There was 20cms of fresh snow on Thursday! Too bad my two days off were Tuesday and Wednesday. It snowed like crazy on Wednesday night, but like every Wednesday, we went for a cross-country ski. On the alpine skis, I’m not one to ski groomed runs if there is deeper snow to be found. It’s quite the opposite on the XC trails though. I don’t ever remember sweating so much to go a couple of kilometers, and with all the fresh snow falling, it was more of a workout than I had bargained for. The snow was still coming down hard late on Wednesday after the XC ski, and I knew Thursday morning was going to be a powder day. I got a couple of phone calls about how much snow was accumulating as friends were planning “sick days” for the following morning. This could all be simplified if employment contracts included a 20 cm rule. No excuses to be made, no calling in sick, it would just be expected that if there is 20cms or more of fresh snow, you would not be at work in the morning.
This should apply for accountants too…I had to work Thursday.
-Alli
Allison Random Thoughts & Ski Shots
I go to the Silver Star website every morning to check the snow report and temperature before I eat breakfast. Bright and early Friday morning, I see the video in the middle of the homepage: Powder Gulch Opening Teaser. The video even suggested calling in sick for Friday’s opening of Putnam for the season. I’m sure I could have come down with something, some sort of virus or flu bug, because there is plenty of that going around, right? Unfortunately, calling in “sick” when you work at the ski hill doesn’t work so well, so I made my way to the office. It started snowing, and all I could do was look out the window. So many skiers came into the village at lunch with perma-smiles and covered in snow. I knew what I was missing out on, and I didn’t want to hear how good it was. So if you ripped down the backside on opening day, don’t be honest…tell me it was terrible, icy, and no fun at all (Robin, that includes you!).
-Alli
Allison Random Thoughts & Ski Shots
Who would have believed that the skiing could be this great so early in the season! I had this massive exam to study for, but I was willing to sacrifice a few marks just so I could get some turns in on opening day. Plus, I’ve been putting on the new skis in the house and stomping around, so they were itching to see some. I tried to limit myself to only two runs, but with the great conditions and sunny skies, two easily turned into three, then four. Fresh air is good for you, and I was pretty confident that some time on the skis would help me stay focused on the books for the rest of the day. I started feeling guilty about cutting into my study time, so I did a quick run down Attridge towards home…bad idea. It was so good that I had to do another one, then another, and since it is a shorter run (and no lift lines), I easily justified one more. Short and sweet. In less than two hours I had some of the best opening day skiing that I can remember. The exam is over, bring on the snow!
-Alli
Allison Random Thoughts & Ski Shots
Only 4 days until opening day! I’ve been crossing the days off the calendar for weeks now. The anticipation is starting to get to me, and I know I’m not the only one! Silver Star got some serious snow over the last couple of days, and although it’s cooled off outside, things are really starting to heat up in the village. It’s not much longer until the lifts will be carrying skiers and snowboarders up to the top. Long John’s was nearly full a couple of nights ago, and the familiar faces from many, many ski seasons are starting to reappear. Everything is starting to come together to make 2009-2010 a great ski season, and the 40+ cms of snow in the last couple of days is icing on the cake. Keep praying, dancing, burning old skis, and anything else that may help to bring more snow our way. There is no such thing as too much snow up here!
Thanks to all those who stopped by a Silver Star collection site on the weekend and made a donation to the Salvation Army Food Bank.
-Alli
Allison Random Thoughts & Ski Shots
A couple more cm’s last night, but I’m still hoping for another 50cm dump of snow (like October 26th). I’ve finally accepted that it’s time to put the mountain bike away and pull out the skis. Despite being somewhat terrified of spandex, I’ve been doing some Nordic skiing. How many seasons can you say that you were skiing in October? I’ve gotta admit that the first few times out were pretty funny. I was not nearly as coordinated as I thought, and I had a couple of good crashes on the skinny skis last year. It was after one particular yard sale and face plant that I really began to like cross country skiing. I have this need for speed, and if you’ve only been downhill skiing or snowboarding, trying to go the same speed down a hill on little skinny skis without metal edges, and tiny boots that are not attached at the heels is a whole different ball game!
I haven’t given in to the spandex fashions I see whizzing by me on the nordic trails, but I’m having a blast with a bunch of other newbies to this sport. Still, I can’t wait to pull out the fat skis for some powder turns … just a few more weeks!
-Alli
Allison Random Thoughts & Ski Shots
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