn't happen, but I did find her at the base a bit later.  Still no hugs and no sight of Mikaela.

And I promise I am trying to get some video, but I am old and slow.  Here is a short clip taken by a friend which shows slippers going to work.

slipping day 1

oye
showed up before dawn.  I went up the hill and had the moon setting over aspen highlands and the sun coming over the continental divide.  (top shot is moon bottom sun) u

The slip crew composition this morning seemed to be about 30% Aspen ski co instructors (of which there are 1,400 so there are extras to volunteer at this event), 80% ex racers (including some germans and other european ex world cup downhillers) 30% from outside the state of CO with an average age of 60.

Interesting group.  I am not an ex racer.  I am not close to an ex racer.   Instructions were given in racer speak which I was struggling to pick up.

For those of you who have not slipped a world cup downhill course the drill is as follows.  The course is divided into two sections, top and bottom with the cut off being Ruthies chair lift.  Each section has 4 slipping stations.  Basically you start at the top station in your section and slip fast over the racers tracks to the next station.   Right after the racer blows past you (and I mean right after) you and your partner jump on the course and slip like your life depends on it to the next station with a suggested 5-10 feet between you and your partner (vertical feet horizontal you should pretty much be on his ass and most of the asses are his and not hers sadly).  How fast are you slipping?  Maybe 40 mph.  How fast is that going sideways on a 37 degree vertical sheet of ice.  It's an experience that I can't really describe--maybe kinda like trying to slip corbet's couloir but for a mile and no air allowed.  And no snow plow--never ever snow plow.

I had many posters requesting video --but there is no time for video, or pictures or anything.  From go till they stop you are on the move or pissing your pants.  They are running racers with 1 1/4 minute breaks, which is slip for 45 seconds then pull to side for 45 seconds then repeat 3 more times then hop on chair lift and do it again.  I think I only got in about 5 runs during the training though because there are less than 50 skiers, but then there was post race maintenance.  Racers are posting times of about 1 1/2 minutes from top of Ruthies to bottom of 1A.

Is it cool to run the world cup race course right behind the pros--you betcha.  That is why guys are coming in from all over the world.  Is it cool to hear the skiers blast past you and see Vonn's ponytail plastered to the back of her speed suit.  Absolutely.  When a station chief tells you that the racers are putting down a left footer at the second sawdust gate so make sure you fill it but don't hide it do you really have a clue as to what to do.  Nope.

Next up--training day two (if Denzel Washington shows up I am out of here).

PS bode miller was hugging the female slippers much to their approval.  Mikaela where is my hug?

so a chicago friend asked me .............

are you happy you made the move?  Really are you happy?  Any second thoughts etc.

The answer is I am very happy.  I am thrilled by all that Aspen has to offer.  Today my daughter is learning to snowboard (and thrilled to be a cool knuckle dragger).  My son is skiing with school friends.  I am getting ready to run up sinclair road and then catch a couple of mushy blue runs in my swim suit (it's like 50+ degrees).  My wife is off working FIS stuff having hiked up smuggler and hit a yoga class.  The school seems good, my daughter's hockey times are great (although that 0-35 record could use some work).  My son does complain about the lack of sailing but I think I might have an excellent option or two for him this summer (more on that later).  Thursday night post hockey we went and saw some short films sponsored by ACES (aspen center for environmental study) which felt a bit like preaching to the choir but was a great reminder of all the cool stuff that goes on in Aspen (aviation at school, robotics club, ski lift out back of school, outdoor education as part of school curriculum etc).  As for me the view never gets old, I can road bike, mountain bike, hike, fish, ski, cross country ski, skin, snowshoe, camp, climb, paddle, etc all out my front door.  And then I can come home and sit in the hot tube.  Yea I am happy.

Also I would say there is more economic diversity in our lives now than in Chicago.  The 3 jobs or 3 houses rule is really accurate.  And while there are some old school yuppie type families the breadth of backgrounds and interests is pretty amazing.

Yes there are some challenges.  Services are more limited.  Waiting 3 months to get my car fixed sucks and then having to travel 190 miles to get it bites.  And it seems that Aspen sits in a kinda bermuda triangle which severely impacts peoples operational-communication skills (it's almost impossible to find half the stuff that is available- and I just got my marching orders for slip crew including to take the bus and be here by 6:30 AM--seeing as the first bus gets to Aspen at 6:45 I am not sure how to square that circle. )    I miss being able to walk to a bunch of bars and restaurants, and I miss my friends and the 10k flights a day out of Chicago but not enough to give me any second thoughts.

 I am off to run, ski, hot tub and then have dinner with some Chicago friends.  Where did I put my sunscreen?(high class problems baby).

good news- bad views

The wife came home from working the FIS admin job and announced that two hotties picked up their credentials for slip crew today.  She indicated that I am a very lucky man.  Yea slip crew.  And when my PC wife announces hotties to me (her words) ya just gotta be excited.

A bit less exciting was the view out of the snowmass town parking lot.  It's hot so there is some clothes changing going on, and I was treated to a very hairy guy with lots of body art (tats) in his very small tight green underwear and nothing else--except of course the hair and the tats.  I am working on getting that image out of my mind.

goldman family goes to work (FIS style)

Aspen is hosting the FIS Audi world cup finals this year.

The wife is working the guest services area multiple days.  The son is working green team (environment trash duty in the grand stand ---your champagne bottles go in that bin, your caviar tins in that bin etc) a couple of days as well as playing guitar at one of the events, and I am going to be slip crew for 4 days.

What does slip crew do?  Good question.  I will know more after Monday.  I have been warned by my friendly neighborhood ER doc that many slippers wind up injured (typically broken or dislocated shoulder).  My bet is I get to side slip down the super duper icy downhill course.  A lot.  From 7Am to 2pm.  I am hoping to get some good views of the racing and practice runs.  I will be working both the final downhill and Super G days so I should get to see some serious speed racers.  I have always had a thing for Lindsey and am looking forward to watching her work.  There are also some good bands playing which I expect to enjoy with my two free drink coupons I earn for 7 hours of work.

Stay tuned to the blog---should be some very amusing FIS posts next week.

snow day

Yesterday we got the notification from ASD (aspen school district) that school was canceled due to snow.  While at the time there wasn't that much on the ground I think they had enough snow days saved up to give the kids a day off.  And what do Aspen kids do with a snow day---sleep late and then play on their screens.  I couldn't rally anyone to go skiing.  Not my kids, not my kids friends.  No one.

My son is working his way through mastering the guitar for all of Boston's first album.  My daughter read and went to hockey (son had a Big Air class).  But no one went skiing.

Well except for me.  After doing a bit of work in the AM I hit the slopes around noon.  With a decent amount of fresh snow I went right to the top to ski various aspects of hanging valley.  While it was cold up top and I took a couple of crappy lines through baby ruth to start, the snow was great so I kept lapping.  On my second to last run the high alpine lift stopped 50 feet from the top.  As anyone who has been there knows that is a cold spot.  How cold?  Well the thermometer on the lift house showed a bit under 10 degrees and I would guess gusts of wind up to 30 mph (that is about -40F with the wind chill).  After about 5 minutes of freezing my butt off the lift started up again.  I had a GREAT run through the glades and went to go do it again.

Big mistake.  The next ride up high alpine the lift stopped.  For 30 minutes.  How do I know how long I was swinging in the wind--luckily I was much lower down this time and was able to listen to music playing from the speakers at Gwen's.  After 9 songs they re-started the lift which I am guessing was 30 minutes but there was no way I was taking my gloves off to check my watch.  At 1/4 speed.  Still being lower down was much more sheltered.  The guys near the top must have been dying.  And when I got off the lift I was greeted by ski patrol handing out coupons for $10.  I shoved the coupon in my glove to see if it warmed up my fingers--it didn't.  A quick run through the glades and down the hill and I was home walking the dogs and shaking like I had St. Vitus Dance.

As I sat in the hot tub post dog walk I started to think maybe the local kids knew what they were doing.