Skiing On My Mind

What is it about the first snow of the season that gets me so pumped up. It is such a big day. It officially means that Winter is knocking. It is like the first significant milestone of the season.
For many years I made it tradition to always put my ski rack back on at the first site of snow (even if it was September). The old Mercury Topaz always did look a lot better with a ski rack on her.  :)

I have a truck now, so I didn’t have to put the ski rack on today after I saw the first snow of the season.  I was on the annual fall foliage mountain bike ride up to the top of Killington with a good crew of friends and acquaintances. We knew it was going to be questionable weather, but frankly did not expect snow. This crew of riders was also a bunch of skiers, so even though our extremities may have been numb, it was hard not to crack a smile and a little shout as the first white stuff of the season came down.

Time to put the ice scraper back in the car, pre-cut your kindling, and book your trip to Utah, because it’s gonna be a BIG Winter!!!

I am always fascinated by what people do in order to ski. Unfortunately this great sport seems to only be affordable if you immerse yourself in it. I mean, how can anyone afford a $70-80 day lift ticket, which doesn’t even include the $100′s spent on equipment.
So what is there to do? I guess the answer is: You must immerse yourself in IT. IT, meaning skiing, the culture, and the lifestyle.
This can be a big commitment. In my case it started by sleeping in a small dorm room with 3 other dudes, and driving a shuttle van. This happened to be 1 of the best ski season’s of my life, and just the beginning of what I hope to be a life of immersion.
Everyone’s case is different, but it will generally be a pretty big commitment, and always be well worth it.  Especially when you are the first one down Eagle’s Nest on a chest deep day, “immersed” in powder.  Happy ski bumming!

   Well folks, it is September. The first few trees have actually started to turn here in Vermont. Fall is by far my favorite season. There is nothing better than that crisp air, and amazing foliage. Of course, it is also a sign that Winter is coming! My friend Nick has always said his favorite part of most things is the anticipation. Well, I would have to agree.
   It is so exciting to start thinking about what another Winter will bring. I love the first day when you can put on your favorite winter hat and wear it all day without being too hot. Some people love wearing their bathing suit all day. I prefer putting the bathing suit away and breaking out the jeans and long sleeve shirts. It is finally that time when the new ski movies and magazines come out. It is time to reconnect with your “winter friends”. I have quite a few friends that I only really catch up with them in the Fall, just before ski season. This is because I know they are getting as excited as I am about the upcoming Winter.  Skiing is so awesome and I can’t wait.  Oh the anticipation…..I love it!!!

So, I just saw somewhere that the 1st POWDER magazine of the season is out.  Do you know how many people wait all summer for this, including myself.  It really seems like it takes forever waiting to see the new Powder Magazine.  It is a long summer.  Whenever I go to a Barnes & Noble or some other book store, my first stop is always the magazine rack.  I carefully look over the “sports” section hoping to find a new skiing magazine of any kind.  I just need that fix.  It doesn’t matter whether it is mid-Winter or mid-Summer, this is always my first stop at any book store, as I wouldn’t be able to browse anywhere else until I was certain there was no new skiing publications to look at.

   I remember a number of late summers when I heard that the new Powder was out, and driving around, searching for a place to see it.  I would drive from ski shop to ski shop in  August hoping that some place had gotten the issue in.  It always turned out that it was really only the subscribers who had the copies that early.

   I just can’t believe it is that time of year again.  I’ve been thinking about skiing all summer, but it is finally getting to that turning point in the year where other people are actually joining you in thinking about the upcoming ski season.  Anybody got a copy of the new Powder so I can check it out?  I guess I should subscribe.