TWELVE DAYS OF BASALT

HARD TO BELIEVE...I have been with my daughter, Bronwyn, and my granddaughter, Stephi, for almost a fortnight (two weeks for US readers).

At the last posting, I had not yet been out to ski. Here we are at 6,500 feet or so and Aspen is another 1000 feet of elevation. I like take three or four days of mild exercise and plenty of sleep to get accustomed to this higher air. Fortunately, I was able to meld my New Year's resolution of taking some exercise before breakfast with the dog's need to start her day with a walk (that is Sheila, Stephi's Aussie kelpie, Queensland blue heeler cross, who is just a bundle of energy). I got four days of skiing around a local golf course and liked it so much that I kept my promise to myself to take a couple of skating lessons (on skis, that is).

In the place of the Pro Shop is an excellent Cross Country (XC) Ski School and shop that conducts a Skate 101 program at noon each day. Monday was my first lesson and I am glad to report that I made very good progress and decided to take a second lesson the next day. Thanks to my two excellent and relentless teachers, I surprised myself no end! Needless to say, the tin knees are getting better every day (In Aussie speak...'You little ripper!').

Tonight (Thursday) I am all packed to set out for Fort Langley, BC. This will be via Billings (Wyoming) and then to Glacier National Park in Montana, just below the Canadian border and East of Idaho. I expect to ski there two days if conditions permit. As the scenery is spectacular (as I am told) expect a couple of photos.

Then it will be on to Spokane, Seattle and, finally, Fort Langley where the British laid claim to the fur trade in the Northwest (competing with the French and the Russians).

I plan to return to Basalt via Seattle and Portland, a round trip of just over 3,100 miles. Wish me luck, please. Here I will continue for about two weeks (fortnight to you Aussie readers, just to balance things out).

This has been a great time. Stephi is just the smartest young woman and a great writer, amongst other things (including skiing); one of her books, 'If You Gave an Elephant a Mini', is just hilarious. Here is a video of Stephi doing her mogul run in the comps at Arapaho Ski Basin. Be well and have fun, each of you reading this posting. Roberto