To paraphrase Mission Control: “Aspen, we have a problem!” Yes! And it’s the very beauty of Aspen with its cultural environment of music, art and intellectual thought — all this within one of the most beautiful and natural settings on planet earth.
The beauty of Aspen, with its culture, attracts thousands of visitors each year, increasing exponentially its attendant problems of traffic congestion, air pollution and construction noise. Hardly a day goes by without the sound of a siren. Just like the big city! Yes, Aspen! The Quiet Years are gone! “Gone with the winds of change.”
So, enjoy what remains of the good years that we old Aspenites recall — such as Tim Willoughby’s “Aspen’s real estate regrets!” (“If only I could’ve should’ve bought it, Aspen’s real estate regrets,” Aug. 3, aspentimes.com)
Yes, Tim! The good old days are gone! But, our memories still remain! As a small boy of 6, I vaguely remember the deep snow of ’36 as my mother and I walked past the Whispering Swede’s, Jack Shafter’s and Hannibal Brown’s small old homes east of the courthouse. Those old timers passed away years ago but our memories of them still remain!
Jim Markalunas
Aspen