Aspen, Colorado
October 2000

    Aspen is such a magical place for me. This year seemed to be the best....and worst. I think I speak for alot of people - Pup, Kim and BJ would agree I'm sure.

    Pup and I want to thank everyone for voting us (and John Sommers) for the Golden Eagle Award. That HAS to be the best thing (IMO) that happened to me this year! I carried that Plaque EVERYWHERE! LOL! It means so much to me! AGAIN THANK YOU!

    As with last year, pictures would tell the story of this year's journey to Aspen, Colorado.  So once again, I will do a photo journal of my adventures with a couple of narrative highlights thrown in.  Get comfy in front of your computer and come on in.......
 


Thursday, October 5

    The adventure all started here with my picking up WolfPup at the airport in the morning.  We spent the day running various errands to finish last minute details.  BJ Whitefeathers and Kim (AspenBelle) Bailey would be joining us to drive to Aspen.  The first to arrive was BJ.  Kim made her appearance about an hour later.  We spent the evening chatting and surprised BJ with her very own birthday (belated) cake!  She could barely find her voice let alone words to express her thanks.  After all the festivities, we managed to settle down into our sleeping spaces to catch a few winks before it was time to hit the road.
 
 

Friday, October 6

    We were up bright and early, before the sun was even up!  We quickly dressed and packed the cars (my Denvermobile Trooper and Kim's FarOut Honda) and were on our way at 5:30 am.  Taking turns driving, we made it all the way to Abilene, Kansas before stopping for the night (not that we WANTED to, but we knew common sense was needed).  Somewhere in between, Kim and BJ got their first taste of a REAL Cherry Limeade from Sonic.


 

Saturday, October 7

    Again, we were up early.  After getting some breakfast, we were on the road once again.  It seemed like forever before we FINALLY cross the border from Kansas into COLORADO!  We had made it!



    We stopped in Limon, Colorado to let BJ spend her birthday money on gifts.  Then it was onward to Georgetown!  After viewing the sites in town, we checked into the Georgetown Motor Inn and headed to town for dinner at the Red Ram.
 
 

    Then it was back to our room for some shuteye, though we were almost too excited to sleep as we knew we'd be in Aspen the next day.
 
 

Sunday, October 8

    First stop this morning was breakfast at Happy Cooker.  Kim and I showed off our name tags of people we were "carrying" to Aspen.
 
 

    Before leaving Georgetown, we decided to take a drive up Guenella Pass.  The road of this pass is mostly unpaved.  The people of Georgetown were protesting plans to pave it completely.  The drive provided some awesome views!

Guenella Pass

    It was then time to head out of town and on to ASPEN!  We took the road over Independence Pass.  Making a short stop at the top for a group pix.


 

Monday, October 9

    Our first full day in Aspen!  We learned that BEARS were on the prowl around town as evident by the warning noticed posted at the Limelite.  We needed to go to Glenwood Springs to pick up my wheelchair.  But before we did that, we had to make a stop at the Pitkin County Jail.  BJ, Kim Pup and I drove out to Aspen together in 2 cars. Kim stayed at the Mountain Chalet and we stayed at the Prospector (a condo). I  went to sign in and they told me I could park my Trooper out front, so we did. The next morning when I was down at the office getting a message someone had left for me, Pup comes down and said I had a parking ticket! I have a handicapped sticker so we thought it would be okay. Well, it wasn't.

    BJ, Kim, Pup and I, with my cane, went to jail. We went up the elevator and when we got to the top floor found out it was closed!  Columbus Day!  We'd try again the next day, but for now, on to Maroon Bells and Glenwood Springs.

    After returning to Aspen, we met up with some people, including Pup's parents, to go to Woody Creek Tavern for dinner.  We were treated to this beautiful rainbow before we left!


 

Tuesday, October 10

    First order of business for today was to return to Pitkin County Jail.  Only this time I had overdid it and my knees were giving me fits. I had to be wheeled around behind the jail. We went up in the elevator and found out we had to go to court (I was going to fight this ticket!)!

     So with Kim's and Pup's help, they wheeled me several blocks to the courthouse. I told the teller I didn't think I deserved
 the parking ticket and she told me I had to go back to jail!  Ugh! Okay, don't lose it now, Wolf! LOL!

    So we went back to the jail. If anyone in a wheelchair (rented) can attest, Aspen in NOT wheelchair ready! The mall has bricks for a walkway and it gets pretty bumpy and hard to push. Anyway, we went back to jail and they were extremely nice to me, and let me off with a warning! I even bought a tye-dyed t-shirt that says Property of Aspen PEACE Dept! LOL!

    I hope that's my first and last time in the Pitkin County Jail!

    Another stop for today was the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES).
 
 

Wednesday, October 11
John Adams Concert

Thursday, October 12

 
John Denver Sanctuary Clean Up


Friday, October 13

    Today was a full and busy day!  Starting with attending the readings at Tapestry in Aspen.  This event was put on to raise money for the victims of the Littleton School shooting.  Immediately afterwards, a bunch of us joined with Mel Trondson to go to a nearby Assisted Living Home and sing for the residents.  Then it was back to Aspen in time to catch a showing of the Mardy Murie film.  The film truly shows the courage and determination of this wonderful woman.  After grabbing some dinner, it was off to Carbondale, Co. to attend a concert highlight the Earthbeat Choir, John Adams, Ellen Stapenhorst and Jim Connors.

Tapestry in Aspen
Assisted Living Home Sing Along
Mardy Murie Film
Carbondale Concert
 

Saturday, October 14

    Another BUSY day!  First order of the day was attending Pam and Richard's wedding.  They couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day for an outside wedding.  Someone was surely looking out and approved!  It was then off for a brief stop at the Auction set up by Pam Beasley and Mary Ledford before heading back to the condo to prepare for the Tower dinner and Wheeler Concert.

Caudle Wedding
Auction
Tower Dinner
Wheeler Concert
 

Sunday, October 15

Snowmass Chapel Service
Grotto's
 

Monday, October 16

    The "last" official day of events with the picnic at the John Denver Sanctuary.  We were again blessed with a beautiful day and the gracious voice of John Adams.  Kim, BJ, Pup and I then took a tour of a ghost town.

Picnic at John Denver Sanctuary
Ashcroft
 

Tuesday, October 17
 

Wednesday, October 18

    The last full day in Aspen.  Kim, BJ, Pup and I went to Maroon Bells for some last minute reflecting.  We also went to Glenwood Springs to return the wheelchair and on the way back to Aspen, stopped at Windstar.

Maroon Bells
Windstar
 

Thursday, October 19/Friday, October 20

    Somehow, it took us a full day to get just from Aspen to Georgetown!  We truly didn't want to leave, but we feel someone else didn't either.

Leaving Aspen & Colorado
 
 


See ya all next year!
 

See all my Aspen pix by viewing my webshots albums:

Aspen 2000 Book 1 - starting out, Georgetown, Aspen first days, Maroon Bells
Aspen 2000 Book 2 - Maroon Bells, ACES, Mt. Chalet Jammin'
Aspen 2000 Book 3 - More Jammin', JD Sanctuary cleanup, Tapestry in Aspen, Carbondale
Aspen 2000 Book 4 - Tower, VIP Reception, JD Sanctuary Picnic
Aspen 2000 Book 5 - More JDS Picnic, Ashcroft, Maroon Bells, Windstar, Leaving Aspen
Aspen 2000 Book 6 - Leaving Colorado

 

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