Cycling More than Halfway Across the United States

Lindsey and Maggie at the Start of Route 66 in Chicago

It’s off season here in our mountain towns and many have headed out on big travels:  surfing in Costa Rica, digging at an archeological site in Peru and skiing in Chamonix, to name a few. I’ve stayed in Telluride to catch up on my writer’s life and take care of some personal business that was put on hold during the busy ski season. Plus, I like the quietude of off season and then going away to more hot and humid locales during the summer.

For now, I’m traveling vicariously through others in my writing, conversations with friends and interviews for Travel Fun, my radio show on travel based here in Telluride. Lindsey Mersereau, a Telluride local, and my guest on tonight’s program, airing at 6:30pm MST on KOTO, provided me with an especially ebullient interview. It’s no wonder she had the energy to pedal well over two thousand miles from Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California. She’s young, strong (both physically and mentally), enthusiastic and beautiful inside and out. What can I say? She’s a typical Telluride gal.

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Dear Mr. Obermeyer

Gondola Spotting

Please do not make a gazillion of the same jacket–or any other article of clothing or accessory for that matter–ever again. About a year ago I was thrilled to pick up my first Obermeyer piece in a ski shop at Snowbird, Utah. It was on sale, so I threw it in with a couple of sweaters I had selected that were also nicely discounted. I hesitated because the jacket was white with a faux fur collar, quite different from the more sporty jackets I had been wearing since I moved to Colorado almost a decade and a half ago.

“Does it make me look like too much of a snow bunny?” I asked my boyfriend.

“No, I think you look cute in it, Hun.”

“Thanks. I think it will be versatile–it’s the kind of jacket that should look good both on the mountain and off.”

Me Feeling Stylin’Early On

So once December rolled around, I couldn’t wait to break it out. There’s nothing like a new ski jacket, your go-to item on and off the slopes in every mountain town. I felt good wearing it and although I discovered I needed to wash it frequently, the white made me feel fresh and crisp while the design made me feel totally stylin’.

Bunny Hill Spotting

Then Christmas hit and with that busy time of year came an influx of visitors. As a ski instructor for the Telluride Ski & Snowboard School, I was in my uniform every day but still, I wasn’t immune to the fact that I started to see “my jacket” all over the mountain. I began to count the sightings daily: first one to three, then in peak times four to six. By the time spring break hit, there were days that I’d spot as many as eight or ten on the mountain. Quel horreur!

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So Much Heart

David, Joanna, Dennis and Me at UC Health Denver in Early March

One of the best parts about being sick is seeing how much it brings people together. Amid all the pain and suffering, there is so much love. And, of course, love promotes healing.

I have been living this since early January when my brother, David, was diagnosed with Stage 4 laryngeal cancer. (I’ll post more on this at a later date.)

This story, however, is mostly about my friend and fellow ski instructor, Dennis Huis. Dennis is the lucky recipient of a new heart and although he has a long way to go in terms of healing, he’s already doing so much better.

I saw Dennis, one of Telluride Ski Resort’s top instructors, in December and I could tell right away he was not well. Next thing I knew I learned that he was in Denver awaiting a heart transplant! Wow–you can bet that created a lot of buzz in the locker room. I found out about this about the same time that I began to help my brother sort out his diagnosis and treatment.

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It’s Time for Spring Skiing in Telluride

Beautiful Telluride, Colorado

OK, in truth we already had a ton of spring-like skiing in Telluride throughout the holidays and into the new year. (Read A Crazy Happy Holiday Season in Aspen, Telluride and Redstone.) What we lacked in snow, we more than made up for in sunshine and warm weather. (And boy does that make most of the visitors happy.)

Gorgeous

Looking Out on Top of Lookout

Adults Having Fun

And then came winter! The storms rolled in with the consistency of a heartsick lover pining over his one true love in February until all became dreamy and white. And then suddenly all was well with the world and the mountain. By mid-February, Telluride Ski Resort snowmaking finally put away their equipment and let Mother Nature take over full-time. They did a stupendous job this year, something that became even more apparent to me when I skied some scratchy and sketchy trails at other resorts. “We wouldn’t open a run until it was really good,” says Brandon Green, head of snowmaking in Telluride. And indeed, the skiing and riding on the manmade and the natural snow have been very good. Yes, despite many people’s fears, the season shaped up nicely.

Kids Having Fun

And now the great spring break week is upon us. Known as “the Texas week,” it’s one of the busiest weeks on the mountain. (But don’t worry, Telluride never becomes that busy.) Then we have three weeks after that until closing on Sunday, April 8th, three weeks that are among the most fun on the mountain due to all the end-of-season partying.

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A Crazy Happy Holiday Season in Aspen, Telluride and Redstone

Hitting the Fresh Pow in Telluride

Fresh Powder Turns Today in Aspen

Yay, I knew that if I were to write this story, the snows would come! Telluride received 9 inches of fresh overnight, 11 inches the past 24 hours and 15 inches the last 48. And boy, was it needed. Aspen is enjoying a good blanketing as well. In addition to the fresh snow, let’s hope this signals a significant breaking down of the high pressure system that has been sitting over Colorado (and Utah, Arizona and New Mexico actually) for the past two months!

Yet despite the paltry snow conditions, the resorts have managed to crank out a good product.

The Top of Buttermilk this Week

Teaching Snowboarding at Buttermilk

I’m back in Aspen dealing with some family matters. I arrived here Thursday night, just a month after I flew in here from a very extended stay on the east coast. Wow, what a month it has been!

Happy Clients in Telluride at Christmas

Perfect Outside Dining Weather in Colorado this Winter

After an initial few days in Aspen in December, I threw myself into the busy-ness of gearing up for ski season; this entailed rounding up my ski clothing and gear, stocking the house with an almost winter’s-worth of provisions and working my ski legs back into shape by doing my Telluride Ski & Snowboard School training.

Ski School Training in Telluride

Piles of Provisions

A nasty cold almost thwarted the start to my ski instructing schedule but thanks to mega doses of Vitamin C, fluids and fresh, chopped garlic (yes, I even had two cloves for breakfast, lunch and dinner a couple of days–followed by a chaser of Listerine of course) I was able to knock it out of my system pretty fast. I pulled it together–training, shopping, cooking and even a little decorating–to embark upon a super busy holiday season that required me to teach skiing ten days in a row.

Winter Light Show in Telluride

Phew! We always go from to zero to 150mph in no time flat. But that’s life in a resort town, especially one that typically has its busiest week of the year between Christmas and New Year’s.

Torchlight Parade: A Telluride Tradition

Happy New Year to All

By now, you must be wondering when I’m going to mention the elephant in the room–the fact that we’ve all been going about business as usual without much help from Mother Nature. Yes, indeed, it has been shocking how little natural snow we’ve had. Up through the end of last week, the snow totals for the season in Aspen and Telluride rang in at barely 20 inches. Yikes!

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27 Oct 2017, 3:01pm
Colorado Discovery Map Telluride The Northeast Travel
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Comments Off on Top Reasons to Go to Stowe, Vermont

Top Reasons to Go to Stowe, Vermont

Stowe, Vermont

If you read my story Touring Country Stores in Stowe, Vermont with Mom, you already know that I recently had a lot of fun in and around this cute little mountain town. I’ve since done my write ups for Discovery Map, which feature Stowe-pendous Adventures and Vermont Country Shopping in Stowe. Do check them out and you’ll find a bushel of reasons as to why you should plan a trip to Stowe.

What surprised me the most about Stowe? Well, I have to admit I didn’t realize there was such a cute little historic town attached to this world renowned ski resort. Once there, I discovered this wonderful New England village that made its mark on this part of Vermont long before the ski mountain existed.

Since I’ve been living in Telluride, Colorado for over fourteen years, I couldn’t help but draw comparisons between these two mountain towns. They’re oh-so different yet both are very inviting and definitely integral parts to the overall ski experience.

To me, Stowe felt tucked in, it appeared nestled into the Green Mountains like a sleeping outdoor enthusiast beneath a pile of quilts. You don’t always see the mountains from town, but when you do–when you peek out upon a green space in between buildings–you gaze out onto bucolic vistas punctuated by old, well-worn mountains. These views–like the town–are quiet, charming and oh-so comforting.

Telluride in contrast, with peaks soaring up into the 12,000-14,000-foot range, is mighty and majestic. And the ski mountain inspires sometimes beyond reason, too.

We need both in our lives, don’t we? We all need some yang to balance out our yin.

As for the skiing, I’ve been told that Stowe holds its own, that there are many challenges to be met on their slopes. I hope to try it some day. In the meantime, I’m looking forward to heading back to T-ride and perhaps adding some yang to my yin.

Thank you to Stowe Mountain Resort for the use of the above photo.

In Praise of Palisade and Colorado Peaches

Peach Syrup at Talon Winery

Ball: One of Many Fruit Stands in Palisade

Main Street Palisade

Pretty Palisade

I’ve been back east in upstate New York most of the summer. Probably the best part of being here is that I’m loving the warm, humid weather. It’s a welcome change from the chilly and rainy days that are so much a part of July and August in Telluride. (The monsoonal flow brings terrific moisture to our arid western climate but boy, can it bring on the blues, especially since it snows well into May in Colorado’s mountain towns and as much as I love the snow, I do require a good, long blast of heat in the summer.)

But what I miss most are the peaches.

Americans love to talk about Georgia peaches. But those in the know, know that Colorado peaches are the best. Sorry, Georgia. But I really am speaking the truth here. I might go so far as to say that our Colorado peaches are even better than those from Provence. Mon dieu!

Heading Out of Grand Junction

View from My Car

On My Way to Palisade

Palisade, Colorado, a charming little town just outside of Grand Junction, is the peach capital of our beautiful Rocky Mountain state. Don’t worry, temps there run about twenty degrees hotter than in our mountain towns and rain is scarce. (Thankfully the smartly irrigated lands off of the Colorado River provide a fertile environment for the growing of peaches, grapes and other delicious fruit.)

Pretty Palisade

So Palisade

I popped into Palisade on a weekday in early June on my way back from some doctoring in Grand Junction. (Yes, that’s life in the mountains; folks from our best known ski resort towns must travel about two and a half hours for tests and treatments, which most people have just a short drive from their home.) So I decided to make it fun and stop by some of the places that give this quaint little town much of its charm. The peaches weren’t in season yet, however, the cherries were plump, luscious and as sweet as candy.

Right now–the latter part of August–is considered the height of peach season and this weekend the Palisade Peach Festival will be in full bloom. Colorado Mountain Winefest goes off here September 14-17.

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The Western: An Epic in Art and Film

The Western: An Epic in Art and Film

Denver Art Museum Entrance

Love this Remington

A Great Synopsis of Westerns

Symbolism in Art

I love Westerns. I love the Denver Art Museum. I love the exhibition The Western: An Epic in Art and Film. Sorry for gushing but I think it’s wonderful!

I saw it in Denver a few weeks ago and I had a smile on my face as I walked through every room of this beautiful show–once again DAM has done a magnificent job with this installation, which creates a setting that makes you feel as though you just stepped into the wild, wild West.

Tune into KOTO.org at 6:30pm MST tonight to listen to my Travel Fun interview with Thomas Brent Smith, co-curator of the exhibition The Western: An Epic in Art and Film. Even if you’re not able to attend the show in Denver, which runs through September 10, you’ll learn much about Westerns and why we love films and artwork that depict the great American West. Thank you, Thomas, for such an eloquent and articulate conversation about the show and why Westerns conjure up such an array of emotions for so many.

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