“Too weird to live, too rare to die!” *

When our friends invited us to visit them at their home in Aspen, Colorado, Paul Kreppel, Murphy Cross, Sandi and I decided to mount a road trip and call their bluff.  When you've created, produced, mounted and filmed a Tony Award winning Broadway show, a 26 hour round trip cooped up in a car together is easy, and every bit as exciting as standing together on the Radio City Music Hall stage receiving that Tony from Eddie Izzard. 

The View from living room

Even after all that history together it's amazing what new things you can discover about your friends while traveling cross country.  For example, Paul Kreppel's multitasking ability.  Paul can read emails, respond to texts, film iPhone video, post the video to a his Vine account, select and stream blue tooth music from his iTunes, navigate the twisting cliff side roads of Zion National Park and scare the shit out of his acrophobic friend, at the same time, while driving my car. At one point he was so thrilled by the beauty of Zion I had to remind him to keep his eye on the road.  Unfortunately, the only way I could get his attention was to text the request from the back seat.  

But with the same angel guidance that led us to Broadway we eventually arrive safely at our friends "hotel and nature preserve" in Aspen. Our host had Murphy and Sandi choose which wing of the house we would occupy by flipping a coin.  Sandi won the toss and chose the Blue room suite with the sitting room, two bathrooms and the door that opened onto the meadow. Murphy chose the green room two floors above us with the incredible view of the mountain and steam shower for herself and Paul. (Note to young people going into show business: choose to become a film and television director). 

I love great stories and I love to laugh so for the next three days all we did was laugh at great stories while basking in the the beauty of the Aspen covered Rockies.  To know our Aspen friends is to love them, perfect hosts, talented artists and incredible raconteurs. We delivered the first screener DVD of the "Two And Only" Film for his collection. Giving him that DVD was the equivalent of handing Mozart some sheet music and saying, "Here is a little ditty I wrote, Wolfgang." 

Although we might have been able to hide in the recesses of the Chateau for several weeks before being discovered, we eventually had to leave to make room for Russians who were due to arrive soon. 

On the drive back we decided to go as far as we could before stopping for the night.  Las Vegas seemed to be a good place, for several reasons. As we saw Vegas on the horizon a voice inside my head repeated the phrase, "We can't stop here, this is bat country!” ― * Hunter S. Thompson, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Besides everyone was still laughing from the oxygen depravation of the Aspen altitude so we decided to drive on. 

As we sped past the Vegas exit a giant billboard flashed a photo of Jack Jones on the Marquee. "Jack Jones" screamed Paul who's turn it was to drive, "I love Jack Jones." He stopped texting long enough to make a phone call... to Jack Jones. "We were just passing by on Interstate 15 and saw your picture."

"Well turn around and come to my show... I go on in 20 minutes." Said Jack over the speaker phone. 

Once again I hear the voice of Hunter Thompson in my mind, "Beware of enthusiasm and of love, both are temporary and quick to sway."Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.  Fortunately the girls refused to participate because of wardrobe issues.

By midnight we were home and sleeping in our own beds.

This morning I can not get my mind around the idea that yesterday we woke up in Aspen and had coffee with our friends while inspecting Black Bear scat deposited too close to the the passenger side of my car. 

I might be convinced it was a dream if not for the incredible pictures I found on my iPhone. 

Great friends.... does life get any better than that?  Thank you Aspenites for a most spectacular visit. We could not love you guys more. Sandi and Murphy... you are both arch angels in my life. Paul, put down the God Damn iPhone. 

As you were,

Jay