That’s not me. I’d like to think I’m a bit trimmer and a few years younger. But it sets the stage.
I have raced sailboats for many years and of course have good friends from the years of friendly competition. This fall Charlie approached me about using our heated shop to do some repairs on his racing Yngling sailboat. His friends have given him grief about “downsizing” to this boat but it seems to be a good choice since it works well to race with his wife Jacie. I said yes and eventually the local fiberglass guy showed up to do the work. By the time he showed, temperatures had dropped so the in floor heat was working overtime to get it warm enough. Charlie and Jacie showed their appreciation by giving us some gift certificates and buying dinner one night at a local restaurant. This was a great bonus as we have not spent much time with them and they are a super couple.
Charlie and Jacie are also skiers and we have compared notes a few times trying to coordinate a ski trip without success. During the December dinner Charlie asked what my skiing plans were prior to the big March trip to Canada. I had none so Charlie suggested I tag along on the front end of his upcoming trip to 6 or so resorts in the west. I got the green light from my wife Jackie right then and we came up with an itinerary that would work for Charlie and me.
We agreed to a 4:30 am departure from my house and blasted off driving to Winter Park. Another sailing couple, Dave and Jackie, were also in Winter Park renting a condo for a couple weeks. The perfect topper is yet another friend, John, who is living and working in Winter Park for the winter season. John is the “free spirit” of the group. Single and living in a studio condo for the season. Our plan is for Charlie and I to share a modest hotel room for 3 nights; Charlie picks up wife Jacie at the airport day 4; they couch surf at Dave and Jackie’s place for two night. I move to John’s place and surf his couch. Confused yet?
The drive went well, especially since Charlie is a talker and pretty much pulled my life story out. I got a lot of Charlies as well so we upped the ante on our friendship.
The room was small, the lobby was spartan and COVID was still lurking so we never went out. Charlie and Jacie pre-made some great food so we ate dinners at John or Dave’s place. Charlie proved to be a fabulous roommate and even made me a sandwich every day to eat on the hill. With an Ikon pass and sandwiches in our pockets, we did our best imitation of 20 year old’s pinching pennies.
Day one had us skiing on the winter park side with John mostly picking the runs. A simple fast groomer day. Decent conditions but cold and getting a bit boring by the end of the day. Day 2 we were set up to ski with the locals, Chris and Sandy. Apparently Chris prefers to start at first chair and be off the mountain by noon. I was less than enthusiastic about skiing more groomers on a cold morning but fortunately Charlie helped me see the light of meeting someone new and getting out there. It snowed two inches overnight, the maintenance crew did a great job of making fresh corduroy and Chris is an excellent skier who took us down really good stuff on the Mary Jane side. Sandy and his wife Deb joined us a bit later, also excellent skiers.
On day 3 Charlie went to the airport to pick up Jacie and I spent the day classic cross country skiing with Dave and Jackie. These are seriously athletic people. Zero body fat, four pairs of Nordic skies each and I think 4 bikes each as well. Thank God I was not trying to skate ski with them, as it was they were kind enough to wait for me as I slogged along classic ski style. We went to Snow Mountain Ranch. I believe it is owned by the YMCA. A fabulous place.
Dave and Jackie at Snow Mountain Ranch
That evening I moved in with John and took over the couch. Not like sleeping at home but I have had worse couches. Thanks John!
Day 4 is a Saturday and we went back and forth on planning. We were warned that to get a parking spot on Saturday you must arrive no later than 7:30. No one wanted to go that early. We decided to roll the dice and show up at 10:30 or 11:00 hoping people would be leaving by then. No chance; it was mobbed. They would not even let us drive up to Mary Jane to drop the crew off. We bailed and went for a hike. Best decision of the entire trip. Fabulous 1.5 hour hike in an area called Rendezvous.
The gang minus John for a Saturday hike
Thanks to using passes versus daily tickets, we decided to head back up arriving at 2:30. Mary Jane has an upper lot where one can ski down to the lift. It is the party lot, fun to see people out in sun shine with BBQ, tables, chairs, music…. Even with many people already gone for the day the ski area was still crowded. Nothing like our skiing on Wednesday and Thursday. If you have the time, don’t even think about skiing the weekend at an area near Denver. Ugly. We still managed to have some fun and did get to ski with Jacie who only arrived the day before.
That last night we had lasagna thanks to Charlie and Jacie who made it prior to the trip. A great time telling stories and eating at the Dave/Jackie condo.
The next day Charlie and Jacie drove me to the airport and then picked up friends to continue on with their ski trip. It was fun turning the clock back on ski trips of old and spending time with friends I have not spent much time with before.
But I do look forward to the adventures yet to come this winter.
Following my son down a double black diamond or tree run in Big Sky.
Going to places I have never skied before.
Driving down mountain roads in Canada while looking down at river gorges 2,000 feet below.
Skiing untracked bottomless powder in the Canadian backcounty.
Pulling over in a one horse Canadian town and spending the night in the parking lot of the best local tavern.
Occasional jolts of adrenaline that are sure to come from skiing things I should not or driving thousands of miles across the Rocky Mountains in Montana, Idaho and Alberta.
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The college ski trip makes a comeback
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That’s not me. I’d like to think I’m a bit trimmer and a few years younger. But it sets the stage.
I have raced sailboats for many years and of course have good friends from the years of friendly competition. This fall Charlie approached me about using our heated shop to do some repairs on his racing Yngling sailboat. His friends have given him grief about “downsizing” to this boat but it seems to be a good choice since it works well to race with his wife Jacie. I said yes and eventually the local fiberglass guy showed up to do the work. By the time he showed, temperatures had dropped so the in floor heat was working overtime to get it warm enough. Charlie and Jacie showed their appreciation by giving us some gift certificates and buying dinner one night at a local restaurant. This was a great bonus as we have not spent much time with them and they are a super couple.
Charlie and Jacie are also skiers and we have compared notes a few times trying to coordinate a ski trip without success. During the December dinner Charlie asked what my skiing plans were prior to the big March trip to Canada. I had none so Charlie suggested I tag along on the front end of his upcoming trip to 6 or so resorts in the west. I got the green light from my wife Jackie right then and we came up with an itinerary that would work for Charlie and me.
We agreed to a 4:30 am departure from my house and blasted off driving to Winter Park. Another sailing couple, Dave and Jackie, were also in Winter Park renting a condo for a couple weeks. The perfect topper is yet another friend, John, who is living and working in Winter Park for the winter season. John is the “free spirit” of the group. Single and living in a studio condo for the season. Our plan is for Charlie and I to share a modest hotel room for 3 nights; Charlie picks up wife Jacie at the airport day 4; they couch surf at Dave and Jackie’s place for two night. I move to John’s place and surf his couch. Confused yet?
The drive went well, especially since Charlie is a talker and pretty much pulled my life story out. I got a lot of Charlies as well so we upped the ante on our friendship.
The room was small, the lobby was spartan and COVID was still lurking so we never went out. Charlie and Jacie pre-made some great food so we ate dinners at John or Dave’s place. Charlie proved to be a fabulous roommate and even made me a sandwich every day to eat on the hill. With an Ikon pass and sandwiches in our pockets, we did our best imitation of 20 year old’s pinching pennies.
Day one had us skiing on the winter park side with John mostly picking the runs. A simple fast groomer day. Decent conditions but cold and getting a bit boring by the end of the day. Day 2 we were set up to ski with the locals, Chris and Sandy. Apparently Chris prefers to start at first chair and be off the mountain by noon. I was less than enthusiastic about skiing more groomers on a cold morning but fortunately Charlie helped me see the light of meeting someone new and getting out there. It snowed two inches overnight, the maintenance crew did a great job of making fresh corduroy and Chris is an excellent skier who took us down really good stuff on the Mary Jane side. Sandy and his wife Deb joined us a bit later, also excellent skiers.
On day 3 Charlie went to the airport to pick up Jacie and I spent the day classic cross country skiing with Dave and Jackie. These are seriously athletic people. Zero body fat, four pairs of Nordic skies each and I think 4 bikes each as well. Thank God I was not trying to skate ski with them, as it was they were kind enough to wait for me as I slogged along classic ski style. We went to Snow Mountain Ranch. I believe it is owned by the YMCA. A fabulous place.
That evening I moved in with John and took over the couch. Not like sleeping at home but I have had worse couches. Thanks John!
Day 4 is a Saturday and we went back and forth on planning. We were warned that to get a parking spot on Saturday you must arrive no later than 7:30. No one wanted to go that early. We decided to roll the dice and show up at 10:30 or 11:00 hoping people would be leaving by then. No chance; it was mobbed. They would not even let us drive up to Mary Jane to drop the crew off. We bailed and went for a hike. Best decision of the entire trip. Fabulous 1.5 hour hike in an area called Rendezvous.
Thanks to using passes versus daily tickets, we decided to head back up arriving at 2:30. Mary Jane has an upper lot where one can ski down to the lift. It is the party lot, fun to see people out in sun shine with BBQ, tables, chairs, music…. Even with many people already gone for the day the ski area was still crowded. Nothing like our skiing on Wednesday and Thursday. If you have the time, don’t even think about skiing the weekend at an area near Denver. Ugly. We still managed to have some fun and did get to ski with Jacie who only arrived the day before.
That last night we had lasagna thanks to Charlie and Jacie who made it prior to the trip. A great time telling stories and eating at the Dave/Jackie condo.
The next day Charlie and Jacie drove me to the airport and then picked up friends to continue on with their ski trip. It was fun turning the clock back on ski trips of old and spending time with friends I have not spent much time with before.
But I do look forward to the adventures yet to come this winter.
Following my son down a double black diamond or tree run in Big Sky.
Going to places I have never skied before.
Driving down mountain roads in Canada while looking down at river gorges 2,000 feet below.
Skiing untracked bottomless powder in the Canadian backcounty.
Pulling over in a one horse Canadian town and spending the night in the parking lot of the best local tavern.
Occasional jolts of adrenaline that are sure to come from skiing things I should not or driving thousands of miles across the Rocky Mountains in Montana, Idaho and Alberta.
More to come my friends…..
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