Reflecting on Being Home Again!

First : I have reposted photos in Earlier editions of the Blog because I posted them to a private source. I have since posted everything public in Picasa. So you might have to go back and look through the links to see the photos you missed.

The Drive: I left Saturday morning at around 9:30 am or close. I woke up that morning at 630 am, made coffee and took a shower. Everybody probably got up around 745 am or something close. We sat around, played one last FIFA 2010 game and I headed out of there. I was choked up as I left the guys behind.

Photos of Drive Back.  ( you might have already seen these) opps...

The drive was brutal, I drove the whole leg in one day and night. I got in Sunday morning around 6am, it must have been in the range of 21-22 hours of driving. The hardest part was St Louis to Memphis, this leg seemed like the longest. Once I almost to the Jonesboro, AR exit off I-55 there was a Possum just hanging out in the middle of the road, I hit him and he is surely dead now. Then five minutes after that  incident these two mini vans that were traveling in the right lane, south bound, decided to stop in the middle of the Express-Way, just stop, almost right in front of me. I had to swerve to avoid them while honking and yelling. Then in another 5 minutes I was in Marion and there was a car on Fire in the North Bound lane. Big flames where reaching into the sky as I could feel the heat of the burning mass as I passed the car surrounded by fire trucks. Once I got to West Memphis I was wondering what else could happened that is weird?? Nothing happened other than me pulling into my drive way, walking in my house and going to bed promptly.

So now that I am back what up??

I did do a lot of stuff (Climbing and Shopping) but I spent a lot of time just hanging out with Bill's Flatmate's (Clayton, Jethro and Phil.) The climbing taught me something about reaching goals and the hanging out reminded me about how much fun it is to just hang out with the regulars.

I went there thinking that I would ride one of my bikes but I ended up climbing mountains instead. I never intended for this to happen, it just did. I had no desire to ride until the very end of my trip and I could not because of an injury to my ribs. *(if you have read the blog, I sneezed violently Thursday afternoon and it cracked my ribs, I think it was a result of my earlier injury during Smash-Ball). Climbing showed me how to look up at adversity and go to the top of it, like any goal. It hurts going to the top but once you get there it is the best feeling in the world, it is success. So I wanted to keep on climbing, what was the next big obstacle?? I could not get this man verses mother nature out of my head, the only end is Mt Everest or Space Travel, so you have to conquer everything in between. I climbed to 12,000 ft several times and it is not enough, I am going back next summer and climb at least two 14,000 foot peaks if not four or five, maybe 6, it can be done. Plus I will do more riding next time!!! Goals, Mountain Tops and the planning to get there. To climb a 14ner, there is a lot of planning and leg work. You have to know the climb well to not die!!! haha!!!! In the mean time I will climb around here, there is plenty of stuff.

And hanging out!!! All my friends that liked camping, biking and other outdoor fun moved away or had kids, so hanging out just does not happen as naturally as it does in Aspen where I had four room-mates. I have to get involved in some organizations that like these outdoor activities, like get involved on the http://www.memphismountaineers.com/.

"No Worries" is a way of life in Aspen. People are excited about life in so many aspects who live out there. There is a vast majority of individuals that live out there who Ski/Snowboard in the winter and do some other sport in the summer (Mountaineering, Cycling, Sailing, Golfing, Hang Gliding, Running, Etc.) The payoff they get from Sking or one of the many other activities seems to pour into the other aspects of life, at least that is the way that I see it, they would even credit their activities to a elevated good attitude in life. The magic out there is the ease and accessibility of things to do. Many things are just a walk out your front door. Most (not all) everybody that lives there does something athletic, and most everybody is living there to ski, which is athletic. So most everybody is fit!! There are studies that indicate fit people are happier in general, ha!! So......


Well, I am back for a while. People keep asking me when I am going to move out there, which I have no answer other than "not today".  maybe I will go back this winter and finally stop skiing and try out the snow board.!!! Until my next trip...... Ta!!!

THE END!

The Night Before I Leave

 I know, I was not sure I would get a moment so I did not commit to any further writing before I got home or on the road somewhere.

Today i woke up and drank coffee as usual but after the morning got going I started gathering up all my loose ends and started packing the car a bit. I see about two loads to the car at the moment and it is all organized, it will take ten minutes for final packing and racking of bikes (I hardly rode, shame on me.)

After I got a shower, cleaned up the kitchen and took out the trash I headed to Aspen Highlands or the Pizza Co. I just hung out and ate a great Chicken Caesar Wrap. helped out busing tables and did some shopping. How can you not resist with a little cash in hand. Then jethro and clayton showed up at the Pizza Co. as they had ridden the government trail to highlands. I gave Jethro a ride back while clayton had to ride back since my rack will not support his front fork, Downhill front shock with a different axle. On the drive back Jethro and I stopped at the grocery for ingredients for tonights meal, a lasagna Aussie style, or something like that.

What will the night hold?? Not sure... clayton just got back from riding here. i fed Miller the dog and took her out for a play/poop session.

 Photos Here of the Trip Home!! 


I leave in the morning, I will miss these guys.. Ta!! Ta!!

There will be a final Blog Posting for the End.

Tuesday, Wednesday and then today

So what have i been up to since I last wrote on Monday??

Tuesday - Woke up late, had some breakfast and then sat around for a while playing Xbox. On monday night Phil walked in from Glenwood Springs with an Xbox in hand. So we hooked it up that night and played FIFA 2010 and Madden 2010 a while. So this morning it is a continuation of that result.

I did not do much that day other than climb to around 10,000 ft for a short walk up to the village mall in upper Snowmass Village (photos), past all the housing and up a maintenance road to the correct footage. Went home, ate, played some more Xbox and slept.

Wednesday started out very similar  to Tuesday. Woke late and so on....but this time:

Around noon I set off with Jethro, we picked up some girls that he works with (he is a server at the country club and Katie A. & Katie G. work there) and headed to Aspen to climb Ute Mountain. We drove into Aspen, made a short stop and then off to the base of the trail, also in Aspen. This was not the highest climb in the world but it was short and steep. I wanted to test my hiking boots out because I would really need them for tomorrow. We travel 1200ft up in less than a mile. That is steep and it was for sure a lung burner. Once we got to the top the views were awesome. I can't name all the mountains off this second but what you saw was magnificent. I dissented the mountain ahead of my friends, got to the bottom and waited for 25 minutes for Jethro and 45 minutes for the two katies and another dude?? What?? Well, Katie G's boyfriend was suppose to meet us at the top but he took a wrong turn to another climb on an adjoining mountain top. So after a few phone calls he was back on his way though we had already gone down.

We finally got everybody rounded up and went into town for some grub and shopping. I bought a new backpack for tomorrow's trip and a fleece hoody. We drove back to Snowmass, dropped off the girls, went back to the condo.    Photos.

When I got back to the condo around 5 30 Bill called me. He wanted to know if I was ready for my assent on La Plata, a 14ner 40 miles away in the Sawatch Range. I had planned this climb to the very details. I knew routes, driving directions and statistics, my down fall. My hike from earlier today told me that I was maybe not fully prepared to Hike La Plata. La Plata is over 4,000 feet in elevation gain and the round trip on the hike is 9.5 miles. I have this web site that shows me pictures of the route up close so I have an idea of what kind of footings to expect. Well, once you climb La Plata up to 12,000 then you have to start climbing through a lot of big scree fields and then some gulch climbing with loose rock. It is very mixed going to the top. I was not sure I could A: do the 4000 ft up and B: have comfortable feet. I could wear my running shows but I need the boots so I dont roll an ankle, the boots should have been worn much more before i went to Aspen but when I got to Aspen I thought I would ride my bikes everyday not climb mountains.

After I had decided that was not going to be a good idea I quickly came up with another hike, one where we could just roll up the road, park and hit the trail head right here in Snowmass Village. There is a huge ski mountain across the street, why not climb it.

We headed out up the mountain, parked and hit the trail head around 930am. The trail head is on the upper north side of the mountain, around 8900 ft. The main goal of the day was to climb up to the top of a ski lift called Big Burn (11,835 ft), this would give me close to 3,000 elevation gain then on the dissent we would travel down a different route that we came.  The dissent would end up in the Village Mall, another 500 or 600 feet down.

It took us around three and half hours to reach the top of Big Burn. We started on trails that we kept following up until we came to a service road which we followed up to the top of the ski lift. We stopped there and had lunch. I carried bread, peanut butter and jelly to make some sandwiches, which we had two a piece. See Photos...

On the route down we veered our path slightly further center of the mountain in order to follow trails to the village mall, where once there we caught a bus back to the condo.It was 2:45 when we boarded a bus.

We cooked dinner, Bill baked chicken, mash potatoes and veges. It was very delicious, Bill can really cook. Watched some TV and retired.

Urhmm, today - Have not done much, it is raining. I did give my flatmate, Phil, a hand in getting the internet going after making a visit to the Comcast office and such. I had to do bit of TS on the router they gave us but it is working well now. Other than cooking a few flat-mates lunch that was it for today. I did pull a muscle in my back this evening from a violent sneeze. I might be nursing that tomorrow. After all that and a sneeze hurts me the worst??

Only here for one more night after this, I guess it is getting time to return to the real world. Hmm... I wonder when I will be back or what my next adventure could be? I might not have time to write again until I get home.

I leave Saturday morning! Tonight we are cooking spaghetti and meat sauce with a side of garlic bread! Yummm!! What else?? 3 on 3 online FIFA  2010 with Phil and Clayton, fun times!

Climbing Tomorrow and Today

I climbed a small peak today and will climb another tomorrow. Was going to attempt a 14,336 mountain but have decided on another, closer climb instead. Till then...Ta..Ta!!

Miller the dog and Smash-ball

Photos of Aspen the City


Yesterday after I finished writing and cleaned up I decided to take Miller (claytons dog) out to the park at the bottom of Snowmass. After a short ride down the hill in one of the free buses we arrived at the park and headed to a lonely corner of the park to play with the ball. This all went very well while there were people throwing frees-bee, people kicking a ball around and then there was a group of mid-twenties kids playing a game called Polish Horse Shoes. 


I had been watching them while having a break in throwing the ball with Miller, then all of a sudden Miller runs after another dogs ball and continues to play with the dog. I get up and walk over and apologize, trying to get Miller to come back over with me, then one of the girls recognizes Miller and says to let her stay and play. mean while there are two guys picking teams for a game they are about to play called Smash-Ball or other wise known as Beer Kick Ball. The next thing I know one of the guys picked me for his second pick which I responded with a "Do What?" I was about to leave, not play a game where you have to hold a beer at all times and then finish said beer before reaching home plate if running bases as the out field just sits there and plays defense while sipping their beer. They also used a exercise ball instead of the traditional kickball which made things a bit more interesting and challenging.

Well, I hung in there, when the guy picked me second out of the blue I almost had to play, so I did. It was not pretty but it was a lot of fun in the end. We won the game like 25-7, our defense was top class and our batting scored run after run. I felt kind of queasy, but luckly I had a short ride up the hill on the next bus where I dropped off Miller and then caught another bus up to the ski village out door mall where I ate a big burger at Zaine's. I did how ever wake up this morning nursing bruised ribs from doing a air mail because of a spin round.

The spin round latest about to innings and made things fun as well as ugly. When you are up to bat, you take a  ski pole and spin around it 10 times, the ball is rolled to you and then you kick it. Well I spun my 10 and then kicked the ball fowl, meaning I had to spin 10 more times. On my second attempt (which I thought I had under control) I spun my 10, went for ball and my left foot slipped, the foot I had all my weight on. I sail into the air and landed on my back rib cage, OUCH!!! I shook it off and kept playing while all my 20-something mates had a laugh. It truly was funny and it proved to be a gut busting laughter from my new friends. Then there was the time when I ran to second base and the opposing team's second basewoman charged me and kicked me in the shins, I think it  hurt her worse than me. So this morning I woke up with bruised ribs, soar ankles, a stiff knee and a bruise or two on other places.

Miller has to go out so I will catch you later.

Small City, Big Ideas and what I did today

Aspen, population 5,1914, has a down town that has quit the hustle and flow to it. Lots of tourist and many many locals.

I woke up around 8 am this morning. The night consisted of many interruptions through out the night with different flat mates coming in and out for different reasons that kind of kept my sleep at bay for short periods of time. At 12 am jethro (flat mate from Sydney,  Australia   here until December) with some girl, couldn't fully make out, but they were about to drive up a huge pass and watch the metroid shower going on. Then around 2am Clayton (flat mate that has been my brothers best friend from mountain Home AR, they moved out here together), they had been out and were full of vigor of a night out in DT Aspen. Dont worry they rode the free bus back here. There are free buses that take you about anywhere in the Valley. When I woke Zach, Clayton's drinking partner was asleep on the couch. I woke up because clayton had come into the living room looking for coffee and conversation. I got to hear about their night out and watch a girl sneak out of Clayton's bedroom. The story started there, very funny.

After this I got up to take bill (my Bro) to his car over in Aspen Highland Heights  where his restaurant resides. First we gave Jethro (poor guy had no sleep) a ride to work and drove to Bill's car. His Audi has some issue and I had to jump it off. we came back to the Condo where shortly after  I sent him off for the day as he is driving to Denver to attend the Milehigh Fest which you can find in previous blogs of this trip. my Step mother is also leaving aspen today for good, in tow are my two other little brothers, Jon and Sam. They are all caravaning to Denver. She will keep driving while the bros will get their hotel room for the next two days and go to the festival. I hung back because as you will read, I am having a day to my self and tomorrow there is a Liverpool FC game and a peak to climb.

Once Zach left phil woke up (the fourth flat mate that grew up in Detroit, north of the city). He made more coffee and just talked.

Around 1 pm every body left. Since then I have been washing my brother's bed sheets (they stink) and picking up his room so i can comfortably sleep there for the next two nights. Then I cleaned up the kitchen like a champ for my flat mates. They may notice or not, but the kitchen is nicely clean.

You can read what I have done in between.

oAspen is small, but what goes on here is big. Tomorrow I plan to Watch Liverpoll football play then go climb I am not sure yet. Will post it seems.

No Worries in Aspen, its the way of life!!

Photos ( there are three sets)  Click First One -  Click Second Two  --  Click Third Three

If you have not been following my blog by now it is Ok, let me rehash. I drove to Aspen in my Honda civic from memphis, tn, camped in Santa Fe NM and then drove to Aspen over Independence Pass the next day. i have climbed two mountains so far and have done a lot of just hanging with my temporary flat mates.

My Stuff for the climb!

Yesterday morning I woke up at 3 am, jumped up, put on my climbing gear and drank coffee. Not soon after, the three little brothers and I jumped in a car with our gear and drove to the base of North Maroon Mountain. Our goal of the day was to climb up to the base of the North Maroon assent and then make the summit (except me, I was only wanting to make it up the wall climb to the base of summit). We got to the trail head around 4 am and steadily got our gear on and started our journey to the first climb of the day, the wall to the base summit. The entire time we hiked along flat to nicely climbing single tack. It was dakr, so we had head lamps to see where to walk and what trail to take, it was a kind of fun that goes beyond saying. Not only that there were about 14 other people also chasing the trail for the same reason. We would run into a group and pass then, then another and another until we were the first ones on the trail by the time the base of the wall came to us .Before we got to the wall we had to hike around 1.8 miles and then cut over to another trail that crosses the Minnehaha Creek. Once we crossed the creek then the wall climbed started. This climb starts out into a wooded area and then the trails just start to assen straight up, it is a regular dirt trail that is long and steep with switch back after switch back. Then as we got up further we would hit a scree field then another wooded area to another scree field, scree fields suck to cross because of their nature, no easy steps. The final last push to the top of the wall I had to finally stop and rest and let the little bros keep going. There were a couple of small climbs that I had to think about and had to stop powering up the climb, we were starting to leave most of the other climbers. As I sat there I got some assistance from another couple of climbers (they were so nice and just gave me a hand up a  tight climb) and watched as all the other climbers came through. I then made it to the base of the summit or the top of the wall.

There are links with photos but you may have to check back later for the full set as uploading crap loads of jpg's is slow here.

A Scree Field up to 11,904

Once I got to the top of that climb i traversed (photos) up the scree field that was in that gulch. You can actually summit the top of the climb from there but I was only looking to beat my previous record of 11, 300 ft, which I got to 11, 904 ft by climbing a bit further. I poked around there and went back down since it would be over three hours before they got back or longer on their descent.

Good Lord!! going down took forever and then it took forever to hike back once I got off that climb to the flatter trail. It must have took me a good two hours to get back to the parking lot where it took us about a hour and a half to climb up to the top of the wall. It was shocking, i climbed so hard and fast through so much of the climb up and when going down I could not believe we had traveled this far that fast, we were animals.

My Brothers (photos) kept going around a ridge that has a scree field, up two massive gulches and a chimney to the top. I wish I could have made the summit but they needed their day with out me slowing them down. They were the first to reach the summit and they had fun getting it done.(14,1014  Ft)

We had a great dinner that night and traded stories of our day as the evening dwindled through.

Just a word about life in Aspen and what it is doing to me. The people here dont care about anything other than enjoying their life. Most all people are into something outdoors and if they aren't then they are feeding off the energy of every body else that is around, because the way of life here is a beautiful thing. No worries, as it is often spoke here when talking with a person. be sure to look out for my Picasa links since I have uploaded my photos there and Facefork.

I think I am going to write a separate blog on my day today. Later till then.

Aspen Does not Stop!!

Photos of This Day and More

The last time I checked here at the blogger terminal I had given a brief description of hiking Elk Camp (one of the peaks of the Snowmass ski mountain - 11,300 Ft.) That day was amazing and excruciating to say the very least. You can find pictures of it on my FB page, here. The great thing about this hike is that my bro's condo is about a 20 minute walk to the base of the climb. We actually took the lift up a little ways because starting from the very bottom was going to take all day, we started around 130pm and we had to book it up to the top. so we rode the gondola/ Lift up and started from there. The hike took right around 2.5 hrs, that is about a hour and 45 up and about 45 mins to get down (we had to book it to catch the last lift down or we would have had to hike like 1500 ft down.) After that I did not feel like doing to much more that day other than going back out to aspen Highlands to get  a A+ cal-zone from the Bro's restaurant. That was about it other than some TV and bed.

As you can see, you really cant beat the view of the Maroon Bells a 14,000 that I will hike partially come early Friday morning. Friday morning my two brother (John and Bill) will attempt a summit, their first. There is some technical ideas going up that will be a challenge for them, like a chimney to climb and some other steeper rocks. 

Yesterday was a bit more laid back than my first 11.300 ft day. Yes, that is my highest assent on foot, but it is not over yet. I am not aspiring to do Maroon Bells, but I am going to try and assen another 14,000 ft mountain that is a bit easier next week. I am just building up to going higher. Baby Steps for now!! My legs are so soar right now you don't know. Another thing about climbing is that it is difficult. You heart rate is so spiked at lactic threshold you have to fight going over it to much. This requires that you set a variable pace and to slow down to slow your heart rate when needed. Believe me, you get a feeling for it. There are times when you are hitting a wall where you can hear your heart beat big beats. Thump! Thump! Thump! And yes, of course you feel it. So it is a incredible experience once you make it to the summit!!!   I will do a hike friday and then another soon after and another after that. Will keep you informed!!! I hope!

So yesterday I took off with John to the city of Aspen. Let me tell you that Aspen is a hustling and bustling little place of activity. There are cars all over the place, parking  is a issue. Then there are people walking and riding bicycles ever where. The real trick when driving around is that the bikes and pedestrians have the right away at all times. The people dont even look before crossing the street, they just dart out into the street car or no car. so you have to be watching every second. It is so bizarre. Then there are nice shops and places to eat, it is a typical tourist trap  of shopping. The most magnificent thing about the city is the view and nice people all around town! I do plan to park my car outside of town, ride in and ride around. That will be another blog day in the future.

Here you can see John and Pete (my Step-Mother's Dog). After we spent a good part of the afternoon in town we went back up to the condo and chilled out!! Fun Stuff!! Till another day!

In Aspen and loving it!!

I woke up Monday morning at my camp sight in santa fe and decided it was to chilly to ride, plus not sleeping, I decided to just drive in to the heart of old town Santa fe and ride my Fixie around the town. I rode around for about an hour, saw all the main points of interest, snapped a few pics, got back in the car and started driving north. Because I had left much earlier my Garmin had me arriving in Aspen just after 4 or 430. I was going to camp in Buena Vista but no, I decided to hit Independence Pass instead and make to Aspen.

Independence Pass was crazy, it climbs to over 12,000 ft, is narrow in places and switch backs galore. I did see a wreck on the way down. I arrived in Aspen around 430 and made my way to Aspen Highlands Pizza Co. where all the brothers were working.

That night I had some food and hydration, then we celebrated Sam's B-day.

Will write more later. I climbed 11,300 yesterday up Elk Camp. Will have more later, I hope, dont hold me to it, there is way to much to get into here. I might chuck the laptop away!!

In Santa Fe for the night

PHOTOS (I ham reporting links to my Photos, so go through the titles of each entry and where you see a photos link click on it and browse the photos.) - No Worries.
I left Little Rock at 5:30 AM in a quick escape. I hardly slept during  the night because I was so enthusiastic about making it to Santa Fe  in one day. It took 13 hours with stops in Oklahoma City, Amarillo and San Jon to accommodate my fuel needs along the way. It was not a bad drive, i guess I am all pumped up on the excitement. I made it into Santa Fe right at 5:30 PM MST. Now I am all settled into my camp ground around 10 miles outside of SF.

Tomorrow I am going to wake up and ride my bike into town and back, take a shower and head into town for some lunch grub. After that I plan to drive up to Buena Vista, ride my Fix Gear Bike around the town and maybe head for a camping spot for a second night.

The thing with my Step-Mother is like this. She has been renting a condo in Aspen since July 1, she was planning to leave yesterday, but was convinced to stay on for another week. Just this past week she learned of my arrival and got peeved that she was convinced to stay another week thinking that John and Sam would spend all their time hanging out with me and not her. I think she feels used and is pissed!!

Until tomorrow! I am too tired to write anymore and there are bugs crawling in and around my keyboard.

It Started!!!

I left for Little Rock, AR today and have arrived with safety on my side. I am not going to write much tonight because I am just a wee bit tired and can type for anything at the moment. I do have some interesting news to report that will exacerbate my arrival into Aspen on I think Tuesday, maybe Monday, not sure yet. It is a family situation that has nothing to do with me but very well could effect me if I let it. I don't plan to let it though!! I will leave you with this: My father called me last night to tell me to stear clear of Aspen because my Step-Mother is there and she is causing a unpleasant roe!! till tomorrow or later!!

Just got off the phone with Bill and John

Yes, I called John first, he was in Denver looking for an apartment for when he starts a Art college there this fall semester. I am curious as to the plans of the mighty three (Bill, John & Sam) during the week I arrive. He said that it is Sam's birthday on Monday so they are going to try and do something for Sam, like party hearty. He also said that he was going work for Bill at the restaurant so Bill can get several days off in a row to spend with me plus go to Denver for the Mile High Music Fest. That is all I could get out of him other than he is leaving the following Sunday, Aug 14th. So I call Bill, he says he does not know anything about Monday, he has to work until close but surely we can come up with something Monday night. That is if I make it, I planned on camping in Buena Vista, I might be stopping because of exhaustion, who knows. I might get really pumped up and just make the two hours from Buena Vista to Aspen. Bill also talked about going to Denver and said they would leave later Saturday afternoon and return early Monday morning. Ok, that is fine, i don't care, maybe I will go or maybe I will stay in Aspen, who knows yet. The other funny thing was John said they have a Hotel and Bill said they were camping...Yep, utter chaos in a way, all over the place. We will see, I leave in five days still.

Taking a Driving Trip

I am traveling to Aspen Colorado this coming weekend to visit my little brother Bill (24). Subsequently my other two littler brothers, John (22) & Sam (18), will be there as well staying with Bill and reaping the benefits of a mountain town. Bill moved out there around two and half years ago to become a one season ski bum working in a rental shop. He told us it was just for the season but when he hung on for the summer and another season we knew something was up. That something was partnering in buying  the now famous Highlands Pizza Company. Where he came up with the money or how he actually did it, I don't know, but he has been self employed with his two other business partners running a restaurant in Aspen Highlands. Some people have to work for the man and some people are just the man.

Today is Monday and I am sitting at work waiting until this coming Saturday before I make my journey. Saturday I will pack my car with two bikes, bike equipment, camping equipment, clothes, a cooler and various electronic items. I also have a slew of stupid things like a tennis racquet, frisbee, soccer ball and other junk. My car is going to be so full of useless crap but what else would I do, not take useless crap, no way. Once the car is packed I will drive 2 hours west to Little Rock, AR to visit with my mom and have a over night stay. That Sunday morning I plan to leave around 5 or 5:30 am and drive as far as Santa Fe, NM.

Do I make it to Santa Fe in one day?? I think I can, the drive from Little Rock to Santa Fe is 886 miles which can be driven at 77 MPH @ 11.5 hrs. Then camp out in Santa Fe out side of town, cook my own dinner and have a few local brews of some sort all in my cozy camp site. Then the next day take a stroll into town on my bicycle which is 10 miles away, come back, shower and drive into town, eat lunch and drive up to maybe Buena Vista, CO. Camp in Buena Vista and drive to Aspen the Next Day.

The camp sites that I have in mind are RV sites that will let me set my tent up and use the running water and electricity giving me access to my laptop and charging my phone. Then they have full Bathroom and Showers with in a short walk. It is not rugged camping but the best of car camping, like a out door hotel of sorts, hope it doesn't rain.

In Aspen, when I get there I will sleep at my brothers condo in Snow Mass. Cheers. Will update soon hopefully.