Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday my life was very routine, just like many vacations tend to be. The day started off by waking up around 7:30AM enjoying some classic cartoons thanks to Hank, the 9 year old, and then layering on snowboarding gear in order to be the first ones on the slopes by 8:30AM. From 8:30AM until the ski lifts closed at 3:30PM the only break we took was to stop somewhere for lunch. Which included places such as Sam's Smokehouse and Cafe Suzanne. After making our exhausting last run for the day, all of us would stumble back to our condo, almost too tired to walk. We then would have about an hour and a half to relax and freshen up, before we needed to be on the 5PM bus into Aspen in order to arrive to our dinner reservations on time. The free bus ride into Aspen from Snowmass Village took around 30 minutes, stopping at various places along the way such as Buttermilk (where the x games take place) and the Aspen airport. After dinner we took the 8:45PM bus back to Snowmass, which would give us just enough time to run back to the condo, make a rum and Coke and hit the hot tub before it closed at 10PM =] I am not embarrassed to say I was in bed by 10:30PM every night; with that kind of schedule it was impossible to fight of sleep much longer.
Now of course all of this didn't happen without some entertaining stories along the way. The first taking place on Tuesday morning during our first run of the day. Myself, Tom, Cooper (age 14) and Hank( age 9) were flying down a run because we were the only ones on the mountain that early in the morning. The thought of "I haven't boarded this fast in my life" was exactly what I was thinking milliseconds before the collision happened. That's right collision. Cooper, flying down the mountain as well, skied directly over my path, and clipped the front end of my snowboard. As you can imagine I flew head over heels multiple times until my fall was eventually broken, and Cooper was launched across the mountain; skis unattached. Luckily for us, a bloody nose, a small black eye and a couple scratches on my face were the only evidence of the crash. It could have been much worse!
There also was the time when I was coerced into going down a black diamond. (The above photo was taken moments before this story took place) When I examined the hill before attempting to conquer it, it looked manageable... who was I kidding!? Before I knew it I was thigh deep in powder, surrounded by pine trees and very steep ravines. Seeing the only way out was to take off my snowboard, I did so and started walking in the direction where I knew there was an easier trail. Keep in mind the rest of my party somehow ended up way ahead of me and are nowhere to be found. After reaching an opening in the trees, and a side of the mountain I could conquer, I sat down and started strapping on my board. Can things get worse? Of course. Being tired from the day since this happened around 3pm, and shaky, since I was just lost in the woods, before I knew it my board was riding down the hill without myself attached to it. My board final comes to a halt about 250 feet away from me, so as a result I have to scoot down on my butt until I reach it. Humiliating is an understatement. FINALLY reaching my board, and securing my feet this time, I am off the Sheer Bliss lift, where we all were planning on meeting. Reunited with the rest of my party, I was frustrated because they left me, but realizing they were scared about my whereabouts, I was just glad to see them. From this we learned 2 things:
1) Always have me be in the front of the pack
2) No more double blacks.
Looking back on this adventure at dinner, we all laughed. I mean these stories would only happen to me and you need some adventure in order to make the trip memorable =]
Memories were also made off the mountain as well when we traveled into Aspen for our nights. The places we dined at were exquisite. From the posh decor, unique menu's and the unbelievable customer service we received,these restaurants were the nicest dinners I have ever enjoyed. The list includes Brexi's Brasserie, BB's Kitchen and the most elegant of them all Montagna, which is located inside the 5 star Hotel The Little Nell located at the base of Ajax Mountain. (Ajax Mountain is home to Aspen Mountain) Brexi's Brasserie was a french cuisine and enjoying a drink in this establishment would be an excellent idea if you are in the neighborhood. Their bar area is complete with dim lighting and comfortable couches. Their bar area is also secluded from the rest of the restaurant making it much more private and comfortable than the normal dinning area.
BB's Kitchen was casual, family oriented but yet still offered unique delicacies such as octopus, and calf's liver. They are planning on opening a porch seating area this upcoming spring which will over look a courtyard and will be complete with deck heaters in order to stay warm once the sun disappears. In order to wrap up the entire casual atmosphere waiters and waitress sport jeans, button downs and ties, along with converse shoes; the color of their choice.
When it comes to The Little Nell and dining at Montagna, our table was treated like royalty. My experience was comparable to the one Leonardo Dicaprio had, when he was dining in the first class of the historic Titanic. From the luscious sofa we sat on, the 68 page wine list (over 20,000 different bottles), the breathtaking view of Ajax Mountain and their home-made pastas, I couldn't as for much more. Our meal consisted of a 4 courses and with Montagna having a prix fixe dinner menu, it was too easy to ignore the prices. Because on Montagna's well executed portions, along with the timing between when each course was served, guests leave feeling perfectly satisfied and are able to ignore the huge hole that formed in their wallet while they were enjoying =]
When it comes to The Little Nell and dining at Montagna, our table was treated like royalty. My experience was comparable to the one Leonardo Dicaprio had, when he was dining in the first class of the historic Titanic. From the luscious sofa we sat on, the 68 page wine list (over 20,000 different bottles), the breathtaking view of Ajax Mountain and their home-made pastas, I couldn't as for much more. Our meal consisted of a 4 courses and with Montagna having a prix fixe dinner menu, it was too easy to ignore the prices. Because on Montagna's well executed portions, along with the timing between when each course was served, guests leave feeling perfectly satisfied and are able to ignore the huge hole that formed in their wallet while they were enjoying =]
Returning to college life after such an amazing trip has not been enjoyable or easy. I have had to adjust back to my late night bedtimes, instant mashed potatoes and box macaroni and cheese dinners, along with attending classes I have skipped for an entire week. However, with spring break and Fort Lauderdale only 10 days away I think I will be able to handle the challenge =]
Wish I saw a moose,
The Travelista
P.S. More things I learned on my trip out west...
1) Timberline Condominiums have heated roads and sidewalks!
2) Indianapolis International Airport does not have free Wifi and their long term parking is $12/day!
3) Although Denver International Airport does have free Wifi, one cannot watch shows off hulu.com or abc.com
4) Fat Tire is only distributed to 26 U.S. States
5) Sandwiches with Cole Slaw on them are delicious, even if you don't like cole slaw
6) The 5 Snow Cats that groom the ski slopes at Snowmass have 2 shifts: 4pm-12am and 12am-8am
7) opentable.com is a website where you can see available dinner reservations in your location and book right then and there
8) The term "Apres Ski" refers to the time after the ski lifts close and guests visit restaurants for a quick drink and appetizers. Is comparable to Happy Hour. Apres Ski takes place around 3pm and ends around 7pm.
