Echo Park Ski Area

Robert has been getting antsy; we've been home too long. He
needs a regular "travel fix," but we have nothing scheduled.
However, he found a TV clip on the Internet telling of a new
ski area, primarily for snow boards. It looked like a fun
place to be and to watch young people on their boards.

We headed there this morning leaving here about ten. The
sun was shining and it promised to be a lovely day. Ms
Garmin had the route plotted for us. We took off in the
CrownV for our adventure. We took route US 6 up Clear Creek
Canyon which turned out to be a mistake, but as it turned
out a rather pleasant one. By going 6 we overshot our exit
so Ms Garmin had no problem with that. In stead of going up
Squaw Pass Road we went up Little River Road. Little River
Road up the towards the Squaw Pass Road is much like our
Fourmile Canyon road, only it faces north and was very snow
packed. In most places it was sanded, but not everywhere.
The CrownV is good in snow though so we had no problem. The
scenery was gorgeous and a fantastic wind cloud was huddled
over the divide, perhaps we'll blow tonight. It was slow, but
we finally found out way to Squaw Pass and on to the Echo
Park (near Echo Lake on Mount Evans) Ski area.

Despite it being a lovely day, although cold, there were
very few people there. Viewing the clip snow boarding
looked easy and everyone always seemed to stay on their feet.
Watching in real life, real time was very different. Most
of the time it looked like more than half were sitting down!
No one seemed to get hurt,however despite the very hard
packed slope and they did seem to be having a good time.

We watched for a while until we got pretty cold and then we
went inside. The "inside" is pretty sparse. A "cafeteria"
in one building where you pick out what you want from a
cooler and then cook it yourself in one of the six
microwaves. In the cafe across the way you have a choice of
a corn dog or pizza. In the cafe they had tables and
stools, in the cafeteria they had chairs and tables. We
ended up getting a burrito and sharing it. It was OK, not
great.

Since I wrote last to this blog, not too much has happened.
Ariel was here Monday and Tuesday. We went to the pool on
Tuesday, but I didn't swim. Since then I have done some
cleaning and some cooking; installed my Christmas present
from the Buehnes ( a webcam and software enabling me to call
them and to see each other as we talk.) Carl also has a
similar set up. Connie and I were able to talk OK, but Carl
and I had some difficulties which remain to be worked out.

Robert went to movie Friday night, at the nomads, called "No
End in Sight." About the mess in Iraq and in our political
world in general. I opted out; it sounded too depressing.