It is expensive to live in Paradise. We give up a lot to be here.

Our housing is costly, grocery and shipment expenses are on the rise. Our service choices are few and increasingly difficult to enjoy in this congested County. Even our air is limited and our bodies pay the price for its
dearth.

It is worth it to take a step back…and remember why we chose to live here. I wake up every morning with birds, bunnies and chipmunks running around our porch…bluebird skies and the occasional gangly moose in our front yard.

I clip into my ride and am on the rec path in less than 30 seconds…climbing up Vail Pass, crossing creeks and bridges. I can hear the water flowing, smell the hot flowers and feel the crisp clean air as I fly.

During ski season, we can take a couple hours off and skin up or take the lift up to make some turns … and slip back into work. Every single day.

I always wish that my Dad could see the mountain evenings…the constellations and planets at their brightest. On full moon nights the sky is so bright it seems like day, and the trees seem to stretch up to try and touch it.

People travel here from all over the world. They often come from linear markets where they might pay a fraction of what we pay for our homes and groceries. They frequently live in flat colorless climates with industrial parks and skyscrapers.

They can live larger than we can and easier, but they give up our life at their expense.

We live in a breathtaking place and I am grateful.

Thank you Summit County.