Steamboat Update!
11/16/2005 03:22:00 PM
(See what I'm talking about)
First things first: congrats, Garrett, on your engagement. Sounds like the second best proposal ever. :)
OK. I can't tell you how many requests for an update on our Steamboat trip I've gotten. So here it is. I'll preface the story with my excuse for why it's so delayed: though we were supposed to return Sunday evening, we didn't get in until last night (Tuesday). So it's not like I'm slacking off.
Oh, and a warning, this is going to be a long one. I think. If I can handle it. Maybe I'll split it into parts. Also, you can find all our pictures (not many) from the trip here.
Thursday
We arrived in Hayden (about 30 minutes outside Steamboat) at about 9:30pm Mountain time, and were greeted by Ron, the man who started the practice where Dana would be interviewing. I suppose a little history is called for: Ron started the practice about 7 years ago, and three years ago hired on the practice's second doc, Sheila. In addition to the two docs, there are a number of nurses, and Ron's wife, Lisa, is the office manager. Dana interviewed for what would be the third (and final) pediatrician in the office.
So, Ron picked us up at the airport and drove us into Steamboat. An amicable fellow, he reminds me of our friend JPO, but taller and more soft-spoken. It was hard to get a read on him in the car on the way to Steamboat, but he seemed nice enough. He dropped us off at the Steamboat Bed and Breakfast (pictured above), an altogether awesome place to stay. Since it's what the locals call "Mudseason" (between the two tourist seasons), we had the run of the place - there was no one else there. So we walked in and took our stuff to our room, Ron and Dana agreed on a time he could pick her up on Friday, and he took off.
D and I decided that we were too awake to go to bed, so we ventured the short two blocks into Steamboat's downtown area and found a place to get a drink. We ended up deciding on the Old Town Pub, had a couple drinks (Dana's favorite Half-and-half a change from the normal, as they made it with Guinness and Fat Tire), and headed back to the B&B.
Friday
Dana woke up early to get ready and I stayed in bed to try and get more sleep while she did her girly stuff in the bathroom. We headed downstairs for breakfast (served from 8-9am), picked up the papers (Steamboat Pilot and Today and the Denver Post), had some nice homemade breakfast (the one complaint I have about the B&B is that the coffee was pretty weak), and Ron showed up to whisk Dana away. She was off with him doing doctory things so I went upstairs, read some Steamboat materials I had picked up the night before, showered, and headed out for a walk and look about town at about 10am.
About 30 minutes into my walk, Dana called saying she was done for the day, and that we didn't have anything scheduled until 7 or 8 at night (drinks and dinner). She came and found me in town, since she needed the key to the room to change (she wore a suit to "work", Ron showed up in jeans and cowboy boots). We changed, grabbed some lunch (where did we eat Friday for lunch? I don't remember), and took off in the car for a look around town.
Digression: When we arrived at the B&B, there was a (very pretty) Audi (A4?) Quattro 1.8t wagon there waiting for us - and Ron gave us the keys. Apparently the practice has two of these Audis (actually, the other one has a bigger engine), and basically Lisa gets one and Sheila gets one - nice perk. End Digression
So we take off in our Audi - which drove wonderfully, I might add - and headed north of town up Elk River Road toward the Sleeping Giant - a couple of mountains that supposedly look like a giant lying down to sleep - to get the lay of the land, look at different neighborhoods, etc. Then we turned around... ah, yes - ate at the Tap House, and then headed south of town to Stagecoach Park and Reservoir, walked around a little, and headed back to the B&B.
I think we took a nap for a little bit, both got ready for dinner, and Ron came to get us at about 7pm for drinks before we met everyone else (his wife, Lisa, the other doc Sheila, and her husband Wes) for dinner at Steamboat's nicest restaurant, Cafe Diva, where we split a couple bottles of (very expensive!) wine and I had an incredibly tasty Elk Tenderloin and some yummy garlic mashed potatoes. We had lots of fun with the other four and it felt less like a first date than I would have expected, considering that's essentially what it was. I'll let Dana give the details as to how she felt everything went and what she did when she was with Ron at the office/clinic/whatever, but we had a good time talking and basically just all getting to know each other.
After dinner, D and I were driven home (Ron chauffered us that night) and went straight to bed, as it was another early morning for her Saturday, when she was rounding with Ron at the hospital. (actually, I remember now we watched a movie, then went to bed)
Another pseudo-digression: While we were in Ron's car on our way from drinks to dinner at Cafe Diva, he dove headfirst into how Dana would be compensated, what the options for partnership were, and how the business is structured and shared between the four of them - Ron, Lisa, Sheila and Wes. Overall, the compensation he talked about seems fair, and the option for partnership is more than fair - as things stand now, it seems as if Ron and Sheila are equal partners in the practice - 50/50 split right down the middle - and that for whomever they hire the same kind of agreement would be put in place. Of course, it wouldn't be a day one thing, but the fact that Ron is willing to evenly split - over time - the practice that he went through so much to get started - is very encouraging. End Digression
Saturday
Our last planned full day in Steamboat, Dana started the morning at the hospital (after breakfast at the B&B, of course - French Toast!), and when she got back our only plans were - again - for dinner that night, 8pm at Ron and Lisa's house.
After D returned from her rounds with Ron, she and I headed to the local little bookstore, got some coffee and tea, and tried calling Scott, a friend of Matt and Crea's who is a Steamboat native and also happens to be a realtor in Steamboat. I got his cell and left him a message, so D and I went to grab a sandwich at Backcountry Provisions - a sandwich place (very yummy!) just around the corner from the bookstore. After that, we headed back to the Old Town Pub for some "discussion fuel", a pitcher of Avalanche, and we talked about the possibility of moving to Steamboat (after all, that's why we were there). We both like the community a lot. The town is beautiful, there are a ton of things to do, and everyone is very active. But it goes beyond that. I classified it as "Small Town ++" - it's got all the benefits of a small town - a close-knit community where most people can get involved - but also has a lot of things to offer that you wouldn't normally find in a small town - two(!) butcher shops, one which imports fresh seafood daily. Over 70 restaurants/pubs. Obviously a ton of things to do outside. Events scheduled to bring the community together, including the Winter Carnival (supposed to be spectacular) and a ton of race series - running, cycling, mtn bike, skiing (nordic and downhill), etc. They have an active arts community. A hospital. A sushi restaurant. A scuba shop(!). Everything you would expect a medium-sized city to have and some things you wouldn't expect (a scuba shop? In Colorado?). The major downside - property is REALLY expensive. But with that being the only real negative we could think of (sure, there are others, but that was the most glaring), and the fact that we both liked the city so much and (perhaps more importantly) the people Dana would be working with, we think it would be a fine place to live.
So, with that in mind, we went back to the B&B with the intention of taking a nap, but instead ran into Barbara, the woman who runs the B&B, who has lived in Steamboat forever and loves to talk about Steamboat. And talk, and talk. She was great - a very energetic personality who held nothing back. Quite entertaining.
After our discussion with her, I think we headed into the TV room to catch a movie/nap, when Scott called us back. We went to visit him at the realty office where he broke down the city for us and told us what we were likely to find where. After leaving him, we hopped back in the car to take a further look around town, heading up towards Fish Creek Falls (which we didn't really get to see because it had really started snowing at this point), then back downtown and across the river to the west side of town (next to Howelsen hill), then back to the B&B. D showered before dinner, then Ron came to get us at about 8. We followed him in our car so he wouldn't have to bother driving us back at the end of the night, and we headed up to his place for dinner (where Sheila and Wes were to join us again).
We got a late start, had some wine/beer and appetizers while Lisa prepared some homemade pizzas, and didn't actually sit down to dinner until about 9:30 (in the meantime there was chatting, Ron gave us a tour of his house, etc). Dinner was nice, but again it was just a bunch of people hanging out, having dinner. Very nice. After we finished, I excused myself to use the restroom (and release some intense gas buildup), and returned to comment to Ron on the picture in the bathroom - a satellite photo of a small section of Wyoming. It had come up earlier in conversation that he had a cabin in Wyoming, so I asked if that's what the picture was, and we escaped to the computer room where he showed me another, closer satellite pic, and then pics on his computer of the cabin that he and his buddies were building out there. Like, with their hands. Pretty cool stuff.
We joined the rest of the party after about 30 minutes of that, and Wes and Sheila were getting ready to head out. I decided that D and I should head out as well, and suggested we do lunch on Sunday - we made plans with Ron and Lisa to go snowshoeing the next morning followed by some lunch, and left it that they were going to come get us at 10:30.
We went home, exhausted, and went to bed.
Sunday
Snowshoeing was awesome - I am way out of shape, and the altitude certainly didn't help, but we had a blast. It was beautiful (I had to go buy some gloves earlier in the morning, but was otherwise overdressed), and with the snow falling through the trees it was really beautiful.
Today
OK. I'm getting really lazy now because this entry is getting so damn long. In that last paragraph I condensed like 5 hours into two sentences, and I'm not doing it justice. I'm sick (now) and need a nap (now) before I head to class tonight. I'll update with the rest of the story later tonight or sometime tomorrow. Be sure to check D's blog for updates in the meantime.
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7 Comments:
My hatred for you only continues to grow. That is, until the first time I come visit you and never leave. I'm perfectly fine living in a basement in Steamboat.
posted at 3:51 PM
A little update: I just received an e-mail from Ron, and he gave the usual thanks for coming stuff, added in that "you would do well here", and also told me that they have two other applicants who are coming to interview. A decision will be made by the end of this year. We'll see!
posted at 7:36 PM
Sounds like a great place, and the pictures were great! Fat Tire is probably one of my favorite beers, if you guys move there B.J. and I would definately visit.
posted at 6:29 AM
Yeah, we would charge a lot less than the hotels do.
Just give us ample warning so I can get the webcam set up in the guest room. :)
posted at 8:24 AM
Don't forget the speaker under the bed! Sounds like a great trip! More importantly, sounds like you guys meshed well with the practice! Heading over to read Dana's blog now!
posted at 8:44 AM
Oh - and the 1.8t - NICE! Was it a manual!? hehe...
I sense a turbo wagon in your future!
posted at 8:49 AM
Not manual, but the triptronic (or whatever they call their equivalent) was sure handy in the snowy mountains!
posted at 10:01 AM
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