Vail, Colorado, June 14, 2013--part of the Mesa Verde trip log-ins

Hello from a sunny and cool Leadville this evening. Due to the high altitude here in Leadville (10,200 ft.) I had great trouble sleeping last night, which is the case every time I am here and until I become accustomed to the altitude. However, this morning the weather was perfect, the mountains were clearly defined and still supported snow, and the temperature a cool 72 degrees at the most. Ann and I had coffee and cereal on her back deck and enjoyed the morning. Then we walked the dogs and subsequently readied ourselves for the trip to Vail, about 45 minutes to an hour away (we had to cross Battle Mountain Pass). Taking Hwy. 24 to I-70 at Minthurn, we went east to reach the ski resort. Vail is in Eagle County, and its population in town was 5350 in 2010. The town was established and built as the base village to Vail Ski Resort. Its first season was in December of 1962, and it is the second largest ski mountain in North America (after Whistler Blackcomb). Vail was incorporated in 1966, four years after the opening of the ski resort. The ski area was founded by Pete Seibert and local rancher Earl Eaton in 1962. Vail was named after Charles Vail, the highway engineer who routed U.S. Hwy. 6 through Vail Valley in 1940, and that highway eventually became I-70. In December of 1962, Vail officially opened for its first season. The village was established at the base of the mountain for local residents and offered lodgings for visitors. Eventually it expanded, with housing in East and West Vail and Lionhead. Its average elevation is 8150 ft. Gore Creek flows from east to west through the center of town. It is surrounded by White River National Forest. The town receives an average of 200 inches of snowfall per season. It is modeled after European ski towns, many of which are car-free and pedestrianized. We parked and wandered around the town for a little while, making our way to one of the working gondola rides taking passengers up to Mid-Vail (there are 33 ski lifts--which include gondolas), and there are 193 marked ski trails.) The ticket we bought took us all the way up to mid-Vail and allowed us to spend $15 on lunch. Although the price was not cheap, we so enjoyed the unfolding panorama of the surrounding area of snow-covered mountains. Gently, we came to a stop at the mid-Vail platform and walked around the area for a bit, taking pictures. We had hamburgers and cole slaw for lunch, then called Rusty Venable to wish him an upcoming happy birthday and tell him we wished he were there to enjoy the time with us (he went skiing for the first time this spring at Winter Park and enjoyed himself so much that he wants to engage Ann as his ski instructor). Returning to the village about an hour later, we walked through the town and eventually through the beautiful Betty Ford Gardens, which we had admired last time I had come to Vail with Ann in 2010. While walking through the garden, we heard children's voices singing. Earlier we had heard a children's choir from Colorado sing in the middle of a square in Vail, and they were advertising their concert tonight at the Gerald Ford Theatre. What we were hearing now was their actual final rehearsal before the concert tonight. The theatre is wonderful; the acoustics, very fine, even though the theatre is an outdoor venue. Eventually the choir took a break and we left. We both had a Starbucks frappucino to celebrate a fantastic, cloudless day. Then we drove home in a mellow light, took the two dogs for a walk, and are now about to plan something for the evening as regards dinner. Another great day! Hate to leave tomorrow, but am also looking forward to the next foray to San Francisco and Lake Tahoe next week, with Maureen Fromme. Ann has been a jewel of a tour guide, and I have had ever so good a time! As ever, SV!