1,3,19,160,10,000!

I don't know what is going on but I seem to have this thing with numbers these days. You are thinking the 1 or 2 is either bugs or snakes--not today! It's 1 toothache and 3 visits to the dentists. I haven't ridden for a few days due to my toothache, the rain and the 50+ degree temperature. I received a filling on Tuesday, teeth cleaning on Wednesday and back on Thursday for a redo on the filling. Still a little ouchy this morning. Thank God for drugs.

The 19 is my ride today to contrast to the 160, 10.000 ride of Kevin's. Yesterday, he rode from Seattle around Mt Rainer--160 miles and 10,000 feet of climbing. I think he is a chip off the ole block of Alberto rather than me. I'm impressed and proud!

My Best Man!

Steve and Lezlee--it was really good to catch up with them after all these years. Thanks to Facebook! He was a college roommate, Mesa Verde working buddy, they were married in November and he helped us get married in December of the same year-1967. After an oil related career, teaching and a couple of kids they are in San Antonio and enjoying their very cute granddaughters. We are so happy that they stayed the night, we caught up where we left off after seeing them last in the mid 70's. San Antonio in the winter here we come!

What are 24, 18, 21, 566, 800 and 1?

Give up! I rode 24 miles on Monday, 18 Wedneday and 21 today. I usually don't look at the total miles but I was scanning through my bike computer and saw that I have ridden 566 since I bought it in March and I have ridden close to 800 miles this year. That's not a lot since Kevin will do 100+ in a day, but for the old man--I happy. Oh, the 1--I drove the car with my bike on top into the garage wall 1 time--so far. Not much damage--just my pride.

Some of my favorites.

My bike and bike rack. Sometimes I don't treat my "favorites" very well, I ran the bike into the garage the other day--no damage done. That's the nice thing about being slow.
Dinner on the patio, Bill, DJ, Jan and the photographer--Kortney.
Bike riding from Longmont to Loveland or anywhere around Loveland, dried cranberries and walnuts for snack. Thanks to Kevin for introducing the mix to me.
Our patio, the golf course shadows in the evening and 14 Hands chardonnay.

Hey, deer!

I saw 2 deer this morning on my bike ride. Both were behind our house--I tried to get the house in the background but they were too busy eating and I was too busy trying not to drop my camera or the bike. My latest favorite cycling route is out Arapahoe road, pass by Cherokee Trial High School, around Aurora Reservoir, and back down the hill on Arapahoe. It takes about 11/2 hours with a couple of stops (for deer), 20+ miles and almost 1000 calories.

Paul's Birthday--Hodahay!

We celebrated Paul's birthday with a Rockies game (they won for him), a few Coors beers (I haven't had a Coors in 30 years--an interesting number) and dinner downtown Denver.

Friends, Red Rocks, Celtic Women.

What a fantastic combination!

Actually, we went to the concert before we stayed at the Brown. Oh well! I don't think I can call this tailgating since we were at the front of the car--some tasty food and a new favorite summer white wine sauvignon blanc from Kim Crawford. The fiddler girl was our favorite performer she works so hard, jumps around and can play that fiddle. Rain came at the very end, Cindy was a trooper as the thunder and lightning came.

The Brown!

We finally stayed at the Brown Palace. I guess you can say it has been on our "Bucket List" for some time. We just couldn't see paying their prices, well, the slow down in the economy has it's advantages. They have been running some specials on the rooms. Very comfortable, our favorite part was the shower with water spray coming out of the ceiling. We also did the "Taste of the Brown." We were to have drinks in the Palace Arms Bar, but, because they are an old hotel they are grandfathered on the no smoking law--so they allow smoking in the bar, so we went to the lobby where we were to have an appetizer anyway. We just moved up a room. Had bison and steak in the Palace Arms restaurant--very, very good. Dessert was in the Ships Tavern--can you believe I could not eat all the layered chocolate cake-cookies and cream ice cream and a marshmallow sauce with toasted marshmallows on top. I must be getting old--that's a first. I did eat some of Jan's vanilla bean cream brule.

Aspen--Jones style.

While checking on Jan's bike rental the bike guy sent us to Aspen Brewery--OH BOY! Good beer, unique sampler holder--appropriate for Aspen. After our bike ride I even took my sandwich over here to go along with my summer blond. A couple of young guys own the place, recently opened, off the beaten path some and not Aspen priced.
Both nights we listened to some fantastic music--5 different groups around town. string, clarinets and an oboe quartet--Jones priced--free.
Jan rented a bike-we rode 14 miles up Independence pass--rather 7 up. The trial had a steady climb, but nothing serious and some great views--this bridge was about 200 yards long over beaver ponds. I made the mistake of taking the highway back--thinking it would be all down hill--NOT--it was a roller coaster. No other cyclist passed me, though. Yipee!!!
We visited the Paridise Cafe and tried their gelato--some of you may recall a year ago we were in Italy--one of our goals was to try as many flavor of gelato that we could--32 in 21 days. We did 3 in 2 days--peanut butter cookie dough was the best, cappincino was right up there, the tarimisu was not so tarimi....--the other offers were not new so we stuck to these.
We found a great patio place with a Jones priced happy hour! Their calamari ranks up there with the best I have ever had--calamari, gelato, beer and wine are what I try almost everywhere. Notice our color coordination--Jan's was the best. We did not see any celebrities.

The visitor center lady sent us to Mezzsluna's for a Jones priced happy hour--great wine $4 and a 8 oz New York steak with fries $15, chicken and spagetti for $12. We went back both nights--it is at the bar--we talked to some really interesting people and some very nice bartenders.

FYI--the rush hour traffic was horrific--basically one lane into and out of town. We stayed in Snowmass for a Jones price place but I recommend staying in Aspen to beat the traffic.

Jan's grade school reunion, Bob's singing!

The Dixon clan and some in laws-ft row left to right-sisters Shirley, Jan, Sharon, bk row--me, Harlen (Shirley's husband), brother-Ken (his wife Judy has the Shingles--poor girl!), Bob (Sharon's husband) and brother Larry. This was at the Fairview grade school reunion--all the Dixon's attended this school, Jan and Larry were close enough in age that every other year they were in the same class room, their mother taught there too. Bob (red shirt) sang an hour long concert the next day--his second and another outstanding performance.
I took a couple of bike rides around Cedaredge. Some beautiful scenery like this one--peach orchard, wind mill to keep the frost off the fruit and Grand Mesa in the background. The area is NOT flat enough for this old bike rider.
No! I didn't ride my bike up here! We were orchard hopping for cherries. We are on Antelope Mesa looking north toward Grand Mesa, Deer Creek Golf Course (Kevin and I's favorite), Cedaredge and Hart's Basin. Jan spent summer days here swimming and sun bathing in her high school years.

It's been awhile!

June 18-22 we traveled to Cedaredge for a memorial service for Jan's Uncle Fred. Famous for his apples in Santa Fe/Albuquerque area. His passing made the local news--his granddaughter will run the orchard. Met some new relatives from Caldwell, Idaho--they farm 1000 acres of speriment for gum and some crops for seed companies--interesting people. Another one from Minn and of course Jan's brothers and sisters.