60 is the new 30. Happy Birthday Hess.

It was The ROCKING HORSE Pub revisited as Aspen legend Mark Hesselschwerdt turned 60.

Hess, a.k.a. the Professor, first came to Aspen in 1971 from the preppy, hard scrabble streets of Grand Rapids, Michigan.  After he dominated the ski racing scene at Montana State University, Hess and his motley band of friends set their sites on Aspen.  In 1971, Hess was a founding member of the infamous ski gang, The Bell Mountain Buckaroos.  The Buckaroos still patrol and control their turf on Ajax, and this will be their 39th season killing it on Aspen Mountain.

Hess has led a storied life in Aspen.  He's done it all.  Ski pro, ski racer, top biker, bar owner, playboy, model / actor / singer, contractor etc. etc.  He is currently the principal at Buckaroo Builders in Aspen.  Its hard to sum up Hess' first 60 years-- but lets just put it this way--- the ladies want to be WITH him and the guys want to BE him.  Nuff said.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HESS.Aspen All Stars greet The Hess on his 60th.    Click to enlarge the pix.  The Rocking Horse. Happy Birthday Hess.

4 Hess siblings--all Aspenites The Buckaroos, still leading the pack.

Aspen Ruggerfest 09

The Gentlemen of Aspen, Rugby Club hosted the 42nd annual Aspen Ruggerfest this past weekend.  Teams from all over the U.S. (and 2 sides from New Zealand) brought the thunder to Aspen to compete for greatness and glory.  The Gents were perfect hosts, winning their own tournament for fourth consecutive year besting their arch rivals,The Denver Barbarians 39-20 in the final mud-soaked match.  It was the 12th victory in the past 14 years for The Gentlemen. 

Ruggerfest is always a rowdy weekend in Aspen.  Besides the mud and the blood on the pitch, the ruggers threw some great parties.  The kickoff luau at The Limelight Lodge had a common denominator that brought all the teams together--- BEER.  Click to enlarge the pix.

Ruggers hug it out @ Aspen Ruggerfest

 Neil the Deal w/ the dancing girlz at the Kickoff Luau for Aspen Ruggerfest at The Limelight Lodge.

The Gentleman of Aspen about to make a try @ Aspen Ruggerfest. The Scrum: Aspen Ruggerfest

Aspen {dot} Org

Aspen and the Roaring Fork Valley is home to a large number of non-profits.  So many in fact that its difficult to put a number on it.  3 of the organizations that we support held events recently.

LOVE*HOPE*STRENGTH*Foundation is actually HQ'd in Denver but one Aspen local, Julie Lampton brought their message to Aspen.  Love*Hope*Strength*(LHSF) is a music-centric organization dedicated to supporting Cancer centers and providing inspiration to patients. LHSF was  founded by Welsh rocker Mike Peters (The Alarm) and James Chippendale.  Active participants include members of rock bands The Fixx, Squeeze, The Stray Cats, The Cult, The English Beat and The Disco Biscuits among others.  Julie has trekked to Mt. Everest Base Camp and Machu Picchu in the past.  This year she's going to Kilimanjaro with LHSF.  Support her journey-- Click Kili Trek.

Click 4 info and to donate

Julie Lampton and the Tuesday Night String Band raising $ and awareness.

POWDER to the PEOPLE is a community organization spear headed by local powder hound Mike Sladdin.  Powder to the People is dedicated to equal public access to public lands and to backcountry education and etiquette.  Education, communication and collaboration are a huge part of their message.  P2P held their summer POW Party at the Eagles Club in Aspen.  Music by The Butchers, tons of auction items and gear, food and drinks and a great turnout of backcountry enthusiasts made for rowdy event.  Everybody in Aspen, especially P2P is firing up for ski season 2009/10.

Powder to the People. Click 4 info.

Aspen POW Hounds. Mike Sladdin, Catherine Lutz, Eddie Liebowitz from Ski Service Center & Arna (who scored big time at the silent auction) support Powder to the People.

The Aspen Chamber Resort Association. (ACRA) held a networking event at Aspen Meadows Resort.  ACRA is a great source for "everything" Aspen.  The Chamber and its members are the lifeblood of Aspen.  Hit their site, ACRA,  see the benefits of membership.  Learn about events, lodging, activities etc.

The Aspen Meadows Team hosted ACRA's networking event. Ladies who network. Tiffany, Peggy, Petrina and Nicole at the ACRA Event.

The Aspen Project

First Date: VH1 Style. Unknown white male was the successful bidder for cast member Star Varga @ the Sexy Singles Auction.There are almost as many microphones & TV cameras in the Aspen Core-- as there are bears. VH1 and The Aspen Project crew are omnipresent in Aspen.  Hollywood types are all over the place creating vignettes & story lines for the 6 potential Aspen starlets and their respective posse's.  We skipped over the voluminous release required for attendance, but we still got to scope out The Sexy Singles Auction presented by Tasha, the Love Coach in conjunction with VH1. 

Film was rolling and drinks were flowing----just like Lionel Richie---- all night long.

Nobody's sure what  the Aspen Reality Show will be, but it appears to be legit.  "Its all in the hands of the editors" whispered one of the producers on the condition of anonymity.  Another high-ranking crew member (who refused to be photographed) assured A-Spin  "we've got a monster hit on our hands."

We shot tons of pix, but the Fro and our legal department said "DO NOT POST".  We're hoping to share our stuff closer to air date.   Sexy singles drinking to excess, bidding on each other, dropping trou, hooking up in the Jacuz.  Maybe it'll be compelling entertainment.   We've come up with some great potential names, but decorum prevents us from revealing them now.

Lets just hope the girlz and the "brand" of Aspen, Colorado remain untarnished. 

Lori Schmutz is not packing heat, its just her microphone for the VH1 reality Show in Aspen. She was the winning bidder for hard-workin' Aspen weatherman Ryan Boudreau.

Billy Squier in Aspen

The guitar gods smiled down upon Aspen last night as Rocker Billy Squier and his band shredded the stage @ Belly Up.   Best known for a string of monster hits in the 80's, Squier proved that he can still light up the crowd.  Classic rock hits including, The Stroke, Lonely is the Night, My Kinda Lover and Everybody Wants You were just some of the guitar-heavy jams that were kicked out  by Billy Squier @ Belly Up in Aspen. 

Squier is currently rolling his ALL NIGHT LONG 09 tour across the USA with his super-tight band including Mark Clarke, Alan St. Jon, Nir Z and Marc Copely.   No one left Belly Up disappointed as Billy & his Boyz played all the old hits at a decibel level that made the ground shake.  Click the pix to enlarge.

  Lonely is the Night: Billy Squier @ Belly Up, Aspen. The Stroke: Billy Squier, Aspen.  Jam Session / Aspen Style. Everybody Needs You

Everybody Wants You 

 Stroke Me, Stroke Me. Billy Squier.