Well, it's been a while! If my math serves me right it's been...well, over a month. I am very sorry for that. Thanks Marge for dropping a line to see how I was. I totally didn't mean to forget. I have been really pretty steady with my summer life. Things to do, places to see, etc. Flying home to PA for a 8 day visit/getaway was the first I left the Gunny Valley for over 2 and half months. Been sticking it out; working a bunch, getting outside a lot, making some memories with new friends.
Anyways, a short intro in to my recent absence. I'm back at it though and been working in the lab (HAPLab) for 2 weeks now. Classes started and the students are back. It is great to have people flowing through the hallways again past the lab. I met a lot of students last semester and some of them are still here for another year or 2. Very nice to see familiar faces as compared to when I started in January and knew nobody!
I've made or enhanced new friendships this summer as well. My friend Ben, who is an admissions counselor at the college, has introduced me into the mountain biking realm out here. It is sick (no throwing up) as to how much land there is to explore and have a blast doing under your own power. Hartman's Rocks (where I ran the Sage Burner 25k race) is where we frequent often. Speaking of which, last night, myself, Ben, Jason, and a new guy Zack (both who work at the college) rode into the sunset of a sun and the moonrise of a full moon! No where else in my life have I ridden by moonlight and loved it. We had to break out the headlamps for one trail, but otherwise it was indeed epic!
Reading just some of the things that have been going on you can see how I'm busy with new experiences, new friends, and one hell of a beautiful and unique place here in Gunnison. It's captivating as mother and father can hopefully atest. You'd maybe think with the onset of winter nearing (it's now probably late late summer, early fall here now), that we would be bummed for snow but your wrong! Ice Hockey starts October 26th! CBMR (crestted butte mountain resort) opens for skiing in November, and after a hearty snow, the double track at Hartman's is groomed for XC skiing-of which I am going to get into more this winter!
Now you can see how it's addicting to stay here. In a way, it's not the money you make (or don't make) that keeps you here, but the beauty, serenity, and irreproducible experience of the Gunnison Valley.
I know I just spouted at the mouth via my fingers for a short bit about outdoor this, outdoor that but it's been my life more as of lately minus when I am working at the college, Garlic Mike's, or Hertz rental car. Hope ya'll are good. Live the life you long to live.
Cheers!
Alan
P.S. and of course do check out my pictures! Many have been added, some cool looking ones. http://picasaweb.google.com/aldsmith3
Showing posts with label Gunny Impression. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gunny Impression. Show all posts
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Friday, February 13, 2009
Impressions of Gunny...
Last evening as I was walking before dark around town. I decided that perhaps I should visualize the town of Gunnison a little bit for you who have not been here.
Where to start? Well, the streets are all up/down and left/right. Only one street meanders through town and that is Route 50-which goes East/West otherwise, not including campus, they all are straight. One cool thing about standing on any of the streets except maybe facing East, is that you can look up and see mountains or scenery. Gotta love the constant form of visual entertainment!
Getting out and walking about town it definitely seems a lot bigger than it is. I easily spent 40 minutes in the same Northwest part of town without doubling back on anything. There are some quite boring houses, and then there are some very cute and well maintained houses/homes. Some people live in theirs for the sake of living, and some express themselves with some neat paint schemes. Solar panels aren't huge out here but there are definitely more of them here than anywhere back East that I've seen!
Roofing...Tin roofs are in! It is quite easy to spot a tiled or shingled roof here-the snow just sits on the roof instead of sliding off like with tin. Some of the h0uses are quite close together with little room for outside yard activities but that tends to be the homes that are just for living in...not expressing. As you get a little further away from town central, you see the yards expanding quite wide. Another thing, there is no elevation gain or slight up's or down's here in town. The roads are flat flat flat. Only exception being over by campus or some of the smaller foothills where the road will rise. As I may have mentioned before, Gunny sits in a valley and therefore a flat section of no-rise at that.
In other news, I am starting Tuesday with a professor's wife in fitness programing (aka training). She has had some previous pulmonary issues so it should be interesting to see how she deals. She seems quite eager to start. I will work with her 2 days a week for a nominal fee. Granted, I could get twice as much someplace else for my qualifications, but hey it's Gunny!
Furthermore, I may be getting a summer job at the Crested Butte Country Club personal training. CB is the rich resort area just north of town by 30 minutes. Check out the website: www.skicb.com. One of Scott's students (non-traditional mother who's son Tim is also in the program-great kid by the way) has asked Scott for a recommendation so I may have more work besides Hertz and the HAPLab this summer. Busy busy. Whew.
Anyways, to get the full Monty, you'll just have to come check out the lovely things Gunny has to offer. Lots of little independent shops; though no independent Pharmacy...hmmmm. Haha, talk to you all later.
Where to start? Well, the streets are all up/down and left/right. Only one street meanders through town and that is Route 50-which goes East/West otherwise, not including campus, they all are straight. One cool thing about standing on any of the streets except maybe facing East, is that you can look up and see mountains or scenery. Gotta love the constant form of visual entertainment!
Getting out and walking about town it definitely seems a lot bigger than it is. I easily spent 40 minutes in the same Northwest part of town without doubling back on anything. There are some quite boring houses, and then there are some very cute and well maintained houses/homes. Some people live in theirs for the sake of living, and some express themselves with some neat paint schemes. Solar panels aren't huge out here but there are definitely more of them here than anywhere back East that I've seen!
Roofing...Tin roofs are in! It is quite easy to spot a tiled or shingled roof here-the snow just sits on the roof instead of sliding off like with tin. Some of the h0uses are quite close together with little room for outside yard activities but that tends to be the homes that are just for living in...not expressing. As you get a little further away from town central, you see the yards expanding quite wide. Another thing, there is no elevation gain or slight up's or down's here in town. The roads are flat flat flat. Only exception being over by campus or some of the smaller foothills where the road will rise. As I may have mentioned before, Gunny sits in a valley and therefore a flat section of no-rise at that.
In other news, I am starting Tuesday with a professor's wife in fitness programing (aka training). She has had some previous pulmonary issues so it should be interesting to see how she deals. She seems quite eager to start. I will work with her 2 days a week for a nominal fee. Granted, I could get twice as much someplace else for my qualifications, but hey it's Gunny!
Furthermore, I may be getting a summer job at the Crested Butte Country Club personal training. CB is the rich resort area just north of town by 30 minutes. Check out the website: www.skicb.com. One of Scott's students (non-traditional mother who's son Tim is also in the program-great kid by the way) has asked Scott for a recommendation so I may have more work besides Hertz and the HAPLab this summer. Busy busy. Whew.
Anyways, to get the full Monty, you'll just have to come check out the lovely things Gunny has to offer. Lots of little independent shops; though no independent Pharmacy...hmmmm. Haha, talk to you all later.
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