P.S.

I've walked more today than I do in a week.

I used to park and walk to my shrink, but he gave up his office and went virtual. And so many other docs give you the option today. And the problem is, I'm using all the time I save.

Driving to, parking and walking, they chewed up a lot of time but I didn't think twice about it. Actually, I'm one of the few people who doesn't bitch about traffic in L.A. It goes with the territory, time to listen to SXM. But now that I go out less frequently sometimes it pisses me off. Not so much the driving, but the traffic. I mean why is the 405 backed up to stopping at 11 A.M? Well, just before I got to my exit I saw these giant flashing arrows, and when I pulled up close it was three DOT trucks, they were crawling along as men picked up debris in front of them, not that I could see any garbage. Can't they do this at night?

Not that I don't exercise. I go out hiking in the mountains four nights a week. But the occasional mindless stroll, GONE!

So it turns out the soup place I've been going to for years is being remodeled. And searching for another place for a quick bite...we didn't find one. Quick-bite places can no longer afford the rent. You see stores in Aspen are loss leaders, flagships, they don't care if they lose dough.

And we ended up at the J-Bar, in the Jerome Hotel, where Hunter Thompson used to hang out, not that I ever saw him there. And we each had chicken noodle soup, bowls. Nothing else. Well, water, but they don't charge for that. Final bill? SEVENTY BUCKS! Now I am in Aspen, but...

That's another thing I've missed being inside, the inflation at restaurants. I noticed my grocery bill going up a hundred bucks, and I've been reading about inflation, and today it hit. And I know it's not Biden's fault, and I know interest rates may drop precipitously before November, but still...it doesn't feel right. And those who profited during the run-up of the Covid years, of the last few decades...the price doesn't matter. Truly. They may debate flying private, but gasoline, food, all the basics, it's chump change. So they tell us to believe in Bidenomics, but the average person doesn't see it. How can Biden and the Dems be so out of touch? Got to give Trump credit, he's speaking to the downtrodden, many of whom used to be Democrats, when that was the blue collar party.

So one of the thrills of coming to Aspen in December was checking out all the new equipment. But online has obviated that. You now know about the new equipment in January, during the ski show for retailers. And there are so many brands and models no one stocks everything, so you can actually learn more on the internet.

As for the clothing... Not that I was in the market for anything, but I couldn't find anything that appealed to me, that tickled my fancy. It seems that style is out and functionality is in. Skiwear is taking the lead of snowboard gear, and for a while there they diverged.

And I can't believe I'm saying this, but I now prefer Vail, the town. Aspen was original, Vail was purpose-built. As in there was no town, and they put up an ersatz Swiss village. But being ersatz, you don't expect authenticity, which is what Aspen used to deliver, but that was back in the seventies, when skiing was still hot and middle class people saw it as an option. In fact, skiing is less expensive than it's ever been, but the perception is it's expensive, so it's not growing. And because of the Sierra Club you can't build new ski areas, so those resorts that do exist are getting more crowded and...

I did see the Van Deer stuff in Gorsuch. Billy told me he'd ordered it, but he wasn't sure it would be shipped.

You see the ski business has gone virtual. People buy their equipment online, which is normally a mistake. Not only do you forgo the advice, you forgo the fit. Boots need to be fitted, you need to pay retail. And your skis need to be mounted, why not have a relationship with the shop that's going to do this for you? Because if you do, they'll take care of you, throw deals your way. Billy may charge me retail, but the service is unbelievable. And he doesn't charge for demo skis and little repairs, like pole baskets, so in the end I pay no more than those chiseling online, and get first class advice and service.

Then again, service is going out the window. Been to a department store? No wonder there are so many flash robberies, there's no one there.

And the right equipment makes all the difference, but you can't convince anybody to change their mind about anything these days, everybody's an expert, everybody knows better. But in truth there's an expert in every field and I like to find them, pays dividends. Whether it be Billy at Gorsuch or my doctor or my mechanic. Then again, I get so much satisfaction from things running right, perfectly.

As for those Van Deers... They're the personal brand of Marcel Hirscher, one of the top five racers ever. He retired after winning eight overall titles in twelve years. He's the second most winning male ski racer of all time, with 67 wins, second only to Stenmark's 86. And, of course, the true record holder in wins is Mikaela Shiffrin, with 90, and she's still racing.

Hirscher was sponsored by Red Bull. Many elite athletes are, and Red Bull pays a lot of dividends, with training, etc. And Red Bull helped fund Hirscher's ski company, the aforementioned Van Deer. And you can only get the boards at Gorsuch. This is how you compete with the internet, only sell stuff that can't be bought online. And Van Deer is making World Cup skis and now recreational skis and you probably don't care, but I do.

And I guess that's the point, I care so much.

A little bit makes all the difference, adds to the enjoyment, results in victory, just ask Red Bull's F1 team.

So it's gray. At this time of the year the sun falls behind the mountains very early. And Friday it's supposed to dump.

And it's a long way from Los Angeles.

Well, it used to be longer, before the internet, before mobile phones, before cheap airfare, used to be exotic to be somewhere else, to travel. No longer, but I'm here. Where I first came in 1970, where my father relayed untold stories on the old half hour lift at Highlands in 1979. I've got a lot of memories. I was there when it all blew up.

But now it's going to blow past me. It'll be inherited by people who think high speed lifts are de rigueur, who see skiing as an elite sport.

It's everybody's loss.

Because when you're outside, in the cold, you feel so alive.

But maybe that's just the New England upbringing in me. A cold snowy day, HEAVEN!


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