Liz was just featured in a photo essay of Fall in the Colorado Rockies - check it out here.
I posted pictures of Vinotok - they can be found here.
Vinotok was a an interesting festival to say the least. The evening started with dancing in the street that they ironically call mumming. (Ironic because in Philly they have a parade called the Mummers Parade) The mumming is used to gather the crowds that then all watch the trial of the Grump. He of course is found guilty and is sentenced to burn at the stake. There were definite throwbacks to the Monty Python witch trial - BURN HIM! HE'S A WITCH!
The trial is followed by a procession down Elk Ave (main street) with drumming and chanting of Burn the Grump - Burn the Grump. It all culminates with the burning of the grump - and as the photos show - it was quite entertaining.
Our friends Leslie and Jamie run their business www.trailsource.com out of the building that faces the burn pile - so we had fantastic views.
Monday, September 25, 2006
Friday, September 22, 2006
Random Photos
Some random photos from fall, croquet, Chuck's wedding (Chuck is the owner of Fantasy Ranch), mountains, snow, etc - can all be found here.
Winter Wonderland in September
Yes, it snowed - and it's supposed to continue to snow till tomorrow night. We had a flat tire this morning - OF ALL MORNINGS!! Nothing like changing a tire in the snow!! Good thing that we had the spare sitting in the back of the car. Why was it in the back of the car you may ask? Well - we drove up Gunsight Pass the other day just for grins, fall colors, and photos - and on the way back down we discovered our spare sitting in the middle of the dirt road! Apparently the rocky road caused the cable to snap that holds the 
sucker up under the car... it was a funny discovery to say the least.
We went to see John Hammond play the other night - whooee he knocked our socks off - incredible blues musician - and the faces he made while playing the harmonica - whailing on the guitar - and stomping his foot = TREMENDOUS.
I posted some pics of a fall ride that Liz and I took the other day with a newly engaged couple - they can be found here.
This cave up gunsight pass had BIG POINTY TEETH!
Tonight and tomorrow we celebrate Vinotok which is a weird Crested Buttian festival to celebrate the equinox. Ironically it all culminates in the burning of the Grump which is a symbol of everyone's negative emotions and fears. It's going to be fun!Plus we're going to see the premier of Two Planks' new ski movie tonight and then Matchstick Productions new ski movie next Friday - we hear that ski movies are fun to watch here - I can imagine being that both film companies are based out of Crested Butte.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Yeah - we've moved to the mountains officially - Spring moved straight into late fall - and now we're getting into WINTER!!!
Flew to Denver yesterday for an aerial shoot and then a photo shoot for the new IPS website - it was a glorious day - for the first time in my flying career did I hear the Weather Briefer say - "I've got a two word weather briefing for you today - Clear Skies" .... too bad clear skies are normally associated with unstable or choppy air... and yes it was a bit choppy - but nonetheless - GLORIOUS.
- Tonight: Windy. Periods of rain and snow this evening will become snow showers overnight. Low 28F. Winds WNW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of precip 60%. Snow accumulating 1 to 3 inches. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph early.
- Tomorrow: Mostly cloudy with scattered snow showers or flurries that will mix with rain at times. Thunder possible. High 44F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of precip 50%.
- Tomorrow night: Cloudy with rain and snow in the evening. Snow showers late. Thunder is possible early. Low 29F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of precip 60%. 1 to 3 inches of snow expected.
- Friday: Mostly cloudy with snow flurries and snow showers possible. Cold. High around 35F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 50%. Some snow accumulation possible.
- Saturday: Chance of a few snow showers. Highs in the low 40s and lows in the upper teens.
- Sunday: Occasional showers possible. Highs in the upper 40s and lows in the upper 20s.
Flew to Denver yesterday for an aerial shoot and then a photo shoot for the new IPS website - it was a glorious day - for the first time in my flying career did I hear the Weather Briefer say - "I've got a two word weather briefing for you today - Clear Skies" .... too bad clear skies are normally associated with unstable or choppy air... and yes it was a bit choppy - but nonetheless - GLORIOUS.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Falling Farther into Just What We Are.
I just wrote a long email to my friends from high school - figured I'd post it here for all to read:
The Burn was an incredible experience to say the least - the androgynous pic was from a lingerie party (which required female attire for all attendees - needless to say I was not very risque compared to some men that showed up - at least I had a sexy little vixen in a black corset, butterfly wings and a thong to dance with...)
On the way back from Nevada we stopped in Utah - where I thought about buying a house. 184k for a 3200 ft^2 house... unbelievable and it had character (it even had a laundry chute) and it was close to skiing... after doing more research it turns out that Logan (where we were looking) is 95% Mormon and also happens to have the worst air quality in the US. The reason for the poor air quality was the reason I loved it so much - we drove up over the mountains and down into this valley and there were BARNS and CORN FIELDS!! It was just like home... but surrounded by mountains. It's the agriculture and the resulting temperature inversions that cause the air to be so bad.... so we moved on. We then looked at Sandy, UT - which is just south East of Salt Lake and is at the entrance to Little Cottonwood canyon (which is where Alta and Snowbird are) - homes were cheap there and we would be 6 miles from some of the best skiing I've ever had in my life... but we'd be in tract homes with no character - and basically be in a suburb - and I hate suburbs. Funny thing about all of this was that despite being surrounded by Mormons, I kept my hair dyed red in two mohawks (that looked sort of like devil horns... funny shit I tell ya - definitely an experiment in social norms).
So we drove back to little ol' Crested Butte where it's hard to get anywhere being that it's 5 hours from Denver and 3 hours from Grand Junction... but it is in the middle of the out doors - which I love every day. Too bad a single family home here goes for $1.2M (hence our looking elsewhere - cause it'd be really nice to be able to buy instead of continuing this tradition of renting for the past 10 years of my life.) Rent is only 300$ a person and we are ski-in ski-out and mtn bike-in mtn bike-out so I can't complain. Apparently though the condo we're in loses all of its natural light as the snow piles up... I can't live in a cave. So we're looking for a new place now - as our lease ends in the middle of November.
Went for a mtn bike ride yesterday that was absolutely gorgeous - the fall leaves are starting to change - and there is nothing better than ripping through an Aspen grove as the sun peers down through the golden glow that the leaves create... COME VISIT! We're thinking about having either a summer or fall wedding out here. We have yet to decide on a date. Initially we were thinking a holiday (4th of July or Labor day) but we were shot down by my parents who just had to travel on Labor day for my cousin's wedding - they claimed it's so much more hectic and expensive then just any other weekend in fall or summer (which makes sense).
Rode horses with Liz today and took pics of a recently married couple on their honeymoon. We applied officially for Ski Patrol today in that we met with the Head of Patrol and handed in our hard copy applications in person. Hopefully that went well. They start interviewing in the middle of October... so we'll know more in a month.
The Burn was an incredible experience to say the least - the androgynous pic was from a lingerie party (which required female attire for all attendees - needless to say I was not very risque compared to some men that showed up - at least I had a sexy little vixen in a black corset, butterfly wings and a thong to dance with...)
On the way back from Nevada we stopped in Utah - where I thought about buying a house. 184k for a 3200 ft^2 house... unbelievable and it had character (it even had a laundry chute) and it was close to skiing... after doing more research it turns out that Logan (where we were looking) is 95% Mormon and also happens to have the worst air quality in the US. The reason for the poor air quality was the reason I loved it so much - we drove up over the mountains and down into this valley and there were BARNS and CORN FIELDS!! It was just like home... but surrounded by mountains. It's the agriculture and the resulting temperature inversions that cause the air to be so bad.... so we moved on. We then looked at Sandy, UT - which is just south East of Salt Lake and is at the entrance to Little Cottonwood canyon (which is where Alta and Snowbird are) - homes were cheap there and we would be 6 miles from some of the best skiing I've ever had in my life... but we'd be in tract homes with no character - and basically be in a suburb - and I hate suburbs. Funny thing about all of this was that despite being surrounded by Mormons, I kept my hair dyed red in two mohawks (that looked sort of like devil horns... funny shit I tell ya - definitely an experiment in social norms).
So we drove back to little ol' Crested Butte where it's hard to get anywhere being that it's 5 hours from Denver and 3 hours from Grand Junction... but it is in the middle of the out doors - which I love every day. Too bad a single family home here goes for $1.2M (hence our looking elsewhere - cause it'd be really nice to be able to buy instead of continuing this tradition of renting for the past 10 years of my life.) Rent is only 300$ a person and we are ski-in ski-out and mtn bike-in mtn bike-out so I can't complain. Apparently though the condo we're in loses all of its natural light as the snow piles up... I can't live in a cave. So we're looking for a new place now - as our lease ends in the middle of November.
Went for a mtn bike ride yesterday that was absolutely gorgeous - the fall leaves are starting to change - and there is nothing better than ripping through an Aspen grove as the sun peers down through the golden glow that the leaves create... COME VISIT! We're thinking about having either a summer or fall wedding out here. We have yet to decide on a date. Initially we were thinking a holiday (4th of July or Labor day) but we were shot down by my parents who just had to travel on Labor day for my cousin's wedding - they claimed it's so much more hectic and expensive then just any other weekend in fall or summer (which makes sense).
Rode horses with Liz today and took pics of a recently married couple on their honeymoon. We applied officially for Ski Patrol today in that we met with the Head of Patrol and handed in our hard copy applications in person. Hopefully that went well. They start interviewing in the middle of October... so we'll know more in a month.
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Back from the Burn Part I
Words can not describe all that was there... it was an experience beyond belief. Creative efforts were as common as the air we breathe - and breathe it in we did.
The Man:
The Burninator:
2BLEVE:
The long drive to Black Rock City
The morning welcomed us as we made our way slowly into the desert.
Upon arrival on the playa....
More pics to come.
The Man:
The Burninator:
2BLEVE:
The long drive to Black Rock City
The morning welcomed us as we made our way slowly into the desert.
Upon arrival on the playa....More pics to come.
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