When there's smoke, there's fire...

For days, we've been dealing with hot and smoky weather, so much so that I thought my eyesight was impaired, but the air has been filled with so much smoke from local and out-of-state wildfires that we no longer can see clearly, even through short distances.

I guess that our lungs have been filling with smoke and we can only hope for some isolated thunderstorms and rain showers along the Wasatch Front, scheduled for today, to scour the skies of some of that smoke.

Now, while we breathe this filthy, smoky air, we also doubled-down with a surge in chenopods and ragweed rated “very high” on yesterday‘s pollen index. Hopefully, we'll all survive!

Mountain-bike and Concentration

I've written this so many times; riding a mountain-bike demands concentration from the time one leaves home to the time the bike is safely hung back inside the garage.

Today, as I was riding and enjoying it thoroughly I came across a group of mountain-bikers that were stopped in some blind corner (where else, I wonder!) One lady, who evidently spilled badly, was all bloodied in her face, her bike front disc bent and she wasn't a happy camper!

I did what I could to help and went on my merry way. As I was riding, I was thinking that there isn't one single moment that's open for lowering one's guard on a mountain-bike.

Danger is lurking every linear foot along the way and if one doesn't concentrate 100%, one is bound to bite the dust.

That's right even a good, almost “safe” 99% won't do. I'll try to remember this...

Uncovering Trump voters

Last night, as we were strolling by our former home, we met Pat who lives on the opposite side of the street.

We stroke a conversation, and somehow, as we complained about the current chaos in Washington, he told us that he had voted for Trump, believing in his outlandish program and promises. This said, he still gives credit to the man with the yellow hair-piece for a roaring Stock Market.

Pat, who is about 60, claims having a good education (MBA), but it probably was truer when he was younger, as it unfortunately no longer comes across in the way he speaks and the way he acts. He's got a good job with our State University and should know much better than voting for the Donald.

Of course, he's not the only one and as a matter of fact, he and his peers got the man elected. Today, he doesn't think that the product he's got is what he hoped and voted for, but to me, if totally makes sense that he, and his horrible choice only reflects his lack of good judgment!

Another ski season in view...

This long holiday weekend was the first deadline to get the best possible deal on our Park City Mountain season ski pass and we didn't miss it.

We got some brand new passes for the 33rd time since we've lived in town and we'll see how much fun they'll deliver and how many days they'll let us shred the mountain.

Since I'm an incorrigible optimist I hope the answer to these two distinct expectations will be “plenty” and I'll try to behave reasonably well so I don't get hurt and don't harm anyone anytime I'm dressed as a skier.

Let's keep our fingers crossed while making sure our ski tips remain uncrossed!

Can't wait to be 75 or 80?

The 2017-18 ski pass prices are out for the Wasatch Front of Utah. Prices do vary a great deal, and if you are as old as I am, it's always interesting to see what's offered to older folks.

First, I must say that Park City Mountain (part of Vail Resorts' Epic Pass) does nothing for seniors. Cheaper passes for all, perhaps, but they figure that when you're old and want to ski you need to be rich. Shame on you Vail Resorts for the way your discriminating against old folks like us!

Deer Valley Resort, with it outrageous prices, show that the give “breaks” for seniors. Yet, those still will break the bank if older geezers continue to cling to that resort's “rich” and “old” image. Not impressed!

You'll need to drive far away from Park City if you want a genuine old-person discount.

First, to Robert Redford's Sundance resort that offers a $150 pass for everyone over 65; great job!

Then, Alta must be commended for its $50.00 season ski pass, but you need to wait till you're half-dead as a skier; that's right you must be 80 to qualify, so I find it a real stretch and may not want to wait that long to indulge with the overblown Alta mystique.

Finally, I must salute two resorts that are in the northern Wasatch range, Powder Mountain and Snowbasin, that both make a genuine effort to attract the thinning ranks of the 75 + age group, respectively with $20 (yeah, no typo) and $80 season pass prices. Way to go northerners. I may give you a try pretty soon!

As wedding anniversaries pile up...

Yesterday was our 42nd wedding anniversary, so when I woke up and reminded my wife about it, she exclaimed “I thought it was already the 50th!”

This says an awful lot if you know me and if you're a bit familiar with my adventurous and sometime reckless behavior.

It inspired me to post that remark on Facebook and it generated a huge amount of “likes” as well as countless admiring and humorous reactions.

We still have a significant number of years to go since we'll make it to the half-century mark (God willing) but these few years might go even faster than the 42 that seem to have eluded us!

Park City's urban forest

When we moved to Park City, more than 32 years ago, there were not many trees around, to the point that from our wooded Chappaqua home in New York, to Utah's arid high desert, my wife hated the barren landscape we found upon arriving there.

Since that time, things have changed a lot. The tiny aspen and evergreen saplings have turned into large, mature trees, overly crowded and often time, far to close to the homes for good views and fire safety.

With that new grown forest has come a complete ecosystem, including birds, rabbits, squirrels and regular year-round visits by deer, elks and moose that always manage to find enough leaves to eat, and flowers or veggie gardens to trample.

From empty desert to lush urban forest in just three decades!