I first came to Aspen on a high school ski trip in 1984. Like many visitors, I fell in love with the area and vowed to return to live in Colorado one day. After college, I lived in a tiny, two-room log cabin on the top of Red Mountain in Aspen and worked at the landmark Explore Coffeehouse on Main Street. Most ski bums reluctantly have to return to "civilization" at some point… I went back to North Carolina, married a writer, took a detour to Los...