Some of the GOOD, BAD, and UGLY of 2010:
GOOD: McRib sandwiches at McDonalds
BAD: Political phone calls beginning in August
VERY UGLY: Congress

Other than personal items, some other good things about 2010:
1. Geico commercials

Last Wednesday morning I drove over Loveland Pass to get to Arapahoe Basin Ski Area. Today there was an avalanche in the area and a back country skier was killed and and another injured. I believe I'll avoid that road.

With the high winds today how warm was it? Well, the Salvation Army bell ringer was working in short sleeves (December 3rd).
(Actually it topped out around 70)

If you remember "Winnie the Pooh and the blustery day," let me tell you that bear doesn't know sick-um about blustery. Friday is trash pick-up day in our hood. About 9:00 AM a front came through and the winds of 40 to 60 mph did a real number on the neighborhood trash-especially the recycling stuff. I put our trash on the curb about 6:00 AM when it was calm and headed for Keri and Eric's to take the early shift with the twins. The winds hit 2-3 hours later. At 9:00 I was chasing down two huge boxes that had contained highchairs for the twins. I caught one about a block down the street. The second one hadn't made it that far. At 10:00 AM I chased the boxes again and only found one. Hope whoever finds the second box will give it a good home or at least recycle it. Several of the neighbors were out trying figure out which rubberized trash container belonged to whom. They can all meet half way down the block tomorrow and exchange trash barrels. One recycling container had held several empty wine bottles (Australian wine no less) and the bottles had blown into the street where they either broke on their own or someone ran over them. Either way it was a mess and a hazard to tires. I left a message for Keri to call me before she came home to warn her. Then I decided to get a push broom and go over to the next cul-de-sac where the bottles were broken and where K & E live and sweep up the glass. I got the gal who lives behind us to help. I don't think they could have backed their car out without puncturing a tire. I swept the chunks of glass to the curb and she swept up the pieces up and put them in the trash.
I don't ever want to hear another Coloradoan talk about Wyoming wind.

I accidentally posted today's blog on my daughter Keri's blog. A case of early Alzheimer's I guess.

Skiing in Colorado is a lot different than skiing Hogadon outside Casper. For one thing it's a lot farther to the area and some interesting roads to get to them. I went to Arapahoe Basin yesterday. I drove I-70 to just east or the Denver-side of the Eisenhower tunnels. I got off and drove over Loveland Pass on highway 6. The elevation is slightly over 14,000 feet at the top. What makes highway 6 (it parallels I-70) interesting is trucks hauling anything flammable or otherwise hazardous aren't allowed to go through the Eisenhower tunnels. It's a wake-up call when you meet a truck on a highway 6 switchback carrying petroleum products or propane or similar cargo which is banned in the tunnels. It's also more awakening when the road is icy and you keep meeting snowplows as well as the previously mentioned haulers who aren't driving anything with 4-wheel drive. It is a short distance to Arapahoe Basin but it was a long nerve racking drive. Returning I took highway 6 past Keystone Resort to meet up with I-70 on the west side of the tunnels. With signs indicating it's icy in the tunnels I understand the precautions. I just wish someone had warned me.

Today I went skiing for the first time this season. I went to Arapahoe Basin which is just on the other side of Loveland Pass. As I was driving up there was a sign to watch for wildlife on the side of the road and not two minutes later there was herd of mountain sheep grazing right next to the highway. There was a big old ram with his family. In all my life I have only seen a mountain sheep in the wild through binoculars.
It was sunny and warm when I left Denver. By the time I got to A-Basin, it was snowing and the wind was gusty. Still I had a good time. I stayed mainly on green and blue slopes as I wasn't in any shape to try the blacks. There were hardly and skiers. How few were there-well, I managed to park in the second row of the "Early Riser" lot which is usually the first lot to fill up on a normal day. I road a quad lift to make my runs and I never had a companion on the lift. It was like the Hogadon ski area near Casper on a weekday.
Although I had an all-day pass, I quit around noon in deference to old age, poor skiing fitness, blowing snow, and a 10,400 elevation at the base. More tomorrow.