Spring Snow

It's Spring in Colorado. Sunny one minute, snowing the next minute.

A couple Saturday's ago we went to ABasin to celebrate Kristi's birthday at the "beach." It snowed the whole day. Luckily Tracy wore her french fry outfit which kept her pretty dry. Unfortunately Big Mac did not make it to the slopes. Stan was running a little late that morning from a cancelled flight Friday night (first cancelled flight in a year and a half...not bad). But he did make it for a couple runs. Even Frisco got to enjoy the "beach" a little...running around with all the other dogs. If you're ever out in Colorado...you definitely need to experience ABasin and it's beach front.

Sunday we hit Keystone for all the powder from the day before. Mark & Brian joined us as we hiked the Outback. About a 30 minute hike to enjoy fresh tracks. We took the CAT for a second run (a 5 min ride for $5).

This past weekend we rode again at Keystone and then enjoyed Keystone's Blues & BBQ fest before heading over to Copper Mountain for the first week of their Sunsation series. De La Soul played a shortened show while the snow came down. Ran into a bunch a people, including Geoff and Sarah and their new baby girl, Kaelin; Chris and Kim and their baby, Grady; Mary and Noah up from Durango; Kristi was up from Denver; and even Erica was feeling good enough to make it out (had sinus surgery a couple weeks ago).

Sunday, we hit up Breckenridge for a nice groomer day. Monday was racquetball where Tracy finally won a game. Monumental!!

Now that Tracy is done with snowboard instructing...she is a full time Realtor with Coldwell Banker. Ready to help you buy a beautiful mountain home in the Rockies!!

Enjoy the pix from our day at Keystone.

Hiking up Keystone for fresh tracks.

We made...that's Breckenridge in the background.

Brian & Stan at the top.

Stan strapping in.

Mark...posing or shredding?

Tracy glancing down at the fresh pow!!

Annual Ski/Ride Trip

Kelly & Colley arrived in Colorado on Friday, March 2nd for the annual ski/ride trip. Unfortunately, Ron & Karen had a bit of a delay, but ended up arriving Saturday.

A quick recap:

Saturday: ABasin with Kel & Colley. Met up with Kristi from Denver & Colley's friends from Breck, Tyler, Jared & Darren. Saturday night Stan's big birthday bash.

Sunday: Keystone...day 1 with the ski trip crew.

Monday: Breckenridge. Met up with Ben. Took with a hike up Peak 7 bowl. Monday night Foodapoo tourney at our house...Team Stan & Colley defeated Team Tron (Tracy/Ron) later in the week for the champ title. Better luck next time Team Kelly & Ben and Team Karen & Craig.

Tuesday: Vail. After trying the back bowls which hadn't gotten snow for a week...we stayed on the groomers and ended up finding some great runs. Met up with Harriett & Susie at Apres Ski in Vail Village.

Wednesday: Shopping Break...hit the Outlets, lunch at Rasta Pasta in Breck...quick meeting with Erica.

Thursday: Last day of riding and probably the best of the week...Copper Mountain, wild weather, snow, sun, snow, sun all day long. Hit the half pipe & the park. Thursday night was Ladies Night at the Dillon Dam Brewery...joined by some fellow locals, Ben, Brian, Khristian, Billy & Tyler, Jared and Darren from earlier this week.

Lots of warm & sunny weather. Hot tubbing & apres skiing every night. All in all...a great week which flew by. Here are some pix...will try and get some video from Ron later.

Colley, Stan, Kel & Tracy at ABasin on Saturday...view of Keystone & Breckenridge in the background.

Kel, Stan, Tracy, Karen & Ron on the way to the slopes at Keystone on Sunday.

What is that growth on Ron's eye? It's the new HD video camera in it's waterproof casing. Don't we look like pros...ski & ride like pros too.

Stan & Kel shreddin at Keystone.

Karen, Stan, Tracy, Colley Ron & Kel at the top of the highest lift in the States...Imperial Express at Breckenridge. We then shredded the ridge and the Peak 7 bowl behind the sign.

Stan shreddin the ridge...great view of Copper on the right and the Peak 7 bowl on the left. And that's Karen just finishing her cruise on the ridge...

Kel & Colley, getting prepared to shrow the steep Peak 7 bowl.

The crew stopped to pose with Rocky Mt Chocolate bear at the outlets.

Kel & Tracy at the top of Vail's Blue Sky Basin.

Lunch break at Vail.

Stan & Tracy at the bottom of Copper...snowing right now, but sunny in about 10 minutes.

Kel, Stan & Tracy enjoying Apres Ski at Copper.

MIA

So we've been a bit mia lately. Here's what's been going on.

Tracy worked at Loveland teaching kids and adults to snowboard over President's Day Weekend. Well almost all weekend. It snowed like crazy Friday & Saturday so I-70 was closed Saturday morning which meant Tracy couldn't make it to work that day. Brian was in town from MD for the week, so we headed to ABasin to shrow the pow...without Stan who was still recovering from a minor back ache.

Last week, Tracy spent her days painting the master bedroom a light brown...turned out looking great!!

This weekend Stan's back was well enough to hit the slopes again. More snow hit this weekend so riding at Keystone was great...especially Monday morning...snowed all morning. Tracy went to her first Coldwell Banker Real Estate meeting on Tuesday...very exciting. Jumping into the Summit County market!! Who needs a home? Wed was another snowboard instructor day at Loveland...1 adult student made it an enjoyable day.

Tracy is off to the Denver airport Friday to pick up Stan, Kel, Colley, Ron & Karen for a week of shredding. It's been snowing every day...including all day Wednesday, so the slopes should be ready for them.

For now...enjoy the pix of our new room color.

Chewey & Frisco rolling around in the snow.

The Master Bedroom's new paint color...

Who is this masked man?

Ice & Shreddin'

Dave & Teri came up from Denver for the day to take me to breakfast at Arapahoe Cafe and to check out the Ice Sculptures in Breckenridge.

Also, enjoy the videos of Stan & Tracy shredding up Keystone's Spring Dipper run. We'll try and get better videos this weekend.

Ice Sculpture of the CME shuttle that takes Stan to and from the airport.

Oregon's snow sculpture of "Old Man Winter."

Elephants from the rear.

Tracy

Stan

XGames in Aspen

We headed to Aspen this weekend for the Winter X Games and to visit some friends.

Thanks to Ken & Stacy for letting us crash at their place. They live right in town. Kristy was up from Denver for the weekend too.

Sat afternoon, we took a few runs at Snowmass, then headed to Buttermilk to watch some of the X Games and to catch up with our friends from Breck, Tiff, Brian & Susie. We caught the last 2 riders for Snowboard Slopestyle (Danny Davis & Shaun White). We then headed to Aspen for Apres ski at Zanes, then headed back to the X Games for Snowboard Half-Pipe Elimination & Snowmobile SnoCross. Afterwards met up with Ken, Stacy & Kristi for dinner at Blue Maize in Aspen. We then headed over to listen to the hip hop artist from the xmas gap commercial, Common (Peace, Love & Gap). Tiff, Brian & Susie had a hotel room right behind the stage so we got to get out of the cold!! Met up with Phillip later at Taka then Brunos (where he bartends).

Sunday, after a gourmet breakfast prepared by Ken & Stacy, we decided to take the dogs for a walk. Ken & Stacy have a 1 yr old black lab, Taj and Phillip has Taj's brother, Harper. We walked through town and John Denver park. Had lunch with Phillip, then followed Ken to his new house in the making in Basalt, about 20 minutes out of Aspen. Then we were off to Dillon.

Monday we played a little raquetball and foosball before Stan had to go.

Enjoy the pix.

Stan & Tracy at the top of Snowmass Mountain in Aspen.

Watching the Men's Halfpipe Elimination at the X Games.

Shaun White in the Slopestyle. Look closely.

from left: Ken, Tracy, Stan, Stacy, Kristi

it was a bit chilly

Brian, Susie, Tiff & Stan getting ready for Snowmobile SnoCross to start!!

SML Rocks

While Stan was in DC...his band, SML (Stan, Matt, Lars) landed a "gig" to open for a band that is touring the east coast, the BrightWings. They played in Old Town Alexandria at Bistro Europa on January 17th for about 45 minutes.

Enjoy the pix...compliments of Kristen...

from left: Lars, Stan, Matt

jammin...

Stan, the Rockstar!

Back 2 Da Snow

Tracy & Frisco made it back to Colorado Tuesday night in one piece and no storms.

Wednesday, Brian M. from VA came into town again and we headed out with Tiff, Brian & John to Vail Pass for some backcountry snowmobiling and riding. Brian & Tiff both have a snowmobiles, so they towed me, Brian M. & John into the backcountry. We took turns being towed up the mountain and riding down. Tracy even got to drive one of the snowmobiles...so fun!! There was a bit of a mishap with Tiff's snowmobile... As she was towing John up the steep part of the mountain, the snowmobile lost it's umf and started turning back down the mountain...it almost flipped so Tiff jumped off and the snowmobile glided down the mountain into a tree.

We went out to Vail Pass again on Thursday, but this time with Christian, who has his own snowmobile. So much powder...up to our waist. Thursday night was Ullr Fest, Norse God of Snow celebration in Breckenridge. We watched the Ullr Fest parade then celebrated afterwards. Stan arrived Thursday night and met us in Breck.

Friday, Tracy had to work...well sort of. I didn't end up getting a class so I took a couple clinics. Spent the day practicing riding fakie, 180's, and even hit a box in the terrain park. Actually ended up landing on my head on the 2nd box...no injuries.

Saturday, Beaver Creek reported 16" of new snow, so there we went. Sunday, Tracy had to work again, so Stan came along to Loveland to ride. After riding we played a bit of racquetball. Tracy had to work again on Monday so Stan got to do some house work before he headed to the airport.

Enjoy the pix.

Tiff on her new snowmobile.

Tiff's snowmobile crashed into a tree.

Tracy driving snowmobile.

Christian towing Brian M.

The group taking a rest at Beaver Creek.

Tracy, holding the blue board with her fellow snowboard instructors.

Welcome 2007...

Stan & Tracy flew to Atlanta on Friday, Dec 29th for the Chick-Fil-A Bowl game, VT vs UGA.

We arrived Friday night and had a fantastic tour guide drive us from the airport to our free hotel room (compliments of Ron) in Buckhead. Went to a local bar in Buckhead that night with Ron, Karen, Black, Frampton & Charlotte. Saturday we met up with Sweets, MA & MA's friend Anne who lives in Atlanta. We headed downtown and hung out in the CNN building tailgating. We then met up with Uncle Nick, Nancy, Mark & Mona and a couple of Nancy’s friends at PittyPats in Downtown Atlanta for a delicious Southern dinner. Thanks Uncle Nick & Aunt Nancy. Saturday night was the game. We won't talk too much about the game since the Hokies found a way to lose even after being in the lead at half time.

Sunday we met Sweets, MA & Anne at the Georgia Aquarium. Very cool!! Loved the Beluga Whales. We then walked through Centennial Olympic Park, along Peachtree St and to the Marriot Marquis...so cool!! Sunday night we all went to Anne's to bring in the New Year!! Monday we flew home!

We wish everyone a happy and prosperous New Year! Hello 2007!

CNN...

Tailgating...Ron, Karen, MA, Anne, Sweets & Stan

Dinner @ PittyPats...

Go Hokies...

Fish faces at the GA Aquarium

Hanging with the fishies...

Giant Grouper

Beluga Whales are mesmerizing

We found Nemo

Stan, Ron & Black hanging out with some Olympic founder guy.

Looking up from the lobby at the Marriot Marquis.