Ski Season Ends

I spent the last two days skiing at Mt. Bachelor in central Oregon. It was incredible. I was granted two days off work after requesting time off for "Spiritual Renewal." One of the perks of having a born-again Christian as your boss. Total bummer but I have to spend time in the office today and tomorrow to work. Now, I am just a volunteer, but I do actually have work. So much that I can't work (sort of like college except I am not binge drinking) so I choose to online journal instead of working. Classic.

It has been an unreal ski season. 31 days. I've skied VT, CA, and OR. All three states have experienced record snow fall this year. Definitely best thing about climate change. After a 10 year hiatus that included college in southern New England and traveling abroad I am back. This year I think I've come into my own as a tele skier and must admit I am nervous about attending grad school with the closest skiing 80 miles away.

I used to think that skiing was sort of a lame, rich person way to "get into the out of doors." I think this continues to be true but it is so good and peaceful that I rarely think about that any more except when I talk to people who don't ski.

My favorite parts of skiing:

1. It scares the shit out of me. It is one of the few times during my days that I get a huge rush. Standing on the top of a steep, long run and knowing that if I fall I could be done toast. And then just pointing my tips and letting go. And being absolutely in the moment. And yelping because that is the only thing to do. And getting to the end and seeing the wall of snow and sweet line. And knowing that I made it without killing myself. I mean wtf.
2. Being outside. Embracing winter. Unreal landscapes. The quiet peacefulness that only snow and low temperatures can bring.
3. It is a social sport. This year I skied alone a bunch. Sometimes I made new friends sometimes I just smiled and took it all in by myself. And other times I skied with folks I know and love.

The past two day I spent at Mt. Bachelor with an old man (68) I met here at Warner Canyon. Old Man lives in town and is a real treat. He is a child and loves to play. We get along quite well and he invited me up for a few days of skiing with his buddies.

He has this group of people he skies with 4 days a week at Bachelor. They are all 70+. Old Man is the youngest. There is a revolving group of about 15 and they've been skiing for between 45 and 65 years. They have seen it all. And it all change over time. From rope tows to 6 person high speed lifts, real seal skins to synthetics, wool to synthetic to wool, straight long skis to fat shaped... and it goes on and on and on. And they are all out there killing it. Pure inspiration.

Over the past two years I have thought a bunch about skiing when I am 70 because it is free at a bunch of resorts... no way. I want to ski when I am 70 because it will keep me alive and well. Some of these 70+ers were smoking me. Not kidding. I mean fast and beautiful.

So right now as I am beginning to to stop my roaming, I am searching for a group of folks to ski with until we are dead. If any readers know anyone who skis (they can live anywhere really) please send them to me. I need to get this going like ASAP.

Feeling the Love

This week marked the end of a few things here in Lakeview. On Sunday, Warner Canyon, the local ski hill closed for the season. With the exception of three trips out of town I spent every weekend there since returning to Lakeview on January 6. There I met most of my favorite people, I honed my tele skills, lived the dream of ski patrol and got in the majority of my 29 ski days. It was awesome. I also made a number of older friends. Friends who have skied there forever and would take me into the woods or out of bounds for a sweet run. Steep and deep. Steep and deep. And then they would let me go first. Unreal. It made me sad to see it close. As I was sitting in the parking lot on the back of an old Ford surrounded by these older men having a cheap american lager, I was pained to think it would never happen again. Its weird to do something and know I am good at something and just leave it...

I also completed my first grant application. It was for a new well and some other improvements at Warner Canyon. I worked with the ski board. It was amazing to see a group of people with the same passion (skiing) come together with all of their individual skills: drafting plans, excavating, dousing, writing, finageling county commissioners, doing math... I am really beginning to focus on the process of things. A huge departure from my regular goal-oriented self. But it is nice and I feel like I am really living each day/moment. So I guess right now I am keeping my fingers crossed for the 47k.

This week was also marked the end of two six week small business classes I've been teaching. (I know. I know.) Every Monday and Tuesday I have spent with adult learners reviewing business basics: budgeting, pricing the product, quality standards, and marketing. I've gotten to know 15 folks from around the county. It is crazy to hear their life stories. A few details:

• 11 kids, going for 12 because 13 is an unlucky number for the family, wanted 3 but had to have more because #3 would be a terrible spoiled child
  
• one son is on his 4th tour in Iraq
• taking the class to help with the ranch that has been in the family for 4 generations
• 95 year old weaver, been retired from Boeing for 31 years
• a woman had four kids and married a man with 3, their two oldest ended up having twins

The end was also suprisingly sad. Although they do want to have reunion bbqs this summer. It was so nice to have the opportunity to meet folks and hear about lives I couldn't even imagine existed. I mean you can't make this shit up.

What I actually do

Here is a link to the description of my job, my community, my life. And its pretty funny.

http://rare.uoregon.edu/downloads/pdf/year15_01.pdf