threadwalker

ski down sheets of ice noted as "black diamond" (expert runs) at Bear Valley ski resort on Mt Reba.

I doubt there were more than 3 dozen people on the mountain in addition to the 2-3 classes of kids (4-8 yr olds doing advanced runs), so it felt like it was MY mountain for the day.

There was a 2hr window where the sun softened the snow and it reminded me of gliding across gelato and not facing frozen death. When I made my turns, snowy spray shot out in my wake. I kept thinking there was someone following me, but it was just the sound of my own air-borne wake hitting the slopes. Then the slopes refroze around 3 pm and the last hour was once again spent on ice. However, instead of being smooth sheets of ice like in the morning, it was chopped and cut with the uneven, deep tracks where skiiers and boarders had created trails when the snow was soft. That type of terrain is tricky and begs the skiis to get stuck in a rut and throw you off balance. Fortunately, I got through my day without falling and I have no soreness today; just the afterglow of a great day of skiing.

And maybe a bit of wind-burn.

( the outcome of the bet )

The short story, which went out in cell-text. A lucky few of you actually got these.

Jan 15, 2007: 0137: Text Message 1:

Arrive safe n Arnold @ 12:30am: F-ing 21F. Door lock busted n took 30 min 2 open cabin. Water wont cum on: spent 25 min w tools trying 2 turn on water main; either broke or no1 pay bill. Had 2 piss n woods. At least we have TP n electric blanket. Cabin also 21F. Hope skiing is good.

Jan 15, 2007: Text Message 2:
One recipient actually said “what happened?” and got this.

Got 2 cabin near Bear Valley. Dor lok stuk. Froz ass off B4 get in. Thot cops mite stop 2 gals 4 B&E cuz we wuz tak so long w/ flashlite. Water not cum on at main valv undr cabin. Frend hold lite. Stil no watr cum. Swering! No watr, no toilet, no shwer! Pis n wuds n went 2 bed!

Jan 15, 2007: Text Message 3:

Update: HPM* has 2 pee agin @3am. Discovr car lites on! Freez ass n fingers 2 find secret Swedsh code 2 turn off lites n lok door on Volvo. Lites off – dors unlock. Hope car starts.

Jan 15, 2007, 0800 Text Message 4:

Rite now all da way under blankets-hed under 2 cuz cold. I lissen 2 HPM snore! LOL gonna kik her awake in a sec 2 hed up 2 ski. Gonna have 2 freez but 2 pee n wuds agin. LOL. Funny trip. Glad 2 laf about it.

*HPM = Hot pink mama

The long story
( Read more... )

Ski report: ( Read more... )

It was an awesome day of skiing. We celebrated our mastery of the slopes with a beer and got some kids to snap some shots of us full of post-ski glow. I think we were grinning the whole way home and laughing about what a weird trip it was. It was cold, it was icy and it was ubber cool!