February 9
This morning, we had powder, packed powder, and some sun. Our group skied hard, moving from the back of the area across the Burn to Alpine Springs. We had misjudged how cold it was and retreated to the Alpine Springs lodge for hot liquids. I had a fun run down Lodge Pole, but by then, the sun had gone behind clouds, and the light was flat. Vicki and I had planned to make a couple more runs, but we decided to ski down due to the deteriorating conditions.
We have one more week at Snowmass and will be on our own. We are skiing better than ever, though I can’t stay out as long as I would like due to limited stamina and back pain. Afternoon naps, stretching, icing, early bedtimes, and alcohol moderation have helped me to stay in the game. My strategy has been to ski hard and then go in early. I try to stay away from, years ago, I could do this or that, thinking.
Our group will have a final dinner at Venga Venga, the Mexican restaurant near our hotel. It is an après ski spot with live music, so we’ll see how it goes. In the late 60s, I would drink beer and dance the polka with the rest of the ski crowd at the Red Onion in Aspen. Then we would go to dinner. Please find me a piano bar, a martini, and a nice meal at this juncture, and I am good.
Venga Venga was mobbed, so we ate at Big Hoss, which worked well. Before leaving our hotel, I talked with the manager, Ken, who has sons aged 9 and 11. He told me that his sons were on the racing team and that their school arranged the team’s schedule so that they could ski in the afternoon. A private chair lift from the school took team members to Aspen Highlands for practice. The sons also played hockey, and there was a rink behind the school. He joked that his sons and their friends didn’t know how good they had it and were oblivious to the resources available to them. We had a good laugh.
for Roger Leonard