Another soft summer day in the old mining town, where culture is the goal.

You know, move to Aspen, get a little house, walk to 1A on powder days, enjoy the blue sky.

Street monster takes downtown streets, citizenry stupified by industrial noise.

The meadow at Aspen's entrance

The view into Aspen this afternoon on what turned into a warm and gray day. As you can see, the grass in the meadow has dried out and turned brown and a few trees are starting to light up. The view provides an idea what coming into Aspen might have looked like years and years ago. No vehicles in sight today...at least when looking in this direction.

Sure, just a bridge...over a sparkling river in Western Colorado, on a sweet day, with no one around...

God, it’s a nice day. Really. The air is soft and crisp and the sun’s rays are hot. It’s amazing. Just closing your eyes and feeling the dry air on your skin is pleasant. Wow. Colorado is so nice in September. High of 74 forecast for Wednesday, with a lilting northwest wind between 5 and 10 mph. Maybe some clouds drifting in and out, but no rain yet. The rest of the week, through the weekend, looks like temps will be in the mid-70 and pretty sunny, especially over the weekend. Okay, we can deal with that. The hillsides starting to turn brown, gold, tan, yellow and orange. Slowly, subtly, but definitely, fall is on the march. It’s after Labor Day, as you know, so it is now officially okay to hope winter comes strong and early. Or at least right on cue for the Thanksgiving opening weekend.

Trout's eye view of a sublime September day. Few fishermen to be found.

Coasting into off-season

Another nice week of weather ahead of us, with temps in the mid-70s and no more than a 30 percent chance of showers. The California smoke is gone, the leaves are just starting to turn, town is quiet and it is a glorious time to be out and about in the Rockies. Cool. Labor Day is behind us and it is on to other pursuits and events and quiet off-season days.

Serving up the Motherlode volleyball tourney in Koch Park

Hot summer day in Aspen with a high of 75 and some blustery weather in the forecast. Maybe some thunderstorms this afternoon. Saturday said to be mostly cloudy with another high of 75. Sunday and Monday, still mostly cloudy with a high in the mid-70s.

An event weekend in Aspen with both a solid line-up of Jazz Aspen Snowmass shows and the Motherlode volleyball tournament. The v-ball tourney is a great boost to Aspen’s summer and is a huge reminder to all Aspenites to get to a beach, any beach, ASAP. In the meantime, the beach at Koch Park is gonna have to do. Welcome to all from far-flung shores.

New downtown fire station emerging on Hopkins Ave.

The Blue House, still a favorite Victorian in the West End, where first leaves are starting to fall.

Renovation underway at Paepcke Auditorium...

As a full moon rises in Aspen, a crowd gathers to watch a bear in a tree, in front of the courthouse. It has a "Jellystone Park" kind of feeling to it

It was kind of surreal, really. Driving down Main Street, and there it is, a Bear Crowd. A knot of people on the sidewalk rushing toward a rustling tree, pointing, laughing and smiling. The bears are delighting visitors who are not used to the site of large, furry and potentially dangerous mammals hanging out in their town. A photographer with a long lens got closer. The tree branches shook. The crowd moved across Main Street. They yelled at someone coming down the sidewalk to be careful. The dark spot in the branches came down and scampered off. The photographer followed. The people talked about the bear as the moon continued its climb.

Onward through the haze

WEATHER: Hot and hazy still, but at least no hillsides around have burst into towering walls of flames. High temps in the upper 70s today. The moon-set before dawn this morning included a huge orange moon dropping through the smoke in front of Sopris. We’re with you California, or at least, you are with us.

NEWS: SkiCo adjusts its season pass program to make it easier, perhaps, for people to choose between a full pass or a one-day-a-week pass with $49 lift tickets. The first deadline to buy “super-early” passes ends September 18. What are you going to do?

NOTES: WSJ reports that the DOW wants Aspenites to be mean to bears in town. Could be a rush on slingshots...

Hot and hazy over the upper Roaring Fork River Tuesday with CA smoke.

Hazy and lazy

WEATHER: Relatively hot and quite hazy today, with temps in the mid-70s. Tuesay should be sunny with temps in the upper 70s. Wednesday brings some clouds and still high temps. Biggest change in the weather is the smoke in the air, presumably from Southern California.

NEWS: The Wall Street Journal covered the upcoming renovation of The Little Nell in full detail, down to the color of chosen fabrics. At $18 million across 86 rooms (the six suites have already been re-done), the project comes to $209,000 a room. The renovation of the Nell, along with the opening of the Viceroy hotel in Snowmass, makes lodging the “what’s new” story of the winter for Aspen Skiing Co.

NOTES: It is that great time of year when town is a bit quieter but summer is still in full effect. Trails, fishing holes, etc. all a bit quieter now.

Well, well, if it isn't Highlands Bowl. Hello bowl....

...so good to see you again. You know, last time I saw you like this you were covered in deep snow. I look forward to the day when you look like that again. Soon, soon...

SkiCo says it will expand its marketing effort this winter.

Also rolling out series of promos through the season...here the luncheon crowd settles in.

Heading up for ski-season preview with ACRA and SkiCo. Very nice summer day.

Here comes ski season. What a wonderful thing to look forward to.

An august day

WEATHER: Tuesday was a little gray and drizzly, but Wednesday has blossomed into a very nice summer day. Forecast through the weekend calling for mostly sunny conditions with temps in the mid to high 70s. Well, that’s sweet.

NEWS: The Aspen Book Store, which has been in The Little Nell hotel since 1989, is closing the Tuesday after Labor Day. John Edwards, the dedicated owner, cites a combination of economics, his lease ending, the Nell being renovated and being closed from Sept. 8 until Dec. 1, and the fact that he is ready for a break. Aspen now is down to one bookstore, Explore, which is still a great store and getting better. Still, it was nice to have a book store at the Nell. GM John Speers said no new tenant has been named for the space, which is just under 300 square feet in size.

NOTES: Aspen does have a slight connection to Ted Kennedy, in that he and Bobbie and Jackie started coming to Aspen in the early 1960s on ski vacations. There is no record of JFK ever coming, but Ted came for at least a couple of Christmas holidays.

Whoa, rainbow upgrade: the shimmering double! Very nice.