Making A Living In Aspen

November 15th, 2006 at 12:16am B Jon Traylor 199

Tonight was to have been the night I would write my summary and conclusions and related opinions on last week's mid-term elections.  I knew it would take a few days of digestion to attempt to conclude just what happened in this country last week as well as attempt to conclude what it is that the American people spoke when they indeed "spoke" to our government.  Business has been so strong lately, that I actually had to schedule some time to write.  Instead, my conclusions will have to wait a few more days.  Today's experience is worthy of sharing.

Off-seasons in my industry in this region are big money makers.  When the tourists are gone, many of my clients need the various services my local company provides.  Many more of them simply want everything "perfect" for the holidays.  This November month, with the usual last minute job build-up preceding Thanksgiving, will honestly be the highest revenue month I've had since owning this business in this valley.  Carpets, tile, stone (interior and exterior), lavish area rugs, and more... folks in this valley who have the above are calling... a sign to me that yes, our economy right now is very strong.  And yes, local commercial venues are prognosticating a very strong winter tourist season.  And yes, many locals have expendable cash right now, versus 2003, when expendable cash was being held miserly as our nation prepared for war.  And yes, the economic picture in this country lately is one of the few things I can credit the Bush administration on.

With that preface laid, today was to be a big revenue day, as well as a roll up the sleeves, sweat producing, physically demanding day.  Further, it was a day I was short a helper, which meant that I was in one of our service vehicles today with 3 "for sure jobs" and a fourth standby job on my personal schedule.  Instead, today was a test of patience, a testament to my hard-headedness and will, and even more so... perhaps evidence that yelling "OH GOD HELP ME, OH GOD HELP ME, OH GOD HELP ME" actually works! The stand-by job never happened.

The precursor of winter storms blew through yesterday, effectively halting an exterior stone job scheduled all day.  Twenty miles down the hill here at my home, roads were in decent shape, and my staff and I headed off to our job appointments.  My last 10 miles into Aspen was slow, as usual, as the folks from L.A. and Dallas and Florida consistently provided evidence in front of me that they seriously do not know how to drive in winter conditions, as well as further proof that the entrance to Aspen is a complete disfunctional farce.

The first job was a simple in and out two room apartment job.  However, it took 30 minutes of sliding around and continual repositioning on ice and packed snow to get close enough to do the job.  Then, the real winter storm arrived in full force, wind blowing snow so hard you could barely see, etc.  Another 30 minutes elapsed as I tried to run hoses and get set up.  Another 15 minutes elapsed as I had a mechanical problem with a filter/valve.  Then the job actually took about 20 minutes to perform.  Another 20 minutes to roll it all back in the van.  So a simple less than an hour job (squeezed in at last minute by a client who, of course, had to have it done by end of the week!) actually took about 2 hours.  And people actually continually ask why we charge a minimum charge?  What?  For evidence, read the aforementioned scenario!  This client actually is being billed about 45 dollars over our minimum!

So, as the snow continues to fall heavily and rapidly, and as I'm wet and cold (I'll break out the Columbia Snow Gear tomorrow for sure!) I'm looking forward to the next job up on Red Mountain, a big money carpet job in one of our many multi-million dollar homes here, and also a very good, very wonderful client of mine.  Well, we all know about the steep inclines getting up Red Mountain road.  About half way up the first hill, I'm wondering... "where the heck are the snowplow trucks?"  About half way up, I realize there is no way I'll make it up the next two steep inclines, and I was seriously doubting if I'd make it up this first one.  So, I see what is the Shady Lane turn off towards the river (the sign is covered in snow, but past experience tells me to look at landmarks when snow covers signs!.. welcome to the mountains!)  So I give up.  I begin a U-turn in the intersection, hoping the prima donna from Miami isn't barreling either up the hill or down the hill to have a Mercedes/Dodge confrontation.  Shady Lane (infamous mostly, for those of you who do not know, for being resident to three of Kenneth Lay's previously four owned homes in Aspen), runs down hill towards the river, starting with the intersection.  Ken Lay was a customer, by the way.  Sorry, not sure why I throw that in. Well, doing a U-turn on a snow packed slope doesn't exactly equate to completing a really cool mid-road U-turn.  The slide downhill ensued.  Thankfully, there was a curb that caught my slide, bumped me around a bit, but allowed me to get a one-ton headed back down the hill into Aspen.  I called my client, and said they'd have to wait.

So, a bit shook up, I head back down the hill, in low gear, into Aspen's north side.  After lunch at Clark's Market deli, and a trip to the neighboring post office, and numerous calls in which I simply said... "sorry, we are completely booked, we can get to you after Thanksgiving!"... I decided to head off to the third customer's multi-million dollar spec house in Aspen Highlands.  He's a local realtor, a great guy, spent a fortune on the spec house, lives there presently, and I'm sure he'll retire after he sells it! 

Now comes the hard-headedness, the will, I guess you could say.  The snow is still falling.  I have yet, after a few hours, seen a snowplow.  Main street in Aspen is crawling along at a safe 10-15 m.p.h., which is a good thing.  Across, the bridge, through the roundabout, and up the hill past the high school towards Highlands, I am finally reminded "uh, oh... he's all the way at the end of Exhibition Lane, up that steep hill!"  I actually paused on the road briefly to contemplate.  My thoughts were overwhelmingly, "You know, I need to make my time out here today fruitful and prosperous, and I know he needs this job done within next two days... dangit, I'm doing this damned job!... heck, lets try out these new 700 dollar agressive all-terrain, studded snow tires... yep, we can make it!"

I put it in second gear, thinking first would be two low.  I gunned it, knowing I'd need a good head of steam to make it.  Sure enough, I got within about 20 yards from the top of the hill, then nothing but spin, spin, spin.  My next thought was, "Okay, no problem, lets park it, put on a set of chains, and get the dang'd job done!"  As I put it in park and opened the door, I started sliding downhill.  I reached back in the cab, cut the steering wheel hard, and the slide stopped after about 10 or 15 feet.  That was actually kinda scary. 

So, back in the van, after ruling out trying to get chains on, I'm faced with a rather unique problem solving situation.  I couldn't call the client, he was on the beach somewhere.  The housesitter gal wouldn't answer the phone... I learned later she was asleep on the couch, plus she drove a little hot, but useless black Audi.  I walked down the hill, hoping to find a construction truck and worker.  That was useless because they were probably smarter than me because they went home!!!

So, I concluded that my only way out was to attempt to back it down hill, and yes, there was no way to turn around.  So, I started backing, trying not to brake, knowing braking would send me sliding.  Sliding backwards would not be a good thing.  I actually backed about 10 yards, then started sliding.   Another attempt to put chains on resulted in the same result.  So, again, I tried to back down the hill, and again, no way to turn around.  This time, it got, well, scary!

I also remember thinking about my business liability insurance, thinking about the $30,000 or so I would take to replace the equipment, and another at least $15,000 or so it would take to replace the vehicle.  I remember thinking about where I'd land... in the living room of one of these homes, in the back seat of a Porsche, etc.  Well the vocal cries for help must have worked, because the next thing I know, I'm headed into a ditch, thankfully on the up-slope side of the hill, with snow piled up.  My front end is buried in snow, with snow covering my windshield.  So, actually, upon impact, I wasn't sure where I was, but I knew I was alive!  I got out, dug the snow off the front, and after about 20 minutes of work, was able to get back on the road.  Good thing was that I ended up facing downhill!  So, I drove gingerly down the hill, and I spent the next hour or so trying to stop shaking.  And yes, I proceeded to my wife's office to give her a hug.  Yes, I realized, that the incident seriously shook me up.  And yes, I called the client and told him he'd have to wait until another day!

So, after the shaking stopped, I stopped at the Aspen Airport Business Center to get a coke, and yes, I seriously considered a couple of shots of Crown Royal to go with it, but didn't!  So, while filling my cup at the fountain, I watched a guy in a black coat grab a bag of chips and some Lay's cheese dip, proceed to stuff it in his coat, and then head out the door!  I headed to the counter and attempted to tell the Mexican-American clerk woman what just happened, and she couldn't understand enough english to comprehend what I was telling her!  Then, she shorted me on my change and couldn't understand my english as I was trying to inform her that she owed my more change! 

I looked for the manager, the owner, and another person who has some supervisory skill, and of course, they weren't around.  Chances are, they went home too!  Ugh! 

I love these mountains!  I love living here!  I love providing the absolute best services to incredible customers!  Today, I loved getting the heck out of Aspen so I could sit here tonight in the warmth, comfort and safety of my own so-called mansion, and write this latest chapter of Traylor's Travesties.  

Tune in next time for my election thoughts. 

B. Jon Traylor 

Entry Filed under: Snowmass, Carbondale, Vail, Aspen, Woody Creek, Basalt, Colorado, Pitkin County, Rifle, Silt, Garfield County