things that sux about Aspen

Happy New Year to you---as opposed to giving you 10 goals or aspirations or some maudlin new year crap like that I decided to let you know some things that suck about paradise

1.  windows and bears---it would be great to keep the windows open at night in the spring, summer and fall to cool the house down and enjoy the fresh air, but the bears won't allow that---

2.  X-mas, New Years and other high holiday times----I get used to no lift lifes and no clueless posers, and people who know how to handle a two way stop sign at a 4 way intersection, and then the holiday crowds arrive and it just makes me want to hide in my house till they go

3.  Guests---who ask for advice and then won't listen (leave a day early so you don't get nailed by a 3 day snow storm, wear you ski boots to the hill, no you can't get a dinner reservation for 10 with 6 hours notice for 7pm anywhere during x-mas-new years break)

4.  cynical SkiCo (Aspen Way--- love, community, unity, respect) and enjoy the $170 daily lift ticket and $12.25 for a slice of pepperoni pizza and $6 bucks for a large fountain drink.  Let me add that up for you. That is $18.25 for a slice of pizza sitting under a warming lamp, and a cup of soda that you grab at a large cafeteria (Merry Go Round @ Aspen Highlands) and then fight for a seat in a large crowded room while thinking about the Aspen Way.  Seems SkiCo respects short term $$$s but that pricing sure doesn't feel like love.  And Ski Co talks about wanting to diversify their customer base but at that price point you are pretty much looking at locals who bring their own and 0.1%ers.

5.  No Salt on the streets---I wonder what it will take for Aspen and CO to revisit that decision--maybe my kids bus sliding down the street into an intersection and getting T-boned by a large dump truck resulting in multiple deaths.

6.  Unwillingness to try new things (see above).  The City Manager for Aspen was just forced out of his job after 23 years.  Who holds a top job like that for 23 years?  Likewise SkiCo could surely use some fresh blood.  This town has next to zero operational excellence and that is largely a result of the same ski bums holding the same job for decades.  Aspen has not figured out how to draw new talent to the valley, and we are paying for it.

7.  Unwillingness to be honest.  The county is looking to expand the airport and terminal and the long time locals are resisting because---well they don't like change, don't like spending money, don't want people visiting etc.  They have come up with weird arguments like we don't want 737s to land here because........uh they have too many seats.  We don't want a bigger airport because it will allow more private jets (have you looked at the airport, I think every private jet in the world was parked out there last week).  While the airlines have indicated that they are shifting to larger jets that won't be able to land at ASE, we can tell UAL and AA what kind of jets they need to maintain.  Yea right.  Let's be honest, all of Aspen's economy revolves around tourism.  And while all of that doesn't come via the airport the majority does.  A bigger, nicer terminal (especially when flights start getting delayed which is normal given a bit of weather) and the ability to fly bigger jets from further locations with more seats will only help the local economy.  If UAL and AA stop flying here see how long it takes for your home price to drop from $1,500 a foot to $350 a foot and then tell me how happy you are with the current airport.

8.  Exploitative pricing---gas in Denver $1.88 a gallon.  Gas in Aspen $3.15 a gallon.

9.  Health insurance on the Western slope.  Basically see above, but if you want to know why national health insurance is coming, just try to buy health insurance on the Western slope of CO.  Its both expensive and doesn't provide the coverage you want.

10.  No uptick at gyms after new years.  WTF.  I thought that was an all American thing, but out here everyone works out so dang much you couldn't tell Jan 2nd from Dec 26th.