Where the billionaires roam

 "Oh, give me a home... where the billionaires roam... and the skies are not cloudy all day"

Isn't that the way the song goes?

Now, just to be clear, I don't get to spend a lot of time in Aspen, Colorado. At least not since, according to the local lore, the billionaires pushed out the lowly millionaires. I guess that's not so hard to understand. Heck, in my neighborhood homes that were bought for $100k years ago now command seven figure asking prices. Seems like a million just doesn't go as far as it used to.

Still, make no mistake, Aspen is a fun place to visit. If you like great scenery, both of the natural and people-watching kind, this is your place especially on a beautiful summer day. When I was a kid (a long, long, l o n g time ago) I had a chance to ski Aspen with my parents. We were up there for a hockey tournament and my folks had some friends who had a condo in Snowmass and let us stay for a day or two. Haven't skied there since but have had the chance to get there several more times during the warmer months and you sure don't have to twist my arm for any chance at a return visit. 

The Love of My Life and I set out early from the Leadville side (where some of the displaced millionaires are now setting up shop) and made our way up and over Independence Pass. Its nice to see they've made the narrowest sections on the west side alternating one-way controlled by stop lights, so no more peering around the corners to see if a car is coming your way that won't be able to squeeze by. Its a wonderful drive, though not for the faint of heart, and we passed several out-of-state cars with drivers white-knuckling their way up to the top (from the west side its the uphill-headed drivers that get the cliffside views). But what's a little gain without some pain?

We took our jaunt on a Monday planning to avoid the crowds. No such luck. Road and town were both crowded even on a weekday. Looming recessions and pandemic aftermath have done nothing to stop folks from flocking to this hub of the mega-rich to take a gander and poke their noses into store fronts featuring Gucci, Prada, and Louis Vuitton. I remember when Aspen had both a Hard Rock Cafe and a Planet Hollywood (I know, ancient history) and I once had aspirations of seeing Sylvester, Bruce, Demi, and Arnold (that's Stallone, Willis, Moore, and Schwarzenegger for those not versed in 1990's culinary fads) casually having a bite to eat at their own establishment. Sadly that never happened and both eateries are long gone. Oh well.

This trip there were a lot more young people, families with children, thirty-somethings, etc. than I remembered from past trips. Never pictured Aspen as a family-oriented destination but you had to watch your step to not trip over aspiring billionaires not too long out of diapers. The rugby field in town was full of tiny tots but not so much scrums. Trembling tykes and big burly men tossing Gilbert around do not mix, so instead the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet Company had arranged a more child-friendly performance on the green by SWAY'S Bloom that kept the crowds captivated as they "swayed" back and forth atop 15-foot tall poles. It really was something to see and if you get the chance to see one of their performances in person its worth a white-knuckle drive over a pass. 

Not remembering what the top of Aspen Mountain looks like from my hockey trip back in the '70's, my wife and I thought why not take a ride up the gondola to see what the world looks like from 11,000+ feet (I know - Independence Pass is higher at 12,095 feet but I was like, you know, watching the road). At only $33/person for a ride up the Silver Queen that's quite the deal given that the walk-up ticket price in the Winter for an Aspen ski ticket is around $200 so I couldn't complain especially after filling my gas tank for a measly $100 just to get there.

Special bonus - on the way up my wife, who loves all things bruins, watched from the gondola as a bear peeked out from the foliage and then followed us up the hill. For my wife that was one of the highlights of the day and I wasn't about to disagree. Can't report as to what the bear thought.

Once at the top the view truly is magnificent and the summit chalet (the "Sundeck" operated by Aspen’s only five-star, five-diamond hotel, The Little Nell)  features really good food and beverages. I opted for the Mushroom Veggie Burger featuring a Shitake, Quinoa, and Garbanzo bean burger which by itself was worth the ride up. Oh, and the chocolate chip cookie for dessert wasn't half bad either. And the prettiest flowers we saw in Aspen just happened to be at the top of the mountain. 

I also got to discover what all those skiers do while waiting for the flakes of Winter to make their comeback appearance. The seating options at the Sundeck really are conducive to midsummer naps.

Once back down in town it was time for some serious people watching and there's no better place to indulge than from the corner where, coincidentally, the Paradise Bakery is found. Heck, just watching the people in the long line trying to get into the bakery was entertaining. And the brownie gave the mountain-top cookie a serious run for its money. 

And lest I forget, parking in Aspen remains as fun as I remembered it to be. Ranging from $4-6/hour our 7 hour visit set me back $22 but I could easily pay that in Denver for a Rockies game. And they have made it easier to feed the meter than when I was last there - just insert your credit card into the kiosk and close your eyes. 

So that was our quick one-day visit to the town of Aspen. We would have stayed at the Little Nell but the "from $679" price tag really would have put a crimp into an already stretched Aspen travel budget. I am though already saving my pennies (yeah, right) in anticipation of the next visit. And for the cyclists out there, make sure to stop in to the Prada store. Who knew that's what fashionably dressed bikers were wearing these days. 

For some more views of our day in Aspen here's a short video: