A Week in Aspen

Crossing over wetlands

A week in Aspen doesn’t have to be expensive. senior rate of  $13 a night for a campsite 5 miles east of town and a great bike trail into the heart of downtown .A typical day starts with an early morning bike ride into town...

Through thick aspen woods

Bridge over the Roaring Fork

Entering the eastern edge of town

Where the Aspen Mt. ski runs drop
straight into town

Gathering inside the tent for the morning dress rehearsal($20)
of the evening  Beethoven Concert ($80)

Then bike back to the campsite for lunch, shower, and nap, before
driving back into town for dinner and an Aspen Theater
performance of "Little Shop of Horrors"

For over 20 years we have spent a week like this during the Aspen music festival. Usually around our anniversary (52 this year). We eat out 3 or 4 times, but mostly make our own meals in our small popup camper. Over the week we generally  see an opera, an evening concert performance, a morning dress concert rehearsal, one play, one or two master classes, check out the farmers’ market on Saturday  morning, hike at least one  high mountain trail, bike back and forth to town once a day, and take one longer bike ride (10 miles)  along the Rio Grand trail down to Woody Creek for lunch. In between it is feet up  in camp, book in hand, which often leads to a nap lulled by  the warmth of a summer afternoon and the soft rustle of aspen leaves. No cell, no wifi, solar power only, no traffic, only the sounds of nature and the occasional fellow camper passing by. 

Life in Colorado is really very good.

By: Bonnie Shetler