Gondola One Opens for Scenic Rides

by: Paul Swansen - June 5th, 2013   Filed under: Colorado, Ski Colorado, Vail Add Comment

Vail’s Gondola One Opens for Scenic Rides this Weekend, June 7-9

Vail Gondola One

Vail Gondola One (Photo credit: proforged)

Vail Mountain, the largest ski resort in the United States, will open Gondola One in Vail Village for scenic rides this weekend, June 7-9, during the GoPro Mountain Games. Guests are reminded that due to the events taking place, bike hauls will not be permitted for the weekend.

In addition, Sarge’s outdoor barbeque at Mid-Vail will be open for the first two weekends of Gondola One’s summer operation schedule.

Starting Thursday, June 20 the majority of summer operations, including signature summer activities at Adventure Ridge and on-mountain dining, will be based out of Eagle’s Nest atop the Eagle Bahn Gondola.

Scenic rides will be offered on both gondolas for the summer. Bike hauls will also be offered on both gondolas as soon as conditions permit and trails are opened. Both Gondola One and the Eagle Bahn Gondola will operate according to the following summer schedules:

Gondola One*

  • Weekends-Only: June 7-9 and 14-16
    • 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday through Sunday
  • Daily: Thursday, June 20 – Monday, Sept. 2
    • 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

*Bikes will be allowed up the gondola until 4 p.m. (except during the weekend of June 7-9).

Eagle Bahn Gondola and Adventure Ridge**

  • Daily: Thursday, June 20 – Monday, Sept. 2
    • 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday through Wednesday
    • 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Thursday through Saturday
  • Weekends-Only: Sept. 6-8, 13-15, 20-22 and 27-29.
    • 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday through Sunday

**Bikes will be allowed up the gondola until 6 p.m.

For more information about Vail Mountain visit www.vail.com, or stop by the Mountain Information Center, open daily from 9 a.m.–4 p.m., or call (970) SKI-VAIL (754-8245).

About Vail Mountain
Coveted as the largest ski resort in the United States with more than 5,200 acres of skiable terrain, seven legendary Back Bowls spanning seven miles, and the most groomed terrain on the planet, Vail has been an extraordinary winter vacation destination for passionate skiers and snowboarders for more than 50 years. It is home to world-class athletes during the U.S. Ski Team early-season training sessions in Golden Peak, the Burton US Open Snowboarding Championships and the future 2015 World Alpine Ski Championships. Under blue skies more than 300 days each year, friends and families reconnect and celebrate here from year to year and generation to generation. The vacation experience is exceptional, from the Vail Ski & Snowboard School to events, activities and festivals, shops and spas, abundant culinary experiences and luxurious accommodations. Coupled with the vision inherent in the spirit of Vail’s founders, and a modern day commitment to excellence in all aspects of guest service and operations, Vail is a mountain resort like nothing on earth. www.vail.com.

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Obama Lies PKG Final

by: Paul Swansen - June 4th, 2013   Filed under: Politics Add Comment

Obama Lies PKG Final

 

Obama Lies.  I know that many of you have seen and heard this all before. And yet the content and subject hasn’t sunk in far enough for you to get mad as hell.

What’s interesting is to listen to the very beginning of President Obama speaking. The phrase, “if you don’t have insurance, you’ll finally be able to afford insurance.”

Just how is something like that possible if I’m unemployed? No unemployment benefits, so just how am I suppose to afford and pay for said insurance? Does the president still believe the drivel he was spewing back in 2009 when he made those statements? If so, can he or someone else explain how this insurance scam or opportunity is possible?

The video is full of complete contradictions to the failed utopian statist vision of Obama and his minions. Its time American’s woke up to take back our country.

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Mountaintop Express Lift Replacement

by: Paul Swansen - June 4th, 2013   Filed under: Ski Colorado, Vail Add Comment
  • Mountaintop Express

    Mountaintop Express (Photo credit: sevenblock)

    New Mountaintop Express Lift (#4) will feature first loading conveyor system for a high-speed, six-passenger lift of its kind in North America

  • Gopher Hill Lift (#12) replacement also approved
  • Both lifts will open to the public for the 2013-2014 winter ski and snowboard season

Vail Mountain, the largest ski resort in the United States, announced that it has received approval to construct a new high-speed, six-passenger Doppelmayr chairlift, replacing the four-passenger Mountaintop Express Lift (#4) from Mid-Vail to Patrol Headquarters. Construction will begin immediately and the lift will be operational for the 2013-2014 ski and snowboard season.

The Mountaintop Express Lift (#4) will feature loading gates with a right angle load and a loading conveyor system, which has been shown to reduce the number of lift stops and slows, thereby increasing the efficiency of the lift. The systems have been widely used throughout European resorts for years and this will mark the first loading conveyor on a high-speed, six-passenger lift of its kind in North America. The new lift will result in a 33 percent increase in capacity, or 3,600 people per hour, which is the same capacity as Vail’s new Gondola One. The old Mountaintop Express Lift (#4) was installed in 1985 and provides access to Patrol Headquarters and a number of surrounding areas including the legendary Back Bowls and Blue Sky Basin.

“The Mountaintop Express Lift is one of the busiest lifts on Vail Mountain,” said Chris Jarnot, senior vice president and chief operating officer of Vail Mountain. “Upgrading it to a six-passenger lift and adding capacity will make a noticeable improvement in wait times and skier/snowboarder circulation. The use of the loading conveyor, which is a common feature at top European resorts, is an added luxury and reduces the frequency of misloads as well.”

The new lower lift terminal of the Mountaintop Express Lift (#4) will be located approximately 90 feet to the east of the previous terminal, resulting in a lift maze configuration that will decrease cross-traffic of skiers and snowboarders in the surrounding area. The upper terminal location will undergo minor adjustments to accommodate a more efficient circulation of skiers and snowboarders.

The resort has also received final approval to replace the Gopher Hill Lift (#12), a fixed-grip double chairlift, with a fixed-grip triple chairlift. The Gopher Hill Lift (#12) in Golden Peak – a fixed-grip double Riblet chairlift installed in 1974 – will be replaced by the old Rose Bowl lift (#4) from Beaver Creek, which was removed in the spring of 2011. The fixed-grip triple Doppelmayr lift will increase capacity by 50 percent over the existing lift, which predominantly provides access to the Golden Peak area for beginners as well as access to Vail Village. The lower terminal will be adjusted slightly in both location and elevation to allow beginner guests easier access to the lift and to facilitate better use of both the west and east lift mazes.

“The new triple lift in Golden Peak will allow for twice the capacity of our three to six year olds enrolled in lessons, as they are required to ride the lift with an adult,” said Chris Jarnot, senior vice president and chief operating officer of Vail Mountain. “While this upgrade may seem small to our more experienced guests, it’s a critical improvement for our newest and youngest visitors to get them on the hill and learning faster.”

The majority of the both old lifts will be recycled and some components will be kept as spare inventory for Vail or other Vail Resorts mountains.

For more information about Vail Mountain, visit Vail.comor contact the Mountain Information Center at (970) SKI-VAIL (754-8245).

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Attention to Detail.

by: Paul Swansen - June 2nd, 2013   Filed under: Current Events, Customer Service Add Comment

Attention to Detail.

If you spent any amount of time in the service or on active duty, the phrase, Attention to Detail, was on that was drilled into you on an hourly basis. The concept is also something that is lacking in general in today’s society. A case in point. I recently have written about and done a video, regarding my experience with a local food bank.

As I’ve said previously, while I’m appreciative of their assistance and the point of this writing is a lack of “Attention to Detail,” by the local food bank. There are two examples which follow.

Out of Date 1

Out of Date 2

In both cases, the boxes of crackers are eight months out of date. Out of date and yet given out to those in need by the local food bank. While I’m not sure of just what the food bank guidelines and training for their locations are, it would appear that common sense has not prevailed in this instance.

The Crackers are good for possibly adding to soup or maybe giving to the the squirrels or the birds outside our building. Hopefully the local food bank will have some additional training for their volunteers.

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Jeff Foxworthy pokes fun at Colorado…..

by: Paul Swansen - June 2nd, 2013   Filed under: Colorado Add Comment
Jeff Foxworthy, comedian

Jeff Foxworthy, comedian (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Jeff Foxworthy pokes fun at Colorado…..

1. You switch from ‘Heat’ to ‘A/C’ in one day.

2. You know what the ‘Peoples Republic of Boulder’ means.

3. Your sense of direction is: towards the mountains and away from the mountains.

4. You’re a meat-eating vegetarian.

5. The bike on your car is worth more than your car and you have your own special bike lane.

6. You’re able to drive 65 miles per hour through 13 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without even flinching.

7. You take your out-of-town guests to Casa Bonita even though you would never go there otherwise.

8. You think your major food groups are granola bars, tofu and Fat Tire Beer.

9. You design your kid’s Halloween costumes to fit over a snowsuit.

10. You think that sexy lingerie is wool socks and flannel PJs.

11. You know all 4 seasons ‘almost winter, winter, still winter and spring blizzards

12. You’ve been tear gassed in a riot to celebrate a CU/CSU victory.

13. You can never figure out why your out-of-town guests faint from altitude sickness on a picnic to the mountains.

14 You can drive over a 12,000-foot pass in 4 feet of snow, but can’t get to work if there are 4 inches of snow.

15. You know the ‘correct’ pronunciation of Buena Vista.

16. When you visit friends at sea level, you can drink a case of beer and not get a buzz.

17. Your car insurance costs more than your car.

18 You have surge protectors on every outlet.

19. April showers bring May blizzards.

20. ‘Timberline’ is someplace you have actually been.

21. You know what a ‘Chinook’ is

22. You know what a ‘Rocky Mountain Oyster’ is.

23 You know what a ‘fourteener’ is.

24. But you don’t know what a ‘turn signal’ is.

25. A bear on your front porch doesn’t bother you nearly as much as a Democrat in Congress does.

26. Your golf bag has a 9-iron, a 3-wood and a lightning rod.

27. People from out of state breathe 5 times as often as you do.

28. Having a Senator named Nighthorse doesn’t seem strange.

29. Thunder has set off your car alarm.

30. You have an $800 stereo in your $300 truck.

31. You think a red light means 3 more cars can go.

32. Where we’re going, we don’t need roads!!
33. You know where the real ‘South Park’ is.

34. You can recognize the license plates of all 50 states on sight.

35. Driving directions usually include ‘Go over_________ Pass.’

36. You’ve ‘checked for ticks.

37. You’ve dressed in shorts, sandals, and a parka with a hood.

38. You’ve gone snow skiing in July and………

39. You’ve played golf in January and…….

40. They were in the same year!

41. You’ve urinated on the Continental Divide just so it could run into both oceans.

42. You know what a down slope and an up slope weather pattern is.

43. And the most important: You get a certain feeling of satisfaction from knowing that California and Texas are both down stream.

44. You actually understand these jokes and send them to your Colorado friends.

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Vail’s Annual Mountain Cleanup Scheduled

by: Paul Swansen - May 30th, 2013   Filed under: Colorado, Ski Colorado, Vail Add Comment

Vail’s Annual Mountain Cleanup Scheduled for Tuesday, June 18

Ski Runs

Vail Mountain and Vail Resorts Echo invite community volunteers to join employees for the annual mountain cleanup, scheduled for Tuesday, June 18.

“Vail’s mountain cleanup is a great opportunity for employees and the community to give back and get our beautiful mountain ready for summer guests to enjoy,” said Adam Bybliw, environmental manager for Vail Mountain. “We look forward to seeing a great turnout of volunteers to lend a helping hand this year. With the cleanup based out of Vail Village via Gondola One we’re also looking forward to accessing different areas of the mountain than in years past.”

Volunteers are highly encouraged to pre-register with the Mountain Information Center and complete release waivers prior to cleanup day. On cleanup day, all volunteers should meet at the base of the Gondola One in Vail Village by 9 a.m. with their own work gloves, water, sun block, hat, snacks, sturdy hiking shoes and clothing for inclement weather. A limited supply of gloves for cleanup will be made available. Teams will be transported up the mountain at 9 a.m., provided with trash bags and directed to specific cleanup sites. In the case of severe weather, a decision will be made the morning of the clean up whether or not to continue or postpone the cleanup.

Beginning at 12 p.m., the Vail Mountain dining staff will host a complimentary barbecue at Sarge’s Grill at Mid-Vail for all volunteers, at which time a single-day complimentary lift ticket voucher for the 2013-2014 winter season will be distributed to volunteers. After lunch, teams will meet again to continue cleaning and hike down to the base area on assigned trails. Those who choose not to walk down the mountain may download the gondola.

To pre-register, provide your name and the number of people in your party to the Mountain Information Center in Lionshead, open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. and daily beginning Thursday, June 20. Or, call (970) 754-VAIL (8245). All volunteers will need to complete and sign a liability release form and bring it with them on the day of mountain cleanup in order to participate. Liability releases are available in the Mountain Information Center or online at www.vail.com/mountaincleanup.

Vail Resorts Echo, the Company’s social responsibility and environmental stewardship program encompasses three core efforts – charitable giving, volunteerism and environmental stewardship. For more information, visit www.vailresortsecho.com. For more information about Vail visit www.vail.com.

All volunteers will receive a single-day lift ticket voucher for 2013-2014 winter ski season

  • Guests are encouraged to bring their own gloves, water, sun block, hat, snacks and sturdy hiking shoes.

 

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The Willie Lawson Show – Taking It Back to the Streets?

by: Paul Swansen - May 29th, 2013   Filed under: Current Events, Politics, Video Add Comment

The Willie Lawson Show – Taking It Back to the Streets?

Last night my friend and fellow conservative Willie Lawson discussed a variety of issues during a Google Hangout.

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Food Bank of the Rockies

by: Paul Swansen - May 28th, 2013   Filed under: Colorado, Current Events, Customer Service 3 Comments

According to their web site: Food Bank of the Rockies (FBR) is the largest private hunger-relief organization in the state of Colorado. Also according to their web site: We run an efficient organization,…

Today I find this a bit of a stretch for this organization. As I’ve written previously I’ve been unemployed for the past 15 months. We have been able to rely on the generosity on occasion of family, friends and strangers, in times of need. I don’t like having to rely on public assistance, and would much rather be receiving a hand up and not a hand out.

Currently the cupboards are bare and I went in search of a local Foodbank for assistance in getting over this current rough patch. Again, according to their web site: Foodbank of the Rockies has a local outlet just a few blocks from our apartment. I was glad to see this and find out that they were open today.

However what I’ve found is what appears to be a typical bureaucratic nightmare. The local listing:

Helping Hands for the Homeless
3875 Marshall St.
Wheat Ridge, CO 80033

Doesn’t exist. There is no such address on the street listed. Also when calling the provided phone number there is only an answering machine/voice mail, which is full and not accepting messages. I would hope that this is an isolated incident with only one of their locations.

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A children’s guide to splattered bugs

by: Paul Swansen - May 27th, 2013   Filed under: Current Events Add Comment

A children’s guide to splattered bugs.

 

What a great graphic (see below) for the start of the summer season. I’m sure as you return from your Memorial Day road trip this type of graphic will come in handy to keep the little ones occupied.

MEMORIAL DAY TRAFFIC CONGESTION ON "THE S...

MEMORIAL DAY TRAFFIC CONGESTION ON “THE STRIP,” POPULAR AMUSEMENT AREA OF BAGNELL DAM. SHOPS, CARNIVAL RIDES… – NARA – 551324 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Yes it’s Monday and Memorial Day and yet there’s been no woe is me, complaining of it yet again being Monday and how are we going to survive without copious amounts of coffee. I’d expect that any litany of woe for today will be related to how bad the traffic was on the return trip from what ever garden spot of the universe you’d decided to visit.

 

Simply another Monday around these parts with nothing special planned for the day. A day of writing is on tap to be sure. Some investigations into improving and updating the web site and other related matters as well will be on tap I’m sure.

 

Please drive safely on your return trip so that you might enjoy your upcoming short work week.

 

 

 

A children’s guide to splattered bugs: “Childrensssss

Excellent signage at a 76 gas station, via Telstar Logistics’ Instagram.

    

”

(Via Boing Boing.)

 

 

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Sebelius Scandal.

by: Paul Swansen - May 26th, 2013   Filed under: Current Events, Politics Add Comment

And the scandal’s just keep on coming.

Fast & Furious
Benghazi
IRS
AP Phone Tapping

And the continued flagrant violations by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. Back in the fall of 2012, Sebelius got in hot water for a violation of federal law restricting political activity by sitting government officials.

The violation of the Hatch Act, occurred as the Secretary addressed a group in North Carolina. The Hatch Act prohibits federal employees from using their official authority to influence an election. However it does allow partisan remarks made in a personal capacity.

The US Office of Special Counsel and the ethics office found that Sebelius made the speech in North Carolina in her official capacity as the nation’s top health official.

While this scandal isn’t as flashy and full of intrigue as the others, this is one scandal that refuses to go away.

GOP Widens Probe of Sebelius Fundraising for Enroll America: ”

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, who obviously wields enormous power of the nation’s health care industry, has been aggressively seeking donations from the industry to fund a private non-profit, Enroll America. The non-profit is led by veterans of the Obama White House and campaigns and has appointed itself a leading role in implementing ObamaCare. In response, House GOP members have launched a wide probe into the questionable solicitations.

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Fred Upton (R-MI) suggested Friday that Sebelius’s solicitation of donations from the health care industry raised a conflict of interest. He wrote ’HHS regulation of the health insurance industry will only grow under [healthcare reform], including by approving health insurers to participate in the exchanges.‘ 

Under ObamaCare, the federal government will have even greater regulatory control over health insurers and health care providers. The rules promulgated by HHS will have very real consequences on their business. A request from Sebelius to donate to a private non-profit does not exist in a vacuum. Some unknown amount of consideration would have to be paid to the ramifications of not donating.

Enroll America has promised a ‘campaign-like’ approach to promoting ObamaCare. Administration officials have said the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, a leading funder of left-wing causes, has committed $10 million to the effort. Tax preparer H&R Block has pledged $500,000, according to Obama officials.

Upton and some of his colleagues sent letters to a host of leading insurers, asking for all communications regarding the fundraising by Sebelius. Most have been asked to provide a response by Monday.

    

”

(Via Breitbart Feed.)

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