The Best Guys in Aspen

Two of AspenSpin's favorite guys in Aspen are getting busy. 

Raifie Bass and Chris Klug are both survivors and transplant recipients.  It wasn't long ago that both of these guys were laying on their death beds reflecting on their lives which appeared to be almost over.  Raifie and Chirs both faced down critical illnesses and came out on top.  Before they got sick, both Raife and Chris led incredibly active lives.  They are still doing that today, thank God.  Both overcame tremendous odds, so this is a a happy story....yeaaaaah. While, disease presented a huge obstacle to Raifie and CK, they both survived and now they are both prepping for the future. 

The Basses. Click to enlargeRaifie, is one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet. He is a husband to Michelle and father of two super-active boys, Max and Andy plus 2 Pugs.  He works in Real Estate, he shreds, he bikes, he plays rec hockey, loves live music and he has an incredible hockey memorabilia collection. He is leading a normal life after a near death bout with Cancer. Raife is highly engaged with Aspen's Cancer Survivors Center and a big time hockey dad to the Aspen Squirt B's who are in the midst of a record setting season and on their way to the prestigious Silver Stick tournament finals in Canada.

The Klugs. Click to EnlargeChris is loved by everyone who meets him.  He is married to Missy and Daddy to 6 month old baby Bali.  He is a 3-Time Olympian, a Bronze Medal winner in 2002, and one of the best athletes in Aspen. He recently retired from the professional snowboard tour.  He too works in Real Estate... when he's not adventure racing, surfing, commentating, giving motivational speeches or tirelessly working for the Chris Klug Foundation (CKF).  Chris knows he's lucky to be alive.  Critical liver problems almost ended it all, but a different number came up and Chris received the gift of life in the form of a liver transplant.

Click to Pledge This Weekend, Dec 9-11, 2011, CKF is hosting their 6th Annual Summit for Life uphill climb on Aspen Mountain.  More than 500 hearty soles will hike, skin-ski or snowshoe up 3,267 vertical feet to the top of Ajax.  This event raises money and awareness for organ and tissue donation. Click SUMMIT 4 LIFE to get all the facts, to pledge,  to participate.

Raife's cause is a little less serious, but no less fun.  The Aspen Squirt B's went down to Denver and won the prestigious Silver Stick Tournament. They are only Aspen team in more than 30 years to win their region.  As Rocky Mountain Champions, they will travel to Canada to represent Aspen at the International Silver Stick Finals Tournament in January.  The Squirts (age 9-11) are trying to raise money to fund their trip.  You can help the kids out...click:  ASPEN SQUIRT B's. 

If you don't love Raifie Bass and Chris Klug...you don't like people.  They're both all-around great guys.  When I hear the phrase Joie de Vivre (joy of life) I think of my pals Raifie and CK. Please, if you can, dig deep and support the Chris Klug Foundation and Aspen Squirt B's.  Share the wealth and the Joie de vivre.

After hiking himself...Chris is the official greeter at The Summit for Life.

How can you say no? The Aspen Squirt B's. Rocky Mountain Champs. Photo: Raifie Bass click to donate.

The Aspen Party Crasher

Skinny Girl in Aspen.You would think that being the #1 Winter Sports Blogger on Twitter would offer some priviledges.  After 6 years of Rapping and Snapping, Aspen Spin is on most of the party lists in Aspen.  Sure we still have a  "do you know who I am?" moment once in a while, but most people in Aspen are hep to A-Spin's brand of good clean fun.

Click for Pix:  Aspen Party Crasher

Apparently Bethenny, Bravo TV and Skinny Girl Cocktails do not know who I am...or decided that super-sick viral content was not in their best interest.  For whatever reason AspenSpin was not on the list.  We kept getting tid-bits from our peeps that Bethenny Frankel and her reality TV caravan and the marketing machine behind Skinny Girl were in Aspen.  Not being a devoted fan of the reality TV genre we just kept our head down and continued to ski every day and party every night.  We got a tip that Skinny Girl was throwing down at the Sundeck atop Ajax at 8 pm.  Hmmmm.  Night-time gondy rides are pretty fun.  Hmmmm. Liquor companies usually have excellent swag.  Hmmmm.

Security can be tight with the Ski Co. in the mix, but we decided to give it a try. There was no crowd milling about at the entrance to the Gondola, it looked kind of dead.  There was a pair of clipboard wielding flacks at the top of the stairs, but, when a man of a certain age walks past young girls, the "invisible jucice" kicks in.  I made my best "of course I'm on the list" face and without much friction... A. Party was on a RED Gondy heading uphill.  Taking the leisurely 17 minute ride to the top that has become my mantra.

Poof...I was in.  Just a small matter of signing a 4 page TV waiver.  WTF?  I don't sign stuff anymore.  Luckily one of the top lawyers in town was just ahead of me.  He glanced at the form, then at his wife, back at the form...and signed up.

It was amazing...not really.  The Sundeck was all decked out in Skinny Girl marketing materials.  The music was playing, the bar was open ...and who are these people?  Of the 60 or so guests...40 were working the event.  TV people, agency people, activation assistants, fluffers...you get the picture.  I was immediately served a Skinny Girl Cosmo.  I tried a sip, but I wanted to stay on top of my game for Bethenny's entrance.

The music stopped, the lights went up, the sound boom came out, security went to code orange...It was Bethenny Time.  I was not feeling it.  W. W. TMZ. D.  I pushed my way to the front and yelled BETHenNY...I LOVE YOU...(not really).  I snapped a few pix and left. 

The crashing was the best part.  I just needed to feel that tingle you get when you are someplace you're not supposed to be.  I had to prove it to myself...I still have the skills to pay the bills.

Click4 Pix:  ASPEN PARTY CRASHER.

Bethany Frankel / Skinny Girl Cosmo's in Aspen

 Skinny Girl put on a show at the Sundeck

SiiiiiiCK PIX from Aspen World Cup.

 AspenSpin documented all the events for Winternational 2011.  Day and Night, 24/7 we are out their snapping and rapping. 

Click the pix..u may enjoy them.

Fast Chicks in Aspen Aspen Winternational 2011

Chicks on Sticks (more from the World Cup Races)

Ski Tuner's Ball (and other Tales from the Night)

Bucket Shots:  Steps to the Gondola

Aspen Winternational

The World's fastest women are back in Aspen for World Cup Skiing.

The Races  are on Saturday and Sunday on Aspen Mountain.   We are getting some siiiiiick pix.  Here's a few.  

Point and Shoot from the porch of AspenSpin's HQ. Blogging has it's privledges.Lindsey Vonn at the US Ski Team Press Conference."The Coach" Bob Beattie with U.S. racers Anna Marino, Resi StiegkerAutograph signing is serious biz for 3 year old Lasse, with his Mom Sarah Schleper and pal Julia Mancuso.

AVSC at 75

Little Rippers from AVSCHistory.  It's one thing that differentiates Aspen from almost every other ski town in the U.S.  Aspen has roots as a Ute Indian hunting ground, a silver mining boom town and over the past 3/4's of a century Aspen has evolved into a cultural and athletic Mecca.  Since 1937 The Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club (AVSC) has been teaching winter sports and life lessons to the children of the Roaring Fork Valley.  If your math is rusty...that means 2012 marks the 75th Anniversary of AVSC.  That pre-dates the Aspen Skiing company by 10 years.  2011 was a big year in the history of AVSC as it was named USSA (U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association) "Club of the Year" and also was chosen for the "Top of the Hill" Award from the Colorado Ski Hall of Fame.

Click 4 Pix:   AVSC at 75

AVSC Executive Director Mark Cole recently spoke at The Aspen Business Luncheon hosted by Todd Shaver.  Cole and a few of AVSC's coaches shared some of the details about AVSC's 75th Aniversary Season.  Almost 2100 children will participate in AVSC's Winter programs this year, a new record. Coaching is available in Nordic, Alpine, Adaptive and Freestyle disciplines for both skiers and snowboarders  through AVSC   450 of the kids compete at the nationally ranked team level, about 650 children are on scholarship.  Almost 25% of all kids in the Valley participate with AVSC in some capacity.

AVSC has a long list of alumni who are World Class performers and Champions.  Names like  Andy Mill, Casey Puckett, Gretchen Blieler, Dave Stapleton, Jen Hudak and more.   Currently AVSC has begat top riders like Wiley Maple, Katie Ryan, Noah Hoffman and Torin Yater-Wallace.

A long standing Aspen tradition is the AVSC Ski Day.  AVAC Day is when Aspen Mountain opens up for friends of AVSC one day prior to the actual opening day.  A $40 donation ($20 for kids) gets you out on Ajax a day before the general public.  This year AVSC day was a super-beautiful bluebird day and Ajax was groomed to perfection and ready 4 shreddy.  165 acres of finely tuned white gold was skiing like it was mid January.  Some of you may recall last year's AVSC day which was a full-on POWDER Day.... going HUGE on day 1.   Either way...Bluebird or POW POW getting out there with the skiers, coaches, parents and friends of AVSC is a treat, but you better bring your A Game.  Those AVSC kids rip!!!

AVSC is to be congratulated on their 75th Aniversary.  Training World Class athletes is an important job...especially in Aspen.  Training the 2000 or so kids who are not World Class is a special task too.  Establishing core values of team work, discipline and training will help AVSC kids in any  future endeavor they choose, weather its academics or athletics.  If you've ever seen a pack of uniformed 10 year olds ripping down the mountain at mach speed, screaming with the joy of freedom and sporting huge smiles on their faces...then you know what AVSC is all about.

Congratulations to AVSC on 75 years and good luck for a great 2011/12 Ski Season in Aspen.

CLICK 4 PIX:  AVSC at 75

Todd Shaver hosted the AVSC for Aspen Business Luncheon.

LET'S RIDE. AVSC SKI DAY 11.23.11 The Tierney's, Zak and Parker.

On the Mountain in Aspen. Yeeeeeeeeah. Click 4 pix.