Vail Computer Elements Workshop

Vail Logistics Information

VCEW 2023 Attendee Notes

Reminder - in 2023 we will be at neither the historic home of VCEW (The Christiania) nor the Arabelle as used in 2022. VCEW 2023 will be held in The Lodge in Vail Village, June 11-14.

Vail Info

There’s a bunch of info online about Vail and things to do.  You can start at discovervail.com and go from there.

Reminder

VCEW is an off the record Workshop. Please don’t photograph slides presented, nor record the presentations. Do feel free to ask speakers for copies of slides. Please bring a business card or two so we can make up a list of attendees who want their contact info shared with others.

Transportation to Colorado and Vail

The nearest major airport to Vail is Denver International Airport (DIA) with hundreds of flights through various major air carriers. Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE) is also available as a much smaller, more expensive, and more limited option.

Transportation from Denver International Airport to Vail:

There are many options to reach Vail from Denver. 

Many attendees choose to rent a car - it’s about a two and a half hour drive from the airport.

• The route to Vail from DIA is a scenic, mountainous, toll-free route along Interstate 70 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_70_in_Colorado).  After passing through the plains before Denver, travel includes a steep climb through the Rocky Mountains and many small towns and major tunnels including the large Eisenhower Tunnel (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eisenhower_Tunnel) before arriving at Vail.  
• There are a number of towns and communities along I-70 between Denver and Vail providing the usual services, and Vail Village itself has a number of establishments for eating and drinking.
• Other transport options from Denver to Vail included a daily shuttle van or bus by Epic Mountain Express (used to be Colorado Mountain Express) (https://www.epicmountainexpress.com) or Peak 1 Express (https://www.mountainshuttle.com/shuttle-schedule/vail/).

“Ridesharing" services such as Uber or Lyft are available but services may be extremely limited or unreliable at times.

• Note:  please pay attention to bus and shuttle schedules etc if you plan to use these to get to the Workshop.

Transportation in Vail

Vail is largely walkable, but for longer excursions  the Town of Vail offers a free in-town bus service: 

https://www.vailgov.com/bus-schedules#la-1768353-intown-buses

Altitude Effects

While Vail Village is rather lovely, and set in magnificent mountain scenery, it also enjoys an altitude of at least 8000 feet (around 2500m). 

This altitude has three major and immediate effects:

• there’s a lot less oxygen than you’re probably used to
• the air is dry, so you can much more easily become dehydrated at altitude. 
• there’s a lot less atmosphere between you and the sun, so you get a lot more UV

To help deal with the effects of all this, consider following the Altitude Sickness Prevention tips from https://thinkvail.com/preventing-altitude-sickness-in-colorado/ excerpted here:

Altitude Sickness Prevention

• Hydration
• If you can, start drinking more water a day or two before you arrive at altitude. Once you arrive drink LOTS of (H2O). Staying hydrated is the first line of defense against altitude sickness.
• Acclimation
• Go up in increments, allowing the body time to adjust to each level before moving up to the next. If someone from Florida or Texas goes directly to Vail, they are more likely to develop altitude sickness than if they acclimate more slowly, by stopping in Denver or Colorado Springs for a night first. About 24 hours should be sufficient.
• Exertion
• Limit your level of exertion on the first day while your body is acclimating, plan to start skiing your second day, not your first. Also, get plenty of rest.
• Avoid Sedatives
• Avoid sedatives such as benzodiazepine. The effects of some drugs, such as, tranquilizers are greatly increased at higher altitudes
• Limit Alcohol Intake
• Alcohol binds oxygen and water and robs your body of these two important nutrients. Avoid overindulging in alcohol during the first 24 to 48 hours. Hangovers will be much more intense
• Travel Companion
• If someone begins to experience severe symptoms get them to a lower altitude quickly.
• Watch Children
• Young children can also be affected by this. Be careful, keep your eye on your kids and look out for symptoms in them as well.
• Go Down in Elevation
• Most symptoms clear up with 1-3 days. If they become severe or persist longer speak with a doctor or go down in elevation immediately and symptoms will go away.
• Doctor Prescribed Medication
• If you’re prone to Acute Mountain Sickness, you can also see a doctor and start taking Diamox® 24 hours prior to arrival to avoid unnecessary suffering.

Please note: nobody in the VCEW organisation is qualified to offer medical advice and these notes are simply to remind you of the known effects of altitude on most people. If you know, or have reason to believe, that altitude presents out of the ordinary risks for you, it is your responsibility to have discussed the situation and what you should do with your medical advisors.

Accommodation

The Workshop fee includes accommodation at the Workshop hotel. You may bring a companion to share your room for an extra fee; the fee covers all the workshop events and food. Details on the Registration page.

Food

The Workshop provides meals as part of the Workshop fee. 

The evenings start with getting together for a Reception with drinks, munchies and conversations (place announced during the workshop) followed by a dinner generally at a restaurant in Vail Village (as described in the Program).

Folk with special dietary requirements are encouraged to let a member of the Committee know as soon as possible. If you’ve registered someone as a second person in your room, they’re invited to all of this.

Participant Activities

Tuesday afternoon is traditionally time off for workshop participants,  providing an opportunity to explore the region alone or with with other attendees. 

Family Activities

While best-known for winter sports, Vail (and Colorado as a whole) is also a summertime tourism destination. So there should be plenty to see and enjoy if you’ve brought your family along. 

Vail Tourism

The Vail Tourism Site also provides information about the various activities in town. Please visit them at https://www.visitvailvalley.com/

Continuous Improvement Scheme

To make this Guide more helpful in the future, please feel free to email suggestions of Good Things that others may enjoy (and possibly of Absolute Disasters that others may like to be warned about)  - and suggestions in general -  to the Membership Chair - peter.j.wilson@mac.com - at your convenience