Hi will, Thanks for the kind words. I love conifers and am still learning. I hope more people find out just how great they are and for the most part very low maintance. Also maybe once people see your garden in the westsound home and garden magazine they will like them even more. I know you are humble and wont brag about yourself so I will. Also thanks for your knowledge on cool conifer. I might call some of the great plants coming next years and Will's hot picks. I know I don't write on here very much but I do read the article always with a pen in hand to write down great plants. Thanks all for sharing and hope to see you if you are local or a conifer nerd.

Hi Maureen, You can definitely drive into Telluride all winter. Albuquerque would be quite a bit closer than Phoenix if you want to come up from the south, and there are a couple different ways you could drive up from ABQ. You could also fly United into Montrose which is not too far north of Telluride---that would be the shortest drive. Or, of course, you could fly directly into Telluride---but it sounds like you don't want to do that. Other nearby airports with commercial service are Grand Junction, Gunnison, Durango, and Cortez, and the drive from any of them would be beautiful. All the main roads and passes are open all winter---though it's certainly possible for Red Mtn. Pass (between Ouray and Silverton) to close temporarily if the weather is bad enough or if there's a snowslide. I'd be really surprised though, if it closed in September---it's not impossible, but it would be VERY unusual---so it may have been one of the smaller passes that was closed when you were in that area before. David52 lives down in the southwest corner of the state, and I'm sure he'll see this and have more information for you. Hope you're able to come visit us, Skybird P.S. David, I was down in your corner last week for 4 days to see the Aspen. Had a great time, but it rained the whole way over Red Mtn. and Owl Creek Passes. :-( There was a dusting of snow on top of Owl Creek! I LOVE your corner of the state!

I'm originally from the village of Metamora in Michigan. I haven't lived in MI since 78' and a lot has changed since. My idea of classic regional is skewed. Most of the family and people my parents associated with then were very much into hunting, fishing and all sports. No one I knew as a child frequented restaurants except maybe a hamburger in a bar. We had one wealthy friend who took us to a steak house once. There was a slant towards German style foods and Irish. Also, it all depended on the time of year and the hunting and fishing season. We had venison, pheasant, wild goose, rabbit and fried fish. Sometimes turtle stew or bear jerky. On Sundays there was roast beef dinners. In the summer everyone got together for cookouts where a few of the above meats and fish was brought as well as hotdogs in the skin and there was always a few different types of potato salad, macaroni salad, many kinds of relishes, garden items, there was always fresh ground bologna salad and sometimes blueberry and rhubarb pie. Wisconsin Colby cheese with Ritz crackers were popular as well as Canadian pepper cheese. In between having wild game or fish there was always pots of ham and potatoes stew, and an American version of goulash made with ground beef. In my teen years after the parents divorce most of my food consumption came from a can unless I was at grandmas house and she could have been a famous chef. I'm now in Florida in an area where everyone is from somewhere else. There is a big mix of cuisines. I cannot think of one dish that would be considered regional.

Most has been covered above. Being from NY, just a short drive upstate from the city, and half of my family from Manhattan, perhaps I'm biased but it really is, as rhizo said - and that's what we have always called it - The City. I'm not the most traveled, but I've seen a few things, and when I went to Chicago, and please don't take this as a diss on Chicago - it really is a lovely town - I was like... this is a city? Even Europe, with it's wonderful places, is of course, different. NYC can be overwhelming. So indeed plan ahead. It could be fun if you were a single person or a couple to go with the flow, but with a group... yep, plan well. Personally, I wouldn't stay in the city itself. It would probably be cheaper to stay in Jersey and take the train in each morning. But it's a personal decision based on the time you have, your finances, and what you hope to accomplish while you're there. Compare your options, but touristy stuff (like a decent hotel) is very expensive in the city. If you find a good rate in the city, snatch it up, but be sure to check reviews. Also, as too was mentioned above, if you do get a hotel in the city, check if they have a parking garage. You'll appreciate it immensely. As far as food... again as was said above... DO NOT EAT AT CHAINS! First, the price will be way above what you are accustomed. Second, some of the best food IN THE WORLD is found very reasonably priced in the walk-in restaurants on the streets. For example, there used to be this incredible falafel place right off Washington Sq. Park. We found it by accident. You walk down 4 steps below street level to enter and prepare to be amazed. Back then, while a common city price was closer to $4, the falafels, and the hummus pitas, were $2. Similarly, and here's the type of story you always remember when you travel... One time, 2 friends and I went down to see a show. I think it was B.B. King. We were hungry, saw an Indian restaurant, went in and had the best curry you could ever want. My friend was looking at the menu and saw the little 1,2,3... or 4! chili pepper icons next to the selections. My friend, in broken-English banter with the waiter - probably the son of the owner, as most of the best, affordable restaurants are small, family-owned ones - said that a lot of places claim their food is spicy, but it was never as spicy as he wished. Well, broken-English or not, that waiter understood him perfectly! The appetizer dips that came out, and my friend's entree were FIRE! Lol. Poor guy was literally sweating drops from his forehead. My other friend and I laughed the entire time and half-way home. To this day I'm sure he'd wince if reminded. He ate every delicious bite though. Oh, and try some street food. A hot pretzel is a must, and in winter the chestnuts can't be missed. On your way home on an early night, go to Ferrara's or somewhere similar and bring some pastries back to the hotel. Go to Katz's for lunch, and stop almost anywhere for a slice or two of pizza (doesn't have to be Ray's, Famous Ray's, Original Ray's, Famous Original Ray's, The Original Famous Ray's, The Only Ray's... you'll understand lol.) Take in some Chinese take out (or sure, sit down and relax) while you're near Chinatown. The more disgusting-looking Peking ducks hanging in the window, the better it might be lol (just kidding, ask someone on the street for a good place.) For breakfast, take a short train ride to Brooklyn for a bagel with a schmear (and/or lox if you like.) I guess what I'm saying is, New York has exciting places to visit, including parks, museums, and exhibits, but some of the best art is found in the heart of the melting pot where each culture present's their finest works...