Final Lunch at Ajax Tavern-sorry no toasted sangers!!

Hi all
I know I said that there would be no more posts but today's long lunch at Ajax Tavern right at the bottom of the Gondola needs to be shared. The photo's speak for themselves.  I send this post whilst sitting in the LA United Club lounge waiting for the flight home.
See you all soon.

Robyn ordering the first glass of wine

View from table

Seared tuna nicoise and crispy samon

View the other way with Red Mountain in the distance

Third glasses of wine

This is not a joke-this is the spoon they sent with my expresso

 

FINAL SKI DAY-Leave tomorrow

Wednesday Night 7pm watching Serena playing Muguruza-about to go out to Japanese restaurant.
Tomorrow is pack, long lunch ang flight out of Aspen at 4.45pm.  Perfect weather today and tomorrow.

Robyn, Jan and Sacha D'Arcy in front of an ice sculpture

Caught up with Lucy Morgan last night for dinner.  Skied today with the D'Arcy's at Ajax.

Top of Ruthies at Ajax

Robyn with 'ski rescue'

Looking down from Strawpile run to Aspen (below bottom of Ruthies)

Olympic skier ready to ski down to Aspen

 

BIG Freeze and goodbye to Highlands

Tuesday afternoon
Well the big frreze has been here for 3 days.  Maximums on the slopes are all less than 0F (-18C).  Fortunately no wind but the locals are not skiing and there is plenty of room on the slopes.  We have noe skied our last days at Snowmass and Highlands. Below are photos from inside Merry-go round restaurant looking up the slope.

The Highland bowl where you have to walk in and then the average slope steepness is 42 degrees is open.  Rob and I went for a look but were a bit pressed for time so didn't actually ski it.

Bowl in distance

Closer-you may be able to see dots (people) walking up the rim

Rim close up-now you can see people

We also had dinner last night at Sue and Jacks place down valley.  They had 16 people for dinner and lots of talk about all thing American like guns and Obama (they don't like him!)  As everyone except for another couple and us were at least in their late 60's into late 80's we were on the 9pm bus back up valley but a wonderful chance to mix with real Americans.
Tonite we are having dinner with Lucy Morgan and her 14 year old son Nik who is about 6foot 3 tall.
Tomorrow is our last ski day at Ajax and then Thursday night we are on our way home.  Back in Melbourne by lunchtime Saturday.
See you all on our return!!
Love Tom and Robyn

10 Things we have learnt over the last few trips about America, Aspen and Americans (in no particular order)

 

1. Americans are very conservative people
2. They are very polite to everyone including bus drivers
3. Aspen bus drivers are almost 'too good to be true'. We should import them.
4. They love sport and as long as you can talk about 'the game' you are ok
5. Bar culture is great and so is bar food
6. Cost of living is cheaper than home
7. People work hard often for low wages
8. They are not really interested in oversaeas current events
9. They all say that they would love to visit Australia but is a long way.  My answer to this is just gey on a plane in LA and 13 hours later you are in Sydney.
10. If you have never been here then you should come.  It is much more than you can imagine



 

 

Old friends, Aspen and soupskol

Friday Night
Caught up with friends Sue and Jack Trigger who were both ski ambassadors when we first met them 9 years ago.  We had lunch with them and a short ski.  Jack is a young 82.

Tonight is was the annual restaurant soup competition.  Lots of free tastings but very cold.  Skiing today in minus 20C.

Aspen Mountain in background

Maybe I should have had a vodka at the ice bar

And finally a couple more Aspen scenes.  By the way we had 4 inches of new snow today.

 

Little Annies and the Gant

Tuesday 5pm

Went to Little Annies last night and the pork rib-eye is still great. The baked potato was even bigger!

 Robyn had the grilled salmon and a similas sized potato. 

The place used to be owned by a golf fanatic and the on the wall are dozens of golf club pennants.  Carnostie in Scotland figures prominently which was where we visited Robyn's relatives in Scotland last April-small world.

Today we were at Aspen Highlands-good but needs snow which is due Friday.
Also including a few photos the Gant Condo for those who havn't had the pleasure.

View from balcony

Pool, spa and outside fire with Aspen Mountain behind.

Front of the Gant

Now to finish with a mystery.  Above is a bust of the Aspen ski bum Ralph P Jackson-goggle him if you want a laugh.
 

SNOWMASS and sunny skies

Monday was day 5 on the slopes.  We have already done Ajax twice so today we went back to Snowmass and John D'Arcy joined us.  Jan and Sasha had a day off.
Snowmass has 3,332 acres of terrain, 94 trails and 21 chairlifts.  All above 10,500 feet.
Great groomed snow and temp of about 25 F (-4C).  Didn't need inner gloves or neckie.  Skied  hard all day.  Off to Little Annies tonight.  There has been comment about including photos of toasted sandwiches in the blog.  This is America so I will try and include more typical food photos.  The grilled pork chop at Little Annies is renowned around the world so just salivate until the next post.


Below is a few Snowmass photos

looking down into the valley

Coming down the slope into the village

end of the mall on the side of slopes

 

Sheer Bliss and Snowmass

At Snowmass not many other skiers?

Yesterday we were at Aspen Highlands and today Snowmass.  Perfect sunny days with temps now hitting highs of -5C.  Almost t-shirt weather.  Tomorrow they are talking about it getting to 0C.
Caught up with Anna (Morgan) last night.  She is off to Noosa on Sunday to catch up with her parents and family. 
Off to watch the football play-offs tonight-Vikings V  Packers. Every bar will have it on.

Goodbye SF-Hello Aspen

Great final day in SF.  Long walks and tram rides and dim sum in Chinatown.

Early flight out on Wednesday direct from SF to Aspen.  Clear skies but cold.
Today we were on Ajax Gondola by 8.50am.  It was negative 15 degrees F.  This is over 20 degrees below C.  But beautiful sun and good groomed snow.  The following photos covers probably too many Aspen photos.

Out the Condo window

Looking towards Aspen Highland's bowl

Toasted cheese, tomato and bacon-shared lunch

Top of gondola

Aspen town below

Maroon Bells in the background