Day 6

Friday, December 05, 2008

Today was our first ski day, an overcast and chilly one. Sun was shinin’ all day yesterday, but we didn’t make it up there. Instead, I organized some drawers in the kitchen and did a little more unpacking once our UPS boxes arrived. Only got outside to sweep off the deck. The sun on it all day loosened up the ice pretty nice. I hope the folks dig the little bit of arranging Victoria and I have done. We haven’t changed anything major, just thrown out or recycled duplicates of outfitter and gallery brochures, old trail maps, and outdated phone books. Not much else. Nothing really worth mentioning, so why the hell am I? Why the hell did I spend so much time on organizing junk drawers when the sun was shining and I’ve got a free ski pass in the first place? It’s cuz I’m a freak, and I’m starting to fall into the same, stupid organizing traps I fall into at home. Gotta watch out for those.

We did get down to the Meadow yesterday though…Vic set herself up with some new boards: Dynastar 8000’s, WITH bindings. Bought the poles separate, with a sweet ass 10% off employee discount. Pays to be employed at a ski resort. She paid $520 for everything, which was damn near exactly what she said she’d allow herself to spend. They’re great skis, and she’ll get many many kicks out of ‘em, even after she’s graduated from the first few weeks of lessons the skis are gonna teach her. Worth the $.

I thought about my snowboard the same way when I picked it up a month ago; sure I’ll spend money I almost don’t have on it, but it’ll hopefully be the only one I buy for the next 5 or 6 years…maybe longer. Realized today I’ve had my skis for 10 freaking years. Yeah, Vicki’s boards are way finer. But the board is sweet as hell: Liberty Technologies, Banana style, Burton bindings (last year’s), & Thirty Two boots. God bless Vic’s mom for shipping my board. In the rush to get out of Chicago, I wasn’t able to get it packaged up in time. The task fell upon Mom’s shoulders after Victoria had brought the board along to her fam's Thanksgiving festivities and ran out of time to take care of the shipment for me. Her mom saved the day, taking the board to a board shop to find the appropriate sized box, and then buying about 100 yards of bubble wrap to snug it up in, and then jettisoned it out here. Showed up safe and sound via UPS this morning, right after we finished the killer breakfast burritos Vicki made; first we’ve tried at home with tofu sausage. Also had some spinach and pepperjack thrown in there. All killer, no filler. I owe Vic's mom $50.

So, we geared up, threw our skis, and my board along with the bindings, intending to have the setup mounted up at the Mountain Mall (employee disc of 25%!) after finishing our ski day.

We skied for a few hours on only a couple runs. The mountain is only 8% open, which means just over 300 acres of ski able terrain. Considering almost no one is up there yet, we had plenty of stuff to make for a good, warm-up, first day. Victoria said her skis felt great, but after awhile her shins started to get pretty sore to the touch. ‘Least that means she’s keeping her weight forward. She’s got a great technical foundation, and I’m hoping she pushes herself to ski as much of the mountain as possible this season, as opposed to just sticking with what she knows she can handle. It’s a huge resort, and we have free passes…ya gotta take it all in! I’m a shitty teacher though. I can’t make suggestions to anyone on anything without lecturing. I’m planning on taking some snowboard lessons this season (we get deals!) and maybe she'll take some lessons to get her to that next level. Just want her to see lots of the mountain. Maybe that’s not what everyone wants though.

Shit…it’s my goal though. Been skiing this mountain for 18 years and I still feel like I don’t know it’s secrets. I’m glad I got the board with me this season to get out of beginner territory, but I’m kinda wishin’ I had the ski gear to get me down the tricky stuff I've never had the time to master. It doesn’t come down to gear though. Dudes were skiing that terrain on wooden planks way back when. It’s just a choice I’ve gotta make.

So we wrapped up our ski day, went to the car, geared down, and then walked back to the Mountain Mall with the board and bindings. The guy at the shop was cool; had country music playing, but it was decent country; some stuff I had actually bought when I went through my country phase back in high school. Anyway, he had lots of great things to say about the board, and how I could sell it there and buy two setups from last year’s unused gear! Then, this boarder girl comes walking through the shop, with the same board as mine, sees mine on the counter w/o bindings screwed in, and says to the guy, “No way, you guys are selling those!?” “No, we couldn’t keep ‘em in here if we tried. This is his board.” He pointed to me. “Oh, right on. You’re gonna love it! It’s so much fun to ride. Don’t leave it on the rack though.” “Yeah, keep it with you. It’s definitely sought after up here. People will totally take it,” Counter Guy added. Boarder Girl said to have fun and was out the back door, Lib Tech tucked tightly under her arm.

Back to mounting the bindings….Counter Guy got ‘em on, and said, “Wait a sec. Oh man. They sold you two right-foot bindings.” Sure enough, they did. Fuckers. This whole deal went down at the ski and snowboard expo at a convention center in Chicago a month ago...how the hell am I supposed to make and exchange? Dude said there’s a Zumiez shop in Town (bought it at the Zumiez’s booth at the expo), and that they should be able to fix the issue. Victoria and I are headed to Town again tomorrow to buy pants for work and do the Christmas Stroll with friends so, hopefully it’ll all work out. He was bummed for me, and said to come back to have the bindings put on once it all got sorted out. He also suggested I check to see if they’ve got a 158 to replace the 154 I ended up getting…thought my board would be a little short for me in the powder. I’ll ask the guys at Zumiez what they think…if making a trade is even an option.

Got back to the house and worked out for a bit on the Bowflex down in the Memorial Gym. Was goin’ good for awhile ‘til I think I broke it. Just as I was cursing myself out, scratching my head over the tweaked pulleys, Vicki came in with dinner: pork tenderloin in a raisin glaze, singed brussel sprouts, and roasted, red-skin potatoes, and my troubles went elsewhere. We took the food, and an Orval, Trappist Ale I picked up the other day in Town, into the home theater where we watched Ghost Busters while dining. "Back off man. I'm a scientist."

Town tomorrow: fix the board, fix the Bowflex, get some black pants for work, and stroll down twinkly Main Street with Vicki, and friends, sipping nog and b.s.'in. Staying the night there, so maybe we'll get rowdy enough to stay up until midnight!