A Year of Change

Yup, in the middle of the night, another pile of snow came down the mountain between Copper and Vail. It was raining when I came back up yesterday around noon. The snow outside has really high water content and is almost like a slush. Not sure when they’ll reopen the highway. I guess it’s closed right now going into Glenwood Canyon where the boys need to go to get to Aspen for their lacrosse game this afternoon at 4. We’ll see.

I made it down early and managed to get all my errands done and made it back by about 1:30. Both boys had practice until 6 and then Lori picked them up. Today I’m on the computer and tomorrow I have a sales meeting in Denver at 10:30. So just another day and here we go. That’s it, see you tomorrow, GB.

UPDATE, Aspen just called a snow day so no game today. We didn’t want them driving over there anyway so this is good news. practice from 3:30 until 5.

I dropped the boys at 8 and and by 8:30 was about a football fields distance away from the tunnel when it all stopped. After sitting in traffic for 45 minutes and checking an app on my phone, I realized (thankfully before everyone else) that the highway would be closed for 6 hours or more. Being in the right lane, as I always give myself an out, I pulled onto the side of the road and drove up past all the cars to the tunnel. One idiot saw me coming and pulled out as if to block me like I was going 100 yards just to get in front of him. I gracefully pulled further on to the shoulder, gave him a friendly look along with a nice hand gesture and pulled into the hazardous truck parking lot at the tunnel. Without stopping I went up and over the service road that actually goes over the lanes of the highway and in two minutes was headed down I-70 back to Frisco with me being the only car on the road.

Cars were backed up for ten miles with people standing outside their vehicles not knowing what kind of wait they were in for. I did tell the young couple behind me before I decided to make my move and they followed me and were so thankful.

Once in Frisco I stopped at the pet store for dog food and then at Whole Foods. When I came out Lori called to tell me Vail Pass was closed, also due to avalanches. So now I was stuck. After assessing the situation, which wasn’t good, I headed towards Steamboat which was one of my two choices. I planned on driving past Green Mountain Reservoir and then was hoping to take a dirt road that was about 25 miles from Highway 9 over to State Bridge on the highway from Wolcott to Steamboat. A guy behind me asked me if it was open and I said I didn’t know but said he could follow me and if we get into trouble (meaning him in his economy car) I’d pull him out. Luckily only a couple other trucks, looked like local ranchers, knew of this shortcut and I made it with no problem. So finally by 2pm I was home.

Today I’ll try it all again and it’s already snowing a bit by the tunnel. I need to get down and up by 1:30 if possible. Wish me luck.

Jag went to lacrosse with limited gear but it counts as a practice as he needs five according to district rules before he can play in a game. He’ll travel with the team to Aspen tomorrow as that counts as a practice.

Not much else except I need to get everyone moving as the earlier I leave the earlier I’ll get back. I’m sure you all saw the avalanche on the news. Really not that big of a deal but you know the news, everything is sensationalized. I’m almost over my cold, at that coughing crap up stage, not fun. Oh I almost forgot, I slipped and fell on the ice the day before yesterday, nice. My hip and forearm are pretty bruised but nothings broken. Good thing I workout as much as I do as I think that helped. God Bless.

Ugh, I’m still sick but have to go to Denver today. Lori seems to be getting it too. It’s one of those runny nose, headache type things so I guess it could be worse. I hope (need) to be back up by 1 or 2 at the latest.

Ty hit the mountain yesterday while Jag and I hung out. Lots of slush yesterday with the warm temperatures. With all the schools closed Ty said the mountain was packed.

Time to go as my head hurts and I need to be on the road by 7. Tom, I’ll call when I’m stopping by to get Al’s disc. God Bless.

Today school is closed. That in itself says it all as school is never closed up here! This is the first time ever we can remember school being closed in Vail. There was a lot of snow but it stopped in the middle of the night and Lori and I think they actually could have kept it open today. Oh well, the boys are thrilled!

Yesterday for most of the day it was coming down at the rate of at least two inches an hour. Lori took Jag to Emma’s and that took 90 minutes and later in the day she left at 4:45 to go get Ty and Zoe from the movies and then pick up Jag and they didn’t get home until 7:45, 3 hours later! There was also a couple avalanches yesterday between Copper and Frisco so you get the picture, lots and lots of snow.

Today I need to get license plates for the Range Rover. I was going to Denver but will postpone that until tomorrow. I’m still trying to kick my cold which is a combination of a sore throat and runny nose, not fun.

The Dems are in full on attack mode now wanting stuff from years ago from 60 people as they couldn’t find any collusion. When will this crap stop. Again I sure don’t remember any of this going on when Obama won, twice. What a joke these people are. Term limits now!

The sky is sort of clear, nothing like it was yesterday. Time to get moving as Lori still needs to go to work. So much for Global warming too, right? God Bless.

Ok, today we have snow, lots of snow, probably 18 to 20 inches which is a lot of snow when you have to shovel it. Harley loves it bounding from here to there. Ty wants to head to the mountain and I was going to go with him but I’ve had a sore throat since yesterday. Ty went boarding yesterday, then went to lacrosse practice, then went back to town for some food with the girls and then to the closing ceremonies and then watched a little of the concert in town before Lori picked him up.

Jag stayed home and didn’t have such a good day. He and Emma were supposed to get together but couldn’t. She leaves today for a week of ski racing in Winter Park. Lori did get her nails done!

It’s not very cold up here, sort of warm which makes the snow that much heavier as it has a high water content. I started shoveling and Ty took over so I could have some coffee but now I need to get back out there. Have a great day, GB.

They say we’re supposed to get 16 to 24 inches of snow but as of 7:30 this morning, we have about an inch. We have a long way to go but it could happen. It’s a good snow with good water content. Personally I hope we don’t get that much as that’ll mean a lot of shoveling. Jag has a workout with his trainer at 9 and Ty is heading over to the Burton Open. Yesterday Ty had his picture taken with Red Gerard, the Gold Medal winner from the last Olympics and some other pro too. Lori had a pro rider from Switzerland in her office as he broke his back! Today Ty is going riding with the Burton Team, what fun for him.

Jag is going to play lacrosse so we’ll need to order up his gear today. Both boys do better when playing team sports so even though it costs more money, we’re all in. Jag and I went to lunch yesterday while Ty was at the mountain. Lori made it home around 6 after picking Ty up from practice. Ty has practice again today I think at 3:30.

I talked with Auntie Dee (Mom’s sister) yesterday. At 94 she’s still sharp as ever mentally. She says she’s in a wheelchair now but can still get up and down on her own. She said a few things that reminded me of Mom and she said she catches herself doing things now and then that too reminds her of Mom. When Lori and I are in Phoenix 3 weeks from today, we’re going to go by and see her.

Guess I’ll get going so I can go shovel. Have a great day, GB.

I woke up to maybe 3 inches of good skiing snow this morning. They say there’s more to come in the next 48 hours too. This is good news for the Burton Open which is the snowboard event with the top riders from all over the World. The entire school goes this afternoon to watch. Not sure how that affects lacrosse practice. Yesterday Ty was smacked on his hand and didn’t think much of it until he took off his glove and his saw his pinkie was split open. The gloves are almost as big as hockey gloves so he must have been hit pretty hard. I don’t think he needs stitches but it’s close.

Jag might play too and will decide today. All his friends want him to. Our first game is against Aspen over there next Thursday. I guess our team is really really good. Lots of the kids have been playing for 10 years.

Thankfully it’s Friday today. We need a break, bad. Harley has stayed home the past two days but I think I’ll take her to daycare today. Work is going pretty well for being two months in to the year. We hope to break ground on the house by the end of the month as Spring is on the way. We’re thinking of putting in a wood fired oven in the kitchen to make pizza’s and have an actual fire for atmosphere. You can also cook just about anything in one too. Our builder thinks we can do it pretty easy.

Lori just came down so time to go. Have a great day and weekend and God Bless.

Although I couldn’t live in California because of the State government, it was a nice 60 degrees and warm. The traffic though was mind blowing. It took like 20 minutes to go 5 miles. It was like last Spring or early summer here there and a nice break, even if only for 7 hours. My meetings were great as usual. I made it to the airport just in time to board my flight for home around 5:20. We landed in Denver and then I had the two hour drive up the hill putting me home at 11 pm. I was tired and still am here at 6:30 this morning. No time to waste though as I need to be back in Denver by 10 am!

Ty had his first day of Lacrosse and had a blast. He needs elbow pads and has a big bruise on his leg. Jag might play too, we’ll see. I need to get going so that’s it. Have a good day, GB.

I’m off for the airport in Denver in an hour for my 9:30 am flight to Costa Mesa. I’ll be back at 9 pm tonight. It was warm yesterday with a lot of water on the road from melting snow. We’re supposed to get hit again this weekend so it keeps on coming. Even though we’ve had a lot of snow, it’s great for the State as water is king.

Ty starts Lacrosse today and not sure what Jag has going. Lori is off so she’ll take the boys to school and then head to the gym. Then she’ll have the house to herself. I cleaned a bit so hopefully she can relax today but I’m sure she’ll get in to something. I just finished my coffee so time to go. Hope everyone is doing well, take care, GB.

Last night at 4:30 until about 6:30 we were at the Shakespeare Festival at school. Turns out this was optional as kids had to stand up in front of the school and parents and recite scenes from Shakespeare that they memorized. First off, extra points to both boys for volunteering. They went in order of grade so Ty was up pretty early and Jag near the end. Now this is hard to explain if you were not there but both boys were amazing! We had no idea they had this hidden talent. While a lot of kids acted out scenes with other kids, both our boys chose scenes where they were up there solo. That in itself is hard as some kids bagged out and left early even though they were supposed to perform. Others were giddy and laughing like little kids but both our boys were serious and quite into character. It was something to see.

Ty is playing Lacrosse as I said and we ordered him up gear, not cheap. Jag is doing Club Basketball which starts in a month or so. Lori has clinic today meaning she’ll go in early and I have a bunch of work to do in the office before being gone tomorrow for my day trip to California.

No snow and a lot melted on the roads. I think a little more is on the way but nothing serious. Jagger is sleeping in an extra hour this morning so he’ll go around 2nd period. That’s about it, time to get moving, GB.