Rocky Mountain Highhhhh......

We passed through Cripple Creek without losing (or winning) a dime, and it was....." a drunkard's dream if I ever did see one....." Trivia question:  Who wrote and sang Up on Cripple Creek? (answer below)
Not too much to keep us in his gamblin' town, so we moseyed on across mid CO to begin our ascent up and over Independence Pass, 12,095 ft--closed in the winter.

Wow, a pass to shame all other passes....and then boom, we landed another first for us = Aspen, CO.

  

We were actually prepared to dislike this playground of the wealthy, but it surprised us with a friendly natural side too! Most impressive was their dog friendliness; Rusty was in heaven with so many other tethered pooches walking around. He received a huge amount of attention.
Sunday the 27th was Tim's 64th B-day....." Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I'm 64..." Trivia question:  ok, we know it was the Beatles----but which album? (answer below)
This special day full of sunshine found us floating UP the mountain in the Aspen Gondola
(yes, Rusty went along too---his first lift ride ever!)

We were psyched for a round of disc golf at the world's highest-- 11,212 ft-- DG course up on top. 

I scored my personal best on a 931ft hole in five throws--yes! (never mind that it was all downhill). 
There also happened to be a local Blue Grass band. It was a high altitude fun in the sun day.

The day was complete with Tim's favorite meal of fish and chips in an Irish pub = happy boy :)

The next day resulted in a successful rendezvous with our crazy nephew David, coming off a four-day hike around the incredible Maroon Bells Wilderness outside of Aspen.    

Happy B-day boy!

Answers:  The Band wrote "Up on Cripple Creek"----and the Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band