Aspen

Aspen at Christmastime!

We had a wonderful time in Aspen!! If you weren’t with us, you really missed out on a great trip. We had a super group and the hospitality of The Gant was outstanding! They were ready for us with card table set up handing out tags to mark luggage and 4 to 6 guys with carts loading and delivering luggage to the appropriate change rooms! What a treat not to have to tote your own luggage around after spending the night on the bus. After the first day of skiing we gathered for a 90 minute welcome party hosted by The Gant. (I wanted to take credit for the great dishes and open bar they prepared, but it was too nice for anyone to believe me!)

Kelley Phillips, John Sieler and I took Mary Higdon to Buttermilk the first day giving her a quick refresher course since she hadn’t been on skis for three years while her son, Jay Higdon stayed behind grading papers and turning in grades. He joined his mom on the slopes the second day at Snowmass. Phil and Susan Gelwick were joined by Phil’s daughter Pam and her new husband for a day of skiing before they headed back to their home and jobs. It was great to see Pam again!

Tom and Vic Neal skied with two of our trip’s snowboarders, Raymond Garrison and Rick Tucker. They were all smiles at end of the day at the outside bar at the base of Snowmass! Shane Brinkley snowboarded while his wife Melissa was on skis. Jim Constantine, and Ernie Darnell skied with them some – hope they didn’t fall for Jim’s “just trust me” line…Doug Banning, Brenda Boren, and Tip and Robin Burch kept themselves busy skiing hard all day and then making themselves wonderful dinners in their condo each night. Lisa Iqbal, Sylvia Svec, Ken Privett and Bruce Dawson seemed to have bonded on the slopes. It was my first time to ski with Sylvia and Ken, it being Ken’s first trip with the club. They were all good skiers and hard for me to keep up with!

Harry and Elaine Simpson were my photographers, catching Kelley coming out of her mountain home and Elaine and Bill Millis dancing on the slopes in ski boots no less! They made it on the local TV! Their two minutes of fame on the Snowmass mountain!
Mary and Jan Higdon, Susan and Phil Gelwick, Kelley Phillips and I went to the Crystal Palace on Sat. night for dinner and show of political satire. Great fun and laughs!
I didn’t hear of any star sightings but staying in Aspen was a real treat with our own Gant shuttle service. Thanks Jim, for booking us a great trip! Hope to see you all on another trip!

By Anita Greiner, Aspen Trip Captain